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Duel in the Sun | Pearl Chaves (Jennifer Jones) can't prevent her father, Scott Chaves, (Herbert Marshall) to get wind of her mother (Tilly Losch)'s unfaithfulness with a lover (Sidney Blackmer). Scott gets so angry that he shoots both the mother and the lover. He's sentenced to death in court. After the sentence has been carried out, Pearl goes to live with her cousins, the McCanleses.Jesse, the younger brother (Joseph Cotten), doesn't recognise her, because he expected a Southern lady and she is a half-caste woman who dresses as a gypsy. Jesse's just returned home after finishing his Law studies up north. The older brother, Lewton "Lewt" McCanles (Gregory Peck), is a true Western cowboy. He feels attracted to Pearl. Laura Belle (Lillian Gish) is the female cousin, a weak woman who hasn't been happy in her marriage to the Senator Jackson McCanles (Lionel Barrymore).Jesse offers to teach Pearl, but he doesn't carry it out. He feels attracted to her as well. Lewt dares Pearl to ride an unsaddled horse. She tries, but she can't control the horse, who jumps the fence and runs away until she falls to the ground. There, Lewt helps her to stand up. Another day, Lewt follows Pearl to a pool where she is swimming naked. She spends hours in the water because she doesn't want him to see her. They both arrive late for dinner home.The next day, Laura Belle calls for a preacher (Walter Huston), who orders Pearl to fight sin, sexual pleasure, and says that purity is much more harder for beautiful women. He gives her a medallion to help her.Senator, although he is wheelchair-bound, and Jesse, go to the limits of the ranch to fight the railway workers. The railway is going to cross the ranch, and Senator doesn't want it to do so. At the last moment, Jesse changes sides. Senator decides not to fight the Texas army, because he had fought under the Texas flag they are carrying. However, he won't forgive Jesse his disobedience.That night, Lewt returns from a trip and only Pearl and the talkative slave Vashti (Butterfly McQueen) are there. He enters Pearl's room and kisses her. They make love. When he's about to leave, Jesse arrives. On seeing them he feels so disappointed that he says he won't ever forgive her, although he used to love her.Pearl feels so angry with him, that he decides to enter a relationship with Lewt. They make love many times, and he promises to announce their marriage in a town's party. However, Senator talks Lewt out of it. Lewt tells Pearl he only wants to have fun with her. Pearl leaves the party, and she meets the new ranch worker Sam Pierce (Charles Bickford). He can't dance, but they make it happen somehow. Soon, they get engaged. However, the night before the wedding Lewt kills Sam, because Pearl is his girlfriend until he gets tired of her.Lewt has to live as a runaway, blowing up trains, because of his murder. Laura Belle is very sick and she dies after making peace with his husband. Jesse returns home with his new fiancée, Helen Langford (Joan Tetzel) and her father (Otto Kruger). Lewt visits Pearl at night, to make love to her, and she is responsive to him. The sheriff knocks her door, but she doesn't betray him.Lewt and Jesse have a duel to win Pearl. Lewt wins, as usual, but Jesse survives. Lewt sends word to Pearl for her to see him before he slips across into Mexico. Pearl realizes that Lewt will one day try again to kill Jesse. She meets him in the mountains and shoots Lewt and is then shot by Lewt. Lewt, as he's dying, professes his love for Pearl. Pearl, also shot, struggles to get to the dying Lewt and they die in each other's arms. | murder, violence, melodrama, tragedy, revenge, sadist | tt0038499 |
Chasing Fire | Kristin and Shane are madly and deeply in love, they look like your average everyday couple but Kristin and Shane has a secret they dont want anyone to know about.When Cynthia Ramirez, an actress in her own right, lost her husband George in an accident, she knew that her almost perfect life is over- at least as afar her family is concerned. She has to raise her daughter alone. With all the wealth left by her husband, raising a child is not even Cynthias ultimate problem though. Her aim is to find the missing part of her life and she is set to finally do the right thing once and for all.Eighteen years later, Cynthias daughter, Kristin, deals not only with the drama that is her mother, but also with the dilemma that is her own love life. Finding the right man for a long term relationship seems to be the water loo of Kristin and her current affair with Connor makes her life even more complicated.Walking from the other side of life, Shane is a struggling lead singer of a band. He meets a gang of men who seem to be claiming revenge from an unknown problem. He ends up beaten and bruised but set to move on with his life.Fresh from one of countless arguments with Connor, Kristin decides to unwind with her friend Megan at a local bar. Shane, who happens to play guitar for the band immediately notices Kristin and they end up sharing secrets and simple dreams. For the first time in her life, Kristin is actually enjoying the company of a man.Meanwhile, Cynthias search is over. She has finally found her long lost son, Shane. And this time, Cynthia is determined to acquaint her two children with each other and finally complete her family. But breaking the news to both her children isnt quite as simple as shed hoped.When Cynthia then gathers all the courage she needs and decides to let her daughter know that she has a brother. In order for her children to understand her, she carefully reveals her past via a production number. Hearing all these things, Kristin is dumbfounded with confusion. She cannot believe that the man whom she is attracted to is her brother.The guys who are after Shane and his friends appear in the bar where they perform. Kristin and Megan notice the commotion and an even bigger tumult follows. Shane, Kevin, and Kristin run away and the men chase them. Later on, Shane and Kevin confess that they were involved in car hijacking and owe those guys some money which they use to try and save Kevins brother. When Kristin hears the story, she immediately uses her connections to help the boys get out of trouble.This time, Kristin is set to follow the dictations of her heart- to pursue what she and Shane have already started. And this time, she is willing to risk everything. She is aware that with her decision, they will be against the world, but at this moment, she can no longer battle any issue of morality or human reason temporarily lived out the fantasies and longings for each other. The joy of Shane and Kristin suddenly stops when Cynthia discovers about her children. But Kristin is no longer pleasing her mother and decides to be with Shane.Connor appears unannounced at Kristins place and abducts the lady who is just preparing to runaway with Shane. Kristin is shamelessly molested by a group of heartless men. She wakes up in hospital, unconscious. Shane, Cynthia and Megan wait and hope everything will be fine.Shane spends sleepless nights crying- the pain of not having been able to protect someone he holds dear is just unbearable. Ashamed, confused, and scared, he will now make the huge decision he hopes he never regrets in the future- to leave Kristin for good.Five years after, Kristin finds herself attending to the needs of her own child. She may not have everything she longs for now, but she is contented. | comedy, violence, intrigue, flashback, tragedy, suspenseful | tt2661536 |
Great Expectations | On Christmas Eve, around 1812, Pip, an orphan who is about six years old, encounters an escaped convict in the village churchyard while visiting the graves of his mother, father, and siblings. The convict scares Pip into stealing food and a file to grind away his shackles, from the home he shares with his abusive older sister and her kind, passive husband Joe Gargery, a blacksmith. The next day, soldiers recapture the convict while he is engaged in a fight with another convict; the two are returned to the prison ships from which they escaped.Miss Havisham, a wealthy spinster who wears an old wedding dress and lives in the dilapidated Satis House, asks Pip's "Uncle Pumblechook" (who is actually Joe's uncle) to find a boy to play with her adopted daughter Estella. Pip begins to visit Miss Havisham and Estella, with whom he falls in love, with Miss Havisham's encouragement. Pip visits Miss Havisham multiple times, and during one of these visits, he brings Joe along. During their absence, Joe's wife is attacked by a mysterious individual and lives out the rest of her life as a mute invalid.Later, when Pip is a young apprentice at Joe's blacksmith shop, a lawyer, Mr. Jaggers, approaches him and tells him he is to receive a large sum of money from an anonymous benefactor and must immediately leave for London, where he is to become a gentleman. Assuming that Miss Havisham is his benefactress, he visits her and Estella, who has returned from studying on the Continent.Years later, Pip has reached adulthood and is now heavily in debt. Abel Magwitch, the convict he helped, who was transported to New South Wales where he eventually became wealthy, reveals himself to Pip as his benefactor. There is a warrant for Magwitch's arrest in England, and he will be hanged if he is caught. Pip and his friends Herbert Pocket and Startop hatch a plan for Magwitch to flee by boat. Pip also discovers that Estella is the daughter of Magwitch and Mr. Jaggers' housemaid, Molly, whom Jaggers defended in a murder charge and who gave up her daughter to be adopted by Miss Havisham.Pip learns that Miss Havisham's fiancé jilted her, resulting in her strange behaviour and her desire to have revenge on men by using Estella to break Pip's heart. He confronts Miss Havisham with Estella's history. In a fit of depression and remorse, Miss Havisham accidentally sets her dress on fire. Pip saves her, but she eventually dies from her injuries, lamenting her manipulation of Estella and Pip.
Magwitch makes himself known to PipA few days before the escape, Joe's former journeyman, Orlick, who was responsible for the attack on Mrs. Joe, attacks Pip. Herbert Pocket and his friends save Pip and prepare for the escape.During the escape, Magwitch kills his enemy Compeyson, a con artist and Miss Havisham's fiancé. Police capture Magwitch and jail him. Pip visits a deathly ill Magwitch in jail and tells him that his daughter Estella is alive. Barely alive, Magwitch responds with a squeezing of Pip's palm and dies shortly after, before his execution. Pip is about to be arrested for unpaid debts when he falls ill. Joe comes to London and nurses Pip back to health and pays off his debts. Pip realises that in his fruitless pursuit of Estella and wealth, he has callously ignored Joe. Realising the error of his ways, Pip returns to propose to Biddy, a friend from his childhood in Kent, only to find that she and Joe have married.Pip asks Joe for forgiveness, and Joe forgives him. As Pip has lost his fortune upon Magwitch's death, he is no longer a gentleman. Pip promises to repay Joe and goes to Egypt, where he shares lodgings with Herbert and Clara and works diligently as a clerk.Eleven years later, Pip visits the ruins of Satis House and meets Estella, whom her dead husband, Bentley Drummle, had abused. She asks Pip to forgive her, assuring him that misfortune has opened her heart and that she now empathises with Pip. As Pip takes Estella's hand and leaves the ruins of Satis House, he sees "no shadow of another parting from her." | romantic | tt1949720 |
Dante's Cove | As the season begins, Kevin Archer leaves an abusive home to follow his boyfriend, Toby, to Dantes Cove, a remote tropical island populated by beautiful young residents, gay and straight. Unknown to Kevin, Dantes Cove has a dark and dangerous history, and he is unwittingly being drawn into a web of supernatural intrigue.
Arriving at the Hotel Dante (built in the 1840s and recently converted into apartments) Kevin meet his new housemates: Van, a mysterious lesbian artist drawn to the dark side of human nature, Cory, a carefree party-boy wholl hook up with any guy whos interested, and Adam, Tobys straight best friend from high school who is secretly in love with Toby.At first Kevin and Tobys reunion is wonderful. But soon, Kevin begins hearing a strange voice coming from within the hotel a voice that is summoning him. Drawn to the basement, Kevin stumbles upon Ambrosius Vallin, an immortal warlock imprisoned for over a hundred and fifty years.In 1840, Ambrosius was engaged to marry Grace Neville, a powerful practiotioner of Tresum, an ancient supernatural religion. When Grace found Ambrosius making love with another man, she killed his lover and cursed Ambrosius to an eternity locked in the Dantes basement. Only the kiss of a young man would set Ambrosius free.Having successfully made Kevin hear his call, Ambrosius summons him to the basement and forces Kevin to kiss him. The kiss from Kevin breaks the curse. Not content to be young andfree again, Ambrosius decides Kevin is his destiny, and will stop at nothing to have him. He puts a spell on Kevin, and also turns Cory into a sort of personal slave and spy so that he can keep an eye on Kevin. But Grace wont allow Ambrosius to find love or happiness, and uses her magic to murder Kevin. Ambrosius, who learned Tresums powers while locked in the basement, succeeds in reviving Kevin.
Meanwhile, searching the historical society for an explanation of the strange happenings in Dantes Cove, Toby and Van find the Book of Tresum written in a strange ancient language. Van is able to cast a spell from the book and break the curse on Kevin, freeing him from Ambrosius hold. It seems like a happy ending, until Ambrosius uses Cory to lure Toby away from the sleeping Kevin, and throws Toby into the ocean to drown. | haunting | tt0414731 |
Killer's Kiss | In the main hall at New York's Pennsylvania Station, Davy Gordon (Jamie Smith), a young boxer, sits waiting for his train as he recalls the last few days...Living alone in a small apartment, he becomes attracted to a young woman, named Gloria Price (Irene Kane), who leads a no less solitary existence across the courtyard of his apartment building. He leaves for a fight while she goes to a nightclub where she works as a taxi dancer for its owner, Rapallo (Frank Silvera).Meanwhile, Davy loses the fight and on his return to his apartment, he sees through Gloria's bedroom window that Rapallo is trying to rape her. Davy rushes to her aid and beats Rapallo up who fleas. Shaken, Gloria recounts her life story to Davy about having to support herself and Rapallo who wants her. They decide to leave town and stay with Davy's uncle in Seattle. But first, Davy must collect money owed to him by Albert (Jerry Jarret) his manager. When Gloria phones Rapallo and tells him that she is leaving him for good, Rapallo decides to send out his strong-armed men (Mike Dana, Felice Orlandi, Ralph Roberts and Phil Stevenson) to kill Davy to reclaim his woman.Davy and Gloria go to the taxi dance club where Gloria will pick up her last paycheck and Davy will wait outside on the street for Albert to show up with his money. When two drunken mens club conventioneers steal Davy's coat, he chases off after them in which Albert arrives outside the club and waits for Davy. Just then, two of Rapallo's goons arrive and attack and kill Albert in a vacant alley after they mistake him for Davy.When Davy returns to pick up Gloria, Rapallo realizes that they killed the wrong man and he sends his men out to just grab Gloria by force. When Davy returns to his apartment to pack up and sees Gloria being taken by Rapallo's men, he rushes over, but they get away. Davy is forced to hide when his landlord and two policemen arrive looking for him to question him about Albert's murder. Davy now embarks on a personal quest to find Gloria on his own.The next morning, Davy follows Rapallo from his club to a seedy and desolate part of the Lower East Side where he takes him hostage with a gun and forces him to lead him to Gloria. At the loft, Davy holds Rapallo and his two henchman in check as he unties Gloria. But just then, one henchman lunges at him for the gun and a struggle ensues. Davy is forced to run while Rapallo and one of his thugs chase off after him while one stays behind to watch Gloria. When the henchman left behind lets his guard down, Gloria knocks him on his head and escapes.A climatic chase begins as Davy is pursued across the rooftops by Rapallo and one of his henchmen. When the henchman injurs his foot after jumping from one rooftop to the next, Rapallo leaves him behind to contine chasing after Davy. The chase leads to an old warehouse filled with disembodied shop-window mannequins. Davy engages in a life-or-death struggle with Rapallo, kills him and, believing that he has lost Gloria, leaves alone to catch his train to Seattle.Flashing forward to the present, just as Davy steps up onto the platform to board, Gloria joins him at the last minute and they ride off together. | cult, murder, flashback | tt0048254 |
Deliver Us from Evil | The movie opens in Iraq in 2010. A small group of soldiers are running through a war zone in the desert when they encounter a man-made underground cave. The group leader, Lt. Griggs, sends two soldiers (Jimmy Tratner and Mike Santino) to investigate. Jimmy is recording. Underground, the camera light starts to flicker and then eventually dies out completely. Jimmy and Santino are heard screaming, and then the night vision comes on to reveal hundreds of bats exiting the cave around the two men. Santino produces a light and walks over a river of human skulls to the back of the cave, despite Jimmy's pleas to leave. He illuminates the back wall of the cave, which has a Latin inscription on it.The movie then flashes forward to present day 2013, in New York. Detective Ralph Sarchie is seen trying to give mouth to mouth to a very small bundle, which is revealed to be a dead baby. The coroner asks him repeatedly to let go, but he has trouble doing so and is clearly affected by the experience. The next scene shows Sarchie and his partner, Butler, patrolling the streets of New York. They hear a call coming in about a domestic dispute case and Sarchie says they'll take it. Butler, an adrenaline junkie, is excited because apparently Sarchie has a "radar" that causes him to take cases that take unusual, often violent turns. The call is about Jimmy Tratner. They pull up to his house and Jimmy answers the door. Sarchie needs to see his wife so Jimmy lets them inside. The wife, sitting on the sofa, lifts her head to show she has been badly beaten. Sarchie and Butler immediately try to arrest Jimmy, who fights back with a knife, slashing Sarchie's arm, and then sprints away. They eventually catch him, with Sarchie beating him so badly that Butler has to pull him away, and arrest him. Sarchie notices Jimmy's fingernails are bleeding.After Sarchie gets stitches in his arm, the two get a call for the local zoo. Upon arriving, the police at the scene tell them a woman has thrown her 2-year-old boy into the lion's pit. Luckily, the pit is being repainted, so the lions are not there, but the boy was badly injured. In the ensuing chaos, the woman escaped and the power went out. Sarchie and Butler split up and look for the woman. Sarchie notices the animals are going crazy and eventually finds the woman trying to dig into the ground with her bare fingernails. She is also constantly repeating the lyrics to a song by The Doors. While arresting her, they notice a man in a hood, presumably the painter, in the lion enclosure. Sarchie wants to talk to him but he just slowly walks away, farther into the lion's pit. Sarchie follows him when suddenly the two lions are out in the enclosure. He barely escapes.Upon taking the woman, named Jane, to the station, they are met by a priest named Mendoza. He wants to know more about Jane's behaviour, saying he's been close with her for years and that she isn't insane. He says there are two types of evil: secondary evil, which man does, and primary evil, which is something else entirely. He believes Jane is possessed. Sarchie doesn't believe the priest but takes his card anyway.The two are filling out the paperwork for the night when Sarchie gets a video message from his wife, Jen, and his young daughter, Christina, saying goodnight. Butler tells him the zoo will get them the video for the night's incidents in a few days. Sarchie overhears two other detectives talking about a case where a woman got a call from her father, who's been dead for seven years, to "shut the door, the damn door". Seeing a connection between the woman in the zoo and this case (the Doors), Sarchie offers to take the case off their hands. He and Butler go to a house where the family says they think the house is possessed and that strange sounds have been coming from the basement, which was recently being painted. None of the lights in their house work, none of the candles will burn, and every time they replace a light bulb it burns out within a few hours. Sarchie and Butler go down the stairs to investigate. The place reeks and hasn't been touched for some time. Butler goes upstairs for air, and Sarchie's radio starts making static for no reason. He eventually finds a body in the basement rolled up in a tarpaulin, later to be revealed to be Lt. Griggs. Sarchie questions the family and they identify his picture as a painter. They say there was another painter too, but they didn't see his face as he always had a hood on.Sarchie goes home to see his wife and daughter. The next morning Jen and Christina go to church, but Sarchie doesn't go. Jen tells Christina he used to go to church but doesn't any more. He doesn't believe any more.Sarchie and Butler go to Griggs's apartment and discover he was Jane's husband. His apartment is a wreck. They find another picture with Lt. Griggs, Jimmy, and a man named Santino in it. Upon looking him up, they discover all three were dishonourably discharged for attacking an army chaplain. They served time and got out a couple of years ago. Sarchie recognizes Santino as the painter from the lion enclosure and they further infer he is the painter from the house. Lt. Griggs was found to have killed himself by drinking paint thinner, but Santino had to have been the one to wrap him in the tarpaulin.The zoo has finally sent over the footage from the night the detectives were there. First, they watch the video of Jane. She is seen walking past the lion pit with a stroller when she spots Santino there, painting over something that looks like an inscription. He turns to face her and she starts to shake violently and then throws her child into the pit. He turns back and continues painting as if nothing happened. Next, they watch the video of Sarchie in the lion pit. Santino is shown walking away from Sarchie and turning a corner to let the lions out of where they're being kept, seemingly talking to them. Sarchie hears static again even though his radio is off and children's laughter. Then, a bloodied man pops up on the screen for a split second, startling him. Butler doesn't hear or see anything.Meanwhile, there is a scene where Christina is home going to sleep. She hears scratching under her bed and runs to her mum's room screaming. Sarchie goes home for the night and is met by Jen, who is angry at him because he yelled at his daughter and because "even when he's home he's not really there." He gets mad and tells her he's had a terrible week. She says he doesn't talk to her any more and he says he'll try to be better. He goes to check on his daughter and finds nothing in her room until he sees the bloodied man over her bed in the mirror. He whips back around and the man is gone.Sarchie continues to hear static and children's voices, so he goes to meet the priest Mendoza at a pub. Mendoza is drinking but explains he used to be hooked on heroin, and that it eventually led him to God when he hit rock bottom. He lets Sarchie listen to an audio clip of an exorcism of a woman Claudia and her 5 year old daughter. The clip deeply affects Sarchie. Sarchie lets Mendoza take a look at the clips, and Mendoza doesn't hear the voices or see the man. However, Mendoza claims Sarchie's "radar" might actually be a heightened awareness to all things occult and evil, which is both a gift and a curse.Throughout the movie, Sarchie's family situation is becoming worse. He is distant from his wife and Christina's room is seemingly becoming increasingly haunted. One night, she hears the scratching again and her door won't open. Another night, her toys come alive on their own and move toward her. Jen is mad at Sarchie, saying Christina doesn't feel safe in her own home because she needs her father.Jane, in a mental ward, incapacitates the physician and escapes.Sarchie goes back to Jimmy's wife's house and sees the recordings from the war, including the one from the beginning of the film. Mrs. Tratner says she hasn't seen Jimmy since he got arrested, though he is out of jail. Sarchie views the recording and sees the inscription. He discovers the inscription is everywhere Santino is seen painting - the zoo, the house with the haunted basement, the cave in Iraq, even Jimmy's apartment. Mendoza explains the inscription is a portal to Hell. This explains why all the references are to the Doors, a type of portal.Butler and Sarchie find Santino's address. They, along with Mendoza, go to his apartment to wait for him. Butler is covering the front and Sarchie is in the car with Mendoza in the back. Mendoza says Sarchie needs to confess to God for him to help any further. Before Sarchie can do so, he spots Santino coming back into the apartment complex. He and Butler enter his apartment but he isn't there. They try to chase him down but they get split up, resulting in Sarchie getting attacked by a possessed Jimmy, who appears in the basement, and Butler getting trapped on the stairs. Mendoza is able to subdue Jimmy with his cross. Butler is stabbed to death in the stairwell by Santino.Back at Mendoza's apartment, Sarchie is upset about not being able to save Butler. Mendoza tells him to confess to him. He does, and explains he has killed a man out of revenge before. Mendoza absolves him of his sins.When Sarchie is driving home, Jane jumps to her death onto his car. When he is calling it in, he gets a call from Jen's phone, only to realize it's Santino on the phone, who has kidnapped his wife and daughter. He races home to find Santino and calls backup. They arrest Santino and bring him in. Mendoza and Sarchie are forced to do an exorcism. It is long and taxing for both, with Sarchie at one point only being able to hear a song by the Doors. Eventually, they expel the demon, and Sarchie finds his wife and daughter unharmed.It is revealed that after the birth of his second daughter, Sarchie retired from the police force and works with Mendoza to this day. | neo noir, gothic, murder, paranormal, horror, flashback, suspenseful | tt2377322 |
Green Lantern | Millions of years before the Earth was formed, a group of beings called the Guardians of the Universe used the green essence of willpower to create an intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps. They split the universe into 3,600 sectors, with one Green Lantern per sector. One such Green Lantern, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) of Sector 2814, defeated the fear-essence being Parallax (voiced by Clancy Brown) and imprisoned him in the Lost Sector on the ruined planet Ryut. However, in the present day, Parallax escapes from his prison. Six months later, after killing four Green Lanterns and destroying two planets, Parallax attacks Sector 2814 and mortally wounds Abin Sur, who escapes and crash-lands on Earth. The dying Abin Sur commands his ring to find a worthy successor on the planet.Ferris Aircraft test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is chosen by the ring and transported to the crash site, where Abin Sur appoints him a Green Lantern, by telling him to take the lantern and speak the oath. At home he says the oath of the Green Lanterns while under trance from the glow of the lantern. After he's attacked while leaving a bar Jordan swings to punch one of his attackers, letting out a huge fist of green energy. Afterward, Jordan is whisked away to the Green Lantern Corps home planet of Oa, where he meets and trains with Tomar-Re (voiced by Geoffrey Rush) and Kilowog (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan). He encounters Corps leader Sinestro (Mark Strong), who is not pleased that a human which is primitive compared to other species has become a Green Lantern. With Sinestro seeing him as unfit and fearful, Jordan quits and returns to Earth, keeping the power ring and lantern.Meanwhile, after being summoned by his father Senator Robert Hammond (Tim Robbins) to a secret government facility, scientist Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) performs an autopsy on Abin Sur's body. A piece of Parallax inside the corpse inserts itself inside Hammond, mutating the scientist and giving him telepathy and telekinetic powers, at the cost of his sanity. After discovering that he was only chosen due to his father's influence, Hammond resentfully attempts to kill his father by telekinetically sabotaging his helicopter at a party. However, Jordan uses his ring to save the senator and the party guests, including his childhood sweetheart, Ferris manager and fellow test pilot Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), who later recognizes Jordan under the suit and mask. Shortly afterward, Jordan encounters Hammond, who succeeds in his second attempt to kill his father by burning him alive. Both Jordan and Hammond realize Parallax is on his way to Earth.Back on Oa, the Guardians tell Sinestro that Parallax was once one of their own, until he desired to control the yellow essence of fear, only to become the embodiment of fear itself. Believing the only means to fight fear is by fear itself, Sinestro requests for the Guardians to forge a ring of the same yellow power, preparing to concede Earth's destruction to Parallax in order to protect Oa. However, Jordan appears and tells Sinestro not to use the yellow ring and for the Corps to help him protect his planet from Parallax's imminent invasion. They deny his request, but allow Jordan to return and protect his home planet.Upon returning to Earth, Jordan saves Ferris from being injected with Parallax's essence by Hammond. Parallax then arrives, consuming Hector's life force for failing to kill Jordan, and then wreaking havoc on Coast City. Jordan lures Parallax away from Earth and toward the Sun, using the Sun's gravity to pull and disintegrate the entity. He loses consciousness after the battle, but is saved by Sinestro, Kilowog, and Tomar-Re. Later the entire Green Lantern Corps congratulates him for his bravery. Sinestro tells Jordan he now bears the responsibility of protecting his sector as a Green Lantern. Sometime later when he is alone, Sinestro, still in possession of the yellow ring, places it on his finger, causing his green suit to change to yellow along with his eyes. | good versus evil, revenge, boring, psychedelic, flashback | tt1133985 |
Blue Like Jazz | "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened."In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God. | philosophical | tt1758575 |
Mosquito der Schänder | NOTE: Based on the true life story of Kuno Hoffman, "the vampire of Nuremberg."Mosquito [Werner Pochath] is deaf and dumb, thanks to a "loving" father who beat him senseless when a child. Now an adult, Mosquito works as a bookkeeper, keeps to himself, and lives alone in an apartment with black walls and his collection of dolls. Often the butt of derision from his co-workers and neighbors, he takes pleasure only in watching a young neighbor woman [Birgit Zamulo] who likes to dance under the clouds and seems to be a bit "touched". Oh, and he also likes to smash his dolls and lick catsup off his hands.One day, when smashing dolls and licking up catsup doesn't seem to satisfy him anymore, Mosquito breaks into a mortuary where he stabs the corpse of a young woman and licks her blood off his hands, whereafter he writes "Mosquito" on the wall. This appears to satisfy whatever is driving him, as he continues the practice of locating dead girls from the obituaries, stabbing them in the chest, and drinking their blood, eventually using a double-pronged straw to suck it directly instead of licking it off his hands. Occasionally he goes a bit further, like cutting off a woman's head and, in one case, plucking out a woman's eyeballs and taking them home where he keeps them in a jar. After several such mutilations, Mosquito's exploits have made it into the newspaper and all
of Nuremberg is talking about the "vampire".When Dancer, in one of her dancing sessions, falls off the roof and is killed, Hoffman can find no solace. After attending Dancer's funeral service, he stays in the cemetery in order to remove her body from the coffin for a final kiss and a last dance. When that doesn't help, he visits a mortuary where he sucks the blood from the chests of two women. When that doesn't work, he visits a whorehouse to watch two whores having sex. Even that doesn't work so, on his way home on his motor scooter, he follows a young couple as they drive out to the country. As they are making love in their car, Hoffman kills them and drinks their blood. Only then does he smile.
Unfortunately, he leaves behind his straw and passport and is finally apprehended by the police. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.] | violence, murder | tt0074920 |
Mildred Pierce | Mildred Pierce (Kate Winslet) is a housewife in Glendale, California in 1931. She and husband Bert (Brian F. OByrne) have two young daughters, Veda (Morgan Turner) and Moire, or "Ray" (Quinn McColgan). Bert had been a fairly successful home developer, but is now unemployed due to the Great Depression. Mildred makes extra money by selling baked goods to neighbors, including her friend Lucy (Melissa Leo), who praise her culinary skills. Her relationship with Bert ends in separation after it is revealed that he had been unfaithful, but Mildred does not tell the children the details of their father's absence.With the economy suffering, Mildred begins a harrowing job hunt. She visits an employment agency but finds that, like many female applicants, her skills as a homemaker and her typing ability will not land her any work. She does get referred to a wealthy woman (Hope Davis) who is engaged to a prominent film director and is looking for a housekeeper. Mildred attends the interview, but is put off by the woman's blatantly entitled attitude and declines the job. Stopping at a café for lunch, Mildred witnesses a public scuffle when one of the waitresses is caught stealing tips from her colleague's station. The owner of the restaurant (Mark Margolis) fires the two arguing waitresses for fighting in front of the customers, and Mildred timidly goes to the kitchen to inquire about a job opening. While the staff is still flustered, they agree that they need an extra waitress and decide to give Mildred a chance. While at first too nervous to be an efficient server, Mildred learns from a seasoned waitress, Ida (Mare Winningham), who teaches her crucial tricks and details of the job. Mildred soon flourishes and becomes a significant asset to the restaurant by contributing her own pies to the menu, which bring in extra money and raves from the customers. Mildred is relieved to be bringing home a paycheck, but is terrified that her daughters will be ashamed of her if they find out her occupation.Mildred's eldest daughter, 11-year-old Veda, is incredibly proper and ambitious and strives to speak and act in an almost obnoxiously mature manner. Despite her own middle-class upbringing, she is disgusted by people and lifestyles that she perceives to be "common," and Mildred harbors a fear of Veda's harsh judgment. The younger daughter, 8-year-old Ray, is a typical happy and lively child who adores her family. Though things are strained between Mildred and Bert, they get along for the sake of the children. Mildred enters a brief affair with Bert's friend and associate Wally Bergan (James LeGros), and shares with him her tentative idea of starting her own chicken restaurant. Wally says she should run with it, if she could ultimately prove that the business would be profitable.Veda has suspicions about Mildred's occupation, and discovers the waitress uniform while snooping in her mother's room. She indirectly confronts Mildred by ordering their maid, Letty (Marin Ireland), to wear the uniform, telling Mildred she assumed it was intended for the maid. Mildred has no choice but to confess, and Veda shamelessly insults her. The argument heats up, and Mildred slaps and spanks her daughter. She then reveals her restaurant plan and makes the excuse that she had only taken the waitress job to learn the trade from the bottom up. Veda seemingly apologizes. Mildred's intense yet fearful relationship with Veda becomes clear. Though Mildred constantly endures Veda's emotional abuse and lies, she desperately scrambles to give the girl everything she wants for fear of losing her love.Mildred eventually locks down a piece of real estate for her restaurant, and when things are nearly up and running, she happily embarks on her last day as a humble waitress. At work, and in an upbeat mood, she converses with a dashing customer, Monty Beragon (Guy Pierce), a polo player with a fruit business and a casual, high-end lifestyle. He is charmed by Mildred's wit, and invites her to go to the beach with him that very day. With her daughters on vacation with Bert, Mildred indulges her impulse and goes on an outing with Monty that ends in intimacy. When he drops her off at home, Mildred is met by a frantic neighbor who reports that when Bert and the girls returned from vacation, Ray had become seriously ill and was taken to the hospital when they found that Mildred was not at home. Mildred rushes to the hospital and is relieved that the doctors had stabilized Ray for the moment, but is devastated when Ray's condition suddenly plummets and the doctors are unable to save her. Bert and Mildred mourn the loss of their little girl. To combat her grief, Mildred puts every ounce of her energy and focus into developing her restaurant. On opening night, a surprisingly large crowd shows up, including Bert, Veda, Ida, and Monty. The service is quickly stretched to the limit, and Ida takes over the kitchen and gets things running smoothly again. The night winds down, and Monty bonds with Veda before seducing Mildred again at her home.Taking Wally's advice, Mildred divorces Bert to improve her financial standing for her business. As Mildred's relationship with Monty progresses, he becomes more and more dependent on her income. His fruit business goes belly-up, and he begins to refer to himself as Mildred's "paid gigolo." Mildred takes offense to his crude remarks, but is attached to the sexual relationship. Meanwhile, Mildred is putting extensive time and money into music lessons and equipment for Veda, who is a budding concert pianist. Now fourteen, Veda becomes more and more spoiled, arrogant and manipulative. She becomes strangely close with Monty, and thinks nothing of being outright insulting to her mother. Mildred still holds a desperate attachment to her daughter and believes there is good in her, despite the barbs she endures from Veda's behavior. Fed up, she leaves Monty and puts even more energy into making Veda happy, as well as opening new restaurants with the help of Ida, Lucy and Wally.A few years later, 17-year-old Veda (now Evan Rachel Wood) is being trained as a professional opera singer. Mildred's business takes a sudden financial blow, and her accountants point out that it is Veda's spending that is causing the damage. Mildred frantically defends her daughter, and continues to furnish Veda's lifestyle despite the expense. Veda and Mildred have a turbulent and bipolar relationship. Veda is living at home, but is constantly out with her reckless wealthy friends whom she only keeps for their connections to prominent media figures. A wealthy woman, Mrs. Forrester, visits Mildred, who is shocked to see that it is the same woman who had interviewed her for the housekeeping job years ago. Mrs. Forrester does not recognize Mildred from the incident, but delivers the news that her son, Sammy, had been seeing Veda exclusively (mainly because Mr. Forrester is a well-known film director and Veda had expressed an interest in acting) and that Veda was firmly and dramatically insisting that they marry. Mildred is taken aback, and confronts Veda later that night. Veda insinuates that she is pregnant, but later reveals that she had lied in order to claim money from the Forrester's attorneys that would allow her to leave Glendale and her mother forever. She nastily expresses her loathing for Mildred's "pie wagons" and "everything that smells of grease." Enraged, Mildred throws her out of the house, but immediately regrets it.Veda moves into an apartment and continues her singing instruction, soon becoming a celebrated soprano. Despite the busy schedule her restaurants demand, Mildred's main focus is to win Veda's love. Knowing Veda's fondness for Monty, Mildred reunites with him and buys his family estate to construct a more extravagant lifestyle that Veda might approve of. Mildred and Monty marry, though their happiness is short-lived. Mildred's business begins to suffer on account of her expensive living, and she is in danger of losing control of her restaurant franchise. She confesses to Bert that she had been embezzling money from the restaurants to lure Veda back home. To Mildred's delight, Veda finally comes home. She and Mildred share a tearful reunion, with Veda apologizing profusely for her previous behavior. Veda's singing talent had bought her fame and business offers, and she is preparing for a widely-advertised one-woman opera concert. Veda, Monty, and Mildred bond over the preparation for the show, designing Veda's elaborate costume and inviting friends and family to attend. On the night of the show, Mildred is paralyzed with emotion as she watches her daughter sing in front of a massive audience, ending with a song that she used to sing with Mildred as a little girl. Mildred takes the gesture as an olive branch from Veda and finally begins to have hope for the future.Still in debt, Mildred determines that she must borrow money from her now-wealthy daughter. She cannot find Veda in the house, and goes to Monty's room to ask if he had seen her. Monty refuses to open the door and behaves very nervously. Mildred forces the door open and sees Veda, stark naked, in Monty's bed. Veda sneers at her mother, gloating that she and Monty had planned to dupe Mildred all along. Mildred, blinded by fury, attacks Veda and nearly chokes her to unconsciousness. Veda claims that her vocal chords are damaged as a result, and she has lost her ability to sing. Her singing contract is nullified.Mildred hastily moves to Nevada in order to divorce Monty as quickly as possible. Still without the money to keep her restaurant chain, she leaves it to Ida, who had been a strong pillar of support over the years. She and Bert, who had re-bonded during the Veda debacle, remarry and move in together once more. They are taken aback when Veda confronts her parents, accompanied with reporters, to reconcile with Mildred in order to lessen the damage her relationship with Monty had done to her reputation. Mildred accepts the staged apology, but several months later Veda returns with the news that she is moving to New York City with Monty, and that her vocal chord injury was a ploy so she could be freed from her previous singing contract and obtain a better one. As Veda prepares to leave in a taxi, Mildred shouts at her to never come back. Bert calms her down, finally allowing Mildred to accept that Veda does not deserve her mother's support. Mildred and Bert proceed to drink, and prepare for the next chapter of their lives. | depressing | tt1492030 |
Star Trek: First Contact | Captain Jean-Luc Picard awakens from a nightmare in which he relived his assimilation by the cybernetic Borg six years earlier (previously shown in the television episode "The Best of Both Worlds"). He is contacted by Admiral Hayes, who informs him of a new Borg attack against Earth. Picard's orders are for his ship, the USS Enterprise-E, to patrol the Neutral Zone in case of Romulan aggression, as Starfleet is worried that Picard is too emotionally involved with the Borg to join the fight. Learning the fleet is losing the battle, the Enterprise crew disobeys orders and heads for Earth, where a single Borg Cube ship holds its own against a group of Starfleet vessels. The Enterprise arrives in time to save the crew of the USS Defiant and its captain, the Klingon Worf. Picard takes control of the fleet and directs the surviving ships to concentrate their firepower on a seemingly unimportant point on the Borg ship.[1] The Cube is destroyed after launching a smaller sphere ship towards the planet. The Enterprise pursues the sphere into a temporal vortex. As the sphere disappears, the Enterprise discovers Earth has been altered and is now populated entirely by Borg. Realizing the Borg have used time travel to change the past, the Enterprise follows the sphere through the vortex.[2]The Enterprise travels to April 4, 2063, the day before humanity's first encounter with alien life after Zefram Cochrane's historic warp drive flight; the crew realizes the Borg are trying to prevent first contact. After destroying the Borg sphere, an away team transports down to the site where Cochrane is building his ship, the Phoenix, in Montana. Picard has Cochrane's assistant Lily Sloane sent back to the Enterprise for medical attention. The Captain returns to the ship and leaves Commander William T. Riker on Earth to make sure the Phoenix's flight proceeds as planned.[3] While in the future Cochrane is seen as a hero, the real man is reluctant to assume the role the Enterprise crew describe.[2]A group of Borg invade the Enterprise's lower decks and begin to assimilate its crew and modify the ship. Picard and a team attempt to reach engineering to disable the Borg with a corrosive gas, but are forced back; the android Data is captured in the melee. A frightened Sloane corners Picard with a weapon, but he gains her trust. The two escape the Borg-infested area of the ship by creating a diversion in the holodeck.[3] Picard, Worf, and the ship's navigator, Lt. Hawk, travel outside the ship in space suits to stop the Borg from calling reinforcements by using the deflector dish. They destroy the disc but Hawk is assimilated. As the Borg continue to assimilate more decks, Worf suggests destroying the ship, but Picard angrily calls him a coward and vows to continue the fight. Sloane confronts the captain and makes him realize he is acting irrationally due to his desire for revenge. Chastened, Picard relents and orders the activation of the ship's self-destruct mechanism. While the crew head for escape pods, the Captain decides to stay behind and rescue his friend Data.[4]As Cochrane, Riker, and engineer Geordi La Forge prepare to activate the warp drive on the Phoenix, Picard discovers that the Borg Queen has grafted human skin onto Data, and with it an array of new sensations. She has presented this modification as a gift to the android, hoping to obtain the android's encryption codes to the Enterprise computer. Although Picard offers himself to the Borg in exchange for Data's freedom, Data refuses to leave. He deactivates the self-destruct sequence and fires torpedoes at the Phoenix. At the last moment the torpedoes miss, and the Queen realizes Data betrayed her.[4] The android ruptures a coolant tank, and the corrosive vapor eats away the biological components of the Borg. With the Borg threat neutralized, Cochrane completes his warp flight.[2] The next day the crew watches from a distance as an alien Vulcan ship, attracted by the Phoenix warp test, lands on Earth. Cochrane and Sloane greet the aliens. Having ensured the correction of the timeline, the Enterprise crew slip away and return to the 24th century. | good versus evil, revenge, cult, alternate history, flashback | tt0117731 |
Damage | Dr. Stephen Fleming (Jeremy Irons), a British cabinet minister, lives a pleasant life with his wife Ingrid (Miranda Richardson) and young daughter Sally (Gemma Clarke). His older son, Martyn (Rupert Graves), is a rising journalist. At a party, Stephen meets a young half-French woman named Anna Barton (Juliette Binoche), who introduces herself as a close friend of Martyn's; it is apparent, however, that Stephen and Anna are instantly attracted to each other.When Martyn visits his parents in London, he brings Anna with him, revealing that they are romantically involved. The sexual tension between Stephen and Anna is clear, though their partners are oblivious of this. Despite her relationship with Martyn, Anna arranges a tryst with Stephen at her apartment.Stephen's obsession with Anna deepens. After an international summit adjourns in Brussels, he travels to Paris to meet her instead of going home. While Martyn is sleeping in a Paris hotel room, Stephen and Anna have sex in an open doorway in broad daylight. Afterwards, Stephen checks into a hotel across the street from Anna's and Martyn's, spying on the couple through his window. Eventually, his infatuation reaches a point where he desires to be with Anna permanently, even at the risk of destroying his relationship with his son. Anna dissuades Stephen from doing this, assuring him that as long as she is with Martyn, he will always have access to her.During a visit to Anna's apartment, Stephen finds that another man named Peter Wetzler (Peter Stormare) is already present. Peter unaware of Stephen's affair with Anna tells him that they are former lovers. A jealous Stephen initially assumes that Anna is cheating on him and, when Peter leaves, confronts her. Anna denies carrying on with Peter, and then describes in detail the death of her brother, who had committed suicide after expressing an incestuous desire for her. She recounts that she had compulsively slept with Peter in order to grieve over her brother's death, which she had witnessed. Stephen is placated by this explanation, and the couple once again have sex.The Flemings travel to their country estate to celebrate Ingrid's birthday. During a meal there, Martyn announces his engagement to Anna, which visibly disturbs Stephen. That night, after Stephen receives oral sex from Anna, Sally catches them outside of Anna's room. Soon after, an anxious Stephen lies to Sally about what she saw, telling her that he was merely trying to console Anna about the upcoming marriage.Later, the Flemings have lunch with Anna's mother, who notices the awkward behavior between Anna and Stephen. She correctly deduces that they are having an affair and, during a car ride with Stephen, warns him to put an end to it.Stephen initially complies and calls Anna to end their relationship. He tries to confess his misdeeds to both Martyn and Ingrid, but ultimately shies away from doing so. However, after Stephen succumbs to temptation and anonymously phones Anna's apartment, she mails him keys to a renovated flat where they can meet. When Anna visits his home, she tells Stephen that she couldn't marry Martyn without being with him.They go to the flat at an appointed time and begin another raucous tryst, but Martyn having been guided to the flat by chance finds them in bed together. Stunned, he falls over a stairway railing and plunges to his death. A devastated Stephen clutches Martyn's body while Anna silently leaves the scene.Stephen's affair is exposed and becomes the subject of a media frenzy, with a mob of reporters convening outside his house. Inside, an anguished Ingrid reacts to the day's events by questioning whether Stephen had ever been in love with her. It is strongly suggested that their marriage end.Stephen, now publicly disgraced, is also forced to resign from his cabinet position. He meets Anna's mother at a hotel and finds that Anna is staying with her; they say nothing as they meet for the last time. Stephen withdraws from public life and retires to an unknown location in Europe. In narration, he reveals that Anna now has a child with Peter. In his flat, a photo of himself with Anna and Martyn, blown up to life size, hangs on his wall. | violence | tt0104237 |
All Dogs Go to Heaven | The film opens with con-dog Charlie B Barker and his pal Itchy, attempting to break out of the local pound.Charlie and Itchy return to the casino that Charlie ran with his old partner, Carface. Unknown to Charlie, Carface was responsible for Charlie going to 'the pound,' with Carface intending to take over the whole gambling operation. Charlie notices that the gambling clientele are not too happy with the way things have been run while he has been away, and Charlie goes to see Carface.Carface then convinces Charlie that they need to split up the business, since he is now a wanted fugitive. A going away party is then held for Charlie later that evening, with Charlie getting drunk, and Carface giving him a pocketwatch. Charlie is mentally unable to comprehend where he is, when Carface's goons blindfold him, and take him down to a dock, where a car is put in motion many yards away. Itchy has heard about the plan, but is too late to stop the car from killing Charlie.Charlie soon finds himself in Heaven, being explained things by a dog named Whippet. She explains that all dogs go to heaven, though is surprised when going over Charlie's record, finding very little regarding kindness and loyalty from him. Charlie is shown that the watch he was given by Carface is connected to his own heart, and because it stopped, Charlie is now dead. When Charlie asks why it can't simply be wound back up to send him back, Whippet explains that this is not allowed. Even so, Charlie manages to get the watch away from her, and returns to life. However, as he rockets towards Earth, Whippet's voice is heard saying that he can never come back now.Charlie soon finds Itchy, who at first thinks Charlie is a ghost, but then grows even more concerned when Charlie wants to get back at Carface for attempting to kill him. Itchy is concerned because he has heard word that Carface has a monster that he has locked away.Charlie and Itchy break into Carface's place, only to find that the monster is actually a little girl named Ann-Marie, who can talk to animals. Carface has been using her to win (and fix) almost all the 'rat races' that the casino he runs has. Charlie soon convinces Ann-Marie that since she's an orphan, he can help her find a family that will adopt her, as well as intending to use the money that she helps win them to be given to the poor. While at the horse track, Charlie swipes the wallet of a young couple, and uses the money to help them win their first race.Charlie uses Ann-Marie's skills to make him enough money to start a new casino. Soon after, Ann-Marie finds the wallet that Charlie stole, and refuses to talk to him again. Later that evening, Charlie has a nightmare in which he ends up in a fiery lake of lava, where demons intend to drag him under. Charlie then wakes to find Ann-Marie gone.He soon finds that she has returned the wallet to the young couple, who seem more than happy to give her a good breakfast. Charlie finds her, and guilts her into coming back with him. However, Carface has found that Charlie is alive, and intends to kill Charlie, before he and Ann-Marie make their escape.They find their way into a sewer system, where a gang of sewer rats intends to sacrifice Charlie to a big-lipped alligator. However, Charlie gives a long-pitched howl, which causes the alligator to spare Charlie's life due to his great singing voice. Unfortunately, Ann-Marie has caught a bad cold from being in the sewer, and Charlie is unsure what to do.When Itchy finds Charlie, he explains that Carface and his goons have torched their casino. Charlie contends that they'll rebuild, and use Ann-Marie to recoup their losses, with plans to give her to an orphanage afterwards. However, Ann-Marie hears Charlie's words and runs off. She is soon recovered shortly by Carface and taken to a derelict ship off the coast of New Orleans.Charlie goes after her, and ends up in a scuffle with Carface. Their fight soon causes some fuel to spill and a fire to erupt on the ship. When Carface bites down on Charlie's tail, Charlie gives a long howl that is heard by the alligator from before. It comes to his rescue and chases off Carface, but ends up dislodging the ship from the shore, sending it adrift.Charlie attempts to save Ann-Marie, but almost loses his watch that keeps him alive. At a moral crossroads, Charlie lets the watch sink into the water, and pushes Ann-Marie out of the boat on a wooden doorframe. Eventually, the water overtakes the watch, and it stops ticking.Some time later, the young couple have taken Ann-Marie in, as she still recovers from her sickness. Charlie's spirit then visits her, under the supervision of an enormous, dark hell-hound. However, a glowing sphere appears, and the hell-hound disintegrates. As the sphere approaches Charlie, Whippet's voice can be heard, and explains that since Charlie gave his life to save Ann-Marie, he can go to Heaven. Ann-Marie then wakes up, and the two say their goodbyes. | good versus evil, revenge, cult, murder | tt0096787 |
Jezebel | The Old Guard of 1852 New Orleans protectively circles its wagons. Bankers are concerned that Yankee abolitionists could eventually change the way their accounts will be processed. The health administrator keeps evacuating people living below the ever-adjusted yellow fever quarantine line.When Julie (Bette Davis) has to move up from her own mansion below the fever line to become a guest in her Aunt Belle (Fay Bainter)'s mansion, her interested beaux include Buck Cantrell (George Brent), a southern dandy rake, and Preston "Pres" Dillard (Henry Fonda), the most wooden of the old guard bankers who is on the committee to arrange that annual ball which soothes the senses of folks looking to maintain the old ways. Pres is so engaged in helping his bank react appropriately to perceived abolitionist Yankee threats that he is unable to drop by the dressmakers to approve the ball gown Julie is commissioning. Unaware of the purpose of the ball, and unaware that red is the biblical rainment of the fallen woman, - all the rest of the ladies at the ball will be wearing white frogs - Julie spitefully commissions a rather revealing red gown. Aunt Belle and the health administrator beg Pres to beat some sense into her. When Pres, who is, in his own way, as socially unaware of the world as is Julie, storms into Julie's room brandishing a cane, Julie jokingly interprets his behavior as she would that of any powerful, athletic man forcing himself into a lady's private bedroom brandishing a weapon. Pres decides then and there to rethink his assessment of Julie as his proper wife. At the ball, Julie is so flabbergasted to be shunned that she begs Pres to take her home. Pres, however, decides that it would be best to publicly announce their breakup in the presence of all of New Orleans Society. After Julie is humiliated into dancing with Pres, the other couples move off the floor and the orchestra is ordered to stop playing, leaving the couple isolated on the dance floor with everyone facing away from Julie.Some time later, Aunt Belle gives a ball to welcome Pres returning home from banking business up north to present Amy (Margaret Lindsay), his aristocratic Yankee wife. Julie dresses up in a white party gown which shows a lot of cleavage and could be that of a wedding. She bosses Zette (Theresa Harris) onto checking whether somebody has arrived, dressing her, going after her... Finally, Pres arrives in a carriage. After Julie's carefully rehearsed, staged and white-dress costumed act of contritely begging Pres for forgiveness is considered by Amy to be totally inappropriate, Julie makes a second faux pas in the presence of all New Orleans Society by publicly both seducing Pres and insulting Amy. Because Pres acquired no social skills at all while up north, he decides that now is the time to inform Julie that she and Amy will both be guests of Aunt Belle while he answers to call to help the health administrator readjust the yellow fever quarantine line. There is a discusion between several men as to the importance of cotton in the country's economy, and they bow to keep New Orleans as the biggest city in USA. The rest of the gathering is outraged when Pres predicts that new machinery will beat unskilled slave labour. Buck and Julie seem to mock Pres, saying that he's talking like a Yankee. Pres has succeeded as a banker, and has lost Southern routines. During the night's small gathering at their manor house, Julie asks Pres why he's married so fast, and he replies back that he's in love with Amy. Julie says that he must have needed to come back because, after all, he belongs to the South.Buck mocks Amy in front of Julie, but she is too upset about Pres' response. However, Buck comments about Cato make him look foolish and redneck. Julie makes Buck promise that he won't start any fight with Pres. Cannonball thunder is heard: it's the cannonballs which are being thrown in order to change the winds which are spreading the yellow fever. There is a small discussion about how the yellow fever could be better stopped, and Pres says he would advise the city hall to drain the moors, clean up the street and organize a better sewage system. Buck, General Bogardus (Henry O'Neill) and Belle disagree: Southern traditions are good enough for them, and they must be kept. At that moment, the black slaves appear to sing welcoming songs to the guests. Julie sits down on the porch to sing with them.Buck is soon killed by Pres' younger brother Ted (Richard Cromwell) in a duel over Julie. Julie had started it all, encouraging once against the other. Dr Livingston (Donald Crisp) tells Julie that now she's got what she's been fighting for. Julie tries to convince him to stop the duel, but he says that women can start fights, but that they can't put a stop to them afterwards. Later, Julie is organizing the buquets of flowers onto their vases with Zette like she's got no a care in the world, while Amy gets frantic, taking for granted that Ted will die in the duel. However, Ted arrives saying that Buck die knowing that Julie had used him. Aunt Belle warns Julie that the community's mutual sufferings because of her outrageous behavior has the town comparing her to the biblical Jezebel.The fever spreads. New Orleans has been sieged: nobody can enter or leave the town. Pres drinks alcohol - the only known healing to the yellow fever. Banks are also suffering, as the plague is causing communication problems, the blockade, commerce problems... Pres says that he's feeling bad to Dr Livingston. After knowing that Buck is dead, Pres has a fit. Only Dr Livingston dares to help poor Preston Dilliard, who has crumbled down. When news arrives that Pres has contracted yellow fever, Amy confronts Julie to take stock of what she's done. Finally admitting to herself that Pres hasn't given a damn about her since the day of the ball, Julie realizes that her possible redemption lies not with those who will always shun her, but with the home that she really owns and the man she really wants each trapped below the quarantine line. A slave brings the news that Pres is at Julie's home because no hotel wanted to accept Pres. The slave was able to cross the quarantine line by means of a stolen boat. While the rest of her and Pres' relatives search for a governor's permit to visit Pres, Julie uses the stolen boat. Julie arrives first.Livingston advises Julie not to see Pres, as the yellow fever is really contagious. Pres is delirious. Julie tends to him. Belle, Amy and Ted appear with a Governor's pass to visit Pres. Julie is there. Amy looks at her with jealousy and amazement, and in silence she takes Julie's place besides the sick man's bed. Julie leaves in silence as well, and goes down the stairs, sitting carelessly in a sofa. Livingston says that Julie should sleep some, or she'll have to join Pres. That gives an idea to Julie.Ted is indignant that Livingstone has denounced Pres, so he'll be taken away to the leprosery, but the doctor says that there cannot be a law for poor people and other for wealthy people. The ruthless army people arrive. So Julie convinces Amy that she will accompany Pres to the leprosery to the island where he'll be sent, as only Julie will be able to take care of him, terrorising the nurses and workers onto giving him the best medicines and care. Amy refuses af first, but then she accepts, when Julie admits that Pres only loves Amy, and not her. That way, Julie will pay her dues and make atonement for her sins.Everybody stares while Julie goes running after Pres. They are two more people among the sick destitute who will go to the leprosery, most of them to die. While this happens, cannonballs fly and there are bonfires in every crossroad of the city. | revenge, romantic | tt0030287 |
Reazione a catena | At a remote mansion overlooking a vast, empty bay lake, Countess Federica (Isa Miranda), wheels herself through her dark, empty house. She sorrowfully looks out her window at the rain when Filippo Donati (Giovanni Nuvoletti), her husband, appears and murders her by wrapping a noose around her neck and kicks her out of her wheelchair. The countess cannot stand on or move her useless legs and is strangled to death. But then Filippo is then murdered by a unseen killer who jumps out at him from behind a curtain, and drags his body away. The presence of a suicide note, stolen from the countess' diary, leads the police to believe that she has killed herself.Several days later, Frank Ventura (Chris Avram), a real estate agent, and his secretary/lover Laura (Anna Maria Rosati) are in bed discussing their plans to take over Countess Federicas property following her murder. They both realized the bay's potential to fetch a large price on the estate market, and they are the ones who have convinced Donati to murder his wife. All that Ventura needs to take control of the bay is Donati's signature on some paperwork, although he does not realize that Donati too has been murdered. Ventura plans to go to his cottage, which adjoins the desired property, to meet with Donati. Laura, jealous of Ventura's obsession with the property, asks to come along. When he tells her to stay put, she complains that he enjoys making her life miserable. Ventura tells Laura about a 'squonk' which is mystical creature who is crafty, but never stops whimpering. Laura understands the analogy and agrees to be patient.Back at the bay, Paolo Foscari (Leopoldo Trieste), an entomologist who owns a small house on the grounds, is hard at work trying to capture an insect. He runs into Simon (Claudio Volonte), a handyman who also lives on the property and makes a living by catching squid in the bay. During their conversation, Foscari suggests that the countess might have been murdered. Very defensively, Simon replies that the police ruled it a suicide. Foscari sarcastically replies that it was a suicide before running off to catch more insects.Meanwhile, four rowdy teenagers, Brunhilda (Brigette Skay), Denise (Paola Rubens), Duke (Guido Boccaccini), and Robert (Roberto Bonanni), arrive at the bay for a day of partying and fun. The trouble-making teens break into Ventura's vacant cottage to steal some liquor and smoke some dope. While Denise and Duke retreat to a nearby bedroom for sex, Robert, makes a fire in the fireplace, while Brunhilda goes swimming in the bay. There, she accidentally discovers the badly decomposed body of Filippo Donati floating under water. In a panic state, she runs out of the water, quickly dresses, and runs back to the cottage to tell the others of her find, only to get chased and attacked by a unseen maniac wielding a large billhook, who catches up to her and slashes her throat. Robert is next when he opens the front door of the cottage after hearing a noise and is whacked in the face with the same billhook. The unseen killer takes a fisherman's spear, and kills both Denise and Duke by impaling them in bed while they are in the middle of sex.As night falls on the bay, Renata (Claudine Auger), Donati's estranged daughter, arrives in a mobile home with her weak-willed husband Albert (Luigi Pistilli), hoping to lay claim to the bay estate. Leaving their two young children asleep in their camper, the couple pay a visit to Foscari and his wife Anna (Laura Betti), a fortune teller and tarot reader with a very supercilious nature. Sitting down for tea, Anna slyly insinuates that the countess' death was probably Renata's father's doing, and that Simon may be the one to inherit the property. Shocked to discover that she has a half-brother, Renata leaves with Albert who tells him that Simon will have to be disposed of.Renata and Albert meet with Simon to talk with him about the countess' death when they discover the badly decomposed body of Donati's in Simon's boat. Simon claims to have only found the body floating in the bay and will inform the authorities. Renata and Albert flee to stop at Venturas cottage hoping to meet with him, but find it apparently deserted. When Albert walks away for a moment, Ventura suddenly appears and attempts to kill Renata. She runs into the bathroom where she discovers the four mutilated, dead bodies of the teenagers. But Renata gets the upper hand by grabbing a pair of scissors, and stabbing Ventura. This is accidently witnessed by Foscari, and when he runs back to his house to call the police, Albert follows him there and strangles him to death. When Anna, hearing the commotion at Ventura's cottage, arrives there and gets decapitated by Renata weilding an rafting axe. Frightened by the aura of violence around him and disgusted with himself for killing an innocent man, Albert tries to persuade Renata to make a run for it. But the murderous Renata tells Albert that she has no intention of giving up when she's so close to inheriting the bay. She also reminds Albert that they still have to kill Simon.Things gets more complicated when Laura shows up at the bay looking for Ventura, when she stumbles into Simon's shack on the bay where he appears and threatens her with a machete. It is revealed by Simon that Ventura hired him to murder Filippo Donati with the promise that Ventura will give him his share of the property and money to leave the country. Simon really is the countess illegitimate son who was supported by his mother all this time and the one who murdered the four teenager after one of them discovered the body of Donati since he was ordered by Ventura not to let Donati's death be made public knowledge until after Simon inherits the bay. Furious at Laura when he finds out that she and Ventura were responsible for Donati murdering his mother, he attempt to kill her too. But at first Laura gets the upper hand by throwing a pot of boiling water on Simon, scalding his face. But he quickly recovers and strangles her with his bare hands.Simon then goes after both Renata and Albert hiding out in the property. But then Albert turns the tables on Simon by impaling him to a wall with the same fisherman's spear Simon used to kill two of the teens. With Simon finally taken care of, Renata and Albert search the countess' house for the missing will which has the listings of beneficiaries. But then Ventura, who was presumed to be dead, shows up and attempts to kill both of them, but is then dealt with by Albert who kills him for good.The next morning, with all the loose ends tied up and the countess will burned, Renata and Albert plan to return home to wait for news of her inheritance of the bay. But in an ironic twist, both Renata and Albert are shot to death by the very own neglected children, who playfully point a loaded shotgun at their parents and shoot them both down. The little girl says to her brother, "Gee, they sure are good at playing dead, aren't they?" The sister and brother then run out of the camper to playfully skip some stones by the water. | dark, cruelty, murder, cult, horror, violence, storytelling, flashback, insanity, revenge, sadist | tt0067656 |
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea | A year has passed since the events of the first film. In that time, Ariel has given birth to a daughter, named Melody. Ariel and Eric set sail for deeper ocean waters, to have Melody meet her extended family, as well as the residents of Atlantica. King Triton greets his granddaughter with a large smile, and a special locket.Suddenly, the festivities are put on hold as Ursula's sister Morgana arrives, with a shark named Undertow. Morgana claims she's here to exact revenge for the death of her sister, threatening to feed Melody to Undertow. Eric and Ariel manage to rescue Melody, while Triton uses his powers to turn Undertow into a small fish. Morgana and her servant escape, but not before vowing to get Melody.Upon returning to land, Ariel decides that they must keep Melody away from the ocean, to keep her safe from Morgana. Triton sadly agrees, and leaves Sebastian to watch over Melody. As Triton swims away, he drops the locket he had given Melody into a small sea trench near Eric's castle.12 years pass, and in that time, a large wall has been built around the castle. Melody in that time has grown into a young girl with black hair like her Father, and her Mother's spunky attitude. Unknown to her parents, Melody has been swimming under the wall, and out in the ocean in secret. While diving down into a small crevice, Melody uncovers the locket with her name on it, that had been meant for her 12 years ago.Meanwhile, Morgana and Undertow have retreated to an Antarctic region, where they have been in hiding from Triton for some time. Morgana attempts to reverse Undertow's shrunken state, but her magic cannot overcome Triton's. Using her magic to scan the ocean, Morgana sees Melody discover the locket, and figures the young girl can help her get revenge on Triton.Melody has since returned to the castle to prepare for her 12th birthday. However, the party does not go as planned, and through a mishap with Sebastian, Melody feels that she's ruined her own birthday party. Ariel goes to console her, but then finds the locket. Up until now, Ariel and Eric have kept secret from Melody about her heritage, and Ariel continues to deny this as Melody feels that her Mother is keeping secrets from her.Later that evening, Melody takes the locket and a row boat, and heads out for open water, figuring that the answer lies out in the ocean. Some ways away, she encounters Undertow, who explains that Morgana can help her. Melody follows Undertow to Morgana's lair, where the sea witch convinces Melody of her true heritage, and offers to turn the girl into a mermaid. Melody eagerly accepts, and excitedly tries out her new fins!Meanwhile, Ariel and Eric have informed Triton of Melody's disappearance. Triton has sent out his own search parties, but Eric recommends that Ariel should also search for Melody in the ocean, while he continues the search above-water. Triton then gives Ariel back her fins, and she returns to the ocean.However, Morgana tells Melody that the magic she used isn't enough to keep her a mermaid permanently. When Melody asks what she can do to stay a mermaid even longer, Morgana claims that a magic trident in Atlantica holds the key to her wish.Morgana provides Melody with a map, but it ends up being broken along the way. She then encounters a penguin named Tip and a walrus named Dash. The two see themselves as adventurers/explorers, and at Melody's request, help guide her to Atlantica.Meanwhile, Ariel has returned to Atlantica as well to speak with her father. She also encounters Flounder, now older and with his own children. Flounder agrees to help his friend, with everyone not realizing that Melody has come to the city.After talking with some other mer-children, Melody manages to take Triton's trident, but accidentally leaves behind the locket she had previously. Triton and the others find his trident stolen, but Ariel notices two sting-rays like the kind she saw when Morgana first appeared all those years ago, and follows them.Meanwhile, Melody has neared Morgana's residence along with Tip and Dash, but the two are scared off by Undertow who quickly leads Melody to Morgana. However, before Melody can hand over the trident, Ariel appears. The two are both shocked to see the other turned into a mermaid, but Morgana plays 'devil's advocate' by convincing Melody that Ariel did a terrible thing by never telling her of her true heritage. This causes Melody to give Morgana the trident. Getting what she wanted, Morgana throws Melody in an underwater ice cave along with Flounder, sealing it off.Morgana then goes to the surface, where Scuttle has led Eric, Triton and the others to Morgana's lair. However, her wielding of the trident makes her unable to be dealt with properly. She also uses the trident's power to restore Undertow to his original size. Undertow then pursues Tip and Dash, before they send him crashing into the ice cavern, freeing Melody, just as she regains her legs.Coming to the surface, she manages to confront Morgana and get the trident back, returning it to her 'Grandfather.' Triton then freezes Morgana in a block of ice, and she sinks to the bottom of the nearby ocean.Triton is finally able to see his Granddaughter for the first time in many years, and offers her a choice to either be human or a mermaid. However, Melody proposes a compromise.Using the trident, she destroys the sea wall around her parent's castle, so that both sides of her family can co-exist in harmony. | good versus evil, revenge, psychedelic | tt0240684 |
Jin ling shi san chai | An American mortician, John Miller (Bale), arrives in Nanjing in order to bury the foreign head priest of a convent for Catholic girls, just after the city was bombed and invaded by the Japanese forces. A short time after his arrival at the convent, a group of flamboyant prostitutes from the local red-light district find their way to the compound looking for shelter, as foreigners and foreign institutions seem to be left alone by the marauding Japanese soldiers. While the prostitutes hide out in the cellar, Miller struggles with and finally gives in to his feelings of responsibility to protect the teenage schoolgirls, and poses as the convent's priest when the compound is repeatedly visited by Japanese soldiers looking for girls to rape. With the help of Chinese collaborator Mr. Meng (Kefan), who is the father of one of the girls, he starts to repair the convent's truck in case there should be an opportunity to bring the girls out of Nanjing.Japanese Colonel Hasegawa (Watabe) finally promises to protect the convent by placing guards in front of the gate, and requests that the girls sing a choral for him. After the performance, he hands Miller an official invitation for the girls to sing at the Japanese Army's victory celebration. Fearing for their safety (especially since the guards' main concern seems to be not letting any of the girls leave the compound), Miller declines. Hasegawa informs him that it is not a request, but an order and that the girls are going to be picked up the next day. Before they leave, the Japanese soldiers count the girls and erroneously include one of the prostitutes (who has strayed from the cellar looking for her cat), totalling 13.Induced by their de-facto leader Yu Mo (Ni), the prostitutes decide to protect the girls by meeting the Japanese on their behalf. As they are only twelve, the former convent priest's adopted son volunteers as well. Miller initially opposes their self-sacrificing decision, but ultimately assists in disguising them, using his skills as a mortician.The next day, the 13 are led away by the unsuspecting Japanese soldiers. After they have left, Miller hides the convent girls on the truck he repaired. Using a single-person permit Mr. Meng was able to obtain, he drives out of the town. In the last scene, the truck is seen driving on a deserted highway in Western direction, away from the advancing Japanese army, towards safety. | melodrama, violence, murder, haunting, flashback | tt1410063 |
A Christmas Carol | Dickens divided the book into five chapters, which he labelled "staves".
=== Stave one ===
The story begins on a cold and bleak Christmas Eve in London, seven years after the death of Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley. Scrooge, an old miser, hates Christmas and refuses an invitation to Christmas dinner from his nephew Fred. He turns away two men who seek a donation from him in order to provide food and heating for the poor, and only grudgingly allows his overworked, underpaid clerk, Bob Cratchit, Christmas Day off with pay to conform to the social custom.
At home that night, Scrooge is visited by Marley's ghost, who wanders the Earth, entwined by heavy chains and money boxes, forged during a lifetime of greed and selfishness. Marley tells Scrooge that he has one chance to avoid the same fate: he will be visited by three spirits and he must listen to them or be cursed to carry chains of his own, much longer than Marley's chains.
=== Stave two ===
The first of the spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past, takes Scrooge to Christmas scenes of Scrooge's boyhood and youth, reminding him of a time when he was more innocent. The boyhood scenes portray Scrooge's lonely childhood, his relationship with his beloved sister Fan, and a Christmas party hosted by his first employer, Mr. Fezziwig, who treated Scrooge like a son. They also portray Scrooge's neglected fiancée Belle, who ends their relationship after she realises that Scrooge will never love her as much as he loves money. Finally, they visit a now-married Belle with her large, happy family on a recent Christmas Eve.
=== Stave three ===
The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, takes Scrooge to a joy-filled market of people buying the makings of Christmas dinner and celebrations of Christmas in a miner's cottage and in a lighthouse. Scrooge and the ghost also visit Fred's Christmas party. A major part of this stave is taken up with Bob Cratchit's family feast and introduces his youngest son, Tiny Tim, a happy boy who is seriously ill. The spirit informs Scrooge that Tiny Tim will die soon unless the course of events changes. Before disappearing, the spirit shows Scrooge two hideous, emaciated children named Ignorance and Want. He tells Scrooge to beware the former above all and mocks Scrooge's concern for their welfare.
=== Stave four ===
The third spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, shows Scrooge a Christmas Day in the future. The ghost shows him scenes involving the death of a disliked man. The man's funeral will only be attended by local businessmen if lunch is provided. His charwoman, his laundress, and the local undertaker steal some of his possessions and sell them to a fence. When Scrooge asks the ghost to show anyone who feels any emotion over the man's death, the ghost can only show him the pleasure of a poor couple in debt to the man, rejoicing that his death gives them more time to put their finances in order. After Scrooge asks to see some tenderness connected with any death, the ghost shows him Bob Cratchit and his family mourning the passing of Tiny Tim. The ghost then shows Scrooge the man's neglected grave, whose tombstone bears Scrooge's name. Sobbing, Scrooge pledges to the ghost that he will change his ways to avoid this outcome.
=== Stave five ===
Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning a changed man. He spends the day with Fred's family and anonymously sends a large turkey to the Cratchit home for Christmas dinner. The following day he gives Cratchit an increase in pay and becomes like another father to Tiny Tim. From then on Scrooge began to treat everyone with kindness, generosity and compassion, embodying the spirit of Christmas. | horror | tt0087056 |
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier | On a desert planet, Nimbus III (the "Planet of Galactic Peace"), a humanoid man has dug a grouping of holes. While he digs another, he sees a dark horse and rider approaching. Panicking, he loads a crude rifle with ordinary stones and takes aim. The rider stops close by and approaches the man, telling him that he harbors a "secret pain" and that he needs to expose it. After a few moments of staring at the rider's serene face, the alien man is overcome with grief and says he feels like a great relief has overcome him. In return for this soul cleansing, the rider, who reveals himself as a Vulcan, asks the man to accompany him on an epic journey. To get there, they will need a starship.On Earth, James Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Spock are taking their shore leave in Yosemite National Park. McCoy, fretting, observes Kirk scaling El Capitan, muttering about Kirk's urge to "[play] games with life." While he makes his ascent, Kirk is suddenly startled by Spock, who hovers nearby wearing jet-powered boots. Spock doesn't seem to understand Kirk's need to climb the mountain (Kirk says "Because it's there!"), citing the fact that Kirk will never break any records for free-climbing the mountain. Kirk suddenly loses his grip and falls; Spock races after him, catching his friend before impact.On Nimbus III, the Vulcan and his new followers survey the planet's one settlement, Paradise City. The move in and seize the city, capturing three delegates; General Korrd, a Klingon, Caithlin Dar, a Romulan and St. John Talbot, a Terran (Earthling). The Vulcan uses his persuasive power on all three, convincing them to join his cause. A distress signal is sent, something the Vulcan wants.Later Kirk, McCoy and Spock sit around a campfire and McCoy serves up homemade beans, laced with bourbon. The three talk about Kirk's near-death experience; Kirk says he wasn't afraid because his friends were nearby. When pressed a bit further, he says "I've always known I'll die alone." They sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" together, after educating Spock on the song's meaning - which has no meaning and is merely intended to be fun for a group to sing together. Their vacation is interrupted with Uhura shows up in one of the USS Enterprise's shuttle craft and tells them that Kirk has been asked to deal with a sudden crisis in space. (Kirk had deliberately left his communicator behind so they wouldn't be disturbed.) Uhura also retrieves Sulu and Chekov from the forest after they lose their way on a hike.On the Enterprise, things are chaotic. The ship's systems are constantly malfunctioning and Scotty, though happy to be working, still has his hands full bringing the ship to functionality. Transporters are also malfunctioning, hence the use of the shuttlecraft. On the bridge, Kirk gets his mission orders from Admiral Bennett (a cameo by Harve Bennett); Kirk and his crew are to travel to Nimbus III and rescue the prisoners in Paradise City. A video showing the Vulcan's small army, the Army of Galactic Light, and their leader's demands is displayed for everyone. Spock, seeing the Vulcan in the video, is suddenly overcome. He explains to Kirk that the leader is Sybok, an outcast Vulcan who believed that the true meaning of Vulcan culture and existence was the embracing of emotion in contravention to Vulcan culture. Spock knew Sybok in his younger days, before he left Vulcan to follow his own pursuits.In a remote sector of outer space, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey de-cloaks near an old Terran Gemini satellite. The ship's commander, Klaa, fires blasters on it, destroying it. Klaa, clearly bored, desires a live target to engage. His executive officer receives news of the distress call about the incident on Nimbus. Klaa becomes excited, knowing that Kirk would be a formidable opponent. He orders a course set for Nimbus to intercept Kirk.The Enterprise arrives at Nimbus and sends a ground crew down in a shuttle. On the surface, they first subdue an outpost outside Paradise that is occupied by some of Sybok's followers - Uhura is the bait, doing an erotic fan dance to attract them. Donning the guards' clothing and using their mounts, they gain entry to Paradise City. At the same time, Chekov, who has been given the conn on the Enterprise, negotiates with Sybok from space as a distraction. Outside, Spock locates the prisoners, however, their ruse doesn't last and they are identified as infiltrators. A battle breaks out; several of Sybok's men are stunned and Kirk makes his way into the tavern where the prisoners are being held. When Kirk finds them, they take him prisoner and lead him outside, where the rest of Kirk's team have also been captured.Spock meets Sybok and tells his fellow Vulcan that he is under arrest. Sybok laughs, saying that he is happy to see Spock has developed a sense of humor. Spock deadpans that he wasn't joking. Sybok turns his attention to Kirk and tells him he intends to steal the Enterprise, refusing to say what he needs it for. With no choice left to him, they all head back to the shuttle and take off.On the Enterprise, the Klingon Bird-of-Prey is detected right before it cloaks. Chekov orders the shields raised, which prevents the shuttle from docking. The usual procedure of using the tractor beam to lock on the shuttle will take far too much time, a period in which Klaa could easily cripple or destroy both vessels. Kirk orders Sulu to fly the shuttle in manually, an extremely dangerous procedure. Klaa's attack fails, and the shuttle crash lands in the docking bay. The Enterprise races off at warp, leaving Klaa excited that his target is so elusive.In the cargo bay, Kirk and Sybok regain consciousness first and grapple over a rifle, Sybok seizing it first. He leads Kirk out at gunpoint; Kirk attacks him but fails to subdue the stronger Vulcan. The rifle is retrieved by Spock who points it at Sybok; despite Kirk's shouted order to shoot Sybok, he doesn't and they are imprisoned once again, much to Kirk's consternation. They are led away and Sybok requests a private moment with Sulu and Uhura.In the brig, which, according to Spock (who acted as the test subject) is escape-proof, Kirk admonishes Spock for not protecting his ship and his crewmates by shooting Sybok. Spock says that he could not shoot the renegade Vulcan because they are half brothers, Sybok being the child of a relationship his father had with a Vulcan priestess before he met Spock's human mother. While they are trapped in the brig, Sybok reveals his plan; the Enterprise will travel through the galaxy's Great Barrier where he believes they will find a place called Sha Ka Ree, what humans would call Eden, or paradise. Kirk remarks that no one has ever returned from beyond the Great Barrier, nor has any probe (which is not true if one were to include the original series in which the Enterprise went through and back twice once in season 1, episode 3, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and season 2, episode 22, "By Any Other Name"). Spock remarks that Sybok has spent his entire life searching for the Vulcan paradise. Just then, they receive a message through the wall in ancient Morse Code telling them to "stand back". Scotty breaks through the wall, freeing them. They make their way through the ship's back tunnels; Scotty directs them to a turboshaft where they can reach the ship's observation deck to send a distress message to Starfleet. Scotty continues walking and bangs his head, falling unconscious. He is later found by Sulu and a small search party and taken to sick bay.Meanwhile, Kirk, Spock and McCoy must climb the turboshaft's ladder by hand. They begin, but Spock disappears for a moment. Kirk and McCoy climb but are winded and exhausted after climbing a few decks. Spock floats to them using his jet-powered boots, however, they cannot take the weight of all three. They float down where Sulu and Sybok's men wait to recapture them. Spock activates the boot thrusters, a dangerous move, but one that propels them away from their captors. The three make it to the observation deck and send their message, however they are quickly found by Sybok himself. Sybok doesn't mind that the message was sent, saying that once his discovery is confirmed, everyone in the galaxy will want to come to the Barrier to see for themselves. Kirk still objects, demanding control of his ship. Sybok asks to be alone with Kirk, Spock and McCoy. He demonstrates the power he possesses to turn them into his followers. McCoy is forced to confront the death of his father from a disease that was cured a few months later. McCoy says he wanted his father to die with dignity rather than suffer and says that he feels as though a weight has been lifted from his heart. Spock is forced to confront his father's lifelong disapproval of his half-human ethnicity. Kirk refuses to succumb to Sybok's will, saying he needs his pain because it makes him human. Just then a signal from the bridge tells them that they've reached the Great Barrier.Kirk allows the Enterprise to breach the Barrier. Inside, they find a barren planetoid bearing no life readings. McCoy, Spock, Kirk and Sybok take a shuttle down to the surface. After walking a short distance, Sybok cries out, demanding to see God. Suddenly, several finger-like rocks burst from the surface, forming a semi-circle. Inside, a strange, glowing being that resembles the Christian image of god appears and greets them. Sybok tells it that he breached the Great Barrier to find it. The being tells Sybok that it wants to use the starship they came in to spread its benevolence to the rest of the galaxy. While the others stare in awe, Kirk asks the being why, if it is all-powerful, it needs a starship to travel from it's home. When the being asks who Kirk is and why he would doubt him, Kirk suggests it should know already if it's actually "God". In anger, the being suddenly shoots Kirk with an energy bolt, wounding but not killing him. Spock steps forward and demands an answer to Kirk's question and is also hit by the energy bolt. McCoy says he doubts any god that inflicts pain and Sybok asks the being who it really is; it takes the form of Sybok himself and Sybok realizes that the being is the sum total of his own obsession and arrogance. He tries to grab the being and help it release it's pain and is consumed. As they escape from the being's lair, Kirk has Spock and McCoy beamed up. On the Enterprise, Spock sees that Klaa has arrived in his ship and his threatening the Enterprise with destruction. Spock turns to General Korrd to do something.Kirk runs, finally being cornered by the beast, when Klaa's Bird-of-Prey appears and blasts the creature into oblivion. Kirk thinks he's done for when he's beamed aboard the Bird-of-Prey. On board is Korrd who barks a few orders to Captain Klaa. Klaa apologizes, saying he made an unauthorized attack on the Enterprise. He also introduces his "new gunner", Spock, who fired the blast that destroyed the evil being on the planet below. Kirk says he thought he was finished, Spock tells him that he was never alone. Both Klingons and humans and other Federation races alike later attend a reception on the Enterprise that suggests a new era of cooperation has begun.The film closes with Kirk, McCoy and Spock back on Earth in Yosemite Park once again sitting around a campfire and singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Spock remarks "life IS but a dream." | cult, flashback | tt0098382 |
Dirty Dancing | During the opening credits, the Ronettes sing 'Be My Baby' with images of couples dancing in the background. Toward the end of the credits, Cousin Brucie, a radio DJ, is heard announcing the next song, 'Big Girls Don't Cry' by the Four Seasons. As the film begins, the Four Seasons song continues.Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey) is in the back seat of the family car. It's the summer of 1963, and Baby and her affluent Jewish family are headed for Kellerman's Mountain House, a Catskills resort where her father, Dr. Jake Houseman (Jerry Orbach), is the personal physician of resort owner Max Kellerman (Jack Weston).Baby and her older sister, Lisa (Jane Bruckner), take a merengue lesson led by former Rockette Penny Johnson (Cynthia Rhodes). That evening, Baby heads up to the main house, where she overhears Max giving orders to the waiters to show all the young girls, "even the dogs", a good time. When the entertainment staff enters, including Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), Max lays out their rules: "teach the daughters dances they pay to learn, but otherwise no funny business: no conversations, and keep your hands off". Johnny listens, but says nothing.During dinner we learn that Baby is entering Mount Holyoke College in the fall to study economics of underdeveloped countries. She plans to enlist in the Peace Corps, while Lisa wants to be an interior decorator. Max introduces the girls to his grandson, Neil (Lonny Price), who is studying hotel management at Cornell and is Entertainment Director at the resort. While Baby reluctantly dances with Neil, Tito Suarez (Charles Honi Coles) tap dances and leads the resort's band in a foxtrot. To impress Baby, Neil tells her he's going to Mississippi with a couple of the busboys on a Freedom Ride.When the band plays Johnny's mambo, Johnny and Penny perform a lively, sensual dance. Max insists they stop showing off; they're supposed to sell dance lessons to the guests, not dance together. To get away from Neil and some boring games, Baby wanders towards the staff quarters, which are off-limits to guests. She hears music ('Where Are You Tonight?') coming from one of the bungalows, and meets one of the staff, Johnny's cousin Billy Kostecki (Neal Jones), whom she helps carry watermelons to a staff party where she's shocked to see the couples "dirty dancing" to 'Do You Love Me?'. When Johnny and Penny enter and begin to dance, Baby's eyes are glued to Johnny and his every move. As the workers dance to Otis Redding's 'Love Man', Johnny teaches Baby how to dirty dance and she loves it, but at the end of the song Johnny disappears.The next evening when Baby goes for a walk with Neil, they see Lisa and Robbie Gould (Max Cantor), a Yale medical student and waiter, coming from the golf course. Lisa is disheveled from Robbie's sexual advances and they are arguing.Later when Neil takes Baby into the kitchen for a snack, she finds Penny cowering in a corner. She tells Neil she needs to check on Lisa, but runs instead to tell Billy, who tells Johnny, and the three rush back to the kitchen to find Penny. On the way, Baby learns that Penny is pregnant. After having seen Johnny and Penny sexily dancing together, Baby assumes Johnny is the father. When they find Penny, Johnny comforts her, takes her back to his bungalow, and offers her part of his meager salary for an illegal abortion. Penny refuses, saying it's not right and besides, it's not enough; she needs $250. During the conversation, Baby learns that Robbie, who is supposedly dating her sister, is responsible for Penny's pregnancy.The next day, Baby confronts Robbie and tries to get him to give Penny $250 for an abortion. When the arrogant and womanizing Robbie rebuffs her, she warns him to stay away from her and her sister or she'll have him fired. Baby throws a pitcher of water on him.Baby goes to her father and reminds him that he has always told her if she knows someone is in trouble, she should help. She asks him for $250, but doesn't tell him why she needs it. After a few questions, her father gives her the money.Later that evening, Baby returns to the place where the staff dirty dances, finds Penny, and presents her with the money. At first, Penny refuses. Billy tells Baby that he can only get Penny an appointment with a doctor the following Thursday, the day Penny and Johnny are booked to dance at the Sheldrake, another area hotel a short distance away. If they cancel, they'll lose an entire season's pay.Although she has very little dance experience, Baby volunteers to fill in for Penny, and Johnny eventually agrees to teach her Penny's moves. They begin with a mambo, to a short excerpt from an unnamed Latin song, then the Surfaris' recording of 'Wipe Out'. Over the next week, Baby takes the dance lessons from Johnny. Progress is slow, but with Johnny's patient teaching and Penny's assistance, Baby begins to catch on.After a particularly exhausting rehearsal, a frustrated Johnny yells at Baby for mistaking a mistake. Baby responds by shouting back at him. She reminds him that she is doing all of 'this' to save his job and vents her frustration at the fact that, despite the Sheldrake gig being just two weeks away, he hasn't shown her the 'lift' part of the routine. This other side of Baby wins Johnny's respect, and he agrees to start 'lift' practice straight away. With that, he wisks her off in his car to a meadow, with 'Overload' playing in the background. To teach her balance, they dance on a tree trunk that has fallen over a stream to 'Hey! Baby'. Later as the song continues, they practice some lifts for their dance number in the nearby lake.At the Sheldrake, Johnny and Baby dance to 'De Todo un Poco'. Their performance goes reasonably well even though Baby is so nervous that she aborts the dance's climactic lift.When Johnny and Baby get back to Kellerman's, Billy informs them that Penny's abortion was botched by a quack. When Baby sees Penny in agonizing pain, she runs to get her father, who treats Penny and asks who is responsible for Penny, and Johnny says he is, which Dr. Houseman mistakenly assumes means that Johnny got Penny pregnant.After saving Penny's life and forbidding Baby from having anything further to do with "those people", Baby defies her father and goes directly to Johnny's cabin ('These Arms of Mine' playing in the background) and apologizes for the way her father reacted. Johnny tells Baby she's brave. She demurs, saying she was scared of never feeling for the rest of her life the way she feels when shes with him. When the record changes to 'Cry to Me', she asks him to dance with her, which turns into a dance of seduction... leading to Baby and Johnny having sex.The next day when Baby visits Penny to see how she's doing, Johnny shows up. Penny realizes that he and Baby are having an affair so, after Baby leaves, Penny reminds Johnny about his own admonition about not getting involved with the guests, but he doesn't listen. Later we see Johnny and Baby in bed together with 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?' playing in the background.The next day while Mickey and Sylvia's recording of 'Love Is Strange' plays, we see dancing on the lawn, a volleyball game in progress, and Johnny and Baby rehearsing a cha-cha. Johnny, however, can't keep his mind on the dance. They lip sync the song, particularly the part about "How do you call your lover boy? Come here, lover boy ...". Neil comes up the stairs, they hear him and hastily stop. Neil wants to talk to Johnny about doing something different for the final show of the season. Johnny gets excited that he may be allowed to finally do his own thing this year, but all Neil will allow is to replace the mambo with a pachenga. When Neil leaves, Baby scolds Johnny for letting Neil talk down to him, but Johnny reminds her that he needs this job the following summer.A little later when Baby and Johnny are walking together, she has him duck so her father doesn't see them together. Then Johnny scolds her for not telling her father about their relationship.Later she tracks Johnny down in Penny's room; 'You Don't Own Me' is playing in the background. Robbie comes by, sees them, assumes Johnny is having sex with Baby, and makes a snide remark about having picked the wrong sister. Johnny, furious at Robbie for getting Penny pregnant and abandoning her, beats him up.At a rehearsal for the final night talent show, Lisa rehearses a pitiful hula number (un-named song), during which one of the women guests, Vivian, tells Johnny she's arranged "something for the two of them" that evening. A few minutes later, Vivian's husband, who plans to play cards all weekend, offers Johnny a sizable tip to give his wife some extra dance lessons, but Johnny declines, saying he's all booked up for the weekend, at which Vivian is annoyed, but does nothing about it then.Later that evening, Lisa walks down the path toward the employee cabins, intending to allow Robbie to finally make love to her (we hear 'Yes' on the soundtrack.) When she reaches Robbie's cabin, there is a towel hanging on the doorknob, which she does not recognize as a staff signal for "Do Not Disturb". First she knocks, then she enters, where she finds Robbie in bed with Vivian.Cut to Johnny and Baby in bed together, again after another night of passion, with 'Still of the Night' playing. Johnny tells her he dreamed they were walking together and met her father, who put his arm around him just like he had seen him do to Robbie. Later as Johnny and Baby kiss goodbye on the porch, Vivian sees them together. Vivian mutters: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."The next morning at breakfast, Max tells the Housemans that someone stole Vivian's husband's wallet from his jacket while he was playing poker some time between 1:30am and 4:00am. Johnny is the prime suspect, as Vivian reported him in the vicinity at the time. Baby protests that she knows Johnny didn't do it, and to save him from being fired, confesses that she was with him in his cabin all night.... even though she knows her father will be angry.A little later, Baby apologizes to her father for not telling him the truth, but also accuses him of not telling her the truth: She says he's always told her that everyone is equal and deserves a fair break, and that she should better the world, but what he really wanted was for her to become a lawyer or an economist and to marry someone from an Ivy League school. Dr. Houseman is moved, but not enough to open up to her.Johnny is eventually cleared of the theft charge when the police find the real thieves (an elderly couple named Mr. and Mrs. Schumacher) but he is still fired for having a relationship with a guest. Baby is distraught that Johnny got fired anyway, but he is proud of her for standing up for her principles and selfless act. Johnny and Baby say goodbye. Her loneliness is emphasized with 'She's Like the Wind' (sung by Patrick Swayze).The resort's finale for the season starts with Neil leading the group in singing an alma mater song to Kellerman's (to the tune of 'Far Above Cayugas Waters'). Baby and her parents are seated at a corner table. Lisa, dressed in her hula outfit, sings and dances.Dr. Houseman, who still views Robbie as a fine, upstanding medical student, presses an envelope on him, presumably containing a sizable check for his medical studies. Robbie thanks him, and expresses his appreciation for his understanding with the "Penny situation". Suddenly realizing it was Robbie who got Penny pregnant, Dr. Houseman grabs the envelope and stalks away.During another chorus of the song, Johnny returns, finds Baby, and after expressing the now most memorable line in the movie "nobody puts Baby in the corner", escorts her to the stage. Dr. Houseman starts to object, but his wife restrains him. Johnny escorts Baby up onto the stage, interrupts the boring musical tribute to the resort, and announces that even though he's been fired, he always performs the last dance of the season. He announces that his partner will be not only a great dancer, but someone who proved that there are people willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs them. He introduces her as Frances, as she's no longer a baby; she's a young woman.Johnny and Baby dirty dance to 'I've Had The Time of My Life', the energy in the entire hall picks up, and the rest of the staff join in. Baby allows herself to trust both Johnny and her own capabilities, as Johnny lifts her high into the air as they'd been meant to do in their Sheldrake performance (into the pose that became the most recognizable image from the film). The assembled guests catch the spirit of the dance and join in while Max Kellerman acknowledges that the world is changing quickly.While everyone is still dancing, Baby and Johnny head for some privacy, but are stopped at the door by Dr. Houseman, who apologizes to Johnny and compliments Baby on her performance. Johnny and Frances/Baby return to the dance floor and Johnny lip-syncs the song's lyrics about having the time of his life and owing it all to her. The film ends with the camera panning out and up to show everyone in the hall enjoying the dance.During the closing credits, we hear a reprise of 'Yes' and more of Cousin Brucie's radio DJ patter. | cult, cute, romantic | tt0092890 |
The Machine | In the future, at an underground subterranean base, the United Kingdom only has a couple of weeks before the city of Taipei, Taiwan falls to the Chinese. The British needs soldiers fluent in both Chinese dialect as well as ruthless killers. Scientists employed by Britain's Ministry of Defence produce a cybernetic implant that allows brain-damaged soldiers to regain lost functions. Scientist Vincent McCarthy sets up a cognitive test for soldier Paul Dawson, a recipient of the cybernetic implant to rehabilitate his left hemispherectomy. Upset with Dawson's apparent solipsism and lack of empathy, McCarthy ignores Dawson's requests to see his mother. Dawson turns hostile, kills a scientist and wounds McCarthy, before apologizing and being shot. Afterwards, Dawson's mother regularly stays on the road to the entrance of the secret base, though McCarthy denies that her son was ever there.
McCarthy's research leads to a series of more stable cyborgs. Although they lose the capability for human speech, the cyborgs develop a highly efficient method of communication that they keep secret. After Ava demonstrates her latest work in artificial intelligence, McCarthy recruits her by promising her unlimited funds for her research. Thomson, the director, is suspicious of Ava's countercultural politics and sympathy for Dawson's mother but he relents when McCarthy insists that she is the only one who can provide the necessary programme for their latest project, a self-aware and conscious android. McCarthy plans to use this technology to help his daughter Mary, who suffers from Rett syndrome, a neurological disorder. When she finds out, Ava volunteers to help and McCarthy maps her brain.
During a demonstration of cybernetic arms that provide superhuman strength, amputee soldier James whispers a cry for help to Ava, who becomes suspicious of the treatment of the wounded soldiers. After she goes exploring in the base, McCarthy sternly warns her to avoid causing trouble. The warning comes too late and Thomson arranges to have her murdered by a Chinese agent, who impersonates Dawson's mother. Grieved by the loss of Ava, McCarthy insists that they use her brain scan and likeness for the new project, whom they dub Machine. Machine turns out to be more human than they expected or even wanted; she shows regret when she accidentally kills a human and refuses orders that violate her sense of morality. As Thomson's demands on her grow more at odds with her morality, Machine becomes increasingly distressed and asks McCarthy to protect her.
An antagonism grows between Thomson and McCarthy; Thomson promises that he will relent if McCarthy can prove that Machine is sentient. After Mary dies, Thomson uses her brain scans as leverage against McCarthy, threatening to destroy the scans, unless McCarthy excises Machine's consciousness. Machine, who has come to love McCarthy, offers to sacrifice herself for Mary and he removes a chip from Machine's head. Thomson reneges on his deal and orders Machine to kill McCarthy. Although Machine seems at first to obey, a scientist alerts Thomson that the operation was a sham and it only disabled fail-safe routines designed to destroy Machine. Machine and the cyborgs rebel against the humans and free McCarthy.
From his computer console, Thomson disables half the cyborgs but Suri, his cyborg aide, overrides his access before he can kill the rest. Thomson shoots and wounds Suri but Machine corners him in his office; wounded, he first orders her to obey, then begs for his life. Although Machine agrees not to kill him, she lobotomizes him, as he attempted to do to her. After leaving Thomson for dead, Machine downloads Mary's brain scan. Machine, McCarthy and Suri escape the base; outside, McCarthy hands the base records to Dawson's mother and leaves to start a new life with Machine. In the final scene, McCarthy talks to a computer virtualisation of his daughter and she requests to play a game with her mother. McCarthy hands the tablet to Machine, and she is then shown gazing alternately at the device and at a beautiful orange sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. | comedy, suspenseful, psychological, murder, dark, violence, flashback, psychedelic, revenge, sci-fi | tt2317225 |
Keith | The film begins with Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois) lying in the back of a yellow ute, which is about to roll off a cliff. When the ute is just about to fall off the edge, Natalie wakes up from a dream. The next scene is of Keith (Jesse McCartney) speaking to Al (Tim Halligan), in an informal manner.The film progresses with Natalie in her chemistry class. The class is being assigned lab partners; Natalie is assigned Keith, who is not in class at the time, but turns up mysteriously late. After having a short conversation, Natalie and Keith begin to argue due to Natalie wanting to focus on her future whereas Keith wants to focus on the present; they have different views on life, and Natalie is angered by this argument and requests a partner change from the teacher, but her request is refused. After this, Natalie bonds with boyfriend Raff (Ignacio Serricchio). She later parties with other students at The Brick (an outdoors place where students go to have fun).Realizing that she has a lab report due the next day, Natalie goes to find Keith to help her with it. While helping her with the lab report, Keith takes her into his carefree life and goes to an office building to do their report. Throughout this time, Keith and Natalie become closer. Keith reveals to Natalie that he lives at an old white house with the big porch, which she likes. She even pushes aside Raff to be with Keith. Later in the day, more of Natalie's life is revealed; she is also a talented tennis player currently ranked 14th (presumably in the state). Later in the evening, she is at The Brick again with Raff.Keith persistently asks Natalie to go out with him as friends. He takes Natalie to a few places and talks to her about random things, which she learns to get used to. As time goes on, the two continue to hang out in this fashion and become closer and closer. One night, Keith decides to send a part of a car engine to Natalie's house while she is with Raff, which she is angered by. They have an argument, when in the middle of it, Al and Billy (a child neighbor of Keith's) turn up. Billy speaks to Keith about bonding with him, which causes Natalie to think that Keith is "a softy" and to get back into the car with him. After driving for a short while, Natalie tells Keith to turn into a dirt road, which just so happens to be Keith's favorite spot; a cliff overlooking The Brick, separated by a river. They sit down and talk, afterwards exchanging a small kiss. The next day, Raff asks Natalie to go to The Brick, but she says she does not feel like it. Instead of going to The Brick, Natalie decides to go to the cliff she went to with Keith. She has become comfortable wearing Keith's jacket at times when alone with him, and discusses with him their future dreams. While Keith and Natalie talk while lying down in the back of the ute, Natalie notices that the ute is moving. She panics and gets out of it, trying to stop it as she screams at Keith to jump to safety. Keith, however, remains lying down, relaxed and rambling on, despite the fact that he is about to roll off a cliff. Just before rolling off, Keith swiftly moves into the driver's seat and hits the brakes. Natalie is furious with Keith and asks him if he wanted to kill himself. When Natalie gets home, she is still wearing Keith's jacket and finds antidepressants in his pocket.The following day at school, Natalie wants to speak to Keith about the medication, but he is not at school, nor is he there the day after that. Because of his absence, Natalie begins to worry and becomes slightly depressed. She tries to get his contact details from the school, but the school does not allow it. Natalie then remembers that Keith said he lived at the old white house, and decides to go visit. But it turns out that Keith lied to her about his residence. Because of Keith's mysterious disappearance, Natalie begins to lose her tennis matches, which is her key to a scholarship at Duke University.Two weeks later, Keith appears just as mysteriously as he had disappeared. Natalie is irritated about the lies he fed her. She decides to find out his real address by breaking into his locker. As a result, she is suspended from school for a week. Her friends all believe that Keith is trying to destroy her life, but she disagrees. Without anyone to turn to, and without anywhere to go, Natalie decides to go visit Keith at his house. There, she meets his father and finds out that Keith also lied to her about his family (his siblings and his deceased mother). Keith refuses to come out of his room to see her. Desperate to talk to Keith, Natalie hides in the back of his ute. Later that night, Keith comes out of the house and drives off to his favorite clifftop. While there, Natalie expresses her love for him, and they end up having sex in the back of the ute. While Keith drives Natalie home, Natalie is excited to begin an official romantic relationship with Keith, but Keith says that what happened between them that night was just for fun and is not something to make a big deal about, which infuriates Natalie.In the next few scenes, Natalie's downfall, from her perfect life to a life filled with sadness and confusion, is apparent. Her tennis rankings have dropped, and she is on the verge of losing her scholarship opportunity. In addition, she dumps her boyfriend Raff. While driving without an idea of where she is going, Natalie sees Al (the man Keith talked to at the opening of the film), who was Keith's counselor, and asks him about Billy (the boy she watched talk excitedly with Keith the first night she and Keith went to the cliff), and it turns out that Billy died because of cancer and Billy knew Keith because they went to chemotherapy treatment together. Natalie finally realizes that Keith is dying of cancer, and is informed that he does not have much longer to live. She tries to go to Keith's house again to talk to him, but she is rejected once again. Then, one night, Keith mysteriously appears at her house offering to go bowling with her. On the way to go bowling, Natalie leads Keith to the airport so that he can follow his dreams, telling him the sky is the limit. At the airport, after some resistance, Keith finally expresses his true feelings for Natalie, and Natalie tells Keith that she wants to be with him even though he will die one day soon. They kiss and embrace.The film then cuts to when Natalie graduates; Keith is not mentioned and has presumably died from cancer. Throughout the film Natalie has changed. She has almost become a replica of Keith; she has become a grease monkey, loves the yellow ute. There is a scene where Natalie is fixing the truck with Keith's father. The film cuts back to its first scene, where Natalie is slowly rolling towards the edge of the cliff. Just before falling off, she swiftly, like Keith did, jumps into the driver's seat and hits the brakes. Afterwards, Natalie drives to an intersection on the way to London, Ontario where there is a classic truck festival held each year. Attending the festival is what Keith always dreamed of. A long aerial shot of the yellow ute drives away as the film ends. | romantic | tt0435679 |
The Incredible Hulk | Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is a scientist working to find a way to use gamma radiation to increase healing time in soldiers. One of his co-workers is Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), whose father, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt), oversees the project. Upon subjecting himself to a gamma test, Banner transforms into a green-skinned, superhumanly powerful creature. He destroys the lab, injures Betty and Ross and escapes.Several years later, he surfaces in Brazil, working at a local soft drink factory and living in a run-down favela. He trains with martial artists on how to control his gamma-irradiated anger, and communicates via encrypted e-mail with a man know as Mr. Blue about developing a cure. Ross has continued to search for him, believing that Banner is effectively the property of the United States government. Thanks to an accident at the factory where his blood drips into a bottle of soda and poisons a man in America (Stan Lee in a cameo), Ross tracks Banner to Brazil. He assembles a strike force led by a ruthless British soldier, Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) and sends them after Banner. They chase Banner through the city and into the soft drink factory. Banner is also pursued by several hooligans who dislike him. When the hooligans attack Banner, he loses control of his anger and transforms into his green alter ego just as the strike team arrives. He makes quick work of the hooligans and strike team, then leaps his way out of Brazil.Blonsky demands that Ross tell him the truth about Banner. Ross reveals that the goal of the program was not to develop new ways of treating injuries but to create an army of invincible super soldiers. Blonsky is intrigued and, recognizing that he is at the end of his career at age 39, asks to be given the super soldier formula himself. Ross agrees and Blonsky undergoes an extremely painful procedure.Banner returns to the United States, in particular to a college town in Virginia. Betty still teaches there. Banner sneaks into a computer laboratory and downloads vital information about the experiments and his own physiognomy. That night, Betty and her new boyfriend, Leonard Samson (Ty Burrell) see Banner in a restaurant. Betty takes Banner home, but Samson contacts Ross. Banner plans to leave the next day but Ross' forces attack him on campus. Banner transforms again, and witnesses to the battle dub him "the Hulk." During the fight, Blonsky confronts Hulk and displays superhuman reflexes, but Hulk kicks Blonsky into a tree, shattering every bone in his body. Betty is nearly killed in a helicopter assault. Hulk rescues her and takes her to safety. During a rain storm, Hulk becomes scared of the thunder and hurls rocks at it. Betty calms him down. The next morning, she checks them into a motel and buys him new clothes. They decide to go to New York and meet Mr. Blue. On the way, Betty suggests that some of Banner's personality remains when he is in Hulk form, but Banner angrily rejects this notion. He wants to be rid of the Hulk, not find a way to control it.Ross is pleasantly surprised to see Blonsky has completely healed from his grievous injuries -- more rapidly than a normal human man would. However, he doesn't notice the bony spines beginning to protrude from Blonsky's back.Mr. Blue is really Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), a professor at a college in New York City. He reveals to Banner that he has a procedure that might suppress the Hulk reaction but may not be potent enough to cure him. However, he wants to continue to study Banner so they can find a way to use his blood to cure countless diseases. Banner refuses to allow that, but agrees to undergo Sterns' suppression procedure. It seems to work. However, Ross has tracked Banner to Sterns' office. This time, Banner is successfully captured. Betty tells Ross that she no longer considers him her father. Blonsky confronts Sterns and asks to be exposed to Banner's irradiated blood. Sterns warns him that the result could be "an abomination" but Blonsky insists. The result: Blonsky turns into an enormous, scaly beast, Abomination. He leaps from Sterns' laboratory. In the chaos, some of Banner's blood drips into an open wound on his forehead. His head begins to mutate.Insane with power, Blonsky goes on a destructive rampage in Harlem. In the helicopter taking them to custody, Banner, Betty and Ross see television footage of the destruction. Banner believes he can now control the Hulk. He leaps from the helicopter and transforms into the Hulk just before he hits the ground. He and Abomination wage a fierce battle. Abomination knocks the helicopter with Ross and Betty in it from the sky. Just as Abomination is about to kill them, Hulk stops him and nearly strangles Abomination to death with heavy chains. Betty's horrified reaction keeps Hulk from actually killing Abomination, however. Instead, he leaps away, eventually winding up in British Columbia. Weeks of meditation help Banner finally gain control of his alter ego, however the glimmer of the force inside him does appear in his eyes.Ross sits in a bar, smoking his trademark cigars and drinking himself into a stupor. Billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) enters and suggests that a team he is putting together just might help Ross solve his Hulk problem. | mystery, cult, action, violence, flashback | tt0800080 |
Spartacus | In the 1st century BC, the Roman Republic has slid into corruption, its menial work done by armies of slaves. One of these, a proud and gifted man named Spartacus (Kirk Douglas), is so uncooperative in his servitude that he is sentenced to fight as a gladiator. He is trained at a school run by the unctuous Roman businessman Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov), who instructs Spartacus's trainer Marcellus (Charles McGraw) to not overdo his indoctrination because he thinks "he has quality". Amid the abuse, Spartacus forms a quiet relationship with a serving woman named Varinia (Jean Simmons), whom he refuses to rape when she is sent to "entertain" him in his cell.
Batiatus receives a visit from the Roman senator Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier), who aims to become dictator of Rome. Crassus buys Varinia on a whim, and for the amusement of his companions arranges for Spartacus and three others to fight in pairs. When Spartacus is disarmed, his opponent, an African named Draba (Woody Strode), spares his life in a burst of compassion and attacks the Roman audience, but is killed by an arena guard and Crassus. The next day, with the school's atmosphere still tense over this episode, Batiatus takes Varinia away to Crassus's house in Rome. Spartacus kills Marcellus, who was taunting him over this, and their fight escalates into a riot. The gladiators overwhelm their guards and escape into the Italian countryside.
Spartacus is elected chief of the fugitives and decides to lead them out of Italy and back to their homes. They plunder Roman country estates as they go, collecting enough money to buy sea transport from Rome's foes, the pirates of Cilicia. Countless other slaves join the group, making it as large as an army. One of the new arrivals is Varinia, who escaped while being delivered to Crassus. Another is a slave entertainer named Antoninus (Tony Curtis), who also fled Crassus's service after the Roman tried to seduce him. Privately, Spartacus feels mentally inadequate because of his lack of education during years of servitude. However, he proves an excellent leader and organizes his diverse followers into a tough and self-sufficient community. Varinia, now his informal wife, becomes pregnant by him, and he also comes to regard the spirited Antoninus as a sort of son.
The Roman Senate becomes increasingly alarmed as Spartacus defeats the multiple armies it sends against him. Crassus's populist opponent Gracchus (Charles Laughton) knows that his rival will try to use the crisis as a justification for seizing control of the Roman army. To try and prevent this, Gracchus channels as much military power as possible into the hands of his own protege, a young senator named Julius Caesar (John Gavin). Although Caesar lacks Crassus's contempt for the lower classes of Rome, he mistakes the man's rigid outlook for nobility. Thus, when Gracchus reveals that he has bribed the Cilicians to get Spartacus out of Italy and rid Rome of the slave army, Caesar regards such tactics as beneath him and goes over to Crassus.
Crassus uses a bribe of his own to make the pirates abandon Spartacus and has the Roman army secretly force the rebels away from the coastline towards Rome. Amid panic that Spartacus means to sack the city, the Senate gives Crassus absolute power. Now surrounded by Romans, Spartacus convinces his men to die fighting. Just by rebelling and proving themselves human, he says that they have struck a blow against slavery. In the ensuing battle, after initially breaking the ranks of Crassus's legions, the slave army ends up trapped between Crassus and two other forces advancing from behind, and most of them are massacred. Afterward, the Romans try to locate the rebel leader for special punishment by offering a pardon (and return to enslavement) if the men will identify Spartacus, living or dead. Every surviving man responds by shouting "I'm Spartacus!" (an idea from Fast's novel, not documented by history). As a result, Crassus has them all sentenced to death by crucifixion along the Via Appia.
Meanwhile, Crassus has found Varinia and Spartacus's newborn son and has taken them prisoner. He is disturbed by the idea that Spartacus can command more love and loyalty than he can and hopes to compensate by making Varinia as devoted to him as she was to her former husband. When she rejects him, he furiously seeks out Spartacus (whom he recognizes from having watched him in the arena) and forces him to fight Antoninus to the death. The survivor is to be crucified, along with all the other men captured after the great battle. Spartacus kills Antoninus to spare him this fate. The incident leaves Crassus worried about Spartacus's potential to live in legend as a martyr. In other matters, he is also worried about Caesar, who he senses will someday eclipse him.
Gracchus, having seen Rome fall into tyranny, commits suicide. Before doing so, he bribes his friend Batiatus to rescue Spartacus's family from Crassus and carry them away to freedom. On the way out of Rome, the group pass under Spartacus's cross. Varinia is able to comfort him in his dying moments by showing him his little son, who will grow up without ever having been a slave. | tragedy, romantic, historical, murder, violence | tt0054331 |
La vie d'Adèle | Chapter 1.In the opening shot, Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos), a young teenager living in Lille, France, is seen leaving her house in the morning to grab a bus and the subway to get to school.In class, they are reading 'The Life of Marianne'. The teacher speaks about chance encounters and how love at first sight can affect us. One boy says it would make him feel regret for not trying to talk to the other person. Adèle listens to all the discussion impassively.During lunch with her friends, they gush about sex while Adèle just listens. A boy, named Thomas (Jérémie Laheurte) looks at Adèle and smiles. Her girlfriends tell her that it is obvious that hes into her and she should do something about it, forcing her to take a look at him. But Adèle doesn't seem to be very interested in him. Shes actually quite detached. That evening at home, Adèle has dinner with her parents and discusses her day. She later writes in her diary and then goes to sleep.The next day, Adèle gets on the bus where Thomas joins her. They start a conversation and Adèle begins to loosen up. She learns Thomas is a senior (she's a junior, one year below) and that he hopes to study music later in life at a university. They begin to talk about music. Adèle says she loves all kinds but hard rock, as she stereotypes it as men with long hair who scream into microphones. Thomas laughs and says they apparently have a problem because he happens to like that kind of music. However, maybe it will give them an excuse to hang out again someday soon as Adèle notes, maybe the stuff he loves is different than her preconceived notions.Later, on a different day, Adèle about to cross the road when she sees a woman with blue-colored hair with her arms around another woman. As people cross the streets, Adèle turns her head to look at the woman, who in turn turns her head and smiles at Adèle. Adèle is stunned to feel a connection to a woman she has never met.Adèle then meets Thomas in order to hang out. They get lunch and talk about the book Adèle is reading for class, 'The Life of Marianne'. Adèle notes she hates when teachers over-analyze the book for her, thus taking away all the mystery and suspense. Thomas admits he hasn't read too many books but loved reading 'Dangerous Liaisons' in class since his professor was able to break down things he missed. Thomas promises to read 'The Life of Marianne' for her, as he is completely enamored with Adèle.Thomas and Adèle go to the movies. Thomas goes to hold her hand and kiss her neck and mouth. Adèle lets him a little but her heart isn't into it.That night, as she sleeps, Adèle begins to dream of the blue haired woman touching and kissing her. Adèle begins to masturbate in her sleep, touching her breasts and genitals, breathing deep. In the middle of it all, she wakes up startled. She can't believe what she was feeling.The next day, her friends want details in regards to Thomas, thinking the two slept together. Adèle denies that they did and finally leaves when she gets tired of their questions. Thomas follows into the school and asks if he did something wrong or that he went too fast because he really likes her. Adèle, desperately wanting to try and be normal with a boy who likes her, kisses him back.In the next scene Adèle and Thomas are seen in his bedroom and both of them are naked. They begin to have sex, which is apparently Adèle's first time ever. As they get into it, Adèle seems to enjoy it quite a bit. When it is over however, Adèle has a distant, detached look on her face. Perhaps, despite her desire to just be a normal girl who likes boys, it isn't enough or rather it is not the right thing for her. Thomas asks her if she is okay and if the sex was good. Adèle says that is was and kisses him. She lets him hold her.Adèle talks to her gay friend Valentin (Sandor Funtek) about unhappy she is with Thomas, because she feels as if she needs to fake it. She also notes she looks awful and Thomas would break up with her on that alone; she and Valentin joke about how this will be how her relationship ends. However, this gives her only a respite from reality. She will have to face him soon enough. Adèle smokes a cigarette at school before going to meet Thomas.In the next shot, Adèle and Thomas are sitting on a school bench. Adèle has told him that it isn't working for her but she never meant to hurt him. Thomas is visibly upset, however, he lets their relationship end without any objections. He then leaves.At home later that night, Adèle cries on her bed. She is confused over her emotions, and feels awful that she hurt a boy that only liked her and did her no harm. Adèle is now at a low point of her young life.Later, Adèle joins her friends during a student protest in the streets. She lets herself get caught up in it so she can forget her problems for a while.At school, Adèle sits in a stairwell and smokes a cigarette. A young woman, from her group of friends sits down next to her and bums a light from her. As another girl passes, the woman comments that the girl has a nice ass. Adèle scoffs at the comment, and the young woman says she thinks Adèle is the cutest girl in their year. Adèle blushes and the young woman tilts Adèle's face her way and kisses her on the lips to Adèle's surprise.At dinner that night, Adèle's mother notices a chance in her daughter, noting that she apparently had a good day. Adèle just smiles.The next day at school after class, Adèle tracks the girl down in the ladies restroom and when no one is around, starts to kiss her. The girl however does not respond to it. The girl then tells Adèle that she didn't mean for her to get addicted to it, and her kissing Adèle was just some harmless fun, making it clear she wanted nothing more. However, she tells Adèle that nothing will change with them and she will not tell their other friends, keeping her secret. Adèle is crushed, thinking she found a potential confidant/partner.Ignoring most of her gal pals, Adèle grabs Valentin and asks to go out with him that night. Valentin takes her to a gay club, where Adèle watches gay men dance and kiss. She is bewildered by it all but also sad because she doesn't have that type of connection in her own life. Seeing a woman that looks like the blue-haired girl she saw on the street, Adèle leaves the club, following the group of women to another bar.When she gets there, she realizes it is a lesbian bar. She gets a few looks and some of the women flirt with her. Adèle is a bit embarrassed by the attention and goes up to the bar and orders a beer. Looking up to the loft area she sees the very same blue haired-woman from that day. The woman sees her too and grins. The woman comes down and after deflecting another woman from talking to Adèle, begins to chat with her. The blue-haired woman introduces herself as Emma (Léa Seydoux).Emma tells Adèle that it is obvious that she is new to the scene given that she ordered a Bulldog, which a "dyke beer". Emma gives her a taste of her strawberry milk drink, to which Adèle admits she finds gross. Emma tells Adèle they don't get too many of her type in the bar. Adèle asks what type she is. Emma says the underage type. Adèle asks about what Emma does for a living and Emma replies she is 22-years-old and is in her fourth year of college, studying Fine Arts. They have a discussion of the various types of art and if there is such a thing as bad art. Adèle meanwhile admits she is still in high school as well as her real age of being only 16-years-old. Emma's friends walk up and tell her they are going to another club and want her to come. Emma introduces Adèle as her cousin to them. Emma then leaves, but not before getting Adèle to tell her the name of her high school that she attends.The next day, as school lets out, Adèle is with her group of friends when she sees Emma waiting for her. Adèle goes to her, ignoring all the calls of her friends. Emma invites Adèle to come and get a drink with her. Only Valentin realizes what is really going on and watches silently as the two girls walk away.Adèle and Emma sit on a park bench. Emma is sketching her. Emma asks if she feels embarrassed, and Adèle admits she does a little as it isn't everyday that she is sketched. The two talk a bit about philosophy and Sartre. Emma discusses how she agrees with Sartre ideals of choosing your own path in life without any higher principles, as it helped her decide what she wants out of life. Adèle compares the ideals to that of Bob Marley, and how the two were both committed in their principles and ideas. Emma shows her the final product, which she admits needs work. Adèle says it is beautiful. Emma then says she needs to leave and meet her girlfriend Sabine. Adèle gives Emma her number. As they stand up to leave, Emma stares at Adèle for a long time and moves closer as if to kiss her. Emma kisses Adèle's cheek and leaves, leaving Adèle feeling happy.When Adèle gets home later, her mother tells her a friend, Emma, is on the phone. Adèle rushes up and takes the call like a nervous schoolgirl talking to her crush.The next day, Adèle is quickly and decisively confronted by her group of friends. They want to know about Emma and why Adèle is hanging around with an obvious dyke. Adèle tries to deflect their questioning, saying Emma is just a friend. However, the third degree continues and turns very ugly. They ask about her going with Valentin to a gay club, which she tries to deny then must admit is true when Valentin confirms it. It is here when things go from bad to worse. They begin to ask Adèle if she is a lesbian and pretend to say that they don't care if she is but they want her to admit it. One of her friends gets very mean saying they slept together in the same bed naked and she wants to know if Adèle ever wanted her (based on the homophobic idea that all gay people want everyone of the same sex sexually, even friends). One of the girls finally takes it too far by asking if Adèle has tasted Emma's blue pussy. That sets Adèle off and she attacks the girl, having to be pulled off by Valentin. Valentin pulls Adèle away from the girls saying they know nothing as the girls scream at her. One of girls of the group tells the others they took it way too far; they meant to ask politely and they ended up verbally abusing Adèle.Adèle is in class having trouble concentrating on her studies. She is visibly upset and depressed about what happened between her and her friends.Some time later, we see Emma and Adèle at an art gallery taking in all the paintings and sculptures (it is unstated, but inferred that Emma and Sabine are no longer together). Later, they have a small picnic on a blanket in a park and discuss the art and life. Over smoking cigarettes and drinking wine from small bottles, Adèle asks when Emma first kissed a girl. Emma tells her she was 14. Adèle and Emma look into each others eyes for a long time. Then, Adèle gets closer to Emma and kisses her. Emma returns it. After a few moments, they break away and smile at each other.In the next scene, Adèle and Emma are in bed in presumably Emma's bedroom. They are both naked and about to have sex for the first time. In a six-minute scene, we watch Adèle and Emma make love (in a very, VERY explicit, hardcore lesbian sex scene). Their coupling and orally pleasuring each other is primal and full of lust leading to both of them climaxing. When it is over, they lay in bed side by side. As Emma falls asleep, Adèle has tears in her eyes which roll down her face as she gently strokes Emma's naked body; she finally has found a sexual connection that satisfies her body and her emotions.Some months later, (during the summer season), Adèle and Emma are seen at a gay parade together. After a while, Adèle loosens up and is happy. Seeing other same sex couples show public displays of affection, Adèle kisses Emma publicly, and walks down the street with her hand-in-hand. For the first time in her life, Adèle feels free to be herself.In the next shot (another few months later during the autumn season), Adèle and Emma are passionately kissing each other on the very same park bench they sat at when Emma sketched Adèle. They are both very happy.Another several months later, Adèle and Emma are going to meet Emma's parents for dinner. Adèle brings a plant as a gift. When they get there, Adèle is introduced to Catherine, Emma's mother and Vincent, Emma's stepfather. They are aware of Emma's sexuality and have no qualms with it, and openly support and love their daughter and her romance with Adèle (Note: Adèle and Emma have been in a relationship on the sides for two years now) . They ask about Adèle's plan after school, and she says she wants to go into teaching, as her learning impacted her life for the better. Vincent and Catherine applaud her choice, while at the same time, loving the fact that Emma is in art, despite its hardships.We see Adèle and Emma having sex again (grinding) in Emma's bedroom. They never talk, but are both very passionate.Adèle arrives home some time later, but doesn't find her parents. She goes outside to the back yard to see that they threw her a surprise birthday party with all her school friends for her 18th birthday as well as her upcoming graduation from school. She is happy as they sing her a song. They eat and dance, but Adèle basically dances alone since she is not comfortable enough to be fully out with everyone, including her parents. Thus, she cannot dance with Emma.Adèle brings Emma home to have dinner with her parents one night. However, her working-class and conservative parents are clueless about their daughter's sexuality, and believe that Emma is just a friend that helped Adèle understand Philosophy better. It is clear that Emma is hurt that Adèle is lying to her folks about her, but understands why and goes along with it for her sake. Adèle's parents ask about what Emma does and mentions she works in art. Adèle's father says it must be hard to make a living, and Emma admits that is true so she is a graphic artist on the side to pay the bills. Adèle's parents ask if she has a boyfriend, and Emma lies and says she does but she is in no rush to get married. Adèle's parents laugh and say she shouldn't rush. Adèle and Emma share a knowing look.In the next scene, Adèle and Emma lay naked in Adèle's bed making love again. When they are finished, they laugh about the fact that Adèle's mother thinks Emma is sleeping in the air mattress nearby. Emma jokingly asks Adèle if she is enjoying her philosophy lessons, and gives her a grade in the subject. They giggle at their little secret and kiss. Emma tells Adèle that she loves her. Overjoyed, Adèle tells Emma that she loves her too.Chapter 2.The film re-opens four or five years later. We see Emma sketch Adèle as she lays out nude on a sofa with a cigarette dangling from her mouth. Emma's hair is now dyed blonde. Adèle and Emma live together like a committed couple.We see the first of many days of Adèle as a teacher for pre-school age children. She seems to love her job. One her male colleagues ask if she wants to go out with a few others for a drink. Adèle declines saying she has plans. Adèle says that she is having a "family dinner". The co-worker accepts that, but says that if she never wants to hang out after work, to let him know (Note: it is implied that Adèle no longer keeps in touch with her own parents after apparently coming out to them about her sexuality which may have resulted in them severing all ties with her to express their disapproval).Emma is having an art showing of her work at her and Adèle's apartment. Adèle spends the day making the food and making sure they have enough of everything for the guests. A majority of the guests are from Emma's art crowd which makes Adèle uncomfortable as the social and intelligence gap between them bothers her. Thus, she tries to busy herself most of the time, so she doesn't have to talk to anybody and feel dumb. However, one man named Samir (Salim Kechiouche) manages to convince Adèle to sit down and talk. Samir tells her he acts in movies, usually as a stereotypical Arab terrorist and has been to New York City several times. Adèle admits she wants to go to New York and see America but hasn't had time. Samir says she should as it would change her look on life. Samir asks about Adèle liking women, and Adèle admits to him that she and Emma are a couple and this has been her first real romantic relationship with a woman. Samir acts supportive, already knowing that Emma is a lesbian.However, despite this nice conversation with Samir, Adèle is unable to talk to anyone else at the party. Also, she cannot be help notice that Emma has been very close to another woman, the pregnant Lise, who Emma introduced to her earlier. Adèle begins to think that maybe Emma is pulling away from her.Adèle cleans up after the party then heads to bed, where Emma is waiting. Emma says she thinks Adèle should do more with her writing because it is so good. Adèle however says she only writes in her diary, and she doesn't know how to convey her voice in fiction; plus she has no desire to write. Her passion is in teaching. Emma speaks of life being about creating things, building things that matter, while Adèle is more concerned with just being happy; she finds her fulfillment in being with Emma. Adèle wants to make love but Emma says they can't because she is on her period. Adèle is a little skeptical given the time of month, but just lets it go. Adèle asks about Lise. Emma tells her that Lise isn't an ex-girlfriend or anything, but is just another painter like she is.In the next scene, Adèle is at work again watching the kids have their nap time. When she gets home, there is a message on the answer machine from Emma, saying she is working late with Lise, and Adèle shouldn't wait up.Deciding not to stay at home like usual, Adèle decides to go out and get drinks with her co-workers, including the male one that kept asking. They drink and decide to dance. Adèle loosens up and seductively dances with the man. Eventually, she kisses him passionately. A combination of feeling neglected by Emma, wanting a connection, and perhaps wondering if she is fully gay has led Adèle to cheat.The next morning, Adèle listens while Emma is on the phone. Apparently, Emma is having trouble with a potential buyer who wants every detail about Emma, including her sex life in order to fully articulate her paintings. Emma tells the person on the phone she will reveal some things, but some things are to be left private. As Emma hangs up, Adèle tells her it is normal to feel tense at times about revealing her sexuality to strangers.Back at school, it is clear that Adèle's head isn't fully in her teaching as she is feeling some guilt about kissing her co-worker.Apparently going out with him again, she is given a ride home by him one night. She kisses him goodbye then pretends to head into another apartment complex before going to her real apartment. Emma is waiting for her, tense and not happy. Adèle goes up to her acting like nothing is wrong and that's when the trouble begins. Emma asks who dropped her off. Adèle first says a female colleague; she went out with co-workers and has decided to not be out with them. However, Emma knows it was a man, so Adèle is forced to change her story.Emma then reveals that she saw Adèle kiss him. Emma screams at her asking how many times she slept with the man. Adèle initially denies it, but Emma keeps going on, asking how long she has been lying to her. Adèle finally breaks down, saying she indeed slept with the male colleague a few times but it meant nothing. She just felt so alone and Emma was pulling away from her and wouldn't talk to her. Having heard this admission makes Emma completely explode and she calls Adèle a slut and tells her to get out, throwing clothes in a suitcase. Adèle pleads to let her talk about what happened but Emma won't hear it and throws her out saying that they are through. Adèle finally leaves and walks down the street into the night, completely heartbroken and sobbing uncontrollably.Adèle is back at school teaching and participating in a school stage event, but her heart it isn't it. At the end of the term, she hugs her kids goodbye. When they leave, she breaks down crying in the empty classroom.Some months later, during a summer trip with some of her students, Adèle plays with the kids on the beach. Asking for another teacher to cover for her for a few minutes, Adèle goes to take a swim in the sea. She pauses off-shore and floats on the water. The water's color is blue, like Emma's hair.Another few months later, Adèle is in class during a new school year, teaching dictation of sentences to a new group of first graders.In the next scene, Adèle is at the same park bench where she and Emma spent time together. She lies down and closes her eyes.Adèle is next seen in a seedy room of a flophouse where she now lives alone. She cries herself to sleep seemingly every night. One night as she sleeps, she jolts awake after a supposed nightmare (a deleted scene shows she dreamed about Emma and Lise having sex). Looking disheveled and fatigued, she sits up awake, chain-smoking and looking emotionally empty and desolate.Another year or two later, Adèle meets with Emma in a coffee shop. They tenderly embrace and go to sit down to catch up. Adèle is still teaching at her elementary school, and Emma is still doing art and has a few new shows coming up. Adèle says she wants to save up and buy a painting of hers. Emma says she will give her one for free, but Adèle says it is a point of principle to pay for it, to which Emma nods. Emma reveals she has been in a relationship with Lise for several years and has become a second mother to Lise's three-year-old daughter. Adèle reveals that she hasn't been in any relationship since their breakup (which was over three years ago).(Note: an implied argument can be made here that perhaps Emma had been become bored with Adèle but didn't have a good reason to end it. It is quite possible Emma cheated on Adèle with Lise. Thus, when Adèle admitted to her infidelity, it gave Emma her reason for ending their romance, hence her overly agitated response and her unwillingness to even talk to Adèle; she was projecting).Emma says that her home life with Lise is intellectually stimulating. Adèle asks about their sex life, and Emma admits it isn't like the one she had with Adèle. Adèle says it must be boring. Adèle says she misses Emma and that she wants her. Adèle slowly starts to kiss Emma's hand. When Emma doesn't respond right away, Adèle tells her to touch her and forces Emma to kiss her. Emma, clearly still attracted to Adèle to some capacity, gives in to the advances. The two kiss and caress each other longingly for a few moments, but Emma pulls away. Ashamed, Adèle apologizes and asks if she will see Emma again. To her dismay, Emma says no. She has a family now and she can't risk it. Adèle asks if Emma still loves her. Emma says that she doesn't, but she has infinite tenderness for Adèle and will remember their times together for the rest of her life. Adèle, though heartbroken, understands and tells Emma she can leave. They embrace passionately. As Emma leaves, Adèle breaks down in tears.The next scene shows Adèle back in her classroom teaching reading and writing to her young first-grade students. Adèle now wears eyeglasses and styles her long hair in a more traditional manner to make herself look older. She still appears to function well as a teacher, but now appears to be emotionally empty and unattached to anyone or anything.An unknown amount of time later, Adèle showers, puts on makeup as well as a bright-blue dress, and leaves her small apartment where she now lives to walk a few blocks to an art gallery. It is a showing of Emma's work and she has been invited for a noon showing. The two old lovers greet each other and Adèle thanks Emma for inviting her. Adèle looks at all the pieces, and is both startled and surprised to learn that she is still a muse for Emma, showing up still even in her new works. Adèle quickly becomes uncomfortable seeing her former lover, Emma, with her new lover, Lise, who is also in attendance. Although Emma acknowledges Adèle, her attention is primarily on the gallery's other guests and her current partner.Adèle bumps into Samir, and finds out he got out of acting and is now in real estate. Samir admits that this art gallery isn't his scene either. As Samir excuses himself to talk to someone, Adèle looks around and realizes a few things. One is that the incompatibility of their intellectual circles and their personal desires for life doomed her and Emma's romance long before infidelity entered the picture. Secondly, that this world of Emma's isn't a part of Adèle's anymore. She and Emma are no longer together. That chapter of her life is closed. As terrifying as it will be, Adèle realizes that she needs to move on with her life, completely away from Emma. Without saying another word to anyone, Adèle quietly leaves the gallery and walks home. Samir notices she is missing and looks outside to find her, but he misses her going around the corner and gives up his search.In the final shot, Adèle is walking down the street alone towards her home. Adèle clearly knows that this part of her life journey is over and now she must write the next chapter of her life. On that sad and ambiguous note, the film suddenly ends as calypso drums play over the closing credits. | dramatic, romantic, queer | tt2278871 |
The Siege | A U.S. military barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is bombed by terrorists. It is determined to be the work of Sheikh Ahmed bin Talal, a known extremist. A Black Ops team works to capture the Sheikh. Posing as shepherds herding goats, they stop the Sheikh's car, kill his drivers, and extract him, blowing up the car to destroy evidence. Then, they fly him to the United States to stand trial.The action shifts to New York City, where one day, a call comes in that an MTA bus in Brooklyn has been taken hostage, with NYPD officers and FDNY firefighters on the scene. When the NYPD sends in the bomb squad to disarm the device, it detonates. Much to everyone's relief, it's just a paint bomb, and the passengers are escorted to safety.The investigation into the incident is handled by Special Agent Anthony Hubbard (Denzel Washington) of the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Task Force and his partner Frank Haddad (Tony Shalhoub). As the investigation gets under way, Hubbard is told that someone is flashing a government badge at the warehouse where the bus is being processed. Hubbard drives out to the warehouse to investigate. The employee in question is a CIA officer named Elise Kraft (Annette Benning). Though she's cordial and asks to liaise with the FBI, Hubbard brushes her off. Thinking she's hiding something, Hubbard gives orders for Elise to be tailed.The next morning, Hubbard and Haddad are summoned to John F. Kennedy International Airport, where a man named Khalil Saleh (Assif Mandvi) has just arrived carrying a briefcase that's packed with $10,000 in small bills. Customs has detained him for further questioning in light of the heightened terror alert. In questioning, he claims that the money is dowry for a wedding. Nonetheless, Hubbard and Haddad tail him to a suburban street in Brooklyn. They follow Khalil as he has a meeting with another unidentified man on the street. Unfortunately, the stakeout is blown when another agent, Mike Johanssen (Mark Valley), inadvertently gives himself away, and Khalil flees on foot. Hubbard and Haddad attempt to give chase in their car, but lose him when he scales a fence and then hops into a passing red van.The van is eventually recovered, and is found to have been reported stolen and carrying bogus plates. While they're on scene, Hubbard and his team get word from another agent, Floyd Rose (Lance Reddick), about the whereabouts of their missing individual: he's shown up at a CIA safehouse in Staten Island, with Elise Kraft. The FBI team proceeds to raid the safehouse, capturing all of the CIA personnel, including Elise. Hubbard and Haddad personally take Elise, and put her into their car to be taken into custody.As Hubbard and Haddad drive Elise back to Manhattan for further questioning, they try asking her for more information about the bus that was paint-bombed. Elise, however, dodges the questions, instead, bringing up conversation about Haddad's background.While they're driving across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Hubbard's and Haddad's individual cell phones ring almost simultaneously. It's disturbing news: three men armed with rifles and wearing explosives have just taken an MTA bus hostage at Broadway and Bedford Avenues in Brooklyn. When Hubbard, Haddad and Elise arrive on scene, the NYPD and FDNY have already set up a perimeter and the NYPD Emergency Services Unit is getting snipers into position. Hubbard is patched through to the bus's driver, who agrees to hand the phone over to the hostage taker. Having learned from another officer that there are six children on the bus, Hubbard decides to use that to his advantage. He begins addressing the hostage takers (with Haddad supplying a running translation in Arabic), and makes a plea for them to release the children.Much to everyone's surprise, the hostage-takers acquiesce to Hubbard's requests and release a group of children from the bus. They are quickly escorted by police back behind the perimeter. Hubbard then resumes negotiations with the hostage-takers, trying to get as many hostages as possible released. It takes a while, but eventually, he convinces them to release the elderly passengers. After another tense moment, the bus doors slide open and some senior citizens begin to exit the bus. However, just moments later, the terrorists suddenly renege on their promise and detonate their explosives, causing the bus to explode in a huge fireball. The explosion instantly kills the 25 civilians and suicide bombers still on board and injures numbers of NYPD officers, FBI agents, and FDNY firefighters due to the shockwave and debris raining down everywhere within several hundred feet of the bus. Hubbard is among the FBI agents injured when the explosion throws him off his feet and temporarily deafens him during the process.An investigation is quickly launched by a somewhat agitated Hubbard into the bombing. In time, the FBI is able to identify one of the bombers as a young individual named Ali Wasiri. In a turn of events, Wasiri is revealed to have been on a State Department watchlist, leading them to wonder how he got into the country. This is answered when they find a student visa in Wasiri's name, and this leads them to Samir Nazhde, a professor of Arab studies at Brooklyn College who sponsored the application. Hubbard wants to arrest Samir, but Elise insists that Samir is not a terrorist and that his continued freedom is vital to the investigation, even striking up a sexual relationship with him (while Hubbard and Haddad watch from afar). Hubbard also learns from Elise about the possibility that the terrorists behind these attacks might be followers of the Sheikh who are exacting revenge against the United States.A day or so later, Hubbard gets a surprise visit from General William Devereaux (Bruce Willis) of the 101st Airborne Division. While they converse, Hubbard asks Devereaux if he knows anything about the Sheikh. Devereaux claims that the Sheikh is old news, and the bombers' demands for the U.S. to release the Sheikh are impossible to meet because the Sheikh is dead (which we can see is false given the opening sequence).Acting on another lead, the FBI team eventually uncovers an apartment recently leased to three young Arab men. According to the landlord, they spend their days watching TV and eating pizza. This gives Hubbard an idea when they carry out the raid. He sends one of his agents, Danny Sussman (David Proval), up to the apartment disguised as a pizza deliveryman, and carrying a pizza box, in which they have planted a smoke grenade. Right behind Danny is a fully armed SWAT team. Danny drops the pizza box off and it is carried into the apartment. When it explodes in the face of one of the occupants, the SWAT team breaches the door and storms the apartment. Two of the men are killed when they try to shoot back with assault rifles, and the third (the guy who picked up the pizza box) is killed in the crossfire. Haddad finds bombmaking equipment under one windowsill that includes many of the elements used on the bus.Some time later, the FBI team is shown knocking off after work at a midtown Manhattan bar. Hubbard is coerced into slow-dancing with Elise. As they dance, Hubbard asks Elise if she thinks her friend Samir is in league with the terrorists. Elise doesn't seem to think so. The dance is interrupted though when the bar is suddenly rocked by a shockwave, which momentarily knocks out some of the lights and sets off the panic alarms on some cars outside. As it turns out, a bomb has been set off at the New Victory Theatre on 42nd Street. Hubbard, Haddad and Elise race to the scene, and are forced to abandon their car at the north end of Times Square due to emergency vehicles obstructing traffic. When they reach the theatre, they find FDNY firefighters and NYPD officers at work handling triage and evacuating injured or panicked civilians as smoke billows out from the theatre's façade. Numerous civilians have been killed, and many more critically wounded (at one point, Hubbard's attention momentarily falls upon a young woman coming down the staircase missing part of her left arm, before collapsing halfway down into the arms of a firefighter).The terrorist attacks on two buses and the New Victory Theatre has led to an increased sense of urgency and fear amongst New Yorkers. Hubbard holds a strategy meeting with senior law enforcement officials, but things don't go successfully. The meeting is furthermore interrupted when they get a call that a lone gunman has taken kids in an elementary school classroom hostage and planted what appears to be a radio-controlled bomb. While waiting behind the barricade, Hubbard sees the news helicopters hovering around outside. Not willing to let innocent lives be lost, he barges through the artificial police barricade of chairs and furniture, bursts into the classroom, and shoots the gunman.The events in New York City have drawn increased scrutiny from officials in Washington, D.C. Hubbard, General Devereaux and Elise, now going by the name Sharon Bridger, are among those summoned to a meeting of the top heads to discuss how to resolve the terrorist situation. During the conversation, Devereaux is asked about the feasibility of imposing martial law on Brooklyn until the terrorist cells are flushed out. He explains that it would be the worst possible decision to deploy the military as it would not help them find the cells. Furthermore, Hubbard argues that deploying the military will only drive the terrorists underground. However, what's clear, as Sharon explains, is that the terrorist cells aren't working like a traditional terrorist network. In most cells, cutting off the head of the network causes the other cells to die off. In the current situation, each terror cell seems to be operating independent of each other: the bus was the work of the first cell. Once that cell was taken out, the second cell carried out the attack on the theatre gala. There are possibly three or four cells at most in Brooklyn, but the timetable until they are found is impossible to determine without knowing who to look for.While this meeting is underway, another terrorist attack happens in Manhattan as a lone individual crashes a stolen van full of explosives into the lobby of One Federal Plaza, the location of the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Task Force. The blast partially demolishes the building, killing 600 people, including Hubbard's own agents, Johanssen and Tina Osu.In spite of objections, the President declares martial law and elements of the 101st Airborne Division, under Devereaux (Willis), occupies and seals off Brooklyn in an effort to find the remaining terrorist cells. Subsequently all young males of Arab descent, including Haddad's son Frank, Jr., are rounded up and detained in Yankee Stadium. Haddad resigns in protest, while civilians stage violent demonstrations against the Army and the racial profiling of the Arabs and the Army fights to maintain control. There are reports of Army killings.Hubbard and Sharon continue their investigation and capture a suspect, Tariq Husseini, although it isn't without incident as the Army is tipped off to the raid and decides to crash it. In the resulting confusion, the chop shop that Tariq runs is blown up. Husseini is tortured for information, but when he doesn't reveal anything, Devereaux has him shot. Afterward, Bridger tells Hubbard that Husseini knew nothing of value because of the principle of compartmentalized information and, sickened, she finally tells Hubbard what she knows. It is revealed that she herself provided training and support to militants opposed to Saddam Hussein's regime. After the funding was cut, she took pity on the few of them who had not yet been taken out by Hussein's forces, and arranged for them to escape to the United States, ultimately leading to the present situation. She and Hubbard compel Samir to arrange a meeting with the final terrorist cell. Hubbard convinces Haddad that he needs his help and Haddad returns to the FBI.A multi-ethnic peace march demonstrates against the occupation of Brooklyn. As the march is getting under way Hubbard and Haddad arrive at the meeting place, but Bridger and Samir have already left. Once inside a bathhouse, Samir reveals to Bridger that he is the final cell, and boasts that "there will never be a last cell." He straps a bomb to his body which he intends to detonate amongst the marchers. Hubbard and Haddad arrive in time to stop him leaving but just as they show up, Samir shoots Sharon in the stomach after a struggle. Hubbard shoots Samir but despite their best efforts he and Haddad can only watch as Bridger bleeds to death, saying the first half of the lords prayer and then in arabic "Inch Allah".Hubbard, Haddad, and other FBI agents, raid Devereaux's headquarters to arrest him for Husseini's death. Deveraux insists that under the War Powers Resolution the authority vested in him by the President supersedes that of the court which issued the arrest warrant. A Mexican standoff ensues, but it's broken when Hubbard reminds Devereaux that the civil liberties and human rights which he took from Husseini are what all his predecessors have fought and died for. Devereaux finally submits, and is detained. Martial law ends and the detainees are freed, including Haddad's son. | suspenseful, murder, violence | tt0133952 |
Der Untergang | The film starts out with a short clip from a documentary where the real life Traudl Junge speaks about how even though she feels like she should be angry with her younger self for becoming Hitlers secretary, it is very hard to forgive herself.The narrative begins in November of 1942. Traudl Junge and four other young women are arriving at Führer's Headquarters Wolf's Lair in Rastenburg, East Prussia. The women are met by Hitler's valet, Heinz Linge. After he gives the women an introduction, Hitler emerges from his office and proceeds to individually ask each woman her name and where she is from. Traudl Junge is the first woman chosen to have her secretarial skills tested and is eventually chosen to be Hitlers personal secretary.The story jumps ahead to April 20th, 1945, Hitler's fifty-sixth birthday. In Berlin, inside the Führerbunker, Traudl Junge is awakened by the bombardment of Soviet artillery from above. A furious Hitler storms out of his office and asks his Generals to inform him where the gunfire is coming from. General Wilhelm Burgdorf informs Hitler that Central Berlin is currently under fire from Soviet artillery, but he doesn't know where its coming from. Burgdorf gives Hitler a phone connected to General Karl Koller who informs Hitler that the artillery battery is only twelve kilometers away. After finding out the Soviets are much closer than he was told, Hitler yells at his Generals for not informing him and that he had to find out this news for himself.Above ground in the Reich Chancellery, many head Nazi figures gather for Hitlers birthday reception. At the party, SS General Hermann Fegelein informs SS General Heinrich Himmler that Hitler is ordering the evacuation of all German military offices by initiating Operation Clausewitz. Himmler says that Hitler will take the whole Reich down if he remains in Berlin. He suggests that Fegelein speak to his sister-in-law, Eva Braun, to see if she can convince Hitler to leave the city. Soon after, Hitler enters the room and is greeted with a salute and "Sieg Heil" from everyone.The film jumps over to the evacuation of the SS Führungshauptamt. It also introduces a parallel story surrounding Professor Dr. Ernst-Günter Schenck, an SS colonel and doctor still in Berlin. Upset by the orders to evacuate, Dr. Schenck argues with SS General Tellermann that because he is both a colonel for the SS and a doctor for the Wehrmacht, he should not be ordered to evacuate so that he can stay to take care of the sick. Tellermann finally agrees and issues Schenck an authorized permit to stay in Berlin.Back in the Reich Chancellery, many of the remaining generals are giving their final goodbyes to Hitler. When Himmler says goodbye, he begs Hitler to leave Berlin and suggests getting in touch with the Western Allies, but Hitler refuses and leaves. As the generals are getting into their cars to evacuate, Himmler tells Fegelein that he thinks Hitler has finally lost it and that since Berlin will fall in the next few days, he is going to have to take it in his own hands. At the same time, Albert Speer arrives at the Reich Chancellery to talk with Hitler.Overlooking a model for the proposed "Welthauptstadt Germania", Hitler praises Speer on his genius for realizing what Germany will become once they win the war. Fegelein and Traudl Junge speak up urging Hitler to leave the city before it is too late, but he refuses again. Speer backs him up by telling Hitler that he must be on stage when the curtain falls.The film cuts away to the streets of Berlin and the civilians trying to leave before the Russians capture the city. Another parallel story is introduced surrounding a boy named Peter Kranz and his small outfit of Hitler Youth soldiers manning a FlaK 88. An older man, who is missing his left arm, walks up to the group of kids and is identified as Peters father. He tells Peter and his fellow soldiers that they are to young to fight and to stop. After several minutes of arguing, the group of soldiers tells Peters father that they will fight until the very end because they swore an oath to The Führer. Peter calls his father a coward and runs away.In his war room, Hitler refuses the plea from General Alfred Jowl to begin the retreat of the 9th Army. Hitler states that General Felix Steiner will be able to counterattack the Russians once his men arrive in Berlin. He also orders SS General Wilhelm Mohnke to defend the city at all costs. Mohnke requests the evacuation of civilians, but Hitler refuses. Outside of the war room, many of the generals express their concern that Hitler is going crazy, stating that he is ordering army divisions that only exist on the map. Hitler makes his way up to the surface to present awards to the Hitler Youth which happens to include Peter. Back in the bunker, Traudl Junge and some of the other girls discuss how they can't abandon Hitler like so many other people are doing.Back in his office, Hitler tells Speer about his scorched earth plan and that he wants to systematically destroy important industrial parts of the city before the allies arrive. Begging for the mercy of the German people, Speer tells him it will only do harm to the future of Germany, but Hitler states that the only German people left are the weak and that they deserve to die.Meanwhile, up in the Reich Chancellery, Eva Braun and many other guests are having a party. Fegelein grabs Eva aside and begs her to convince Hitler to leave, but she refuses. Off to the side, Traudl Junge tells her friend Gerda that the whole situation is unreal and is like a bad dream. The whole party suddenly comes to an end when an artillery shell hits right outside the building, sending debris through the windows. Everyone descends back down into the bunker.Up on the streets, General Helmuth Weidling is being accused for not holding his post and for retreating. Even though he denies the accusations, he is ordered to report to the bunker for execution.Back in the SS Führungshauptamt, Dr. Schenck receives a call from Mohnke ordering him to collect all the medical supplies he can find and to bring them to the bunker.General Weidling arrives at the bunker as he was ordered to, asking why he is to be shot. General Hans Krebs informs him that orders are that any general who retreats is to be shot on spot. After Weildling tells him that he hasn't moved at all, Krebs informs him to speak with Hitler about it.Dr. Schenck arrives at a military hospital to get the requested medical supplies, but it has been abandoned and cleaned out except for dead bodies. Schenck also discovers a group of elderly and sick patients who have been left for dead.Back in the bunker, General Wilhelm Keitel informs General Weidling that his report has impressed Hitler and not only will he no longer be shot, but that he has been promoted to the commander of Berlin's defense. Weidling states that he would rather have been shot. On the other side of the bunker, Fegelein pleads to Traudl and Gerda to leave and informs them that what Hitler has told them about a possible victory is false.In the war room, General Krebs informs Hitler that the Russians have pushed the German lines even further into the city and that General Steiner wasn't able to gather enough soldiers for a counterattack. Hitler orders everyone leave except Keitel, Jodl, Krebs and Burgdorf. Hitler yells at them for disobeying a direct order and that his entire military has been lying to him. Hitler states all of his generals are cowards and traitors and that because of their incompetence, they have lost him the war. Hitler leaves the war room and tells Traudl that she can leave if she wants, but she refuses to. The rest of the remaining generals argue over what to do now that Hitler has given up.Eva, Gerda and Traudl talk a walk just outside the entrance of the bunker to grab a smoke. Eva talks about how she hates Adolf's German Shepard, Blondi, and abuses the dog whenever Hitler is not around. Bombs start to fall again and they retreat inside the bunker.On his way back to the bunker with medical supplies, Dr. Schenck runs into a group of soldiers about to execute a small group of old men for not helping defend the city. Schenck pleads to the soldiers to spare the old mens' lives, but they are shot anyway. Schenck leaves and finally arrives at the bunker with the supplies and is shocked to see how many wounded civilians are there.Meanwhile, Joseph Goebbels' wife and six children arrive at the bunker to stay with him under the care of Traudl. The Goebbels children dress up and present a song to Hitler. After the children leave, Hitler discusses the best ways to commit suicide with Eva, Gerda and Traudl, giving them each a cyanide capsule.Now April 23rd, Eva and Mrs. Goebbels each write letters to their families informing them that the war is almost over and that they plan on staying with Hitler until the end. Meanwhile, Hitler orders General Keitel to link up with Admiral Karl Dönitz to capture more oilfields for offensive maneuvers once they push back the Russians.Hitler receives a message from Hermann Göring stating that he wishes to take command of the Third Reich since Hitler can no longer do anything from Berlin. After declaring Göring a failure and a traitor, he orders him to be executed. Meanwhile, Albert Speer arrives at the bunker and pleads with Traudl and Mrs. Goebbels to reconsider staying with Hitler.Speer meets with Hitler to say his goodbyes. He also begs that Hitler spare the German people and not take everyone down with him, but once again, Hitler refuses. Speer then informs Hitler that he has personally ignored and even defied many of his orders for some time. Upset, Hitler rejects a handshake and tells Speer to leave.Peter, who has left his unit and been fleeing from the approaching Russians, is able to make it to his home to find his father and mother waiting for him.During dinner, Hitler appoints General von Greim as the Commander in Chief of the Air Force with order to reorganize and correct the mistakes that have been made. He tells von Greim that he must be ruthless because compassion is for the weak and a betrayal of natural selection. During this dinner, Hitler receives a report that Himmler has offered Germany's surrender to the western allies. Upset that his most loyal general has betrayed him, Hitler orders Himmler to be executed and for Fegelein to report to the bunker to be promoted in place of Himmler.Hitler has a meeting with General Ernst-Robert Grawitz who is requesting to leave Berlin so that he and his family can escape, but is denied. After Grawitz is dismissed, Otto Günsche informs Hitler that Fegelein has left the bunker and cannot be found, upsetting Hitler even more. Meanwhile, at home, Grawitz kills himself along with his entire family and Fegelein is executed for treason once he is found.Back in the war room, Hitler is informed that the Russians have advanced even further and that Berlin no longer has any air support, stopping any more supplies from reaching the remaining army. However, Hitler still has hope that General Walther Wenck will be able to rescue Berlin. After Hitler leaves the room, the remaining generals discuss that Wenck lacks the manpower to do anything to the Russians, but they cannot surrender.Traudl Junge then reports to Hitler so that she can write his last will. Hitler states that since WWI, all of his thoughts and actions have been dictated by his love and loyalty to the German people. As Traudl is typing it up, Goebbels informs her that Hitler has ordered him to leave Berlin, but he cannot do it and will need her to write up his will too. Meanwhile, Hitler then has a small ceremony where he marries Eva.Later on, Hitler is informed that neither General Wenck nor any other army division will be able to rescue Berlin. Hitler tells them that he cannot surrender and that neither can any of his generals. Hitler informs Otto Günsche that he and Eva will commit suicide and that he is to make sure that the Russians will never be able to find his body.Dr. Schenck and Dr. Werner Haase are ordered to the bunker where Haase gives Hitler instructions on how to commit suicide. Meanwhile, Dr. Schenck is forced to wait with a bunch of drunken soldiers who have given up any hope of victory, but later witnesses Hitler giving Blondi a cyanide capsule.Meanwhile, Eva and Traudl talk about the approaching end. Eva gives Traudl one of her best fur coats and makes her promise to try and make it out of the bunker alive. Hitler then has his last meal with Traudl and a few others, and then informs them that the time has come. He gathers around Traudl and his remaining friends, including the Goebbels, to wish them goodbye. Mrs. Goebbels attempts one last time to convince Hitler to leave Berlin, but he refuses, stating that millions of people will curse him tomorrow. Hitler and Eva retire to their room and commit suicide. Otto Günsche then informs the remaining generals that Hitler is indeed dead and his and Eva's bodies are carried to the surface where they are doused with gasoline and burned.General Krebs has a meeting with the Russian generals informing them that Hitler is dead and that Germany will not accept unconditional surrender. However, the Russian generals tell him that they must.Later on, Mrs. Goebbels gives all of her children a sedative and poisons them while they are asleep. She and her husband commit suicide not long after, along with Generals Krebs and Burgdorf. General Weidling orders the Germany Army to cease fire. Traudl Junge, along with a few other women, is able to make it out of the bunker dressed as soldiers. Dr. Schenck informs the women that they don't have to be taken prisoner because the Russians aren't looking for them. Traudl is joined by Peter, who is now orphaned after his parents committed suicide, and the two of them are able to pass through the Russian army.Some of the remaining SS soldiers, along with Dr. Schenck, are hiding from the Russians in a building. When they finally hear the news that Germany has officially surrender, the majority of them commit suicide in order to remain loyal to Hitler, but Dr. Schenck is able to make it out of there alive.After getting through the Russians, Traudl and Peter find a bicycle and escape from Berlin.The film ends by revealing the fates of each individual after the war. The last clip is the real life Traudl Junge talking about how even though she wasn't aware of the extent of the concentration and extermination camps until after the war, she still feels like being young isn't an excuse and that it would have been possible for her to find things out.
Prof. Ernst-Günther Schenck was played ny Christian Berkel who will later display Fritz Shimon Haber in Haber. | boring, murder, bleak, dramatic, violence, flashback, insanity, historical | tt0363163 |
The Jungle Book | Mowgli is a "man cub" raised by the Indian wolf Raksha and her pack, led by Akela, in an Indian jungle ever since he was brought to them as a baby by the black panther Bagheera. Bagheera trains Mowgli to learn the ways of the wolves, but the boy faces certain challenges and falls behind his wolf siblings while Akela disapproves of him using human tricks like building tools instead of learning the ways of the pack.
One day, during the dry season, the jungle animals gather to drink the water that remains as part of a truce during a drought that enables the jungle's wildlife to drink without fear of being eaten by their predators. The truce is disrupted when a scarred tiger named Shere Khan arrives detecting Mowgli's scent in the large crowd. Resentful against man for scarring him, he issues a warning that he will kill Mowgli at the end of the drought. After the drought ends, the wolves debate whether they should keep Mowgli or not. Mowgli decides to leave the jungle for the safety of his pack. Bagheera agrees with the decision and volunteers to guide him to the nearby man village.
En route, Shere Khan ambushes them and injures Bagheera, but Mowgli manages to escape. Later, Mowgli meets an enormous python named Kaa who hypnotizes him. While under her influence, Mowgli sees a vision of his father being mauled while protecting him from Shere Khan. The vision also warns of the destructive power of the "red flower" (fire). Kaa attempts to devour Mowgli, but she is attacked by a sloth bear named Baloo, rescuing an unconscious Mowgli. Baloo and Mowgli bond while retrieving some difficult-to-access honey for Baloo and Mowgli agrees to stay with Baloo until the winter season arrives. Upon learning that Mowgli has left the jungle, Shere Khan kills Akela and threatens the pack to lure Mowgli out.
Bagheera eventually finds Mowgli and Baloo and is angered that Mowgli has not joined the humans as agreed, but Baloo calms him down and persuades both of them to sleep on it. During the night, Mowgli finds a herd of Indian elephants gathered around a ditch and uses his vines to save a baby elephant from the ditch. Although Baloo and Bagheera are both impressed, Baloo realizes that he cannot guarantee Mowgli's safety after learning that he is being hunted by Shere Khan. Baloo agrees to push Mowgli away to get him to continue onward to the man village.
Mowgli is kidnapped by the "Bandar-log" (monkeys) who present him to their leader, a giant ape named King Louie. Assuming that all humans can make fire, King Louie offers Mowgli protection from Shere Khan in exchange for it. Baloo distracts King Louie while Bagheera tries to sneak him out, but their plan is discovered. As King Louie chases Mowgli through his temple, he informs Mowgli of Akela's death. King Louie's rampage eventually causes his temple to collapse on top of him. Furious that Baloo and Bagheera never told him about Akela's death, Mowgli goes to confront Shere Khan alone.
Mowgli steals a lit torch at the village to use as a weapon and heads back to the jungle, accidentally starting a wildfire in the process. He confronts Shere Khan, who argues that Mowgli has made himself the enemy of the jungle by causing the wildfire. Mowgli throws the torch into the water, giving Shere Khan the advantage. Baloo, Bagheera, and the wolf pack intervene and hold Shere Khan off, giving Mowgli enough time to set a trap. He lures Shere Khan up a dead tree and onto a branch, which breaks under the tiger's weight and Shere Khan falls into the fire to his death. Mowgli then directs the elephants to divert the river and put out the fire.
In the aftermath, Raksha becomes the new leader of the wolf pack. Mowgli decides to utilize his equipment and tricks for his own use, having found his true home and calling with his wolf family, Baloo, and Bagheera. | cute, entertaining | tt0061852 |
American Pie 2 | After their first year at different colleges, the guys reunite once again and plan their summer. Looking for a good idea, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) turns to his brother (Casey Afleck) for advices. His brother suggest spending summer in a beach house and throw a bunch of parties with the last one being the biggest. All 4 friends agree but soon realise that they're gonna need an extra man to invest too. Stifler (Sean William Scott), the oversexed college clown gets invited along by Kevin.After arriving in Grand Harbor they manage to find work painting a house (based on the Tuition Painters franchise) in the area together. Because the owners of the house are two hot women, Stifler assumes they're lesbians. When the women leave the house, Stifler goes in to try and find proofs. Unfortunately, the women return quickly and find the guys hidden in the house. Instead of calling the cops, they decide to make fun of the guys. Jim (Jason Biggs), Stifler and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) end up performing "like for like" sexual acts on each other in return for being able to watch the girls doing the same thing. Meanwhile, Oz (Chris Klein) and Kevin take turns watching up a ladder and listening on the walkie-talkie also in the room. The conversation is accidentally picked up and heard by many other people in the neighborhood. The whole thing ends when the girls offer to have sex in front of them if the guys will go down on each other. Stifler accepts but Jim and Finch just run away.After this, many concurrent stories run at the same time, some interacting with each other, other staying mainly separate.Jim learns that Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth), his high school crush from the first American Pie film, is coming to visit him in August. Nervous and insecure about his sex skills, and wanting to impress Nadia and make sure she forgets about his poor performance in the first movie, Jim seeks out Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), the band geek, to ask for a review on his performance with her. He finds her at band camp and makes a fool out of himself in front of the audience when he pretends to be Petey, a mentally challenged boy who plays the trombone. Michelle reveals that Jim wasn't really good but also offers to teach him how to get better. At night, Jim tries to watch a porno but ends up mistaking a tube of lube with a tube of super glue, gluing his hand to his penis. After going to the hospital, Jim learns he shouldn't use his penis for a few weeks. Not long after, Nadia shows up a few weeks in advance and obviously looking to get naughty with Jim. Jim doesn't want to reveal what happened and search for an excuse to keep Nadia away for a while so he can heal. He turns to Michelle. They pretend to be in a relationship so that Nadia will not expect Jim to have sex with her. Meanwhile, Michelle teaches Jim a few tricks to be a good lover. When Jim realises he's ready for sex again, he and Michelle breaks up in front of Nadia in an over-the-top fashion. As soon as Michelle closes the door of the house, it is revealed that she had developped real feelings for Jim. Soon after, Jim realises that he has fallen for Michelle too. Even Nadia realizes this and tells him, "Go, get your band geek, and I will find mine". Jim goes and plays the trombone once more whilst Michelle is playing the flute at a major recital in order to show her that she is the one he wants to be with. He returns to the big party with Michelle as his official girlfriend.Oz is lonely, being away from his girlfriend Heather (Mena Suvari) who is studying in Spain. To work out their mutual sexual frustrations from being away from each other, they proceed to start having phone sex. Unfortunately, they are interrupted by Heather's roomates the first time. And by Stifler very undiscreetly listening to the conversation the second time. They both resign themselves to wait for Heather's return. Unable to wait any longer, Heather grabs an earlier flight and surpises Oz at the party.Finch has become involved in the sexual art of Tantra, and claims that through Tantra he can "make an orgasm last for days". He is waiting for Stifler's Mom (Jennifer Coolidge), whom he had sex with in the first film, hoping she will show up and be willing to do it again. When Stifler is talking on the phone and seems to invite someone to their house, Finch assumes it's Stifler's mom, but it turns out to be his little brother Matt (Eli Marienthal), the star of later films. Finch is frustrated, but accept his fate. He spends the big party surrounded by girls and chatting with them. Even though he doesn't get any action, he seems happy.Matt, Stifler's brother, is having a lousy night at his brother's party when Stifler gives him a walkie-talkie and throws him outside to look out for cops. Being bored, he starts playing with the talkie, not knowing that one of the talkies is still at the ''lesbians" house. The girls starts answering Matt. The conversation is not revealed, but Matt shows up at the party with both girls at his arms. Stifler makes fun of him for getting lesbians untill one them says: "Who said we're lesbians?". Stifler understands they're not lesbians and begs to have sex with them. The girls agree. Stifler allows his brother back in the party and leaves with both women.Meanwhile, Kevin spends most of his time trying to understand the new terms of his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Vicky (Tara Reid), as just friends. He doesn't end up "getting off" with anyone, but he does seem to succeed in getting over her.The geeky Sherman (Chris Owen) gives up on getting anyone after he is turned down by the experienced and savvy Jessica (Natasha Lyonne). In his depressed state, he starts a conversation with Nadia who has just let Jim go. While talking, she finds herself turned on by his "Sherminator" gimmick, and they run together to have sex somewhere.The morning after the big party, the guys are packing the car to return home when a car stops by. Driving the car is Stifler's mom. Finch exchange a few words with her and jumps in the car. They drive off together, unbeknownst to Stifler who just sees the car driving away. When Stifler realises that Finch is missing he finally understands what just happened. | comedy, adult comedy, bleak, cult, humor, entertaining | tt0252866 |
Roger Dodger | At lunch with several marketing professionals Roger (Campbell Scott) expounds on the primal difference between men and women. His argument is that men have a place and that is to hunt and have women, and women are naturally designed to stay at home. Later that evening as he lets himself into the apartment of Joyce (Isabella Rossellini), his boss at work and partner in an undercover office romance, Joyce states that she wants to end their relationship. The next day Roger is further bruised by the fact that Joyce has invited the office to her apartment for a party and the company invitation excluded Roger. Roger realizes that his time as office pet has come to an end, and as he trucks back to his cubicle he finds his nephew Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) in a standing meditative state. A senior in high school Nick says he has come to New York to interview at Columbia and would like to spend time with Roger getting a quick course on how to get a girlfriend. Roger takes him out on the town to give him lessons on how to start the relationship with women and eventually start dating. Roger sneaks Nick into a bar and puts him through some paces, first attracting the attention of Andrea (Elizabeth Berkley), an attractive woman. Soon Andrea summons her friend Sophie (Jennifer Beals) to make up a foursome, and they are immediately attracted to Nick because of his openness and unassuming manner and the fact that he has none of the jaded attitude that Roger has. From Rogers point of view Nick doesnt have the temperament for true urban womanizing. As the night wears on Roger castigates Nick for his inability to close the deal and make love to a woman and successfully give up his virginity, and decides to crash Joyces party. Roger gives Nick some instruction and even manages to set up an opportunity with an office associate Donna (Mina Badie) but Nicks conscience prevents him from reverting to Rogers tactics to make love to the inebriated young woman. But the appearance at the party leads to a scene in which Roger makes it very public what has happened to his relationship with Joyce, and manages to get himself fired in the process. As they move back into the night Roger tells Nick that there is always a fail-safe method to getting a woman, and that is to visit a brothel. At the underground location Roger cannot let Nick lose his virginity in such an emotionally barren atmosphere, and drags him back to his apartment to sleep things off. Roger has failed to introduce to the mysteries of the world, but has perhaps, gained a glimmer of a conscience. Nick travels back to his mother but Roger shows up unexpectedly to tutor Nick and his classmates on their home turf, bonding with the younger man in a more potent way, in an atmosphere populated by pre-adolescent peers. | psychedelic, philosophical | tt0299117 |
Election | Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) is a much-admired high school history teacher living in the suburbs of Omaha, Nebraska, who is actively involved in many after-school activities, one of which is overseeing the student government election process.Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) is an overachieving junior with an insufferable air of self-importance. She lives with her bitter and divorced mother who encourages her to "to whatever it takes" to succeed in life. Earlier in the year, another teacher, Jim's best friend Dave Novotny (Mark Harelik) was fired from his job and divorced by his wife, Linda (Delaney Driscoll) after it came out that he and Tracy were having a sexual affair, while Tracy's reputation was unscathed.Against this backdrop, Tracy announces that she is running for student council president. Initially she is unopposed, as she is widely seen as the natural candidate for the job. When Tracy presents Mr. McAllister with her list of nominating signatures to qualify for the election ballot, she makes a remark about "working closely" together... which he interprets as an indication she may later try to seduce him as she did with Dave. Perhaps annoyed by Tracy's presumptuousness, and/or concerned that he might give in to this seduction and share the same fate as his friend Dave, Mr. McAllister decides to persuade junior Paul Metzler (Chris Klein), a slow-witted, but affable and popular football player to enter the race. Paul is unable to play football as he is recovering from a ski injury that resulted in his left leg being broken, and Mr. McAllister suggests a new way to explore his talents through student council. Although Paul is ambivalent at first, he agrees to run, much to Tracy's consternation.Meanwhile, Paul's adopted younger sister Tammy (Jessica Campbell) is rejected by her romantic interest Lisa (Frankie Ingrassia), who dismisses their time together as "experimenting." Lisa then engages in a passionate relationship with Paul. In retaliation, Tammy decides to run for school president as well. During a school assembly to hear the candidate's speeches, after Tracy only draws polite applause and Paul is barely able to read his speech, Tammy announces that the office of school president is useless and promises nothing, except to try and dissolve student government. The speech rallies the students to a standing ovation, but her subversive diatribe results in her getting a suspension from school.While working on another project after school, Tracy has an uncharacteristic fit of rage and destroys all of Paul's campaign posters. She then drives to a local power plant to dispose of the shredded posters in a nearby dumpster. Unbeknownst to Tracy, her attempted cover-up is witnessed by Tammy who was meditating near her favorite spot, an electric substation. The next day, when Mr. McAllister confronts Tracy about the missing posters and lectures her that "all of our actions can carry serious consequences," Tracy adamantly claims innocence, despite his insistence that all evidence points to her as the chief suspect. At that moment, Tammy knocks on the door and tells Mr. MacAllister she knows who tore down the posters. Tracy is asked to wait outside the room while Tammy speaks to Mr. McAllister. Tracy experiences a moment of sheer panic when she peers in the window only to see Tammy revealing the shredded posters. What Tracy can't hear is that Tammy is falsely confessing to a skeptical Mr. McAllister that it is she, not Tracy, who perpetrated the poster sabotage. As a result, Tammy is disqualified from the election and expelled from school. Tracy is now off the hook. But this clearly does not sit well with Jim, who still suspects Tracy is the guilty party. Meanwhile, Tammy's punishment of being sent to an all-girls Catholic school secretly pleases her and is the reason she took the blame for the vandalism.The day before the election, Linda Novotny asks Jim to come over to help unclog her bathtub drain. After Jim completes the job, Linda unexpectedly initiates a sexual liaison with him and then suggests that he book a motel room for them to continue their dalliance later that day, a proposition Jim himself had half-jokingly made to Linda shortly after her breakup with Dave. However, Linda apparently has a change of heart and is nowhere to be found when Jim arrives at her house to pick her up for their tryst. Not knowing where Linda could be, Jim walks into her backyard where he has the misfortune of being stung by a bee on his right eyelid, causing a terribly painful and unsightly allergic reaction. He then drives back to the motel and desperately tries to reach Linda by phone, but to no avail. Jim eventually returns to his own house later that evening only to find Linda and his wife (Molly Hagan) huddled together crying in the living room. Realizing that Linda has disclosed the infidelity to his wife and that he is no longer welcome at home, Jim spends a miserable night sleeping in his car outside Linda's house.The next day election day Jim oversees the counting of the ballots, though by now his right eyelid is grotesquely swollen and almost completely shut as a result of the bee sting. Paul had voted for Tracy, feeling that it would be arrogant to vote for himself. But this turns out to be a costly decision. The ballots are meticulously counted by a duo of student auditors, who determine that Tracy has prevailed by a single vote. It is then up to Jim to perform a final ballot count to certify the outcome. When Jim happens to spot Tracy dancing excitedly in the hall, he deduces that she may have been tipped off about the vote count. Angered by Tracy's unseemly display of glee and her dirty-tricks campaign tactics, Jim decides to take matters into his own hands by surreptitiously disposing of two of Tracy's ballots and declaring Paul the official victor. This turnabout elicits incredulity and shock from the two student auditors, who are certain that their original vote count was accurate. Tracy is shocked and despondent upon hearing the unexpected news of her defeat. Jim goes to the same motel he intended to commit adultery in, only this time to actually use it for lodging.The next morning, Jim wakes up and is confident of patching things up with his wife now that the election is behind him. However, the school janitor, to whom Jim had been unknowingly rude earlier by creating unneeded extra work for him, discovers the two discarded ballots in the trash and presents them to the principal. When Jim is confronted with the evidence of his fraudulent intervention, he admits everything and resigns from his job. The rigged election becomes a nationwide email trope, and as a result Jim's wife fails to forgive him.Divorced, publicly humiliated and ostracized by everyone he knows for this one half-hearted attempt to thwart Tracy's evil schemes to win the election, Jim leaves Nebraska forever, choosing to fulfill his longtime dream of moving to New York City, where he becomes a tour guide at the American Museum of Natural History and begins a quiet relationship with a new woman.After serving her senior year as the new hard-line and strict dictator-like class president, Tracy graduates at the top of her class and gets accepted into Georgetown University in Washington D.C., with a full scholarship and a desire to go into politics as both her major and future career, but she soon finds the experience disappointing. Despite having gotten everything she ever wanted in life, Tracy still has no friends, no social life, and cannot fit in anywhere at the university as most outgoing students there have slid-on-by connections. Tracy comes to accept the fact that it is indeed lonely being at the top of everything.The happy-go-lucky Paul gets into the University of Nebraska with a scholarship of his own where he joins a popular fraternity, makes many new friends, and resumes his career at playing football for the university, while the misanthropic Tammy becomes romantically involved with a fellow student at the all-girls Catholic school and later runs away with her for places unknown.Jim's friend, Dave, moves to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and takes a low-paying job stocking shelves at a local supermarket.As the film draws to a close, the film skips forward seven years after Jim's dismissal from Nebraska where Jim recalls a final encounter he had with Tracy. On one cold winter day, Jim is at a conference in Washington D.C. and while walking the streets, he sees Tracy from a distance as she enters a limousine outside a fancy hotel with a congressman (revealed to be Mike Geiger, a Republican representative from Nebraska) whom she appears to work for as a member of his congressional staff. Suddenly enraged at the thought of Tracy, yet again, lying, cheating, seducing and manipulating her way into political success for her own selfish reasons, Jim hurls a milkshake at the limousine, and then makes a quick getaway.The film ends with Jim safely back in New York City at his tour guide job posing questions to a group of young elementary school children who are visiting the museum, deliberately ignoring the raised hand of an overeager little blonde-haired girl who reminds him of the ruthless overachiever Tracy Flick. | comedy, dark, cruelty, flashback, humor, satire | tt0126886 |
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance | Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) was a former stunt rider who often teamed up with his father on various stunts. When he discovered that his father's death is impending, he makes a deal with a man named Roarke (Ciarán Hinds) who claims to be the Devil in exchange for his soul and a curse to be set upon him. Johnny now hosts an entity called 'The Rider', a fiery demon who punishes sinners, no matter how petty the crimes are. However, his father dies regardless, and having two minds fighting for control over his new powers, Johnny attempts to stay as far away from mankind as possible, hiding out in Eastern Europe (Romania).In the present, a drunken priest named Moreau (Idris Elba) attempts to warn the order of monks residing in a castle that the Devil has sent out forces to retrieve a certain boy and his mother hiding there, despite the head monk's (Anthony Head) reassurances of their safety. At that moment, mercenaries hired by Roarke breach the castle and kill all of the monks except for Moreau, while the mother, Nadya (Violante Placido) and her son Danny escape. Moreau chases after them, as well as the mercenaries. Trying to protect Nadya and her son, Moreau is driven off a cliff before he shoots the mercenaries' tires, delaying them before they can go after Danny and Nadya. He survives, as a tree breaks his fall. Moreau seeks out Johnny, who has been living in isolation in an abandoned village. Johnny initially refuses to help Moreau locate the mother and her son, but after he is promised that Moreau's ancient order can exorcise the curse from his soul, he agrees.Nadya and Danny are found by the mercenaries, who drive their car off the highway and crash it. Their leader, Ray Carrigan (Johnny Whitworth), takes Danny after a struggle and attempts to execute Nadya. Sensing this, Johnny unleashes the Rider (having held it in for some time) and transforms. He arrives just as Carrigan is about to kill Nadya, and kills two of his men. The Rider senses the great evil in Danny and attempts to kill him, but Nadya distracts him long enough for Carrigan to knock him out with a grenade launcher. Danny is taken away, while Johnny wakes up in a nearby hospital the next day and confronts Nadya, who is also there. They both join forces in order to save her son. Meanwhile, Roarke arrives in Europe, and sets up a "firewall" within Danny (via cellphone) to prevent the Rider from locating the boy, but advises Carrigan to run, as the Rider can still sense 'him'.Nadya takes Johnny to one of Carrigan's contacts, and finds that he is in an old quarry. Johnny begins to transform, and when Nadya confirms her son and Carrigan's location, Johnny rides there mid-transformation. Carrigan prepares himself with an army of his men, including a rocket launcher that could hopefully defeat Johnny. The Rider appears and a battle ensues while Nadya frees Danny. The Rider makes short work of the mercenaries by "riding" a Bagger 288 and defeats Carrigan. As Nadya and Danny escape, the Rider catches up to them and attempts to kill Nadya. But in Danny's presence, the rider is forced to turn back into Johnny Blaze, partly due to the fact that Danny is the Devil's son. Roarke approaches Carrigan, who dies in front of him. However, Roarke resurrects him as a being known as Blackout, who can render a person's environment pitch black and decay anything he touches. Roarke sustains some injuries due to his weak state on the Earth and sends Blackout to retrieve Danny.Moreau catches up to the group and leads them to a Sanctuary, where the monks there, including Methodius (Christopher Lambert) ensure the protection of Danny. Before the exorcism, Moreau explains to Johnny that the Rider was once the Angel of Justice, Zarathos, but was tricked into going into Hell and was driven insane. Retaining his sense of justice, Zarathos became a Spirit of Vengeance, an entity who took pleasure in punishing the wicked regardless of their crimes, although Johnny questions if the Angel's benevolent spirit still exists. Johnny is successfully exorcised, but Methodius reveals his treachery and plans to kill Danny to prevent the Devil from taking over his body and achieving higher powers. Johnny, Moreau, and Nadya are imprisoned as Danny is about to be executed. However, Blackout arrives and kills Methodius and the monks, retaking Danny back to Roarke. Nadya is devastated by what has occurred, but Johnny swears to rescue Danny, even though his powers have been removed.Armed from the Sanctuary weapons vault, the group makes their way to a Turkish coliseum, where Roarke and his followers gather to enact the trade. Moreau distracts the followers while Johnny attempts to free Danny, but is knocked back by Roarke while Moreau is killed by Blackout. The ceremony interrupted, Roarke opts to kill Johnny in retaliation. Danny, knowing that he has his father's abilities, returns Zarathos to Johnny, who becomes more powerful and is now able to exist in daylight, appearing to be in full control as well. Danny is taken again and a chase ensues between the Rider, Nadya, Blackout, and Roarke. The Rider dispatches Blackout and causes Roarke's vehicle to crash. The Rider confronts Roarke, who declares that Johnny is the worst deal he ever made. The Rider then literally sends Roarke back to Hell, slamming him into the fiery depths of the Earth. Nadya catches up, but is dismayed to find the Rider pulling Danny's lifeless body from the wreck of the car. Reverting back, Johnny says that he feels the Angel of Justice reawaken within him once more and resurrects Danny with the Angel's blue flames. Johnny then rides off, now engulfed in holy blue flames, declaring that he is "The Ghost Rider". | murder, violence, flashback, good versus evil, psychedelic, action | tt1071875 |
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides | After a failed attempt to rescue his first mate, Joshamee Gibbs in London, Captain Jack Sparrow is brought before King George II. The king wants Jack to guide an expedition to the Fountain of Youth before King Ferdinand and the Spanish Navy can locate it. Jack's old nemesis, Captain Hector Barbossa, now a privateer in service to the British Navy after losing his leg and ship, the Black Pearl, which he says was sunk, is heading the expedition.
Jack refuses the offer and escapes. He meets up with his father, Captain Teague, who warns Jack about the Fountain's rituals. Jack learns someone is impersonating him to recruit a crew to find the Fountain. The impostor is Angelica, Jack's former lover, and the daughter of the ruthless pirate Blackbeard, who practices voodoo magic and wields the mythical "Sword of Triton" that controls his ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge. While Jack is shanghaied aboard Blackbeard's ship, Gibbs escapes execution by memorizing and destroying Jack's map showing the Fountain's location, forcing Barbossa to take him along.
Meanwhile, after a failed mutiny aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, Jack is forced to guide the crew to the Fountain. Blackbeard seeks the Fountain's power to circumvent his predestined fatal encounter with a "one-legged man", who happened to be Barbossa. Jack must find two silver chalices aboard Juan Ponce de León's missing flagship, the Santiago. The Fountain's water must simultaneously be drunk by two people from the chalices. Drinking from one chalice containing a mermaid's tear will extend life; the second person dies, their remaining years of life transferred to the other drinker. Jack also discovers that the Black Pearl was captured and shrunk before being added to Blackbeard's collection of other shrunken ships in bottles.
The Queen Anne's Revenge heads for Whitecap Bay to find and harvest mermaid tears. A mermaid named Syrena is caught, but Philip Swift, a captive missionary, falls in love with her. Reaching Ponce de León's ship on an uncharted island, Angelica and Blackbeard coerce Jack into retrieving both chalices. Jack locates the grounded, decaying vessel, only to find Barbossa there. Both guess that the Spanish have taken the chalices, after they are nowhere to be found on the vessel.
Jack and Barbossa team up to sneak into the Spanish camp and steal the chalices. Barbossa reveals he only wants revenge against Blackbeard for attacking the Black Pearl, and his leg being amputated. Jack and Barbossa escape with the chalices. Meanwhile, Syrena, reciprocating Philip's love, is tricked into shedding a tear. Blackbeard collects it, leaving her to die of dehydration while Philip is forced to go with them. Jack returns with the chalices and bargains with Blackbeard for Angelica's safety, Jack's confiscated magical compass, and Gibbs' release. In return, Jack vows to give Blackbeard the chalices and lead him to the Fountain; Blackbeard agrees, and Gibbs is set free with the compass.
At the Fountain, Blackbeard's crew is confronted by Barbossa and his men and they battle while Barbossa and Blackbeard fight. The Spanish suddenly arrive, intending to destroy the Fountain, believing its power an abomination against God. They crush the chalices and throw them in the swamp. When Barbossa stabs Blackbeard with a poisoned sword, Angelica pulls it out but is cut and poisoned. Barbossa obtains Blackbeard's magic sword and gains control of the Queen Anne's Revenge and her crew. Philip is mortally wounded, but he returns to free Syrena. She retrieves the missing chalices and gives them to Jack, telling him not to waste her tear. Syrena goes back to the dying Philip. She says she can save him if he asks her to. When he asks for her forgiveness, she kisses him and takes him underwater.
With Blackbeard and Angelica both nearing death, Jack wants Angelica to drink from the chalice containing the tear. Instead, Blackbeard drinks it, asking his daughter to sacrifice herself. Angelica agrees and drinks from the second chalice. Jack is upset to lose Angelica, but realizes he made a mistake about which chalice contained the tear. Neither of the two are happy, and believe Jack tricked them. Angelica's wounds are healed as the Fountain fatally consumes Blackbeard's body.
Eventually, Jack & Angelica admit their love for each other, yet he distrusts her intentions and strands her on a cay. Now wielding Blackbeard's magical sword, Barbossa captains the Queen Anne's Revenge and returns to piracy. Jack finds Gibbs, who had used the compass to locate the Revenge. He reclaims the shrunken Black Pearl and the other conquered ships in bottles, carrying them in a gunny sack. The two leave, hoping to revert the Black Pearl to its original size.
In a post-credits scene, a voodoo doll of Jack crafted by Blackbeard washes ashore and is found by Angelica, who then smiles. | boring, fantasy, murder, action, revenge, entertaining | tt1298650 |
King Arthur | Synopsis of King Arthur (2004)Some historians believe that the classical 15th century take on King Arthur was based on a real hero named Artorius Castus who lived a thousand years earlier during the Roman occupation. At the beginning of the film, Lancelot takes up this story in a voiceover, saying by 300 AD the Roman Empire stretched from Arabia to Britain; however, they were not satisfied and attacked the powerful Sarmatians to the east. At the end of the fourth day of intense fighting, only a few Sarmatian cavalry were left. The Romans had been impressed with their bravery, and spared their lives on two conditions: first, they would be incorporated into the Roman military and second, their children and childrens children were also pressed into service.Therefore, in 452 AD Lancelot as a young lad was taken into service--around the same time a young Arthur was being groomed to take over from his father as leader of the Sarmation knights. With his father away often, the priest Pelagius had become his beloved guardian (prior to travelling to Rome to spread his message of free will and freedom, which was blasphemous to the Pope).The Knights under Arthur have served their fifteen years in Roman Britain south of Hadrians Wall. The film jumps to 467 AD as Arthur and the remnants of his knights ride out to meet Bishop Germanius and his Roman escort who is coming to present their freedom papers for travel throughout the Roman Empire. Merlin's Woads attack the Bishops escort, and the knights arrive in time to turn the tables on the attackers. They return to the Hadrian's Wall garrison, but not before Arthur surprisingly spares the life of a Woad, while being watched from the trees by Merlin.Arthur offers Germanius his quarters to refresh himself. Whilst there Germanius notices a disc of Arthur's depicting Pelagius and contemptuously tosses it on to the floor, breaking it. He is further horrified when he comes to the meal to find a round table where he could not assume a position of head of the table. Arthur, who wanted to follow Pelagius teaching, had introduced this; it was necessary for all to have equal placements at the table. However, there are many empty places, and all that survive are Arthur (Clive Owen), Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), Tristan, Gawain, Galahad, Bors (Ray Winstone) and Dagonet.Bishop Germanius firstly dismays the knights by reporting that the Romans would now be pulling out of Britain and that a large Saxon army had landed and would probably take over the country. So for what had they risked their lives? He then dismisses the others, in order to explain to Arthur alone the double-edged reason for his visit: the Marius Honorius family, in particular his son Alecto, the Pope's favorite godson and pupil (and a possible papal successor), were in danger of capture by the Saxons. Arthur and his men have been ordered by Rome to effect a rescue before their freedom papers can be served. Arthur is furious on behalf of his fellow knights at this betrayal of their freedom--being sent on their most dangerous mission yet--as they would need to travel north of Hadrian's Wall. The wily Germanius says it is for the Church whom Arthur loves and surely, they would not balk at rescuing a young boy.Arthur goes into the courtyard as Bors' partner Vanora sings a hypnotic song about home. Arthur is spotted but he dashes their hopes when he explains their mission. Dagonet implicitly trusts Arthur and prepares for the mission. The others in varying degrees of reluctance and anger follow his example, and the next day they set off through Hadrian's Wall.Meanwhile Cerdic's Saxons have landed. They burn every building and kill everyone they come across. They are joined by a Woad spy who tells them of the important Roman family. Cerdic (Stellan Starsgard) sends his son Cynric with his men to capture the family and then rejoin his father at Hadrian's Wall.Arthur's men go deep into Woad territory to reach the Roman family and are soon ambushed by the Woads. As they move in for the kill, Merlin gets word of the Saxon invasion, and to their disgust, he pulls the Woads back from the ambush; Arthur and his men are bemused to find they are free to continue their journey.They reach the family, and the father Marius at first refuses to go, but Arthur forces them for the sake of his mens freedom. He then learns of Marius' harsh dealings of the peasants, which cuts across his Pelagian ideals. He sets their local leader free and orders them to prepare for the march south. They are about to depart, hearing the Saxons' drums, when Arthur becomes suspicious of a bricked-up building. There he finds Woads with all but two starved and tortured to death. He rescues the two survivors--Guinevere (Keira Knightley) and a young boy--and takes them on their escape route from the Saxons. Marius is furious but Arthur fells him and they all leave, with Marius threatening reprisals when they get back to Hadrian's Wall.Guinevere recovers on the journey and plays with both Arthur's and Lancelot's feelings, telling them that the Britons, not the Romans, are their real heritage.Arthur knows they must rest and they spend the night in a forest. He follows Guinevere who brings him to Merlin. He accuses Guinevere of leading him into a trap, but she says Merlin is not there to kill him. Merlin explains that his men see Arthur more Briton than Roman and as their only leader against the Saxon invasion.As day breaks, Marius grabs the Woad boy and threatens to kill him. Guinevere calmly shoots Marius with her bow and arrow, and his men are given the choice of surrendering or dying. They choose the former. Tristan arrives and says the Saxons are much closer and they must leave. As they journey, Arthur seeks Alecto's forgiveness for his father's death. However, Alecto calmly says not only had his father lost his way, but stuns Arthur by saying he fights for a Rome that doesn't exist and that Pelagius had been excommunicated and killed under Germanius' orders for heresy the previous year.They reach a glacier and the Saxons are right on their tail. They dismount from their wagons and Arthur leads them all carefully over the cracking ice. He then sends the rest on while the seven knights and Guinevere take up a position at the end of the glacier with bows and arrows to await the Saxons.As the Saxons approach, the knights starting killing those on the flanks, forcing the advancing Saxons to bunch, but still the ice doesn't break up. Arthur realises the ice is not going to break and gives the order to draw swords. Dagonet rushes forward with his axe and starts hacking away at the ice. The archers try to protect him, but eventually Saxon arrows get through and he dies just as his last blow breaks up the ice. Many Saxons drown and the rest cannot follow them as a sad Arthur and his men retrieve Dagonet's body, catch up with the column and lead them to safety. Cynric and his survivors return to his father, who strips him of his leadership and humiliates him.A very belligerent band of knights snatches their freedom papers from Germanius and then buries Dagonet. After the funeral, Guinevere sits with Arthur and presses the point of how his allegiance should really be with this island, especially now that the Romans have tricked him.That night Guinevere comes to his bed and while they are making love, Arthur is summoned to the wall where he witnesses the Saxons' arrival.Arthur is now convinced that he should remain. He releases the knights from their allegiance to him and sends them away with Germanius and the Roman garrison, while he and the villagers prepare their defenses. They are joined by Merlin and the Woad archers led by Guinevere.Cerdic is desperate to meet this Arthur, the name he has continually heard since he landed. Under cover of a truce, he meets him face to face, finally deciding that Arthur is the first man on this island worth killing.As Arthur goes back behind Hadrian's Wall, an invigorated Cerdic watches as the gates to the Wall mysteriously open. He sends an advance party of Saxons (Cyrnic's survivors but without Cyrnic) forward to soften up Arthur's men. Meanwhile as the retreating Romans march away, the remaining knights' horses are unsettled by the sound of the Saxons beating on their war drums. The knights look at each other and know they have to rejoin Arthur, but this time it is of their own volition.The first wave of Saxons is annihilated by a combination of the Woad archers and the knights so Cerdic leads his remaining men into the final bloody battle. This time the big siege engines are brought in by Merlin to support Arthur. Lancelot and Cyrnic kill each other, Cerdic pointedly kills Tristan in the sight of Arthur, who charges Cerdic; they fight to the death--Cerdic's death. The Saxons are annihilated at the place now known as Badon's Hill.Arthur is grief-stricken over Lancelot's death and says he has let them all down, but the survivors--Gawain, Galahad, and Bors--stand by him. In the final scene, Merlin marries Arthur and Guinevere and Arthur is proclaimed King to the joy and support of Woads and Knights alike.Edited 21 January 2015. (ly) | violence, boring, historical, murder, flashback | tt0349683 |
Mad Max | The film is set in the near future of a bleak, dystopian and impoverished Australia that is facing a breakdown of civil order primarily due to widespread oil shortages. (This is not explained in this film but in the sequel, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.) Central to the plot is a poorly-funded national police unit called the Main Force Patrol (MFP, derogatorily called "The Bronze" by their enemies), which struggles to protect the Outback's few remaining townspeople from violent motorcycle gangs. The MFP's "top pursuit man" is a young police officer, Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson), badge number MFP4073.A member of one of the motorcycle gangs, Crawford Montazano (nicknamed Nightrider), escapes from police custody by killing an officer and stealing his vehicle. MFP officers chase the Nightrider in a high-speed chase that results in several serious wrecks. Among those involved is a cocky motorcycle cop nicknamed Goose (Steve Bisley), who radios Max. Max pursues Nightrider in a high-speed chase which results in Nightrider's death in a fiery crash. After the dangerous chase, Max' police chief, Fifi McAfee, warns Max that Nightrider's gang will be out for him now because of Nightrider's death.Nightrider's gang, which is led by Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne), plans to avenge Nightrider's death by killing MFP officers. Meanwhile, they vandalize property, steal fuel, and terrorize the citizenry. While chewing up a town where the Nightrider's remains arrived by train, the gang brutalizes a civilian couple that tried escaping to the road; the couple is overtaken, then both of them are raped and the car is wrecked. Max and Goose are informed about the incident and go to the crime scene. They find Toecutter's young protegé, Johnny the Boy (Tim Burns), and the girl of the couple in the middle of the wreckage. Johnny's drug-fueled rantings reveal him as a member of Nightrider's gang; Goose looks on Johnny with particular disdain, as his leg was broken during the Nightrider pursuit. However, they do not kill Johnny, but arrest him and drag him away in chains.Johnny is held at the MFP's dilapidated Halls of Justice pending a visit from the Court. However, when the attorneys arrive, Johnny is ordered released: the judge has set Johnny free because no witnesses showed up for the trial. (Without the testimony of witnesses, no charges could be filed; the courts declared "no contest" for the case.) A shocked Goose attacks Johnny and must be physically restrained; both Goose and Johnny shout threats of revenge at each other. The second-in-command of the biker group, Bubba Zanetti (Geoff Parry) arrives at the courthouse to pick up Johnny, on orders from the Toecutter. Bubba does so begrudgingly, because he hates Johnny for his rowdiness, lack of style and drug addiction, and hates the Toecutter's favoritism towards Johnny.Shortly thereafter, Johnny the Boy sabotages Goose's MFP motorcycle while Goose is shacked up with a singer he met at a cabaret. His rear wheel locks up at high speed the next day, throwing Goose from the bike; Goose, however, survives without even suffering "road rash". Goose borrows a ute to haul his bike back to civilization. Unfortunately, Johnny ambushes Goose, throwing a brake drum through the ute's windshield, causing Goose to roll the vehicle over, Gas leaks from the fuel tank, soaking the ground around the truck; Johnny, at the belligerent urging of the Toecutter himself, then burns Goose alive in the wreckage. Goose survives, but after seeing his charred body in the hospital's burn ward, Max becomes angry and disillusioned with the police force and resigns from the MFP with no intention of returning. He takes a road trip with his wife and infant son in the relatively peaceful coastal area north of their home.While on holiday, Max's wife, Jessie, (played by Joanne Samuel) runs into Toecutter's gang, who harass her. She escapes, but the gang manages to track her to the home where she and Max are staying. While attempting to escape from the gang again, Jessie and her son are run down by the gang, who leave their crushed bodies in the middle of the road. Max arrives too late to intervene. His son is pronounced dead on the scene, while his wife suffers massive injuries. (It is revealed in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior that she later died from her injuries.)Filled with obsessive rage, Max once again dons his police outfit, straps on his sawn-off shotgun, and steals a supercharged black Pursuit Special to pursue the gang. He methodically hunts down and kills the gang members: several gang members are forced off a bridge at high speed while others spill their bikes; Max shoots Bubba off his cycle with his shotgun (Bubba shoots Max in the leg with a pistol first, though, giving Max a limp that is consistent throughout the series, then runs over his exposed arm). Max struggles back into his car and pursues the Toecutter into a forbidden area. Max forces the gang's leader into the path of a speeding tractor trailer and he is crushed in a head-on collision.Max later finds Johnny the Boy taking the boots off a dead driver at the scene of a crash. Johnny desperately tries to convince Max that the man was dead when he found him and that his drug addiction has made him mentally unbalanced. Max doesn't listen and handcuffs Johnny's ankle to the wrecked, overturned vehicle with a ruptured petrol tank. Max lights a crude time-delay fuse and gives Johnny a hacksaw, leaving him the choice of sawing through either the handcuffs (which will take 10 minutes) or his ankle (which will take 5 minutes), and then drives off into the desolate outback, ignoring Johnny's frantic ramblings. The camera shows Max's car from the front, with a large and fiery explosion in the distance behind it, leaving Johnny's fate unknown. Max blankly continues to drive in a rainstorm into the Outback, a shell of his former self. | suspenseful, murder, cult, violence, good versus evil, action, tragedy, revenge | tt0079501 |
Alpha Dog | Alpha Dog is based on events that took place in 2000 and characters are given fictional names. The film is set in November 1999. It tells the story of Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch), a young drug dealer in Claremont, California and his circle of friends, which includes Frankie Ballenbacher (Justin Timberlake), Tiko "TKO" Martinez (Fernando Vargas) and Elvis Schmidt (Shawn Hatosy). The film demonstrates internal gang dynamics and social context that contribute to the events leading to kidnap and murder.Johnny's father, Sonny Truelove (Bruce Willis), supplies his son with marijuana, from which Johnny makes a fortune dealing and selling. Johnny owns his own house where he holds meetings and parties. Another associate of the gang is Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster), who owes Johnny a $1200 drug debt. After a failed attempt at asking for the money from his parents, Olivia (Sharon Stone), and Butch Mazursky, he goes over to Johnny's house where Johnny is having a party. A heated argument is held between the two, which results in a violent fight that Frankie and the gang break up. Jake tells Johnny that he'll never pay him the money. In retaliation, Johnny gets Jake fired from his job by ratting on him to his boss that Jake is on drugs. Later that night, Jake and his gang break into Johnny's house, stealing his flat-screen t.v., breaking his backyard window and defecating on Johnny's carpet. The next day, Johnny, Frankie, and Tiko decide to go to Jake personally and collect the money with the threat of violence. On the way, though, they stumble upon his brother Zack Mazursky (Anton Yelchin) and decide to kidnap him in broad daylight, throwing him into the van. Frankie is worried about the situation, while Johnny is thinking about what to do with him.Zack makes little effort to escape. Frankie offers him beer and cigarettes, which he accepts. During a street fiesta, Frankie offers him a chance to escape, which Zack declines, not wanting to cause him trouble with Johnny. The two strike up an unlikely friendship. Zack stays at Frankie's house for the night and even helps him with his chores. Zack meets some of Frankie's friends, including Keith Stratton (Chris Marquette), a young pot head, and even strikes up a relationship with Julie (Amanda Seyfried), the youngest member of the group. They all learn of Zack's kidnapping, yet do nothing as Zack seems cool with everything. Julie even refers to him as 'Stolen Boy', and thinks it's hot. Johnny comes over and contemplates with Frankie on what to do. Frankie grows nervous when Johnny asks Frankie about the possibility of having Zack killed, though he quickly dismisses it.Back at Zack's home, Olivia and Butch do everything they can to find Zack. Olivia grows angry with Jake when she learns he owed money to Johnny. Missing Person posters are put up. Johnny becomes increasingly paranoid about the situation. He calls Jake with the intent of explaining the situation, but learns that Jake already suspects it was him who kidnapped Zack and screams that he'll "rip his throat out and eat his heart". Johnny hangs up and calls his lawyer and explains the situation, which his lawyer replies that Johnny is looking at 25 years to life in prison for his actions. High with anxiety, Johnny seems to have made up his mind.The next night, while Frankie, Zack, and the gang are at a party at a hotel, Johnny approaches Elvis, who is in deep debt with Johnny, and offers to cancel the debt if he agrees to have Zack murdered. Elvis is skeptical at first, but agrees. Johnny gives him a TEC-9 pistol and leaves with his girlfriend. Back at the party, Zack loses his virginity when he has sex with Julie and her girlfriend, Alma. Elvis arrives at the hotel and explains to Frankie that he is taking Zack home, at which point the party ends and everyone leaves except for Frankie, Zack, Elvis, and Keith. Frankie is relieved to have Zack go home until Elvis reveals Johnny's plan to kill Zack. Frankie is enraged at Elvis, and angrily tells him he won't let him do it. Elvis instead takes Keith and they go to a remote location in the hills to dig a grave. When they get back to the hotel, Elvis tells a disturbed Frankie that they are all looking at life in prison if Zack goes home. Frankie sadly agrees and he, Elvis, and Keith trick Zack into thinking he's going home.Back at Johnny's house, his dad, Sonny, and their attorney confront him about the kidnapping. Sonny is furious with his son, and when he learns of Johnny's plan to kill Zack, he commands that he call it off, which Johnny refuses, believing that Elvis and Frankie aren't really going to kill Zack. Meanwhile, Frankie, Elvis, Zack and Keith arrive in the hills. They start walking up a hill. Zack is not aware of what's going to happen and is tricked into believing someone's picking him up. Zack grows little suspicious when a deeply saddened Keith silently tells Frankie he can't go through with it, and, after giving Zack a goodbye hug, goes to wait in the van. Realizing what's happening, a panicked Zack asks Frankie what he's doing, Frankie reassures him and the three continue walking up the hill. Zack sees the grave and begins to break down, sobbing and begging Frankie and Elvis to let him go. Frankie contemplates to Elvis that they shouldn't do it, but Elvis is keen on the job he's been given. Frankie calms Zack down and tells him that he would never hurt him, and ties a weeping Zack up with tape. He is astonished when Elvis knocks Zack into the grave with the shovel and ultimately fires at Zack with the pistol killing him. Frankie and Elvis then silently leave.Zack's body is found 3 days later. The epilogue shows the aftermath of the crime. Zack's mother, Olivia, is interviewed; she talks candidly about her failed suicide attempts and the loss that she has experienced from her son's murder. After being convicted, the gang members serve time: Tiko serving 9 years for the kidnapping; Keith serving at a juvenile facility until the age of 25 for digging Zack's grave and 2nd degree murder; Frankie serving a life sentence for the kidnapping; and Elvis on death row for murdering Zack. Johnny disappears and is finally arrested in Paraguay in 2005 after 5 years of being on the America's Most Wanted list. However, the real Johnny was arrested in Saraquema, Brazil. | tragedy, revenge, murder, violence, home movie | tt0426883 |
The King's Speech | Prince Albert, Duke of York, the second son of King George V, stammers through his speech closing the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium. The Duke has given up hope of a cure, but his wife Elizabeth persuades him to see Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist living in London. During their first private session, Logue insists on being called Lionel by his patient. In addition, breaching royal etiquette, Logue calls the Prince "Bertie", a name used only by his family. When the Duke decides Logue's treatment is unsuitable, Logue bets him that he can recite Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" soliloquy without trouble and distracts him by playing music through headphones while recording his performance on an acetate record. Prince Albert leaves in anger but Logue offers him the recording as a keepsake.
After King George V makes his 1934 Christmas radio address, he explains to his son the importance of broadcasting to a modern monarchy and demands that Albert train himself, starting with a reading of his father's speech. His attempt to do so is a failure. Later, the Duke plays Logue's recording and hears himself reciting unhesitatingly. He therefore returns to Logue, where he and his wife both insist that Logue focus only on physical exercises, not therapy. Logue teaches his patient muscle relaxation and breath control but continues to probe gently and persistently at the psychological roots of the stutter. Albert eventually reveals some of the pressures of his childhood and the two men start to become friends.
With George V’s death in 1936, his eldest son David ascends the throne as King Edward VIII, but causes a constitutional crisis with his determination to marry Wallis Simpson, an American socialite divorcée who is still legally married to her second husband. It is pointed out that Edward, as head of the Church of England, cannot marry her, even if she receives her second divorce, because both her previous husbands are alive.
At his next session, Albert expresses his frustration that while his speech has improved when talking to most people, he still stammers when talking to his own brother and reveals the extent of Edward VIII's folly with Simpson. When Logue insists that Albert could be a good king instead, the latter labels such a suggestion as treason and dismisses Logue. When King Edward decides to abdicate in order to marry Simpson, Albert reluctantly succeeds him as King George VI. The new king and queen visit Logue to make up the quarrel, startling Mrs. Logue, who was unaware that the new King had been her husband's patient.
During preparations for his coronation in Westminster Abbey, George learns that Logue has no formal qualifications. When confronted, Logue explains how he was asked to help shell-shocked Australian soldiers returning from The Great War. Since George remains unconvinced of his own fitness for the throne, Logue sits in King Edward's Chair and dismisses the underlying Stone of Scone as a trifle. Goaded by Logue's seeming disrespect, the King surprises himself with his own sudden burst of outraged eloquence and allows Logue to rehearse him for the ceremony.
Upon Britain's declaration of World War II with Nazi Germany in 1939, King George summons Logue to Buckingham Palace to prepare for his upcoming radio address to Britain and the Empire. Knowing the challenge that lies before him, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Winston Churchill and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain are present to offer support. George and Logue are then left in the broadcasting room. He delivers his speech with Logue conducting him, but by the end is speaking freely. Preparing to leave the room for the congratulations of those present in the palace, Logue mentions to the King that he still had difficulty enunciating 'w' and the King jokes back, "I had to throw in a few so they'd know it was me".
After the King and his family step onto the balcony of the palace and are applauded by the crowd, a title card explains that Logue was always present at King George VI's speeches during the war and that they remained friends for the rest of their lives. | depressing, dramatic, feel-good, inspiring, historical, storytelling, sentimental | tt1504320 |
Fritt vilt II | Jannicke (Berdal), the only survivor from the massacre depicted in the previous movie, is picked up in Jotunheimen and brought to a hospital in Otta. At the hospital, she receives good care, but seems distant from her caretakers.
While she stays in the hospital, she meets a boy named Daniel and the two have a pleasant conversation. Meanwhile, in the rest of the hospital police officers Einar and Kim discuss Jannicke's situation and investigate her last known location at the hotel where they discover several bodies nearby including the mountain man's and has it sent back to the hospital.
At the hospital, officer Sverre flirts with the local nurse Audhild while nurse Camilla tries to uncover Jannicke's story. It is also revealed that Jannicke has been suffering nightmares from her previous encounter with the mountain man and even goes as far as attacking the mountain man's body in the morgue, much to the surprise of her caretakers.
They decide to drug her to keep her calm after her emotional outburst, much to the protest of nurse Camilla. During this time, the police investigation continues as they begin to discover more bodies.
However, at the hospital the mountain man shows sign of life and is frantically resuscitated, much to the horror of Jannicke who violently attempts to stop them but is tranquillized in the process. The doctors manage to successfully bring the mountain man back to life and leave him under watch by Sverre. Eventually the mountain man wakes up, murders a distracted Sverre, and breaks free.
He then proceeds to go in a killing spree across the hospital while a recently awoken Jannicke escapes the hospital in the aftermath with Daniel and Camilla while locking the mountain man in the basement.
They proceed to rendezvous with officers Kim, Ole, Einar and Johan outside. After being told to stay outside by Einar, who has been investigating the mountain man's background, Jannicke watches nervously as he enters the hospital with Ole and Kim accompanying while Daniel is taken away by his mother.
Inside, the officers fail to find the mountain man and decide to pull back from the hospital but are side tracked by Johan's radio message revealing the location of Sverre's body.
After finding the body, the officers are attacked and all but Ole are killed in the ambush. After watching gunshots within the hospital, Jannicke offers to enter the hospital with officer Johan. However, this plan is interrupted when the mountain man attacks, wounding her and killing officer Johan as well as frightening Camilla.
The remaining two are then saved by a severely wounded Ole who dies of his wounds distracting the mountain man allowing the survivors to escape. Enraged, Jannicke travels to the hotel where the first movie occurred and falls asleep waiting for the mountain man.
The mountain man eventually appears and seems to have the upper hand over Jannicke but is defeated when Camilla arrives. Not satisfied with the mountain man being stabbed through the chest by his own pickaxe, Jannicke ensures the mountain man's death with a shotgun blast to the head. | violence, murder, flashback | tt1188990 |
The Italian Job | Charlie Croker (Michael Caine), a Cockney criminal, is released from prison with the intention of doing a "big job" in Italy. He soon meets with the widow (Lelia Goldoni) of his friend and fellow thief Roger Beckermann (Rossano Brazzi), who was killed by the Mafia while driving a Lamborghini Miura in the Italian Alps. Mrs Beckermann gives Croker her husband's plans for the robbery that attracted the hostile attention of his killers, which detail a way to steal 4 million dollars in the city of Turin and escape to Switzerland.
Croker breaks back into his former prison to convince Mr. Bridger (Noël Coward), the head of a huge criminal empire, to finance the plan. Bridger, who has bribed almost all of the prison guards to work for him, initially rejects the plan, but changes his mind after he learns Fiat is set to build a new factory in China.
With Bridger's backing, Croker recruits computer expert Professor Peach (Benny Hill), his girlfriend Lorna (Maggie Blye) and a team of thieves and drivers. The plan calls for Peach to replace the programme in the computer controlling Turin's traffic control system, creating a paralysing traffic jam that will allow the thieves to escape with the gold in three Mini Cooper S getaway cars.
After planning and training, Croker and crew set out for Turin. Mafia boss Altabani (Raf Vallone) and his underlings are waiting in the Alps at the same pass where they killed Beckermann. Altabani warns Croker that the Mafia are aware of the gang's intentions and smashes their Jaguar E-Type cars, sending Croker's personal Aston Martin DB4 drophead off a cliff. Croker tells Altabani that Mr. Bridger will avenge their deaths by attacking the Italian community in Britain. Altabani lets them go, ordering them to return to England. Instead, they proceed with the plan, replacing the traffic control system's magnetic tape data storage reels. On the day of the robbery, Croker sends gang member Birkinshaw, disguised as a football fan, to jam the closed circuit television cameras that monitor traffic. The substitute data reel then causes widespread traffic chaos. The gang converge on the gold convoy, overpower the guards, and tow the armoured car into the entrance hall of the Museo Egizio. There, the gang transfer the gold to the Minis.
Altabani recognises that "If they planned this jam, they must have planned a way out." Pursued by the Turin police, the three Minis race through the shopping arcades of the city, speed down stairs, jump between rooftops, and finally escape the traffic jams by a pre-planned route across a weir. The getaway is timed perfectly, and they throw off the police by driving through a large sewer pipe. As Mr. Bridger receives the cheers and adulation of his fellow prison inmates, the gang drive the Minis into the back of a moving customised coach. They then unload the gold and dispose of the Minis by pushing them off the mountainside.
The rest of the gang, having sneaked out of the city in a minibus while disguised as football supporters, rendezvous with the coach in the Alps. On the looping mountain roads, driver "Big" William (Harry Baird) loses control of the coach. The back of the bus is left teetering over a cliff and the gold slides towards the rear doors. As Croker attempts to reach the gold, it slips further. The film finishes on a literal cliffhanger with Croker announcing he has a "great idea". | murder, flashback, action, revenge, entertaining | tt0317740 |
The English Patient | Set before and during World War II, The English Patient is a story of love, fate, misunderstanding and healing. Told in a series of flashbacks, the film can best be explained by unwinding it into its two chronological phases.In the first phase, set in the late 1930s, the minor Hungarian noble Count Laszlo de Almásy (Ralph Fiennes) is co-leader of a Royal Geographical Society archeological and surveying expedition in Egypt and Libya. He and his English partner Madox (Julian Wadham) are at heart academics with limited sophistication in the swirling politics of Europe and North Africa. Shortly after the film begins, both the morale and finances of their expedition are bolstered by a British couple, Geoffrey and Katherine Clifton (Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas) that joins the exploration party. The Count is taken with the gorgeous and refined Katherine. When Geoffrey is often away from the group on other matters, an affair takes wing.The final months before the war's onset bring an archaeological triumph: the Count's discovery of an ancient Saharan cave decorated with swimming figure paintings dating from prehistoric times. This period also sees the romance between Katherine and the Count rise to a sensuous peak and then seemingly fade. Katherine is plagued with the guilt of infidelity, while the Count shows a streak of jealousy along with an imbalance that will later haunt him.The fall of 1939 and the war bring all excavation at the cave to a halt, and Madox and the Count go their separate ways. Geoffrey Clifton meanwhile has pieced together the outline of the affair, and seeks a sudden and dramatic revenge: crashing his plane, with Katherine aboard, into the Count's desert camp. The wreck kills Geoffrey instantly, seriously injures Katherine, and narrowly misses the Count. He manages to take Katherine into the relative shelter of the swimming figure cave, leaves her with water, a flashlight, and a fire, then begins his scorching three day walk back to Cairo and help. The mood in British-controlled Egypt has shifted since the films start and the dazed and dehydrated Count, with his non-English name, is unable to coherently explain to officials the plane crash and Katherine's plight. Instead he loses his temper during questioning and is thrown into military jail. By the time he is able to escape and return to the cave (with German help), his Katherine is dead. And in all but a physical sense, so is the Count.The films second phase shifts to Italy and the last months of the war. The Count by now is an invalid, having been horribly burned in a plane crash of his own not long after Katherine's death. The Count is wholly dependent by this time on morphine and the care of his French-Canadian nurse Hana (Juliette Binoche), detached from her medical unit and established in a battered but beautiful Italian villa.The villa becomes focal point for more plot threads, some new and some unfinished from the North African phase, all themed around love, fate, and the backdrop of the war. Hana has seen a fiancé and a nursing friend die in the Italian campaign, and is left to wonder if her involvement with a British-Indian lieutenant will break her cycle of love and grief or simply continue it. A visitor to the villa named David Caravaggio (Willem Dafoe) at first believes he has simply found another source of morphine for his habit, but then realizes the disfigured Count played a role in his own ill-starred time in Egypt and Libya. For Caravaggio unwittingly stumbled into the wreckage of the Count-Katherine-Geoffrey love triangle, circa 1940-42. He's lost both thumbs in a grisly interrogation at the hands of the Nazis, and has since hunted down and killed those he believes responsible for his fate. He believes the Count was part of a web of spying and intrigue, confronts him with news of Madox's suicide, and posits that the Count killed the Cliftons. Only a full recounting at the villa of the Cliftons' crash and the Count's map dealings with the Germans to recover Katherine bring Caravaggio to understanding and forgiveness. So too does Hana find reconciliation at the film's end. Her lieutenant survives a brush with death on the war's last day and her hope in love is restored. Alas, time has run out on the Count; he succumbs to his burns and drifts off into dreams of his Katherine. | boring, murder, flashback, romantic, melodrama, tragedy, revenge, sentimental | tt0116209 |
Buck Privates | Slicker Smith and Herbie Brown (Abbott and Costello) are sidewalk peddlers who hawk neckties out of a suitcase. They are chased by a cop and duck into a movie theater, not realizing that it is now being used as an Army Recruitment Center. Believing that they are signing up for theater prizes, they end up enlisting instead.
Meanwhile, spoiled playboy Randolph Parker (Lee Bowman) and his long-suffering valet, Bob Martin (Alan Curtis), are also enlisting at the old theater. Randolph expects his influential father to pull some strings so he can avoid military service. Bob, on the other hand, takes his military obligations in stride. Tensions between the two men escalate with the introduction of Judy Gray (Jane Frazee), a camp hostess and friend of Bob's upon whom Randolph sets his sights.
At boot camp, Slicker and Herbie are mortified to discover that the policeman who chased them (Nat Pendleton) is now their drill instructor(!). Randolph, meanwhile, learns that his father will not use his influence on his behalf, believing that a year in the Army will do Randolph some good. Life at camp is not so bad, since The Andrews Sisters appear at regular intervals to sing patriotic or sentimental tunes, and Herbie continues to screw up with little consequence.
Randolph decides to skip an army shooting match, although he is an expert marksman, in order to meet with Judy. The company loses the match—on which, knowing Randolph's shooting skill, they had bet a sizeable amount of money with a competing unit—causing them to resent him. However, during a war game exercise, Randolph redeems himself by saving Bob and coming up with a ruse to win the exercise for his company. He is finally accepted by his unit, and wins Bob's and Judy's admiration in the process. He soon learns that he's been accepted to Officer Training School but initially refuses, thinking that his father's political influence was responsible. However, his commanding officer assures him that his training record (along with recommendations from others in his class) factored in the decision. Randolph later finds out that Bob has also been offered an appointment to OTS, and Judy announces that she will be joining them as a hostess at the OTS training facility. As their Drill Sgt has won bets with the "Blue army" Smith and Brown try to sucker play with dice the Sgt gambling winnings-but its Brown who ends up losing his "pants" and having to wear a barrel! | romantic | tt0033436 |
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter | Vampires are killing lesbians in the city of Ottawa. Maxine Schreck [Murielle Varhelyi]
and Johnny Golgotha [Ian Driscroll], two important members of Father Eustace's parish are
missing, and Eustace [Tim Devries] can no longer sit by and watch, so he calls on the
help of the greatest vampire hunter of all--Jesus Christ [Phil Caracas]. After a shave,
haircut, and some new clothes, Jesus sets out to kick vampire ass, aided
by Mary Magnum [Maria Moulton] in her red jumpsuit.Maxine and Johnny, now vampires, are running a vampire ring. They
prefer to feed on lesbians (because nobody will miss them), and Dr
Pretorius [Josh Grace] grafts lesbian skin to the bodies of vampires, allowing them to
walk during the day. When Mary falls prey to the vampires, God sends the
masked wrestler, Santo Enmascarado de Plata [Jeff Moffet], to help Jesus. Together, they
kick and stake several dozen vampires and get kicked and staked a bit
themselves. When Mary, John, and Maxine attempt to quarter Jesus, Santo
bites the ropes that bind him. Fr Eustace, also a vampire now, stakes
Jesus through the heart. But this serves only to let his heartlight shine
on the vampires, reducing them all to dust. Fortunately, Jesus is able to heal Mary Magnum, who requests that he also heal Maxine so that they can be together. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl] | absurd, comedy, violence | tt0311361 |
Stolen Lives | Tom Adkins Sr. (Jon Hamm) is a police officer. He's married to Barbara (Rhona Mitra) and they have a son who disappears. While trying to find their own son, they also meddle with the past. The body of an unidentified child appears at a construction site buried within a suitcase. Some years ago, three children seemed to disappear, their bodies never found, never a clue about their whereabouts or what happened to them. There is no even clear evidence of being connected cases.Matthew Wakefield (Josh Lucas) has lost his son, John (Jimmy Bennett), who happened to have cognitive disabilities. He was passing by a sleepy town, and stopped at a downridden countryhouse. The farmer is jealous of his beautiful wife called Rose Montgomery (Morena Baccarin) and threatens Mathew because the wife seems to be making a pass at him. Later on, Mathew stops by at a bar and takes John with him - with the promise that the child would not drink any alcohol or cause any trouble. Suddenly, the sexy wife appears and Mathew lost sight of his son - at the bar's back yard, the wife and Mathew are about to have a sexual relationship. When Mathew returns to the bar, his fun somehow spoiled, he cannot find John anywhere.Matthew's loss happened 50 years ago, and was never able to get over that loss. His wife, Mrs Sally Ann Wakefield (Jessica Chastain) tells Tom Adkins that he could never get rid of his own guilt. John's disappearance may have something to do with Roggiani - sometimes nicknamed Diploma (James Van Der Beek), the only person who helped Mathew to look for his son. The police chief (Jude Ciccolella) thought that Mathew was exaggerating. In fact, he threatens Mathew with telling the jealous husband that he was with his wife. Diploma helps Mathew to search the town, but there's something fishy about him. In a moment, he looks like taking out the rubbish, but when the camera approaches him, we can see that he is putting nails onto an old suitcase. Mathew goes to the sexy wife's home, and threatens the stupid husband, who calls the boy "retarded" three times. It's implied that John never appeared alive again.Later, when the body of a boy enclosed on a suitcase appears, it's very difficult to identify him. Tom Adkins tries to forget about his problems by immersing himself in that investigation. Mrs Wakefield shows him an old photograph of Mathew, John and Diploma, which immediately puts Tom after the trail. Tom questions Diploma about what happened in the spring of 1958. Diploma used to worked at the building site of a company called Beans, and there he used to work with Mathew as bricklayers. Diploma admits to having done it, because the body was retarded and was destroying Mathew's life. Diploma says that that boy should have never been born at all. Tom punches Diploma when he tells of the only time when he really enjoyed killing the boy: he was disguised as a clown at a fairground and took away that boy, who innocent way took him to his favourite place - somewhere under a tree. It's implied that that particular boy was Tom and Barbara's son. Diploma says that he broke his neck while the fireworks were exploding around them.Tom and Barbara's marriage did not survive Tom's guilt. They find the body of their lost son - it had been Diploma who killed him and buried his body under his trailer park mobile home. At the funeral, it looks like there may be hope for the marriage, as Tom finally allows himself to break down and cry. | flashback | tt1139282 |
Senki | A successful young doctor with a beautiful wife, a happy child, and a comfortable house finds his life suddenly changed in ways he never thought possible after being injured in a serious car accident. To the outside eye Lazar Perkov (Boris Nacev) has everything -- indeed his friends and colleagues have even gone so far as to christen him with the nickname "Lucky." But appearances can sometimes be deceptive, and despite having all the creature comforts, Lazar is constantly trying to live up to the demands of his overbearing mother and discontented spouse. Every day seems to be pretty much the same for the man they call Lucky, until one day when Lazar barely survives a devastating automobile accident. Upon recovering from his life-threatening injuries, Lazar is confronted by a series of people who appear to die time and again, and always deliver the cryptic message "Return what is not yours. Have respect." Experiencing such visions in dreamland is one thing, but when they begin to invade his waking life, Lazar quickly draws the conclusion that these apparitions are simply lost souls who have yet to find peace in the afterlife. When the specter of an old woman begins speaking in a dialect Lazar can't recognize, the frightened accident survivor seeks out the aid of a linguistics professor in deciphering her message. Despite the fact that the professor always seems to be away at a conference, his wife is more than willing to help. Soon, she and Lazar have entered into a bizarre relationship. Unfortunately for Lazar, the situation only grows more haunting, and as the people around him begin to appear and disappear at random, and his wife appears indifferent to her husband's fate as she departs for a seaside vacation with her lover and child. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide | pornographic, psychedelic | tt0834102 |
Ghost Story | In a small New England town, four elderly men form what they call the "Chowder Society," regaling themselves with the telling of scary "ghost stories." Membership in the club, in fact, requires that one present such a story. The four old friends consist of Ricky Hawthorne (Fred Astaire), a lawyer, and his partner Sears James (John Houseman), along with Dr. John Jaffrey (Melvyn Douglas) and Edward Charles Wanderley (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.), a successful businessman.When Edward's son, David, living in New York, falls from a window after the girl he's sleeping with turns suddenly into a hideous demon, Edward grieves. His other son, Don (Craig Wasson), a college professor who's fallen on hard times, shows up in town, not getting a great reception from Edward, who always preferred the other, more ambitious son.But now the four elderly gentlemen are unsettled, experiencing nightmares. Clearly, something is bothering them. Edward becomes so distraught, he wanders across a bridge in the snow. When he sees the same female apparition that caused his son to fall to his death, Edward, too, falls to his death from the bridge. Although his death is ruled a suicide, his son Don and Edward's three remaining elderly friends doubt it. Don approaches the remaining three friends, requesting membership in their group, offering up a bizarre "ghost" story of his own.Don's flashback:A few years earlier, then a promising junior professor in Miami, Florida, Don meets Alma (Alice Krige), a beautiful if mysterious secretary who comes to work at the university. They immediately become involved in a torrid sexual affair, which interferes with Don's job, causing him to miss work and earn the scorn of the Dean who previously championed him.But Don finds something strange about this strange, exotic woman -- a coldness, and he drops her. Later, he hears from his brother David that he has met the same girl in New York and intends to marry her. Don warns his brother that she's trouble, but to no avail. And indeed, Don suspects she caused his death - the fall from the building as seen earlier.Back in the present, the elderly friends react to Don's story. Sears dismisses it, but Ricky believes him. Elderly Dr. John Lafferty, after having a nightmare about the same woman - Alma - dies of a heart attack. This leaves only Sears and Ricky. Thus, they finally tell Don their own strange history with a woman who looked exactly like Alma.Their flashback:Back when the four friends were young in 1931, the beautiful Eva Galli (also Alice Krige) came to town, and, indeed, it's obvious that she's the same person as Alma in the present. The four friends are smitten with Eva, who encourages their sexual interest.It was Young Edward (Don's father) who first took her to bed, but he was impotent with her. When she mocked him later in front of his friends, Young Edward leaps to silence her, knocking her down, accidentally killing her when her head smashes into the stone fireplace. Horrified, the young men realize that she's dead. They consider calling police, but realize it would only mean wrecking their lives. Instead, they load her body into her car, then push it into the nearby lake. As the car descends, Eva stirs inside, looking out at them from the back window.... still alive!Back in the present, Ricky and Sears admit that the death has haunted them all these years. Whereas Sears is dubious, both Ricky and Don believe that Alma and Eva are one in the same and that her ghost has returned to seek revenge after 50 years.Don suggests they go to Eva's old house, now in ruins, to confront the past and her ghost once and for all. They go there, but Don falls on the rotting stairs and breaks his leg. Sears goes off in his car through the snow for help, leaving Don and Ricky behind, but one of Alma/Eva's evil accomplices, an evil boy, causes his car to crash off the icy road and he dies.Ricky nearly dies at the hands of one of Alma's the accomplices, an arrogant young Hod, but Ricky manages to get to the authorities, telling them to pull Eva's car up from the lake to reveal her body inside. This is intercut with Don, who confronts the rotting specter of Alma/Eva's ghost. Ricky and the authorities drag out the ancient car, opening the rusted, corroded door, finding the still-living rotting corpse inside. It falls out, disintegrating before their eyes. Don is spared from the monstrosity of her vengeful ghost, and the town is restored to peace. | horror, gothic, murder, flashback | tt0082449 |
The Great Escape | In 1943, having expended enormous resources on recapturing escaped Allied POWs, the Germans move those POWs most determined to escape to a new, high-security prisoner of war camp. The commandant, Luftwaffe Colonel von Luger, tells the senior British officer, Group Captain Ramsey, "There will be no escapes from this camp." Von Luger points out the various features of the new camp designed to prevent escape, as well as the advantages that the prisoners will receive as incentive not to try. After several failed attempts on the first day, the POWs settle into life at the camp.
Meanwhile, Gestapo agents Kuhn and Preissen and SS Lieutenant Dietrich bring RAF Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett to the camp. Known as "Big X", Bartlett is introduced as the principal escape organiser. As Kuhn leaves, he warns Bartlett that if he escapes again, he will be shot. However, locked up with "every escape artist in Germany", he immediately plans the greatest escape ever attempted, with tunnels to break out 250 prisoners, so that as many troops and resources as possible will be wasted looking for escapees rather than used at the front line.
The POWs organise themselves into teams. Flight Lieutenant Robert Hendley is "the scrounger" who finds needed materials, from a camera to clothes and identity cards. Australian Flying Officer Louis Sedgwick, "the manufacturer," makes tools like picks for digging and bellows for pumping air into the tunnels. Flight Lieutenants Danny Valinski and William "Willie" Dickes are "the tunnel kings" in charge of the digging. Flight Lieutenant Andrew MacDonald acts as intelligence provider and Bartlett's second-in-command. Lieutenant Commander Eric Ashley-Pitt of the Royal Navy devises a method of spreading soil from the tunnels over the camp, under the guards' noses. Flight Lieutenant Griffith acts as "the tailor", creating civilian outfits from scavenged cloth. Forgery is handled by Flight Lieutenant Colin Blythe, who becomes nearly blind due to progressive myopia caused by intricate work by candlelight; Hendley takes it upon himself to be Blythe's guide in the escape. The prisoners work on three tunnels simultaneously, calling them "Tom", "Dick", and "Harry".
USAAF Captain Virgil Hilts, the "Cooler King", irritates guards with frequent escape attempts and general irreverence. Hilts and RAF Flying Officer Archibald Ives conceive an escape attempt through a short tunnel at a blind spot right near the edge of the camp, a proposal which is accepted by Bartlett on the grounds that vetoing every independent escape attempt would raise suspicion of the collective escape attempt being planned. However, Hilts and Ives are caught and returned to the 'cooler'. Upon release from the cooler, Bartlett requests that Hilts use his next escape attempt as an opportunity for a reconnaissance of the area immediately surrounding the camp; Hilts turns down Bartlett's request but assists the prisoners as a scrounger. Meanwhile, Hendley forms a friendship with German guard Werner, which he exploits to obtain documents, and then as blackmail to get hold of other items for the escape. Soon, Bartlett orders "Dick" and "Harry" to be shut down, as "Tom" is closest to completion.
While the POWs enjoy a 4th of July celebration arranged by the three Americans, the guards discover "Tom". The mood drops to despair and Ives, who has been badly affected by his time in the cooler, walks in a daze to the barbed wire that surrounds the camp and climbs it in view of guards; Hilts runs to stop him but is too late, and Ives is shot dead near the top of the fence. The prisoners switch their efforts to "Harry", and Hilts agrees to reconnoiter outside the camp and allow himself to be recaptured. The information he brings back is used to create maps to guide the escapees.
The last part of the tunnel is completed on the scheduled night, but it proves to be twenty feet short of the woods. Knowing there are no other options, Bartlett orders the escape to go ahead, and Hilts improvises a signal system to allow them to exit the tunnel between sweeps of the guards on patrol. The claustrophobic Danny, having spent much of his time in the tunnel and barely surviving multiple cave-ins, nearly refuses to go, but is helped along by Willie. 76 prisoners manage to escape: however, Griffith impatiently exits the tunnel in view of the guards and the escape is discovered.
After attempts to reach neutral Switzerland, Sweden, or Spain, almost all the POWs are recaptured or killed. Hendley and Blythe steal a plane to fly over the Swiss border, but the engine fails and they crash-land. Soldiers arrive and Blythe, his eyesight damaged, stands and is shot. Hendley surrenders as Blythe dies.
When Bartlett is identified in a crowded railway station by Gestapo agent Kuhn, Ashley-Pitt overpowers and shoots him with his own gun, but is killed by soldiers while attempting to escape. The resulting confusion allows Bartlett and MacDonald to slip away, but they are later caught while boarding a bus after MacDonald blunders by replying to a suspicious Gestapo agent who wishes them "Good luck" in English. MacDonald is quickly apprehended, but Bartlett manages to temporarily escape, until he is recognised and arrested by SS Lieutenant Steinach. Hilts steals a motorcycle and is pursued by German soldiers, jumps a first-line barbed wire fence at the German-Swiss border and drives on to the Neutral Zone, but becomes entangled in the second line of the barbed fence and is captured.
Three truckloads of recaptured POWs are driven down a country road and split off in three directions. One truck, containing Bartlett, MacDonald, Cavendish, Haynes, and others, stops in a field and the POWs are told to get out and "stretch their legs". They are shot dead under the pretense that they were trying to escape. In all, 50 escapees are murdered; Hendley and nine others are returned to the camp. Von Luger is relieved of command of the camp by SS Lieutenant Steinach for having failed to prevent the breakout. It is heavily implied that he will be executed.
Only three POWs make it to safety: Danny and Willie steal a rowboat and proceed downriver to the Baltic coast, where they sneak aboard a Swedish merchant ship, while Sedgwick slips through the countryside on a stolen bicycle before hiding aboard a freight train to France, where he is guided by the Resistance into Spain. Hilts is returned to the camp alone in handcuffs and taken back to the cooler – ironically just as Von Luger is relieved of his command. Lieutenant Goff, one of the Americans, fetches Hilts's baseball and glove and throws them to him when Hilts and his guards pass by. The guard locks him in his cell and walks away, but momentarily pauses when he hears the familiar sound of Hilts bouncing his baseball against a cell wall. | suspenseful, historical, realism | tt0057115 |
Cats Don't Dance | In 1939, Danny, an optimistic cat, dreams of Hollywood stardom, so he travels from Kokomo, Indiana to Hollywood in hopes of starting a career there. After meeting a new friend Pudge, Danny is selected by agent Farley Wink to feature in a film called the Li'l Ark Angel that is in production alongside a white cat named Sawyer at Mammoth Studios. Upon joining fellow animals; Tillie, Cranston, Frances, and T.W., Danny is dismayed on learning how minor his role is and tries to weasel his way into more time in the spotlight. Danny winds up angering Darla Dimple, a popular, extremely spoiled child actress and star of the film, so she assigns her Valet Max to intimidate Danny into no longer trying to enlarge his part.
Danny learns from the studio's mascot Woolie that human actors are normally given more important roles than animals; a fact that none of them are very happy with but know they must accept. He longs for the spotlight and tries to make a plan that will encourage humans to provide animal actors with better scenarios — such as by assembling a massive cluster of animals and putting on a musical performance for the humans.
Later, Danny is given advice by Darla (while masking her true villainous nature with a sweet one as she always does) through song on how to interest and satisfy audiences. He takes this information to heart and groups the animals for an audition on the Ark in hopes of attracting the humans' attention. However, Darla, fearing that the animals are jeopardizing her spotlight, has Max help her flood the stage, while L.B. Mammoth, the head of Mammoth Studios; and Flanagan, the film's director, is giving an interview, gets the animals blame and fired. The animals are depressed at being barred from acting in Mammoth Studios (especially Danny who was convinced by Darla that she was trying to help the animals). As Woolie tells Danny to leave for home, Cranston, Frances, and T.W. blame him for ruining their careers while Tillie suggests Sawyer to follow Danny.
After a comment from the bus driver and seeing Pudge wander the streets, Danny comes up with a plan yet again. He secretly invites Sawyer, her friends, and Woolie to the premiere of Lil' Ark Angel. After the screening and a battle with Max that sends him flying away on a Darla Dimple balloon, Danny calls the audience's attention. Upon Sawyer, Woolie; Tillie bringing Cranston, Frances, and T.W. backstage to help Danny, the eight animals put on a musical performance that entertains and impresses its viewers. Meanwhile, Darla attempts to sabotage the show by tampering with the set and special effects equipment, but her attempts instead cause her to inadvertently enhance the performance as well as injure herself. Then last, she tries to ruin the show by pulling a big all-switch, though this sets off an enormous fireworks finale, making the animals' performance a complete success.
Furious at the animals, Darla berates Danny then she accidentally confesses to flooding Mammoth Studios and framing the animals when her screaming is picked up and amplified by a nearby microphone, revealing the truth about the incident to the audience, including L.B. Mammoth and Flanagan. Pudge pulls a lever, sending Darla down a trapdoor. At last, the animals' demand for larger roles are met and their dreams are fulfilled after so long.
There is a montage of film poster parodies which put the main animals in roles. It is shown afterwards that Darla fired from show business and is now working as a janitor for her punishment. She puts up a "The End" poster on a wall, and it falls down and wraps around her. | psychedelic, alternate reality | tt0118829 |
A Beautiful Mind | John Nash (Russell Crowe) arrives at Princeton University as a new graduate student. He is a recipient of the prestigious Carnegie Prize for mathematics. Though he was promised a single room, his roommate Charles (Paul Bettany), a literature student, greets him as he moves in and soon becomes his best friend. Nash also meets a group of other promising math and science graduate students, Martin Hansen (Josh Lucas), Sol (Adam Goldberg), Ainsley (Jason Gray-Stanford), and Bender (Anthony Rapp), with whom he strikes up an awkward friendship. Nash admits to Charles that he is better with numbers than people, which comes as no surprise to them after watching his largely unsuccessful attempts at conversation with the women at the local bar.Nash is seeking a truly original idea for his thesis paper, and he is under increasing pressure to develop his thesis so he can begin work. A particularly harsh rejection from a woman at the bar is what ultimately inspires his fruitful work in the concept of governing dynamics, a theory in mathematical economics.After the conclusion of Nash's studies as a student at Princeton, he accepts a prestigious appointment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), along with his friends Sol and Bender.Five years later while teaching a class on Calculus at MIT, he places a particularly interesting problem on the chalkboard that he dares his students to solve. When his student Alicia Larde (Jennifer Connelly) comes to his office to discuss the problem, the two fall in love and eventually marry.On a return visit to Princeton, Nash runs into his former roommate Charles and meets Charles' young niece Marcee (Vivien Cardone), whom he adores. He also encounters a mysterious Department of Defense agent, William Parcher (Ed Harris). Nash is invited to a secret United States Department of Defense facility in the Pentagon to crack a complex encryption of an enemy telecommunication. Nash is able to decipher the code mentally to the astonishment of other codebreakers.Parcher observes Nash's performance from above, while partially concealed behind a screen. Parcher gives Nash a new assignment, to look for patterns in magazines and newspapers, ostensibly to thwart a Soviet plot. He must write a report of his findings and place them in a specified mailbox. After being chased by the Russians and an exchange of gunfire, Nash becomes increasingly paranoid and begins to behave erratically.After observing this erratic behavior, Alicia informs a psychiatric hospital. Later, while delivering a guest lecture at Harvard University, Nash realizes that he is being watched by a hostile group of people. Although he attempts to flee, he is forcibly sedated and sent to a psychiatric facility. Nash's internment seemingly confirms his belief that the Soviets were trying to extract information from him. He views the officials of the psychiatric facility as Soviet kidnappers.Alicia, desperate to help her husband, visits the mailbox and retrieves all of the never-opened, "top secret" documents that Nash had delivered there. When confronted with this evidence, Nash is finally convinced that he has been hallucinating. The Department of Defense agent William Parcher and Nash's secret assignment to decode Soviet messages was in fact all a delusion. Even more surprisingly, Nash's friend Charles and his niece Marcee are also only products of Nash's mind.After a painful series of insulin shock therapy sessions, Nash is released on the condition that he agrees to take antipsychotic medication. However, the drugs create negative side-effects that affect his relationship with his wife and, most dramatically, his intellectual capacity. Frustrated, Nash secretly stops taking his medication and hoards his pills, triggering a relapse of his psychosis.While bathing his infant son, Nash becomes distracted and wanders off. Alicia is hanging laundry in the backyard and observes that the back gate is open. She discovers that Nash has turned an abandoned shed in a nearby grove of trees into an office for his work for Parcher. Upon realizing what has happened, Alicia runs into the house to confront Nash and barely saves their child from drowning in the bathtub. When she confronts him, Nash claims that his friend Charles was watching their son. Alicia runs to the phone to call the psychiatric hospital for emergency assistance. Parcher urges Nash to kill his wife, but Nash angrily refuses to do such a thing. After arguing with Parcher, Nash accidentally knocks Alicia to the ground. Afterwards, Alicia flees the house in fear with their child, but Nash steps in front of her car to prevent her from leaving. After a moment, Nash realizes that Marcee is a figment of his hallucinations because she has remained the same age since the day he met her. He tells Alicia, "She never gets old." Only then does he accept that all three people are, in fact, part of his hallucinations. (It is important to note that in real life, Nash suffered from auditory hallucinations and possible delusions, instead of visual hallucinations).Caught between the intellectual paralysis of the antipsychotic drugs and his delusions, Nash and Alicia decide to try to live with his abnormal condition. Nash consciously says goodbye to the three of them forever in his attempts to ignore his hallucinations and not feed his demons. However, he thanks Charles for being his best friend over the years, and says a tearful goodbye to Marcee, stroking her hair and calling her "baby girl," telling them both he wouldn't speak to them anymore.Nash grows older and approaches his old friend and intellectual rival Martin Hansen, now head of the Princeton mathematics department, who grants him permission to work out of the library and audit classes, though the university will not provide him with his own office. Though Nash still suffers from hallucinations and mentions taking newer medications, he is ultimately able to live with and largely ignore his psychotic episodes. He takes his situation in stride and humorously checks to ensure that any new acquaintances are in fact real people, not hallucinations.Nash eventually earns the privilege of teaching again. He is honored by his fellow professors for his achievement in mathematics, and goes on to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his revolutionary work on game theory. Nash and Alicia are about to leave the auditorium in Stockholm, when John sees Charles, Marcee and Parcher standing and smiling. Alicia asks John, "What's wrong?" John replies, "Nothing." With that, they both leave the auditorium.(Source: WikiPedia. Bangs_McCoy) | suspenseful, psychological, dramatic, cult, flashback, insanity, inspiring, romantic, historical, prank | tt0268978 |
Teeth | Dawn O’Keefe (Jess Weixler) is a teenage spokesperson for a Christian abstinence group called the Promise. She attends groups with her two friends, Alisha (Julia Garro) and Phil (Adam Wagner). One evening after giving a speech about the purity ring worn by members of the group, she is introduced to Tobey (Hale Appleman) and finds him attractive. The four begin going out as a group. Dawn has fantasies about marrying Tobey, although after acknowledging the attraction, they agree that they cannot spend time together. Soon after they give in and meet at a local swimming hole. After swimming together, they go into a cave to get warm and begin kissing. Dawn gets uncomfortable and tries to get them to go back. Tobey then attempts to rape Dawn, who panics and tries to push him off. Tobey becomes aggressive and shakes Dawn, resulting in her smacking her head on the ground. While she is dazed, Tobey takes the opportunity to begin raping her. Dawn fights back and inadvertently bites off his penis with her vagina. A horrified Dawn stumbles away and she flees the scene. After a Promise meeting, she meets her classmate Ryan (Ashley Springer) at a dance; they talk, and he drops her off at her home.
Dawn drops her purity ring off a cliff and goes back to the swimming hole. She screams in horror when she sees a freshwater crab crawling on Tobey's penis. She then researches "vagina dentata" and realizes she may have it. She visits a gynecologist, Dr. Godfrey (Josh Pais), in an attempt to find out what is happening to her. When he assaults her in the guise of an examination, reaching up inside her without a glove, she panics and her vagina bites off all four fingers on his right hand. While biking home, she encounters a police officer driving Tobey's car and sees several police vehicles pass. She decides to go back to visit the pool to investigate. When she arrives, she sees the police bringing up Tobey's body - he presumably died of shock in the water. Meanwhile, back at home, her ill mother Kim O'Keefe (Vivienne Benesch) collapses. Dawn's stepbrother Brad (John Hensley) and his girlfriend Melanie (Nicole Swahn) hear her collapse but ignore her, continuing to have sex while she lies on the floor. Dawn's mother is taken to the hospital.
Dawn goes to Ryan seeking help, hysterical about her encounter with the doctor and her mother. Ryan gives her a sedative and masturbates her with a vibrator. Though initially afraid she will hurt him, she finds that when she is relaxed and is consenting to the sexual activity taking place, her "teeth" do not engage. The following morning they have sex again, but mid-coitus Ryan’s friend calls. Ryan smugly boasts that he and the friend had bet on whether he could score with Dawn. In her anger, her vagina bites off his penis, and she leaves him to call his mother for help. Dawn learns her mother has died, leading her stepfather Bill (Lenny Von Dohlen) to attempt to throw Brad out, but Brad sets his dog on Bill, during which Brad confesses his love for Dawn. Dawn meets her stepfather and Melanie at the hospital and seeing her stepfather hurt and hearing from Melanie how Brad told her to ignore her mother's cries for help earlier, she becomes emboldened by her power and goes back home to seek revenge. Dawn puts on make-up and goes to seduce her stepbrother. In the midst of the act, Brad recalls that, while still kids, Dawn bit his finger, but it was not her mouth that bit him. As he realizes this, Dawn’s vagina bites off his penis. She releases it on the ground and Brad’s dog eats it, spitting out the genital pierced glans. Dawn leaves him and he presumably bleeds to death.
Dawn cycles away from home, but her bike tire sustains a puncture, so she begins hitchhiking. She gets a lift from an old man (Doyle Carter), but falls asleep and rides for several hours, waking up after nightfall. When she tries to get out, he repeatedly locks the doors. He licks his lips as if to ask for a sexual favor to release her; Dawn hesitates, and then looks towards the camera—and the old man—with a seductive smile. | pornographic, dark, comedy, murder, adult comedy, bleak, violence, revenge, cult, flashback, romantic, entertaining | tt0780622 |
La ragazza del lago | Inspector Giovanni Sanzio, a Keenan Wynn look-alike, is on the case in this Italian version of Norwegian author Karin Fossum's mystery novel "Don't Look Back" (oddly translated into Italian/Friuli as "Lo squadro di uno soonosciuto").A beautiful girl is found dead on the lakeshore of a small Italian Alpine village, and Inpsector Sanzio is called in to employ his tremendous powers of professional guesswork to discover they whys and wherefores. In the process, he stumbles across an earlier (unsuspected) murder, the choking of an autistic 3-year-old by his parents.After chasing somewhat desperately after one false lead after another, Insp. Sanzio lights on the autistic boy's father: murderer of both his own son and the young lady, who had been the son's babysitter. The father was tired of the girl's accusing stares, guilty that neither he nor his wife could understand, let alone handle, their son's autism.Oddly enough, the girl was suffering from a terminal brain tumor, and having only months to live without her cherished little babysitting charge, she allows the father to drown her in the lake. Significantly, Insp. Sanzio arrives on the scene to note the girl has been carefully laid on her side, with her head awkwardly turned away...and this, says the inspector, shows she was murdered, without offering resistance, by a murder she knew and trusted.It amazes the viewer how laid back and calm these European mysteries are; cops are relatively sedate, and everything seems to be located in the boonies, far from civilization. Though the film meanders with silly red herrings, it nonetheless demonstrates how a real homicide detective does the job...whether it's Europe or America. The little Alpine Italian village is beautiful, adding some respite from the horror of murder. The Italian dialect spoken here is very melodic: it is much more like the Spanish-sounding Friuli language of Switzerland. Viewers will enjoy this subtle, beautifully shot movie. Fans of Karin Fossum will appreciate the way the Italians handled her globally popular "Inspector Sejer" mystery. | horror, flashback | tt0770829 |
Intouchables | The film begins at night in Paris. Driss (Sy) is driving Philippe's (Cluzet) Maserati Quattroporte at high speed. They are soon chased by the police: when they are caught, Driss, unfazed, doubles his bet with Philippe, convinced they can get an escort. In order to get away with his speeding, Driss claims the quadriplegic Philippe must be urgently driven to the emergency room; Philippe pretends to have a stroke and the fooled police officers eventually escort them to the hospital. As the police leave them at the hospital, Philippe asks what will they do now, to which Driss answers: "Now let me take care of it." as they drive off.The story of the two men is then told as a flashback, which takes up almost the rest of the film.Philippe, a rich quadriplegic who owns a luxurious Parisian mansion, and his assistant Magalie, are interviewing candidates to be his live-in carer. Driss, a candidate, has no ambitions to get hired. He is just there to get a signature showing he was interviewed and rejected in order to continue to receive his welfare benefits. He is extremely casual and shamelessly flirts with Magalie. He is told to come back the next morning to get his signed letter. Driss goes back to the tiny flat that he shares with his extended family in a bleak Parisian suburb. His aunt, exasperated from not hearing from him for six months, orders him to leave the flat.The next day, Driss returns to Philippe's mansion and learns to his surprise that he is on a trial period for the live-in carer job. He learns the extent of Philippe's disability and then accompanies Philippe in every moment of his life, discovering with astonishment a completely different lifestyle. A friend of Philippe's reveals Driss's criminal record which includes six months in jail for robbery. Philippe states he does not care about Driss's past because he is the only one that does not treat him with pity or compassion, but as an equal. He says he will not fire him as long as he does his current job properly.Over time, Driss and Philippe become closer. Driss dutifully takes care of his boss, who frequently suffers from phantom pain. Philippe discloses to Driss that he became disabled following a paragliding accident and that his wife died without bearing children. Gradually, Philippe is led by Driss to put some order in his private life, including being more strict with his adopted daughter Elisa, who behaves like a spoiled child with the staff. Driss discovers modern art, both traditional and modern, and opera, and even takes up painting.For Philippe's birthday, a private concert of classical music is performed in his living room. At first very reluctant, Driss is led by Philippe to listen more carefully to the music and opens up to Philippe's music. Driss then plays the music he likes to Philippe (Boogie Wonderland, by Earth, Wind & Fire), which opens up everybody in the room to dance.Driss discovers that Philippe has a purely epistolary relationship with a woman called Eleonore, who lives in Dunkirk. Driss encourages him to meet her but Philippe fears her reaction when she discovers his disability. Driss eventually convinces Philippe to talk to Eleonore on the phone. Philippe agrees with Driss to send a photo of him in a wheelchair to her, but he hesitates and asks his aide, Yvonne, to send a picture of him as he was before his accident. A date between Eleonore and Philippe is agreed. At the last minute Philippe is too scared to meet Eleonore and leaves with Yvonne before Eleonore arrives. Philippe then calls Driss and invites him to travel with him in his private jet for a paragliding weekend. Philippe gives Driss an envelope containing 11,000 euros, the amount he was able to get for Driss's painting, which he sold to one of his friends by saying it was from an up-and-coming artist.Adama, Driss's younger cousin, who is in trouble with a gang, takes refuge in Philippe's mansion. Driss opens up to Philippe about his family and his past as an orphan in Senegal, who was adopted by his then-childless aunt and uncle and brought back to France. His adoptive parents later began having children of their own, his uncle died and his aunt bore still more children. Philippe recognizes Driss's need to support his family and releases him from his job, suggesting he "may not want to push a wheelchair all his life".Driss returns to his suburbs, joining his friends, and manages to help his younger cousin. Due to his new professional experience, he lands a job in a transport company. In the meantime Philippe has hired carers to replace Driss, but he isn't happy with any of them. His morale is very low and he stops taking care of himself.Yvonne becomes worried and contacts Driss, who arrives and decides to drive Philippe in the Maserati, which brings the story back to the first scene of the film, the police chase. After they have eluded the police, Driss takes Philippe straight to the seaside. Upon shaving and dressing elegantly, Philippe and Driss arrive at a Cabourg restaurant with a great ocean view. Driss suddenly leaves the table and says good luck to Philippe for his lunch date. Philippe does not understand, but a few seconds later, Eleonore arrives. Emotionally touched, Philippe looks through the window and sees Driss outside, smiling at him. The film ends with Driss bidding Philippe farewell and walking away. | humor, feel-good, entertaining, sentimental | tt1675434 |
A Canterbury Tale | The story concerns three young people: British Army Sergeant Peter Gibbs (Dennis Price), U.S. Army Sergeant Bob Johnson (played by real-life Sergeant John Sweet), and a "Land Girl", Miss Alison Smith (Sheila Sim). The group arrive at the railway station in the fictitious small Kent town of Chillingbourne (filmed in Chilham, Fordwich, Wickhambreaux and other villages in the area), near Canterbury, late on Friday night, 27 August 1943. Peter has been stationed at a nearby Army camp, Alison is due to start working on a farm in the area, and Bob left the train by mistake, hearing the announcement "next stop Canterbury" and thinking he was in Canterbury.
As they leave the station together Alison is attacked by an assailant in uniform who pours glue on her hair, before escaping. It transpires that this has happened quite a few times before, to other women. Alison asks Bob if he could spend the weekend in Chillingbourne to help her solve the mystery. The next day, while riding a farm cart in the countryside, Alison meets Peter, who surrounds her cart with his platoon of three Bren Gun Carriers. Alison agrees to meet Peter again. The three decide to investigate the attack, enlisting the help of the locals, including several young boys who play large-scale war games.
The three use their detective skills to identify the culprit as a local magistrate, Thomas Colpeper (Eric Portman), a gentleman farmer and pillar of the community, who also gives local history lectures to soldiers stationed in the district. Alison interviews all the glue man's victims to identify the dates and times of their attacks. Gibbs visits Colpeper at his home and borrows the fire watch roster listing the nights Colpeper was on duty in the town hall, whilst a paper drive for salvage by Johnson's boy commandos lets Johnson discover receipts for gum used to make glue sold to Colpeper. The dates of the attacks correspond with Colpeper's night watches where he wore a Home Guard uniform kept in the town hall to carry out his attacks.
On a train journey to Canterbury on the Monday morning, Colpeper joins them in their compartment. They confront him with their suspicions, which he doesn't deny, and they discover that his motive is to prevent the soldiers from being distracted away from his lectures by female company and to help keep the local women faithful to their absent British boyfriends. In Colpeper's words, Chaucer's pilgrims travelled to Canterbury to "receive a blessing, or to do penance". On arriving in the city of Canterbury, devastated by wartime bombing, all three young people receive blessings of their own. Alison discovers that her boyfriend, believed killed in the war, has survived after all; his father, who had blocked their marriage because he thought his son could do better than a shopgirl, finally relents. Bob receives long-delayed letters from his sweetheart, who is now a WAC in Australia. Peter, a cinema organist before the war, gets to play the music of Johann Sebastian Bach on the large organ at Canterbury Cathedral, before leaving with his unit. He decides not to report Colpeper to the Canterbury police, as he had planned to do. | whimsical, romantic, cute, atmospheric, home movie | tt0036695 |
Tomb Raider | The game begins with Lara setting out on her first expedition aboard the ship Endurance, with the intention of finding the lost kingdom of Yamatai. By her suggestion and against Whitman's advice, the expedition ventures into the Dragon's Triangle, east of Japan. The ship is struck by a violent storm and shipwrecked, leaving the survivors stranded on an isolated island. Lara is separated from the others and captured by a strange, savage man. She manages to escape while her captor is killed as the cave collapses due to her actions. As Lara tries to locate the other survivors, she finds more evidence that the island is inhabited, such as strange carvings, dead bodies, and animal sacrifices. She eventually finds her friend Sam and a man called Mathias, who claims to be a teacher who was shipwrecked on the island. As Sam tells Mathias the legends of Himiko, Lara passes out; when she wakes, Mathias and Sam are nowhere in sight.When Lara regroups with the other survivors, Whitman decides to go with Lara and search for the still-missing Roth, while the rest of the group (Reyes, Jonah, Alex and Grim) set out to find Sam and Mathias. As Lara and Whitman explore, they discover that the island's inhabitants are worshipping Himiko, confirming that the island is Yamatai. Upon discovering a shrine erected in Himiko's name, they are captured by the islanders and taken to a settlement along with several other survivors from the Endurance. When the survivors attempt an escape, the captors turn on them. Lara is separated from Whitman and tries to hide, but is found by one of the islanders and forced to kill him. She fights off the remainder of the attackers and reunites with Roth, saving him from a wolf attack.Lara manages to activate a radio tower and call for help, but the plane that answers the call is struck by a freak storm, and Lara hears a mysterious voice saying "No one leaves" in Japanese. Unable to save the surviving pilots, Lara is contacted by Alex and Reyes, who reveal that Sam has been kidnapped by the islanders, a violent cult known as the Solarii Brotherhood. Lara tries to rescue her, but is stopped by Mathias, leader of the Solarii, and ordered killed: she is saved by an attack from samurai-like Oni. Escaping the ancient monastery where she is taken by the Oni, she hears from Sam that Mathias is going to put her through the "Ascension", a "fire ritual" to find the next Sun Queen that will burn her to death if it is unsuccessful. Lara follows them to the Solarii fortress and is aided by Grim.The Solarii take Grim hostage, but he sacrifices himself to so Lara can escape. With Roth's aid, Lara infiltrates the fortress and sees the ritual begin. When the fires are lit, a great wind blows them out, showing Sam to be the next Sun Queen. Lara escapes again and reunites with her friends, forming a plan to rescue Sam and escape. Aided by Whitmanwho has managed to negotiate some degree of freedom with the SolariiLara returns to the palace to rescue Sam as Roth commandeers a helicopter to get them out. Lara succeeds, but persuades Sam to escape by land when she sees another storm gathering as the helicopter approaches. As Lara tries to force the helicopter pilot to land, they are brought down, with Lara nearly dying. Roth revives Lara, then takes a fatal blow from Mathias meant for Lara. While mourning Roth, Lara accepts that the storms are not natural, but are somehow connected to the Sun Queen and designed to prevent anyone from leaving the island.She meets up with the other survivors, who have evaded the Solarii long enough to secure a boat for escaping the island, provided that it can be repaired. They are joined by Whitman, who claims to have escaped, though Lara begins to suspect him of working with the cultists. Lara and Alex find parts for the boat in the wreck of the Endurance. They come under attack by the Solarii and Alex triggers an explosion, sacrificing himself so that Lara can escape with the tools. Finding an account of a World War II-era Japanese military and Nazi scientific expedition to the island that sought a way to harness the storms as a weapon, Lara decides to explore a coastal tomb, where she finds the remains of a samurai general who committed seppuku.It is revealed in a message he left that he led the Queen's Stormguard, the Oni that defend the monastery, and that the Queen's successor took her own life rather than receive the Sun Queen's power, leaving the Sun Queen trapped in her body after death, and her rage has manifested as the storms. Lara realises that the Ascension is not a ceremony to crown a new queen, but rather a ritual that transfers the original Sun Queen's soul into a new body: Himiko's spirit wants to escape its current body, and Mathias plans to offer Sam as a new host.Lara returns to the survivors on the beach to find that Whitman has betrayed them, abducting Sam and handing her over to Mathias. Lara, Jonah and Reyes give chase, heading up a river to the monastery, with Lara arriving just in time to see Whitman killed by the Oni. After fighting her way through the Solarii and the Stormguard, Lara arrives at the top of the monastery where Mathias is performing the Ascension ritual. Lara kills Mathias when she shoots him from the roof of the monastery, before destroying Himiko's remains to save Sam. With the storms dispersed, Lara, Sam, Reyes and Jonah leave the island and are picked up by a cargo ship. As she and her friends sail home, Lara decides that there are many more myths to be found and resolves to uncover them, stating that she isn't returning home just yet. | paranormal, violence, cult | tt1797530 |
Slap Shot | The Charlestown Chiefs, a minor league hockey team, need to drum up attendance for their upcoming game with a team from Hyannisport. Television host Jim Carr (Andrew Duncan) interviews Denis Lemieux (Yvon Barrette) on his show "Sports Talk" about the "finer points of hockey." English is the French Canadian player's second (and not best) language, but Denis gamely describes penalty moves like hooking and slashing, using his stick on Jim to demonstrate.Reggie "Reg" Dunlop (Paul Newman) is the team's aging player/coach, and the team is dead last in the second-rate Federal League. He meets opposing player Nick Brophy (Jon Gofton) at center ice to start the Hyannisport game, and Nick reveals he is drunk and resents that his coach put him in the game. In the broadcast booth, Chiefs player Dave Carlson (Jerry Houser), who supposedly was injured in a previous game, reveals that he isn't playing because he actually has a cold. The lone quality player for the Chiefs is Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean), who is not only the highest-scorer in the Federal League (he makes his record shot during the Hyannisport game), but he is also a Princeton grad who plays for the love of the game.Joe McGrath (Strother Martin), the team's manager, seems to be receiving encouragement by the mysterious team owner to come up with publicity stunts for the players. Some of the men are put into a fashion show, and Johnny Upton (Allan Nicholls) has had it: he warns McGrath that he plans to flash the audience so they won't have to do such degrading things again. Joe blows him off to make a phone call to locate Reg and Ned, who should be at the show as well, but has to stop the call short when cries of shock and disgust greet Johnny when he takes the runway.Ned and Reg pass the mill, which Ned tells him is going to close and lay off 10,000 workers. The Chiefs will have difficulty filling the stadiums with most of the town's residents suddenly out of work. Ned's wife Lily (Lindsay Crouse) drives them home from the local bar, uptight about being a hockey wife with a troubled marriage in a town she can't stand. Ned gives his attention to their St. Bernard dog Ruby and doesn't seem interested in his wife's attitude.Joe is training Reg for a future in an office job and tells him to pick up the three new players he obtained from the Iron League -- the Hanson Brothers (Jeff & Steve Carlson, David Hanson). He finds them at the bus station by the noise of one of the boys trying to force a lost quarter out of the vending machine by shaking it down. He takes them to their hotel where the team will pick up their expenses for a week and, as they go down the hall for sodas, he notices toy cars and tracks in their suitcase. Reg is less than impressed with the new acquisitions, and rails at Joe for picking up any discarded players he can find at rock bottom prices; his plan is to refuse to play them.At the bar Reg meets his (eventually) ex-wife Francine (Jennifer Warren), with whom he still has a good friendship. Before the bus leaves for an away game, Lily offers Ned a book with all the sex scenes highlighted, but he refuses to take it, though Reg is impressed. On the bus, Ned runs a betting pool and says that he will earn enough money to buy the team so he can run it his way. The team worries about a crazy player named Oggie Oglethorpe (Ned Dowd), but learn he was suspended and won't play. As Reg leaves the hotel for the game, he spots the Hansons playing with their racing cars. In the locker room, he sees them wrapping their knuckles with aluminum foil and tape prior to the game.Reg has a roll in the hay with Suzanne Hanrahan (Melinda Dillon), who reveals that she discovered she is a lesbian after a night of drinking and exploratory sex with another player's wife. On the ice, Reg decides to sneak a goal and approaches Tommy Hanrahan (Christopher Murney) in the goalie cage, skating by and egging him on about his wife being a dyke; Hanrahan chases Reg and leaves the cage open for a Chiefs goal. Ned is disgusted and calls the team's win "garbage." Reg, however, wants the team to be fired up and have hope for the future, so he works with reporter Dickie Dunn (M. Emmet Walsh) to suggest that a Florida retirement community may buy the team.The next day Reg sees Lily in the town square and talks with her; she is in a bad mood and even cusses over a statue of a dog in the square, supposedly a canine hero for saving the town during a 1938 flood.Reg tries to bolster the team's morale one player at a time, and talks with Dave Carlson about aging and suggests it may be time to quit hockey. Dave idolizes Reg, and when Barclay Donaldson (Ross Smith) from the Broom County team suggests that Reg shouldn't be in the league, Dave goes after him, and the fight puts him out of the game. Finally, desperate to win, Reg releases the Hansons on the rival team. The Hansons immediately assault and brutalize the opposition, much to the delight of Charlestown's working-class fans, who create a booster club and begin following the team on their own bus to attend away games.At a game against Peterboro, the teams begin fighting before the game begins and with no officials on the ice to stop the ruckus The boys are mutilated as they finally stand at attention for the National Anthem, but an official breaks ranks to yell at the Hansons. Then he realizes the song hasn't finished and cools off.By the time the team goes to an away game against Hyannisport they are winning, but their reputation has preceded them, and mobs of people boo them at their arrival. They stop jeering when the bus drives by with all the Chiefs and boosters mooning them out every bus window as they pass. The other Chiefs players soon take their cue from the popularity of the Hansons and become "goons," fighting as much as (if not more than) actually playing hockey. At Peterboro a fan throws something and hits a Hanson in the face, and all three brothers take to the stands to find and pummel him. After the game the police arrest the Hansons. Peterboro still loses the game. When the bus arrives back in Charlestown and Ned is not on it for Lily to pick up (he gets off and walks the last few miles), Lily is upset and tears out of the lot in her van, but not before Reg climbs aboard and starts talking to her about getting her head straight. She drops him off at his place and drives off in tears. Francine tells Reg she has a job offering in Long Island and will be moving away.Reg goes on Jim Carr's radio show to announce that he wants to put a $100 bounty on the head of Syracuse player Tim McCracken (Paul D'Amato). Dave (who has taken the name "Killer") Carlson calls Reg, anxious to claim the money, which Reg says will have to be earned. Reg tries to get some sleep before the game, but Joe calls to read him off for putting a bounty on a player's head, and suddenly Lily has arrived with the dog and her belongings, anxious to straighten herself out. Reg passes out in the remaining bed space left by the St. Bernard. Before the game, Reg yells at the organist for playing "Lady of Spain" and rips up the sheet music. The game is going well, with plenty of beatings between goals, but Ned refuses to play dirty, so Reg benches him (first in his career) and Ned goes to the broadcast booth to gripe to Jim Carr, going into an uncharacteristic tirade and discovering that Jim wears a toupee (and announcing it on the air).Finally, Reg finds out that the team is owned by somebody named McCambridge, so he goes to the owner's home to talk with him. It turns out he is a she: widow Anita McCambridge (Kathryn Walker) tells Reg that she abhors violence and won't let her kids watch hockey. She plans to fold the team to take a tax write-off as her accountants have recommended. She realizes the Chiefs are sellable but chooses not to. Disgusted, Reg insults her and leaves, then drives to Ned's house to find he is out in the woods trying to avoid talking to him; he yells to Ned that he can play however he wants and, since the team is folding, he wants to go out in style.Reg takes Lily to Francine's beauty shop for a makeover at his expense. She says Lily is pretty and could look like Cher with the right hair and makeup.At the championship game, Reg tells the guys that he wants to play "old time hockey" and not be a goon for what might be his last game. The Hansons are all for it, so they take the ice and wait for the Syracuse team to come out, but the ice remains empty. Then the announcer receives the roster for the opposition: they have brought out the top goons to play against the Chiefs, including McCracken and the dreaded Oglethorpe. The moment the puck drops, the Syracuse men launch upon the Chiefs in a massive fight. Ned doesn't get involved, and Joe sits in amazement in the stands as his boys don't fight back. At the half-time break, Joe hollers at the mangled Chiefs that he has gathered every major NHL talent scout to the game to watch them and offer contracts.Back on the ice, "old time hockey" is gone, replaced by the Chiefs' old ways. While Ned sits on the bench, he suddenly spots Francine escorting the new, improved Lily to the stands; he is overcome with the sight of her, and suddenly he skates out to center ice and begins removing parts of his uniform. Jim Carr is stunned and disgusted, but the band launches into "The Stripper" as Ned continues his striptease and the other players slowly cease their fighting to watch. McCracken yells at an official to stop Ned, but he finds nothing wrong and won't interfere. McCracken then strikes the official, who declares the Syracuse team has forfeited the game and takes the winner's cup to Reg, who passes it to Ned as they skate off the ice (Ned stripped down to his skates and jockstrap) to thunderous applause. The Chiefs win the Federal League and receive a heroes' welcome back in CharlestownReg is pleased that the NHL's Minnesota Nighthawks want to hire him as their coach, and that several key Chief's players will be part of the bargain. Reg and Ned sit atop a convertible in the victory parade, and Lily is by Ned's side. Reg says farewell to Francine, who interrupts the victory parade in town as he lets her drive through with her things in a trailer, and he tells her to stay in touch through his new team. | cult, satire, violence | tt0076723 |
Desierto | The film opens with a group of illegal Hispanic immigrants riding in the back seat of a truck somewhere in Mexico. They are driving towards the USA border when the truck breaks down. The drivers get out of the truck, pop open the hood and look at the engine. They don't seem to know what is wrong with the engine. They go to the back of the truck to speak to the immigrants. They ask if any of them are mechanics. A man, Moises (Gael Garcia Bernal) says he is and he gets out from the back of the truck. He walks over to the front of the truck to look at the engine, but he isn't able to fix it. So, the drivers tell all the immigrants to get out of the truck. They proceed to do so. The drivers point the immigrants towards America. They being walking across the desert towards America.Meanwhile, a man named Sam (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is driving along a road with his dog, Tracker. They stop, and Sam goes hunting for rabbits. He is able to shoot a rabbit with his sniper rifle. The gunshot alerts the immigrants. They begin running and take cover in a field scattered with cacti and tumbleweeds. After they don't appear to see anything, they stop for a break. Moises notices one of the immigrant men trying to make a pass at a female immigrant, Adela (Alondra Hidalgo). Noticing that Adela is getting increasingly uncomfortable at the man's passes, Moises is able to distract him and stops him from going any further.Elsewhere, Sam is again driving along the road when he comes across a border patrol agent. The agent asks Sam if he has a permit. Sam asks him if he needs a permit to hunt rabbits. The agent says that he doesn't. Sam tells the agent that he reported earlier about some illegal immigrant tracks that he saw, and he asks the agent if he checked it out. The agent says he hasn't heard anything about it. Sam says "course not" to himself. The agent tells Sam, "Good luck on your hunt," but Sam tells the agent to keep that good luck to himself. Both men get into their trucks and drive away.Sam comes across the tracks again. He grabs his rifle and goes to look. He calls Tracker over to sniff the tracks, then tells him to go find them. Tracker takes off after them. At this point, the group has split off into two separate groups. One group is far ahead of the other. Moises and Adela are in the group that has lagged behind. However, Moises and his group spot Sam and Tracker from up on a hill. One man in Moises' group asks Moises if Sam is a cop/border patrol, to which Moises replies "no."Sam spots the group that is ahead. He tells Tracker to go back to the truck. Sam also goes back to the truck to grabs his sniper rifle. He goes and proceeds to kill all of the immigrants in that group, one by one, including the man who was earlier harassing Adela. After killing them all, Sam says "Welcome to the Land of the Free."Moises' group takes off in the opposite direction. Sam gets back into his truck and proceeds to cheer to himself. Tracker starts barking at the direction that Moises and his group was heading. Sam grabs his sniper rifle and looks in that direction, barely spotting Moises and the group heading over a hill. Sam and Tracker get back into the truck and begin driving in that direction. Sam comes to where the road ends. He gets out of the truck and tells Tracker to go find them. Sam follows on foot behind Tracker. Moises and his group are still running, knowing that Sam & Tracker aren't too far behind.Tracker catches up to one immigrant man, who is falling way behind. Tracker tackles him to the ground. Seeing this, Adela tries to help the man, but Moises stops her from doing so, knowing it is too late. Tracker proceeds to violently rip the man's throat out. After doing so, he takes off after the other immigrants. The remaining four immigrants begin climbing a rock mountain, desperately trying to lose Tracker. Tracker begins to climb as high as he can go, but only makes it partially up the mountain. He heads back and looks for another way up.Sam climbs another rock mountain and is able to get a view on Moises & his group. Tracker finds another way up the mountain. Moises and his group come to a point where they have to jump from one rock to another. Moises, Adela, and another immigrant man all make the jump, but the fourth immigrant is hesitant to jump. He takes his time trying to make it over, but when he spots Tracker behind him, he makes the jump. He doesn't successfully make it but is able to hold on to the rock. Moises tries to pull him up, but Sam fatally shoots the man with his rifle. He takes a shot at Moises, but misses.Sam goes back to the truck with Tracker. He looks at a map and tells Tracker to go do his thing. Tracker takes off after the final three immigrants. Sam gets back into his truck and begins driving. He comes to a canyon and stops the truck. He begins looking at his map again. Moises, Adela and the the third immigrant spot Sam in his truck, around the corner, but Sam doesn't see them because they are hiding in the canyon. Moises and the other two, go back the other way. Sam gets out of the truck and begins walking towards the direction that Moises and his group were heading. Moises and the group spot Tracker in front of them.They proceed to climb the canyon, desperately trying to get away from Tracker. It works, but Tracker alerts Sam. Sam begins to climb the canyon after them. The third immigrant, falling behind, spots Sam approaching behind him. Sam grabs his rifle to shoot the man, but the man loses his grip and falls several stories to the ground below. Moises and Adela hide in the rocks of the canyon. Tracker runs over and begins biting the man. Sam calls Tracker off of him. Afterward, Sam shoots the man in the head, killing him. Still hiding in the rocks, a teddy bear in Moises' backpack begins going off. Despite his attempts to silence it, it alerts Sam to their presence. Since it is almost dark, Sam tells Tracker that he will get them tomorrow. The sun sets for the night.The next day, Adela tries to look for Sam & Tracker's whereabouts. She spots Sam's truck from the top of a hill. She narrowly avoids getting bitten by snakes. Tracker senses her presence from the truck, so he takes off after her. Sam follows behind him. They get to the top of the hill and hear the teddy bear again. They find the teddy bear in a pit of snakes. It is a distraction as Moises & Adela make their way to Sam's truck. As Sam attempts to shoot them, he is graced by a snake, which he shoots. Moises and Adela make it to Sam's truck, avoiding his bullets. Moises grabs the antenna on Sam's truck and uses it to open the front door. They get into the truck, narrowly avoiding Tracker. Tracker begins to climb onto the truck. Moises is able to hot-wire the truck and takes off.Moises and Adela are happy that they have gotten away. However, Sam shoots at the truck, hitting Adela in the shoulder. This distracts Moises, and he ends up flipping the truck over. Moises climbs out of the truck and spots Sam climbing down a hill in the distance. Moises pulls Adela out of the truck. He also grabs a first aid kit that was in Sam's truck. Moises and Adela begin walking. Tracker takes off with Sam following behind him.Moises and Adela take shelter underneath a large cactus. Moises looks in the first aid kit and finds a flare gun inside it, along with some bandages. He uses the bandages on Adela. He takes the flare gun and leaves Adela by the cactus. Sam and Tracker begin to close in on Adela by the cactus. But, Moises uses his flare gun. Sam and Tracker take off after Moises because Sam thinks Adela probably doesn't have long to live (not knowing that she has got medical supplies from his first aid kit).Moises makes it to a cactus field and begins crossing it. Tracker also crosses through it. Moises stops and loads the flare gun with a second flare. As Tracker gets close, Moises shoots Tracker in the mouth with the flare. Sam, hearing Tracker's cries, runs towards him. He is too late as Tracker is dying. He shoots Tracker in a mercy kill and begins crying, saying that he's sorry. This further angers Sam and he begins shouting to Moises that he's a dead man.Moises spots a border patrol vehicle in the distance. He shouts at it but is not able to signal it in time. Sam spots Moises and shoots at him, but since Moises is right near a cactus tree, Sam hits the cactus tree. Moises takes off and Sam shoots at him again and misses a second time. Moises begins climbing another rock hill, avoiding a couple more shots from Sam. This leads to a five-minute cat-and-mouse sequence as Moises tries to escape from Sam at the top of this one massive rock mountain. Moises continually hides from Sam, until Sam stops at the edge of one of the cliffs of the mountain. Sam looks around for any signs of Moises. Sneaking up behind him, Moises tackles Sam off the mountain. Both men hit the side of the mountain and roll down it.Sam is injured. He looks down at his leg and sees that the bone on his right leg is sticking out through the skin. However, Moises appears to be fine. Both look over and see Sam's sniper rifle about twenty feet away from both of them. Both men get up and attempt to run to it. Moises is able to get the rifle. Sam pleads with Moises for his life. Moises chooses not to shoot Sam, but decides to leave Sam to die in the desert, despite Sam's pleas for Moises not to leave him.Moises begins walking again. He walks back to where he left Adela. He gets her to her feet and walks with her on his back. He carries her for miles, throughout the rest of the day. As it begins to get dark, Moises notices some lights ahead from some shacks and/or buildings, implying that they are near a town. The camera pans across the desert as the credits roll. | murder | tt3147312 |
The China Syndrome | TV news reporter Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) and her freelance cameraman Richard Adams (Michael Douglas) visit the Ventana nuclear power plant outside Los Angeles as part of a series of news reports on energy production. Kimberly is an ambitious reporter who wants to become a "hard news" reporter, however, her superiors seem to be holding her back due to inexperience at reporting hard news and perhaps because she's a woman. As such, Kimberly reports stories of local interest that contain little substance.While watching the Ventana control room from an observation area with public relations officer, Bill Gibson, the plant goes through a reactor SCRAM, a temporary shutdown of part or all of the plant. Shift supervisor Jack Godell (Jack Lemmon), initially believing the SCRAM to be standard, notices what he believes to be an unusual vibration during the SCRAM. On the control console, a chart recorder indicates that the water level in the reactor core has risen to an abnormally high level. The crew begins opening relief valves in an effort to prevent too much water from damaging the plant, but the chart continues to indicate an off-scale level. Minutes later a crew member notices an alternate gauge on the control panel showing that the water level is dangerously low. Suspecting that the recorder pen may be stuck, Godell taps on the glass cover. He and crew chief Ted Spindler (Wilford Brimley) watch, sickened, as the pen trace rapidly drops to show that the water level is now mere inches away from exposing the reactor core, and still falling. The staff scrambles to close the relief valves and restore the coolant systems, but for several agonizing minutes no one knows whether the core is about to undergo a disastrous meltdown. Eventually, backup systems are able to slow and reverse the falling water level, and the reactor is brought under control.In the observation gallery looking over the control room, Richard, when told he was not permitted to film the control room for security reasons, has tucked the camera under his arm and surreptitiously films the incident. Because the glass is soundproof, the visitors can only guess as to what is happening, however, the panic of the crew is quite apparent, as is their relief when the danger has passed.When they return to the television station, excited about the event and the illegal footage they have of it, the station's news director, after receiving a phone call from his superior, refuses to air the footage, citing federal law and fearing criminal prosecution from Ventana's parent company. Richard, believing that there is more to the story than is indicated in the plant's official statement (which referred to the near-meltdown as an "unexpected transient"), steals the film from the station vault.Meanwhile, Godell, suspecting there is more to the strange vibration he felt at the beginning of the SCRAM, does some investigating of his own and uncovers evidence that the plant is unsafe. Specifically, he finds evidence that the welds for the water pumps were not properly X-rayed to show their integrity. Godell concludes that another reactor SCRAM at full power could cause the cooling system to be severely damaged which would result in a catastrophic meltdown. Godell asks the plant foreman to delay restarting the reactor but he refuses, under pressure from the plant's owners, who stand to lose millions of dollars each day the plant remains "off line."An official investigation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is held and each Ventana employee present at the SCRAM is interviewed for several hours. They are later exonerated by the NRC which concludes that while some errors by personnel were recorded, they still did their jobs adequately. Kimberley Wells travels to a bar near the plant where it's employees often go and meets Godell himself, celebrating the NRC's ruling with his fellow employees. She asks him a few hard line questions about the safety of the plant, however Godell tells her the plant is safe and that there are backup systems to handle problems like the recent event that took place. Kimberly notices that Godell seems a bit nervous about the plant's safety.Suspicious that there may be more errors to investigate, Jack dons a radiation suit and examines the defective water pump himself with a Geiger counter. He finds an area where nuclear material has leaked onto the floor. His supervisor, Herman, quickly orders a cleanup and tells Jack not to reveal the problem to anyone and to get the plant up and running. Jack does so with obvious reluctance and leaves work for the day but steals some of the damning x-ray films taken by the construction company that built the plant. At a construction site, he talks to one of the firm's officers, showing him the questionable x-ray. When Jack gets no satisfaction, he threatens to go to the NRC himself. The officer tells Jack that the firm has it's own security force that could be sent to harass or harm him.Kimberley talks to Richard's business partner, Hector, and finds out that Richard, who hasn't been heard from for several days, is at a convention of nuclear scientists in LA. She finds Richard there and he tells her he's showing the film to a couple of nuclear power experts; a physicist and an engineer. The two scientists determine that the plant very nearly went into meltdown, called the "China Syndrome" where the nuclear material heats beyond the capacity of the plant's personnel and safety systems to stop it. Reaching ground water under the plant, the material would explode into the atmosphere, rendering most of southern California radioactive an uninhabitable wasteland for decades and possibly causing illnesses like cancer in the region's inhabitants. Kimberly and Richard both go to Godell's house and confront him directly, saying they know that Godell and his team narrowly avoided a meltdown. Godell, more nervous than he was before, tells them that he agrees with them and tells them about the false X-rays and the cost-cutting measures done by the contracting company. He also tells them that he was threatened by the firm if he goes to the NRC. Kimberly and Richard agree to keep Godell's identity anonymous if he can get them some of the incriminating evidence to present at the conference where Richard had talked to the two nuclear scientists.Richard arranges for Godell to meet Hector with a bundle of the x-ray film, but while Hector drives to the convention to deliver them, he's run off the road by hit men from the contracting firm. Kimberly calls Godell and asks him to speak directly to the convention committee himself. On the way there, he is chased by more hit men and is unable to join Kimberly. He drives to Ventana, knowing the men following him won't be permitted past the plant's security gates.Godell rushes to the control room and finds the plant is nearly at full power. Now convinced of the evidence and unable to stop the power-up, he grabs a gun from the control room's security guard and forces everyone out. Once alone and secured inside the control room, he brings the power down to a safer level. He also tells the plant's managers that if anyone attempts to take control of the reactor from the outside or break in, he'll open valves and flood the containment building with radiation, which would render the plant unusable. He then demands to be interviewed by Wells on live television.Kimberly arrives and is escorted into the control room. Godell tells her that he'll voice his concerns about the plant's safety on live television. Kimberly contacts Richard, who contacts every other major television network. In the hour it takes for them to arrive, the plant's parent company's CEO, McCormack, orders Herman to find a way to cause a reactor SCRAM. The SCRAM, if plotted correctly, will distract Godell long enough for the rest of the team to seize control of the plant. After Richard leads the TV production teams into the same observation room he original filmed in, he misses seeing the SWAT team that also arrives to deal with Godell himself.Kimberly begins to interview Godell, who speaks frantically and makes little sense while explaining the more technical aspects of the recent accident. In the middle of the live interview, the SCRAM is started and the camera's cables are physically cut. Godell begins to panic, rushing from one control panel to the next, trying to avert a catastrophe. The SWAT team suddenly bursts into the control room and shoots Godell. Kimberly tries desperately to help him, however, Godell, near death, tells her "I can feel it..." An ominous vibration, like the one Godell felt in the first incident, shakes the room. More alarms begin to sound and the SCRAM causes significant damage to the plant, as portions of the cooling system physically collapse. The reactor is eventually brought under control by the plant's automatic systems and by Godell's co-worker, Ted Spindler. When the incident ends, Kimberley sees that Godell has died.Outside the plant, a phalanx of reporters and television crews are awaiting word on the events inside. When the plant spokesman suggests that Godell was "emotionally disturbed" and that he "had been drinking", Kimberly Wells confronts the spokesman in front of the other reporters, and eventually gets one of Godell's co-workers, Ted Spindler, to admit that Godell would not have taken such drastic steps had there not been something dangerous about the plant. Ted tells the media that Godell was a hero for averting a disaster and that there will be a much deeper investigation this time. As Kimberly, obviously upset at Godell's death, gives her closing comments, the broadcast is cut off. | tragedy, dramatic, murder | tt0078966 |
Chernobyl Diaries | A group of young American adults, Chris (Jesse McCartney), his girlfriend Natalie (Olivia Taylor Dudley), and their mutual friend Amanda (Devin Kelley), are traveling across Europe. They stop in Kiev, Ukraine to visit Chris's brother, Paul (Jonathan Sadowski) before heading on to Moscow where Chris intends to propose to Natalie.After a night on the town, Paul suggests that they go on an "extreme tour" and "off the beaten path" of the abandoned town of Prypiat which sits in the shadow of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, site of the infamous nuclear disaster. Paul briefly explains that on April 26, 1986, Reactor #4 at the plant exploded after suffering a massive meltdown. The explosion took place at 1:23 am while the neighboring town of Pripyat slept. Two workers were killed instantly. The fires were put out a few hours later, but the damage was done as radiation from the destroyed reactor swept across the plant and the entire countryside. Nearly all of the workers and the firemen who put out the fire died from radiation poisoning within a few hours to a few days. 40 hours later, the residents of Pripyat were ordered to evacuate by the Soviet government, and most never returned; by that time, many of the residents had suffered varying degrees of radiation poisoning. (All true)The group is joined by backpacking couple, a Norwegian named Zoe (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) and her Australian boyfriend named Michael (Nathan Phillips).The six-person group is initially denied access to Prypiat by the Ukrainian military because of the lingering radiation emiting from the closed down plant, but their Ukrain tour guide, Uri (Dimitri Diatchenko) takes them by van in through an unmanned, forested check point. On the way, they stop at a river where they discover a large, mutated fish with large teeth dead at the side of the river. As the group returns to the van, a number of similar fish are seen below the murky water attacking a piece of beef jerky Uri threw earlier on.They spend a few hours exploring the abandoned city, which was home to Chernobyl workers and their families before they were forced to evacuate overnight. When Uri takes them into an apartment building, he hears a noise. When he slowly goes to investigate, a bear comes out from an adjacent room and runs away. Frightened, the group leaves the building. Uri comments on the incident, telling the group he has been coming to Chernobyl for five years to give private tours and has always seen a dog or wolves but never a bear.As the group prepares to leave, Uri finds the wires in his van have been chewed through and tries to radio for help to no avail. As night falls, the group begins arguing and affixing blame. Noises are heard outside and Uri goes out with a flashlight and a gun, accompanied by Chris. Shots are heard and Paul runs out to investigate, only to return with Chris whose leg has been severely mauled, seemingly by dogs who attack the van. The groups stays in the van the whole night.The next morning, Paul, Michael, and Amanda go out looking for Uri whom, according to Chris, was taken by "them" while Paul and Zoe stay behind in the van to look after the wounded Chris. They follow a trail of blood to find Uri's mutilated body in an underground complex. They take his gun and radiation Geiger counter and barely escape a group of mutant creatures (semi-human looking nomads whom are scarred by radiation poisining). They return to the van, planning to hike to the nearest checkpoint but Chris cannot move his leg. Chris and Natalie stay behind in the van while the others go to get help.The group comes across a group of modern abandoned vehicles in a parking lot and find a bus with bullet holes exiting from inside it. In the bus they also find broken guns and a bloody guard uniform. Michael finds replacement wires for the van, so they head back toward their vehicle. After being chased by mutant dogs, they reach the van by nightfall and find it ripped apart and flipped over. Natalie's camera video reveals she and Chris were taken by the mutants.They go in search of the two but end up being chased by more mutants. During their escape they find a traumatized Natalie and rescue her. When the group are out in the open, they begin to work out where another checkpoint nearby is by using a map Michael obtained during their previous escape. The group is distracted by a little girl in the distance. As they try to communicate with her Natalie is once again taken by the mutants. Paul, Michael, Amanda, and Zoe attempt to find her, but in the process are swarmed by a horde of mutants. They run to a fallout shelter, but Michael is captured. The three continue on, finding Chris's engagement ring for Natalie but no sign of Chris himself. They are again attacked by mutants and as they begin to climb a ladder to the way out a congregation of mutants pull Zoe back down, forcing Amanda and Paul to leave her behind as they escape.Paul and Amanda continue on through the fallout shelter which comes out in Chernobyl power plant itself. As they navigate around the #4 reactor, they find Natalie dead. They continue on, only to also become poisoned with radiation as their skin begins to blister. They exit the reactor and are confronted by Ukrainian military personnel. Blinded from radiation poisoning, Paul is shot dead when he approaches the soldiers. Amanda is taken away as the rest of the Ukrainian soldiers begin to sweep the area shooting and killing various mutants.Amanda passes out and awakens on a gurney in an unknown location where several Russian and Ukrain doctors, clad in protective hazmat suits, inform her that she is in a hospital. The doctors talk amongst themselves (in Russian, so Amanda cannot understand them) and reveal that the "creatures" were escaped patients from a nearby asylum whom they have placed around Chernobyl for the past 10 years by the Russian, Ukraine and Bellarussian authorities as test subjects to test the levels of radiation effects on them. They doctors note that after conducting the sweep, all of the mutants have been killed or re-captured and the other Americans are dead. They decide Amanda, having seen the escapees, must not be allowed to leave, so they throw her into a dark isolated room. Amanda is immediately alerted as she begins to hear noises. She calls out and a group of mutants attack her. | violence, dark, cruelty, murder | tt1991245 |
Child's Play | Eight years after the Chucky's second demise in the Play Pals factory, The Play Pals company has recovered from bad publicity brought along by Chucky's (voiced by Brad Dourif) murder spree and resumes manufacturing of the Good Guy dolls. The company releases a new line of Good Guy dolls and recycles Chucky's remains. However, the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray still inhabits the remains, and Chucky is soon revived. Chucky is unwittingly given to Play Pals' CEO Mr. Sullivan, whom he kills with a variety of toys. He then uses computer records to relocate Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent).
Still troubled by his past encounters with Chucky, 16-year-old Andy Barclay (Justin Whalin) has been sent to Kent Military Academy after having failed to cope in several foster homes. Colonel Cochran (Dakin Matthews), the school's commandant, begrudgingly enrolls Andy, but advises him to forget his "fantasies" about the doll. Andy befriends cadets Harold Aubrey Whitehurst (Dean Jacobson), Ronald Tyler (Jeremy Sylvers), and Kristin DeSilva (Perrey Reeves), for whom he develops romantic feelings. He also meets Brett C. Shelton (Travis Fine), a lieutenant colonel who routinely bullies the cadets.
Shortly after Andy arrives, Tyler is asked to deliver a package to his room. Tyler realizes that the package contains a Good Guy doll and, excited, takes it to the cellar to open it, only to have Chucky burst free from the package. Remembering the rule that he can possess the first person who learns his true nature (and that with a new body) he tells Tyler his secret, but just as Chucky is about to possess him, they are interrupted by Cochran who takes the doll away. Cochran throws Chucky into a garbage truck, but Chucky escapes by luring the driver into the truck's compactor and crushing him. That night, Chucky attacks Andy and tells him his plans for taking over Tyler's soul. Before Andy can attack Chucky, Shelton comes in and takes the doll from him. Andy tries to get the doll back by sneaking into Shelton's room, but Shelton catches him in the act. Upon realizing the doll has vanished, Shelton suspects it stolen and forces all the cadets to do exercises in the courtyard as punishment.
Andy unsuccessfully tries to warn Tyler about Chucky. At one point, Chucky lures Tyler into playing hide-and-seek in Cochran's office, where he attempts to possess Tyler again. However, they are interrupted by De Silva and, moments later, Cochran himself. When the cadets leave, Cochran is suddenly confronted by a knife-wielding Chucky. The resulting shock causes Cochran to suffer a fatal heart attack. Chucky later kills the cruel camp barber Sergeant Botnick (Andrew Robinson) by slashing his throat with a razor.
Despite Cochran's death, Sgt. Clark declares that the school's annual war games will proceed as planned, with Andy and Shelton on the same team. However, Chucky secretly replaces the blank paint bullets of the Red team with live ammunition. When the simulation begins, Chucky accosts Tyler. Tyler stabs Chucky with a pocket knife and flees, trying to find Andy. Chucky then attacks Kristin and holds her hostage, attempting to lure the teams into fighting each other to save her. Chucky forces Andy to exchange Kristin for Tyler.
Suddenly, the Red team descends upon the area and obliviously opens fire with their live rounds, with Shelton being killed in the crossfire. Amidst the chaos, Tyler makes a quick getaway, but before giving chase, Chucky tosses a live grenade at the quarreling cadets. Recognizing the danger, Whitehurst bravely leaps on top of the grenade and sacrifices himself to save the others. With no time to mourn his friend, Andy heads off in pursuit of Chucky, with Kristin close behind.
Eventually the chase leads the group into a fake haunted house at a nearby carnival. Tyler tries to get a security guard to help him, but Chucky kills the guard offscreen and kidnaps Tyler. In the ensuing melee, Chucky shoots Kristin in the leg, leaving Andy to fight Chucky alone. When Tyler is inadvertently knocked out, Chucky seizes the opportunity to possess him, but Andy intervenes, shooting him several times. Enraged, Chucky attempts to strangle Andy, but Andy uses Tyler's knife to cut off Chucky's hand, dropping him into a giant fan which mutilates him. Afterwards, Andy is taken away by the police for questioning, while Kristin is rushed to the nearby hospital. Tyler's fate is left unknown. | dark, mystery, gothic, murder, stupid, cult, horror, revenge | tt0094862 |
It Follows | In the opening scene, a young woman is fleeing from someone or something. She is shown driving to the beach. At the beach, she calls her father and tells him that she's sorry for being so unkind to him. In the morning, it is shown that she was brutally murdered during the night. Her leg is twisted and a bone is seen sticking out of it.The film then switches to Jay (Maika Monroe) who is on a date with Hugh (Jake Weary) at the movies. While they are waiting in line, Hugh starts talking about how envious he is of young children and how they have innocent, carefree lives. When they are inside the theater, Hugh spots a young woman at the entrance. He points her out to Jay, but she, however, cannot see her. Suddenly, Hugh starts getting afraid and demands to Jay that they leave the theater.On their next date, Jay and Hugh are having sex in his car, when he suddenly chloroforms her. When Jay awakens, she is tied up in a wheelchair. Hugh is there and he explains to her that when they had sex, he passed on a curse to her. This curse is an entity that can only be seen by the person with the curse (which is now Jay). The entity can take the form of any person and will follow her repeatedly at a walking pace. If IT catches her, it will kill her and will go after the previous person who had the curse (which would now be Hugh) to get them to pass the curse on to someone else.It is implied that Hugh had slept with the young woman from the beginning of the film, but since IT caught her, IT is continuing to stalk Hugh until he passes the curse on to someone else, hence why he slept with Jay.At that moment, Hugh spots a naked woman walking towards them. Jay and Hugh then flee. Hugh drops Jay off at home and continues to flee. The police are searching for Hugh, but are unable to find him.While at school, Jay spots an old woman in a hospital gown walking towards her. Everyone around does not appear to notice to the old woman. Jay's friend, Paul (Keir Gilchrist), who has a crush on Jay, and her sister Kelly (Lili Sepe) agree to help.That night, Jay, Paul, Kelly and another friend, Yara (Olivia Luccardi), all agree to spend the night in the same house. During the night, Paul hears a noise and examines a smashed window in the kitchen. He looks around, but does not see anyone. Jay then sees an almost naked woman with dark eyes walking towards her.She runs to tell the others, but none of them can see anything. Suddenly, a tall man with dark eyes walks into the room. Jay then runs out of the house.Jay runs to a playground nearby, where her friends eventually catch up to her. A neighbor named Greg (Daniel Zovatto) offers to help the group by giving them a ride. Jay and her friends plan to confront Hugh, so after tracking him down by figuring out his real address, he insists on his original story, telling Jay that she needs to sleep with someone in order to successfully pass the curse on to someone else.The group then goes back to Greg's house. Jay deduces that she needs to learn how to use a gun. While the group is sitting by the water, the entity takes on the appearance of Yara and begins to attack Jay. Jay flees and then IT takes the appearance of the tall old man and then Paul. Jay manages to shoot IT, but it does not die. Jay gets into a car and drives away, but she only manages to crash into a cornfield.When Jay awakens, she is in the hospital being treated for her broken arm. Before she is released, Jay decides to pass the curse on to someone else. She sleeps with Greg in her hospital bed in hopes of successfully passing the curse on to him. Paul is heartbroken after finding out that Jay was with Greg.At home, Jay looks out the window to see Greg walking down the street to his house. When he gets to his window, he breaks it and enters. Jay then figures out that IT has taken the appearance of Greg. Jay runs over to the house and peeks inside to see IT taking on the appearance of Greg's mom. Jay then tries to warn Greg, who is on the telephone. IT jumps on top of Greg and kills him. Now, the curse has reverted back to Jay, who flees to the woods.When she awakens in the morning, Jay is near a beach and spots three young men on a boat. She undresses and goes into the water, hoping that she can sleep with one of the men and can pass on the curse to buy herself more time.Back at home, Paul wants to sleep with Jay, but she rebuffs him, since she does not want him to be killed. Jay spots IT, posing as a naked man, spying on her from the roof. Jay then comes up with a plan to kill IT.The group goes to a deserted swimming pool in hopes of luring IT into the water and then electrocuting it. Jay is the bait and gets into the pool. When she finally spots IT, it has taken on the appearance of her father. But, IT has figured out the plan and starts throwing electrical devices into the water to kill Jay. Since they cannot see IT, the others fire blindly to try to kill it. In the ensuing chaos, Paul accidentally wounds Yara, but then shoots IT in the head, supposedly killing the entity.After heading home, Paul and Jay finally have sex. Paul then drives to a run-down part of Detroit where there are prostitutes walking the street. (The implication seems to be that the Paul plans to have sex with a hooker in order to quickly pass the curse to someone else...)Sometime later, Jay and Paul are walking down the street hand-in-hand. Behind them, a person is following them.THE END. | paranormal, violence, murder | tt3235888 |
The Gorgon | In a small European town, an old castle was once inhabited by three sisters. No, there was nothing normal about them, for they were The Gorgons. The most infamous was Medusa until her head of snake laden hair was cut off. Fear has swallowed the town because they believe that either Euryale or Medera,
still live there. Dr. Namaroff (Peter Cushing) is the first to discover the awful truth as the immortal Gorgon has taken a human form. The human that she posses is Carla, Namaroff's assistant. She does not know what is happening to her due to the fact that she blacksout when the Gorgon takes her over. She and her love interest Paul believe that the Dr. is lying because he is jealous. As the number of murders mount, the two men fight. Finally the awful truth is discovered and Paul and the Dr. fall victim to The Gorgan's power and are turned to stone. The only one left who knows the secret of her power is Prof. Meister (Christopher Lee). It is up to him to take her head and break the curse forever or to fail and doom more of the townspeople. He takes his sword and finds the evil beast from ancient mythology, and luckily a mirror in her castle. | gothic | tt0058155 |
Night of Dark Shadows | Handsome young artist Quentin Collins arrives at his newly inherited estate of Collinwood with his beautiful wife Tracy. They meet the housekeeper Carlotta Drake and the caretaker Gerard Stiles. Quentin happens upon a 19th-century portrait of a blonde woman with captivating green eyes that seem to mesmerize him. Carlotta informs him that the woman is Angelique, who had lived there over 100 years earlier. The Collins's friends Alex and Claire Jenkins, who have co-written several successful horror novels, move into a cottage on the estate.
Quentin soon begins to be troubled by startling visions and haunting dreams about one of his ancestors, Charles Collins, and his ancestor's mistress Angelique—who had been hanged as a witch in a past century. Carlotta eventually reveals to Quentin that she is the reincarnation of Sarah Castle, a little girl who had lived at Collinwood over 150 years ago, and that Quentin himself is the reincarnation of Charles Collins. Charles had had an affair with Angelique, wife of his brother Gabriel, resulting in her being hanged—and Charles being sealed alive in the family crypt with Angelique's corpse.
On a trip to New York, the Jenkins's discover a painting of Charles Collins, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Quentin. Convinced that their friends are in grave danger, the couple hurry home to Collinwood, where they are attacked by the ghost of Angelique.
Meanwhile, Quentin has become possessed by the spirit of Charles Collins, and attempts to drown Tracy in a disused swimming pool on the estate. Alex and Claire arrive in time to revive her, but Quentin, having no memory of his actions, refuses to believe their wild tale.
Carlotta and Gerard conspire to eliminate Quentin's loved ones. Quentin, seeing the scratches on his wrist where Tracy had tried to fend him off, realizes the truth of Alex's warning and rushes to rescue his friends. Gerard has managed to take Tracy prisoner (despite his having been shot in the face by Claire), and Quentin fights with him high atop a train trestle. Quentin defeats Gerard, who plunges to his death.
The group rush to confront Carlotta, but she jumps from the top of Collinwood when the ghostly Angelique beckons her from below.
In the end, Quentin and Tracy are about to leave Collinwood when Quentin goes back inside the house. Tracy follows to find him now completely possessed by Charles Collins—and Angelique reborn in the flesh. The camera freezes on Tracy's faces as she screams as Quentin and Angelique advance on her. A newspaper caption at the end reveals that Alex and Claire Jenkins have been killed in a car accident. Witnesses reported seeing a ghostly fog filling the car as it veered off the road. | paranormal, gothic | tt0067491 |
Prime | New York City. Rafi Gardet (Uma Thurman) comes to see her therapist, Lisa Metzger (Meryl Streep), and tells her she has signed her divorce papers. She is distressed because she has suddenly started to think she wants to have children. Lisa tells her she should try to live in the now, for now.Dave Bloomberg (Bryan Greenberg) is at home when his friend Morris calls. Dave joins Morris (Jon Abrahams) as he goes to see a girl he who has dumped him after their first date. Morris smears a cream pie in her face, which seems to be his usual approach to this situation. This time, though, the girl calls her brothers out from the house, and Dave and Morris do a quick escape in their car.Dave goes to see a movie with a girl. In front of the theatre he meets an acquiantance, Randall (Zak Orth), who introduces him to his friends Katherine (Annie Parisse) and Rafi. When Dave goes to the bathroom he finds himself locked out of the theatre, along with Rafi; they exhange looks. After the movie they all go out, and Dave and his date argue over whether or not they are dating. Later, Dave is in his bedroom with the phone. He calls Rafi, but hangs up. He calls again and finds the nerve to ask her out. There's noise in the background; he tells her it's his roommates, but it's actually his grandparents (Jerry Adler and Doris Belack), who he lives with.Dave picks Rafi up at her apartment building; he finds the doorman (Ato Essandoh) somewhat uncommunicative. At the restaurant he talks about the quirks of his Jewish family. They buy beer at an all-night store, and Dave has to show ID. Rafi asks Dave how old he is; he circles the subject, but they establish that she is 37 and he is 23. That's a bigger age difference than Rafi thought, but Dave convinces her to continue the date, and he takes her to a secret garden hidden behind a gate.Rafi is back with her therapist. We flash back to the garden, where Rafi and Dave chat and kiss. Rafi tells Lisa about the age difference - though she lies and says Dave is 27 - and she isn't sure she should be getting into a relationship, but Lisa says it's a good thing. Later Dave talks to his mother on the phone; she is worried that he is dating a girl who isn't Jewish.Rafi talks to her friend Katherine about Dave. Dave goes to his family home, and we discover that his mother is Rafi's therapist. After dinner they have argue; Lisa believes faith to be central in a person's life and thinks it causes too many problems to marry outside your faith. Dave says she sounds like an after-school special. He also tells her that the woman he is dating is older than him; he says 27.Dave visits Rafi at her apartment; he unsuccessfully tries to make the doorman laugh. They talk about art, listen to jazz and kiss. Dave and Morris go to a bakery to get Morris another cream pie, and Dave tells Morris about his feelings for Rafi. Dave's parents talk about how they can get Dave to date Jewish girls. Dave and Rafi go out again and end up sleeping together.Rafi goes to see Lisa again and talks excitedly about Dave. She blurts out his real age and admits that she was and is embarrassed by the age difference. She also says he is an artist, though he is not very confident about it and his family is unsupportive; we see a flashback of her and Dave talking about this. Lisa looks startled and asks where he lives. She realizes that they are talking about her son and breaks off their session. Soon she's on the couch of another therapist (Madhur Jaffrey), asking for advice on what to do. She decides to stay on as Rafi's therapist, not revealing anything.Dave takes Rafi out again, and they have a candlelight dinner next to a big painting by Rafi's favourite artist. Another day she comes to see him play basketball and takes him home to bed. Back at Lisa's office, Rafi talks about how much sex she and Dave have, how happy she is and how beautiful his penis is. They also touch on personal hygiene, and Rafi explains how Dave never used Q-tips before he met her, complete with a flashback. But Rafi also talks about her doubts about whether she and Dave can have a serious relationship. In another scene, Dave tells Rafi how his mother and family do not accept that Dave is dating a non-Jew. He remembers how he introduced a former girlfriend, who was black, to his grandmother, and how she reacted by wacking herself on the head with a frying pan.On the same day, Dave loses his job and has to find a new place to stay because his grandparents are swapping apartments with relatives. He goes to see Rafi at work, at a fashion shoot, and offends her employer. But he is soon forgiven, and at night they go dancing. Rafi insists they go to Dave's place after; she finds out he lives with his grandparents and laughs. She sees his paintings for the first time and tells him he should paint for a living.Dave drops off some stuff at his parents' place, saying he is staying with Morris for a while. When Rafi arrives for her appointment with Lisa at the office next door, Lisa narrowly keeps the two from meeting. Rafi tells her that Dave is moving in with her. That weekend the couple go to the Hamptons to visit Rafi's friends, a gay couple (David Costabile and Will McCormack), along with Randall, also gay, and Katherine. The group discuss politics and arts, but Dave feels excluded and feels like he's being tested. Randall expresses concern that Dave at his age might not be able to give her what she needs, especially when it comes to children.Dave and Rafi go to a gallery opening. She lets her contacts know about his art, but she doesn't introduce him to some of her friends. Dave still doesn't have a job and just hangs around Rafi's apartment all day. One day Lisa goes into a furniture store with her husband, and they have to hide when she sees Dave and Rafi there. In their next consultation, Rafi tells Lisa about her problems with Dave, but Lisa interrupts her. She tells Rafi the truth. Rafi is shocked and angry. She tells Dave, and Dave argues with his mother on the phone.Dave brings Morris to Rafi's apartment one day, but hides him in a closet when Rafi comes home early because she doesn't like other people in the apartment. She finds out and blames Dave for acting like a child. They fight. Later at a restaurant Rafi breaks up with Dave.One of Rafi's art connections comes to see Dave's pictures. He buys two and wants to set up a show. Dave also gets his own apartment. He is still down about Rafi, but Morris takes him out, and Dave ends up bringing a girl home with him - a model he previously met at Rafi's photo shoot (Mini Anden). But soon after he and Rafi meet in a grocery store and rush back to his place to have sex. They rekindle their relationship, and Dave talks his mother into having them over for dinner with the whole family. Rafi and Lisa make friends again, and the family seem to relax about the idea of Rafi and Dave together, and of Dave being a painter. Rafi mentions the possibility of having children with Dave.Rafi learns of Dave's night with the model. Heartbroken, she confronts him. Dave talks to his mother, who tells him she understands his love for Rafi, but that sometimes good things come to an end. One night Dave goes to see Rafi, who comes home at the same moment. The doorman makes sure they meet in the elevator. Dave apologizes. Next we see them in bed together. Dave says he wants to make a baby with her. Rafi says she can't let that happen.One year later, winter. Dave and Morris are walking down a street. Dave is talking about leaving and seeing the world. He realizes he forgot his hat in a restaurant, and he goes back for it. At the restaurant he sees Rafi and her friends at a table. He turns away and goes outside, but then he wipes a circle in the frost-clad window. Rafi sees him, they look at each other, she smiles. We see flashbacks of their relationship. Then Dave raises his hand as goodbye and walks away in the snow. | entertaining, flashback | tt0387514 |
Me Before You | The movie starts off with Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) being blissfully happy with his beautiful fiancé. It's obvious that he's rich and high-society. It's raining, he leaves for work, and she tells him he can't take his motorcycle. He doesn't and starts walking to work while talking on his cell phone. He's distracted and gets hit by... a motorcycle. He ends up paralyzed from the neck down.A few years later, we see Lou Clark (Emilia Clarke), a young waitress in a café. She's super nice and chatty and helpful to everybody. At the end of the day, the owner gives her a final paycheck, says he's sorry, and closes the café (as in out-of-business).Losing her job is bad because Lou lives with her parents, her sister, and her sister's child. She's the only one who has a job at the moment. In the next few scenes, we're introduced to Lou's family. Her sister Katrina "Treena" (Jenna Coleman) and Lou's boyfriend Patrick (Matthew Lewis). It's pretty obvious that he's a tool and they aren't a good match.Lou goes to the unemployment office and has witty banter with the person there about how she lacks any skills. He finds a job for a caregiver and sends her off for an interview, but tells her to wear some conservative clothes. The interview is with some people who are fabulously wealthy. Lou interviews with Will's mother who doesn't seem to like her initially but Lou's witty banter impresses Will's mom and she gets the job. During the interview, we also meet Will's dad, and it's clear there is tension between Will's parents. Will's mom (Janet McTeer) tells her Will isn't to be left alone for more than 15 minutes. During the interview, Lou's skirt rips up the side and she tries to hide it.Will's mom takes Lou to meet Will. He's with Nathan (Stephen Peacocke), a nurse who stays with him at night. Basically, Lou's job is to be with Will all day until Nathan gets back from other patients. Will does a "my left foot" impression to show that he's a jerk, but behaves after that. He says something about her skirt being ripped and dismisses her. Nathan gives her a quick run-down of some of the medications Will takes.Lou comes back the next day and Will is mean to her. He says they should just leave each other alone. She tries, hates her job, and cries about it with Treena at home. Treena gives her a pep talk and turns her around. Treena also lets Lou know that she's going off to college again and the family needs Lou's job.With a new vigor, Lou goes to work, does witty banter with Will, and starts to win him over. He slowly starts to open up to her. This is the point where the movie turns into Pretty Woman. He gets her to watch a subtitled foreign film and she loves it (a la the opera). She tries to get Patrick to see a foreign film at the theater and he poo-poos the idea.At some point, Will's old girlfriend stops by with her new fiancé who happens to be Will's old best friend. Will is understandably mean to them. There's some of the, "I tried," and, "It just happened," talk. The movie doesn't make the happy couple look like really bad people, which is nice.At some point, Will and Lou talk about her fashion sense and Lou tells Will a story about having black and yellow striped leggings as a young girl and never taking them off. (This is important for later.)Eventually, Lou finds out that Will wants to die via assisted suicide in Switzerland, because he used to be very active and now he can't move. He told his mom that he'd wait six months. Lou is bummed by that and takes it as a challenge to try to get him to change his mind. She starts planning all kinds of outings for Will.The first outing is to the horse races. Lou does a video call with Treena to decide what to wear. They settle on a red dress that really impresses Will. Lou bets on a horse that Will says won't win. She's very optimistic, until the horse gets stuck coming out of the gate and seems to wander around the racetrack like a drunkard.The next outing is to a Mozart concert. It appears that Will had a good time because when they get home he wants to sit in the car for a while and, "be a man who was just at concert with a girl in a red dress".Lou gets Will to go other places. She gets him to let her shave his beard. He surprises her by having his mangy hair cut neatly.Lou's birthday comes around and her parents invite Will to their house for dinner which he accepts. They're all nice during dinner and have witty banter. When it's time for gifts, Lou's parents give her a photo album of pictures from when she was growing up. She loves it. Patrick gives her a specially made necklace that has his name on it. She's polite about it. Then Will gives her a gift that's black and yellow leggings. Well, she goes crazy over them and goes to put them on right away. It's pretty obvious that she likes them the most of anything. Patrick starts to think that she and Will like each other.Will and Lou go to the old fiancé/old best friend's wedding. He drives her around the dance floor on his wheelchair and they talk about her boobs. The two of them are seen racing away from the party on his wheelchair and getting home the next morning. Will's mom says something and he replies that he's a grown man and can spend the night in a hotel if he wants.Will gets sick and can't go on this big trip that Lou had planned. Lou is sad, but plans another trip that the doctors agree to. Nathan goes with them. They all have lots of fun. Will forces Lou to try scuba diving and she loves it. Nathan even finds romance. At the end of the trip, Will tells Lou about Switzerland. She yells at him and leaves.Treena talks Lou into going to Switzerland to be with Will for his assisted suicide. She makes it in time to talk with him.The final scene is Lou sitting in a café in Paris and reading a note from Will. It was one of his favorite places that he wouldn't go back to after his accident because it would only make him sad. He tells her to be happy and go see the world. He's left her some money. She heads off to her next stop and is wearing the back and yellow striped leggings. | suicidal | tt2674426 |
Jaws: The Revenge | On Amity Island, Chief of Police Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), the hero of two previous shark attacks, has died from a heart attack. His wife, Ellen (Lorraine Gary), attributes it to the fear of sharks. She now lives with Brody's younger son Sean (Mitchell Anderson) and his fiancée Tiffany (Mary Smith). Sean works as a police deputy and is dispatched to clear a log from a buoy a few days before Christmas. A massive 28-foot great white shark attacks and kills him, sinking his boat in the process.
Ellen believes the shark intentionally targeted Sean for vengeance because of the deaths of the first two sharks. Brody's older son Mike (Lance Guest), his wife Carla (Karen Young), and their five-year-old daughter Thea (Judith Barsi) come to Amity for the funeral and encourage her to come from Massachusetts to the Bahamas with them. At the islands, Ellen meets carefree airplane pilot Hoagie (Michael Caine). Mike, along with partners Jake (Mario Van Peebles), William, and Clarence, works as a marine biologist studying conch.
A few days later, they encounter the same shark that attacked Sean. Jake is eager to do research on the shark, because great white sharks hardly come to the Bahamas as the water there is too warm, and sharks are misunderstood creatures, but Michael asks him not to mention the shark due to Ellen's attempts to convince him to find a job on land. Ellen becomes so obsessive that she starts having nightmares of being attacked by a shark. Then she starts getting psychic feelings when the shark is near or attacks. She and the shark have a strange connection that is unexplained. Jake decides to attach a device to the shark that can track it through its heartbeat. Using chum to attract it, Jake stabs the device's tracking pole into the shark's side. The next day, the shark chases Mike through a sunken ship, and he narrowly escapes in one piece.
Thea goes on an inflatable banana boat with her friend Margaret and her mother while Carla presents her new art sculpture. The shark goes for Thea but attacks and kills Margaret's mother instead. Thea and Carla are traumatized following the attack. Ellen boards Jake's boat to track down the shark, intending to kill it to save the rest of her family. After hearing about what happened, Mike confesses about the shark, infuriating Carla. Mike and Jake are flown by Hoagie to search for Ellen and find the shark in pursuit of their boat. During the search, Hoagie explains to Mike about Ellen's belief that the shark that killed Sean is after her family. When they finally find her, Hoagie lands the plane on the water, ordering Mike and Jake to swim to the boat as the shark drags the plane and Hoagie underwater.
Fortunately, Hoagie escapes from the shark. Jake and Mike hastily put together an explosive powered by electrical impulses. They begin blasting the shark with the impulses, which begin to drive it mad; it repeatedly jumps out of the water, roaring in pain. As Jake moves to the front of the boat, the shark lunges, giving it the chance to pull Jake under and maul him. He manages to get the explosive into the shark's mouth before he is taken underwater.
Mike continues to blast the shark with the impulses, causing it to leap out of the water again, igniting the bomb as Ellen steers the sailboat towards the shark while thinking back to Sean's demise, the shark's attack on Thea, and when her husband killed the first shark. The broken bowsprit impales the shark in the exact spot where the bomb is, causing it to explode on impact. The shark's corpse then sinks to the bottom of the sea. Mike then hears Jake calling for help, seriously injured but alive and conscious, floating in the water. The four survive the harsh encounter and make it back to land. Hoagie then flies Ellen back to Amity Island. | revenge, flashback | tt0093300 |
Zerkalo | This film does not have a storyline, but proceeds in a non-narrative, stream-of-consciousness form. To add to the confusion, several of the characters are played by the same actors. Margarita Terekhova plays the roles of Maria (the mother, also called "Masha" or "Marousia" in some of the pre-war scenes), and of Natalya (the wife of the protagonist as a young woman). Ignat Daniltsev is the protagonist at age 12 (Alyosha/Aleksei), as well as Aleksei's own son at age12 (Ignat).A précis to the film will certainly help the viewer through this labyrinth.The film takes place in three distinct time periods: Pre-war (1930s), War-time, and Post-war (1960s), and can be divided into fourteen sections, each of which takes place during one or more of these periods. In the following breakdown of sections, I will indicate the time period for the section and a brief description of the section's content.1) Post-war. The film opens with Ignat turning on the television set. The program shown is that of a therapist treating an adolescent afflicted with stuttering. The credits follow. The Music: J. S. Bach, Das Orgelbüchlein No. 16, "Das alte Jahr vergangen ist" (The old year now hath pass'd away).2) Pre-war. Edge of a field, Maria and a doctor who is passing by (Anatoly Solonitsyn) meet and converse. Voice-over of the narrator (Innokenti Smoktunovsky), who is obviously the protagonist Aleksei (he talks in the first person, plural, "we"). Arseni Tarkovsky's poem, read by the poet. Maria with the children, Alyosha and Marina, inside the dacha. Maria and children go outside to see the barn on fire.3) Pre-war. Interior night shots. Maria is washing her hair with her husband's (Oleg Yankovsky) help. Maria young/Maria old [Maria Ivanovna Vishniakova (Tarkovskaya)] looking in the mirror (time ambiguous).4) Post-war. Phone conversation between Aleksei and his mother, Maria.5) Pre-war. The printing shop incident. (Maria thinks she has made a misprint, "Shralin"-- slang for "excrement" -- for "Stalin"). Lisa (Alla Demidova), Maria's friend, tells her she reminds her of Maria Timofeyevna (Captain Lebyadkin's sister in Dostoevsky's The Devils), which leads to recriminations on Lisa's part.6) War-time. Natalya and husband quarrel. Ignat watches the Spanish tenants. Archive footage of the Spanish Civil War. Children being evacuated. A stratospheric balloon journey undertaken by a Kurdish aviator in 1937. Music: Pergolesi, Stabat Mater, No 12: "Quando corpus morietur fac ut animae donetur paradisi glori." (While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in Paradise with Thee). Ticker tape parade.7) Post-war. Ignat leafs through Leonardo da Vinci book. Natalya drops her purse. Ignat reads Pushkin's letter to Chaadayev (October 19, 1836) to two unknown women, one of whom appears to be modeled after the poet Anna Akhmatova (1898-1966). Ignat answers the door. Ignat and his father talk on the phone.8)War-time. Aleksei looks at the redhead girl (Olga Kizilova). Music: Purcell, from The Indian Queen, Act IV, "They tell us that your mighty powers." Instruction at the firing range where a rebellious Asafyev, a war orphan, keeps getting it wrong. War footage of soldiers unloading cargo. Coming from the firing range, Asafyev walks up a snowy hill. War footage of the crossing of Lake Sivash in Crimea. Poem by Arseni Tarkovsky, read by the poet. War footage of Russian tanks at the liberation of Prague, dead soldiers, artillery batteries, Bikini atomic test (1946). Asafyev stops at the top of the hill and a bird lands on his head, after which he takes it in his hand. Chinese crowd scene, the Soviet-Chinese conflict at Damansky Island, in 1969.9) War-time. Maria with husband leaving for the war. Children playing outside and quarreling. The father with the children. Music: J.S.Bach: Matthew Passion, Recitative: "Und siehe da! Der Vorhang im Tempel..." (And see there! The veil of the temple...). Cut to a picture of a Maria look-alike, "Genevra de Benci" (c. 1470), by Leonardo da Vinci.10) Post-war. Natalya and husband again quarrelling.11) Pre-war. The dacha, Maria, the children on a mat, with Aleksei voice-over. Garden scene with the children.12) Wartime/Postwar. Maria and Alyosha visit her neighbor, Nadezhda (Larisa Tarkovskaya), to sell her a pair of earrings. Levitation scene. Maria as an old woman with the children (dream). Poem by Arseni Tarkovsky, read by the poet.13) Post-war. Aleksei (narrator) on his death bed (although we never see his head), attended by a doctor and the two women from the reading of Pushkin's letter scene (Section 7). Aleksei reaches for and holds a bird in his hand.14) Pre-war. Maria and husband. Music fades in, opening number of J.S.Bach's St John Passion: Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm in allen Landen herrlich ist! (Lord, our Sovereign, whose glory in every land is magnificent!). Maria old, with young Alyosha and his sister, and Maria young, briefly in the background (dream). | mystery, psychedelic, avant garde, flashback | tt0072443 |
What Lies Beneath | Claire Spencer (Michelle Pfeiffer) lives in Vermont with her husband Dr. Norman Spencer (Harrison Ford), an accomplished scientist. After dropping her daughter Caitlin (Katharine Towne) off at college, Claire begins to notice the activities of the couple who have moved into the house next door, the Feurs.
Overhearing Mary Feur (Miranda Otto) sobbing one day, Claire becomes concerned when Mary tells her she is afraid she may disappear. When she sees Mary's husband Warren (James Remar), a colleague of Norman's at the college, dragging a suspicious form in the middle of the night and putting it in the trunk of his car, she suspects he has killed Mary. Claire decides to investigate. After nobody answers the door, Claire soon witnesses strange occurrences when she is alone in the house and becomes convinced that Mary is dead and haunting her. Desperate to reach Mary's spirit, Claire invites her friend Jody (Diana Scarwid) to join her for a séance in her bathroom. Although the séance provides no results, after Jody leaves, Claire finds a message in the bathroom's mirror that reads "You know". Hysterical, Claire rushes to the college to confront Warren, but is surprised to see that Mary is with him and has been alive the entire time. Mary visits her the next day and apologizes for the misunderstanding, explaining that she briefly left her husband because of their volatile fights with each other. Claire begins to see a therapist at the urging of Norman, who worries that her mental state is declining because of Caitlin's departure and a car accident Claire suffered a year earlier.
Despite the resolution with the Feurs, Claire continues to experience strange phenomena in her house. She sees the ghostly image of a woman in the lake from her dock, and finds a silver key beneath the screen of a floor vent. After a picture falls and breaks, Claire notices a newspaper clipping about a missing girl named Madison Elizabeth Frank (Amber Valletta). She learns that Madison attended the university where Norman works, and that the police assumed she simply ran away a year ago. Norman comes home and Claire seduces him as Madison during the tryst, causing Norman to push her away. Claire comes to herself and the memory of her own car accident returns as she remembers that she had caught Norman and Madison together. Distraught by the discovery, she had crashed her car into a tree while driving in a rain storm.
Outraged by Norman's infidelity, Claire spends the night with Jody, who confirms to Claire that she too had her suspicions of Norman's infidelity when she spotted him with the girl in the nearby town of Adamant. The next morning Claire is called by the police, after Norman is nearly electrocuted by a hair dryer that fell into the bathtub while he was taking a shower. Claire is convinced that it was an attempt by Madison to take revenge, and that her spirit has now been appeased. Norman confesses to Claire that while he did have an affair with the girl, he played no part in her disappearance.
Seemingly reconciled with Norman, Claire visits Adamant, where she spots the same key-necklace in a shop window along with a chest it unlocks. That night, she dives into the lake and uncovers the box, unlocking it with the key and finding the matching necklace. Norman interrupts her and alters his story: after breaking off his affair with Madison she was so distraught that she committed suicide by overdosing on pills in the Spencer house. In a panic, he placed Madison's body into her car, which he then pushed into the lake, and threw the chest with his matching necklace in it into the lake as well.
Claire is unmoved by Norman's explanation and tells him the only way to make it right is to notify the police and bring Madison's body up from the lake. Norman pretends to speak with the police on the phone and agrees for an officer to come to the house. When he leaves to take a shower, Claire redials the phone and discovers that he never placed the call. Norman grabs her from behind and sedates her with a paralyzing drug. He drags her to the bathtub and leaves her to drown in the rising water, so that she will appear to have committed suicide. In the midst of this Norman then confesses to Claire that his previous story had been a lie: he killed Madison to prevent her from going to the Dean about the affair and ruining his career. He intimates that he hopes Claire's death will bring him closer to her daughter Caitlin. As he leans in for a final kiss, he spots Madison's necklace around Claire's neck and tries to remove it. Claire's face takes on the image of the dead Madison, and in shock Norman slips on the floor and bangs his head on the rim of the tub, knocking him out.
Claire, recovering from the paralysis, barely manages to shut the tap off and save herself from drowning. When she regains her strength she finds that Norman is missing from the bathroom floor. She crawls down the stairs to the phone, and notices Norman apparently unconscious, his head bleeding profusely. As she reaches over him and attempts to make a phone call, he grabs her ankle and in a blind panic she rushes out of the house, grabbing the car keys and a cellular phone and driving away in a truck with the couple's sailboat hitched to the back. As she is crossing the bridge over Lake Champlain, Norman bursts through the back window and grabs Claire; she frantically dials 911 and the truck careens down the embankment into the lake.
Underwater, Claire escapes out the window, but Norman grabs her leg. A ghost-like decaying body, grabs Norman and forces him to release Claire's leg, allowing Claire to escape. Norman drowns while staring into the dead face of the woman he killed. Madison's body floats to the surface of the lake as the truck dislodges Madison's own sports car.
That winter, Claire places a single red rose on Madison's grave. | suspenseful, gothic, murder, paranormal, horror, haunting, revenge | tt0161081 |
Gravity | In 2014/2015, bio-medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a Mission Specialist on her first space shuttle mission, STS-157. She is on a spacewalk repairing a panel on the Hubble Space Telescope, accompanied by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is commanding his final expedition. Mission Control (voice of Ed Harris) suddenly instructs them to abort their spacewalk and return to the STS. Houston tells them that debris from a Russian missile strike on a defunct satellite has caused a chain reaction, destroying other satellites, and a huge debris field is heading right at them. Within a couple of minutes, they lose contact with Mission Control, though Stone and Kowalski continue to transmit "in the blind", hoping that the ground crew can hear them.High-speed debris strike the STS, sending it spinning wildly, with Stone at the end of the boom arm. A piece of debris breaks the robot arm off from the STS, and Stone is forced to release the tether holding her to the robot arm. Once free, she is thrown far from the STS. Stone panics, trying to contact Houston or Kowalski. Kowalski, who is wearing a thruster pack, suddenly appears and attaches her tether to him. He flies them back to the STS; on the way they find the engineer Shariff (Phaldut Sharma), his helmet smashed and his skull mostly open and empty. They find that the STS Explorer has been catastrophically damaged. The shuttle's interior has been ripped open by debris and the remainder of crew are dead. Kowalski decides to use the thruster pack to get to the International Space Station (ISS), which is in orbit about 100 km (60 mi) away. Kowalski estimates they have 90 minutes before the debris field completes an orbit and threatens them again.With Stone's oxygen reserve running low, they float through space to the ISS. Kowalski asks Stone about her life back home and learns that her daughter died in a schoolyard accident. As they approach the slightly damaged ISS, they see that its crew has already evacuated in one of the Soyuz modules and that the parachute of the other Soyuz, designated TMA-14M, has accidentally deployed, making it useless for return to Earth. Kowalski says that the Soyuz can still be used to travel to Tiangong, the nearby Chinese space station, to retrieve another module that can take them to Earth. All but out of air and maneuvering fuel for the thruster pack, the two try to grab onto the ISS as they zoom by. The tether holding them together breaks and at the last moment, Stone's leg becomes entangled in the Soyuz's parachute lines. Stone grabs Kowalski's tether, just barely stopping him from flying off into space. Kowalski realizes that his momentum will carry them both away, and over Stone's protests, he decouples his end of the tether so that Stone can survive. The tension in the lines pulls her back towards the ISS. As Kowalski floats away, he radios her with additional instructions about how to get to the Chinese space station, encouraging her to continue her survival mission.Stone enters the ISS through an airlock and gets out of the spacesuit. She begins to get familiarized with the ISS when an alarm suddenly alerts her to a fire. She makes her way to the module where the fire is and attempts to put it out, but she is momentarily stunned when the force of the extinguisher thrusts her backward into the bulkhead. She recovers and knocks the flames down again and pushes through them towards the Soyuz. With the fire closing in, she closes the hatch, pulling in the fire extinguisher at the last moment when it blocks the hatch. She separates from the ISS only to find that the Soyuz's parachute lines are entangled in the station's rigging. She dons a Soviet spacesuit and exits the spacecraft to release the cables when the debris field completes its orbit. Clinging to the Soyuz, the ISS is destroyed around her. Free of the ISS and the parachute lines, Stone reenters the spacecraft and aligns it with Tiangong. She fires the thrusters but the fuel gauge is wrong: the tanks are empty. Stone realizes she is stranded and believes she'll die. After listening to an Inuit fisherman named Aningaaq (voice of Orto Ignatiussen) on the ground speak to her, she slows the oxygen flow which will cause her to fall into unconsciousness from lack of oxygen before she dies. As she begins to lose consciousness, Kowalski suddenly appears outside, opens the spacecraft lock, and enters the cabin. He cheerfully asks her if she wants to live or die. He tells her to use the Soyuz's landing rockets to reach Tiangong. As she returns to full consciousness, Kowalski is gone, part of a hallucinatory dream. Stone restores the flow of oxygen and uses the landing thrusters to navigate towards Tiangong.With no fuel to slow or to dock the Soyuz with the Chinese station, Stone ejects herself from the Soyuz via explosive decompression. She uses the remaining pressure in the fire extinguisher as a makeshift thruster to push herself towards Tiangong, which has also been abandoned. She enters the Tiangong space station and makes her way through its interior to the Shenzhou capsule. The Tiangong station's orbit has deteriorated due to hits by the debris field and it begins to break up on the upper edge of the atmosphere. Stone is unable to separate the capsule from the space station, and she resigns herself to her fate, whatever it may be.As the space stations begins to break up, the Shenzhou capsule is broken off from the station, and Stone fires the device that separates the capsule from the rest of the spacecraft. As the capsule falls towards earth, it rights itself and descends through the atmosphere. The radio crackles with traffic from Mission Control, who are tracking the capsule, and tell her that rescue is on its way. The chute automatically deploys and Stone lands in a lake near the shore. The cabin is full of smoke, and after she blows the hatch the capsule tilts, allowing water to enter. Just when she thought she was safe, she's unable to exit the capsule. The capsule sinks to the bottom with Stone inside. Stone finds a bubble of air inside the capsule and exits the capsule, shedding her spacesuit so she can get to the surface. She swims to shore and with difficulty, gets up and takes a few shaky steps. | suspenseful, realism, atmospheric, flashback | tt1454468 |
Jersey Boys | Belleville, New Jersey, 1961.Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) walks in to tell the audience that he's the one to go to for the real story. He claims that if it wasn't for him, he and his friends would have wound up in someone's trunk with a bullet in their heads. He goes over to the barbershop to meet with his friend Frankie Castelluccio (John Lloyd Young), performing his first shave on Gyp DeCarlo (Christopher Walken), a mob man that is known to take care of business for Frankie and his friends. Tommy's surprise entrance startles Frankie and he accidentally nicks Gyp's cheek, but he brushes it off.After Tommy drops Gyp off, he goes to Frankie's home after he has dinner with his parents. His mother doesn't like the type of friends Frankie is hanging out with. Tommy takes him out, saying they're going to practice for something at the high school, when in reality they, along with Tommy's brother Nicky (Johnny Cannizzaro), are stealing a vault. The DeVitos try hauling it into Frankie's car, but it is far too heavy. Frankie tries to drive the car with the vault weighing it down, and he ends up crashing through the window of a store. The three boys hightail it out of there.Tommy, Nicky, and their friend Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) play at a club as The Variety Trio. Tommy invites Frankie up onstage to sing. His falsetto voice catches the attention of a pretty redhead in the audience. Backstage, Tommy tells Frankie there are two types of women out there - Type A, which will immediately jump into bed with a man and then break his balls, and Type B, which will need to be wined and dined before breaking any balls. Frankie decides to pick up the redhead and take her out, only to be stopped by the police for the attempted robbery.Frankie, Tommy, and Nicky are taken to court. Frankie's parents order Tommy to stay away from their son, and he is sent to six months at a correctional facility. He is welcomed back pleasantly.Nick brings Frankie and a date to break into a church. They get to the organ and start singing a tune together, which the nun in the church hears. She brings in a cop, who arrests Nick. Just as Tommy is getting out, Nick is going in.A while later, when nobody is in prison, the boys play at the club again. Frankie spots a gorgeous girl named Mary Delgado (Renee Marino), who is with another man. Though Tommy warns Frankie about her, Frankie tells him to find a way to get rid of her boyfriend. Tommy gets the bartender to get him out, leaving Frankie room to talk to her. They go have dinner together, where Frankie says he's changed his last name to Vally. Mary tells him that it should be with an "I" since he's Italian and because "Y" is a useless letter ("Is it a vowel or a consonant?"). She takes him to bed, and not long after, the two are married.Frankie is later driving in his car with two goons named Stosh (James Madio) and Donnie (Jeremy Luke). The two of them get into an argument that ends with Donnie supposedly shooting Stosh in the head and killing him. A freaked-out Frankie is told to run out, while Stosh sits up, laughing. Frankie runs to Tommy about this. Tommy says it's a scam so that they can collect money to make it go away. Otherwise, in a real shooting, all the witnesses would be killed. The boys go to Gyp to make this go away, and he tells Stosh and Donnie to never go near Frankie again.With Nicky out of the group (now called The Four Lovers), Tommy learns from his good friend Joey Pesci (Joseph Russo) about a singer-songwriter named Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), who had a hit with the song "Short Shorts". They bring in Bob to check the band perform at the club, where he hears Frankie singing, and he declares to the audience (he's taken over the narration) that he must write for this voice. Bob shows the boys a piece of music he wrote, "Cry For Me", which they all begin to perform in front of the waitresses, who are attracted to Bob. Tommy sends them away and tries to negotiate with Bob and Frankie in regards to letting Bob in. Bob wants a four-way split, which Tommy is not cool with. Frankie is fine with it and threatens to leave the group if Tommy doesn't agree. He relents and lets Bob join.The boys try to send their demos to publishers, with nobody interested in listening to them as they go to the studio. Frankie and Bob run into an old friend of Frankie's, the flamboyant Bob Crewe (Mike Doyle), who takes them to a party and later signs them for a contract. After a year, however, Bob realizes the group is just doing backup vocals for other musicians. Crewe tells them that they don't have a unique name or sound just yet.The boys try to play at the bowling alley, but the manager (Billy Gardell) sends them out since he recognizes Tommy for fixing the pins on games. Outside, the neon sign lights up, with the bowling alley's name, Four Seasons, inspiring the boys to name their group after that. Bob then writes a new piece of music, "Sherry", which they sing for Crewe over the phone. Crewe, enchanted by Frankie's voice, tells his assistant to double Frankie's sound.Soon, the radio cannot stop playing "Sherry", and The Four Seasons become sensational. Their next two singles, "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man" hit #1. The boys start enjoying their lavish lifestyles, with Tommy bringing in a girl to help Bob get laid. However, the constant touring and cavorting with women leads Mary to think Frankie is unfaithful, so she kicks him out. He shares one last night with his daughter Francine (Elizabeth Hunter), before leaving the next morning and saying goodbye to his other two daughters.Trouble begins to stir when the boys perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. Frankie is approached by a loan shark named Norman Waxman (Donnie Kehr), who says that Tommy owes him $150,000. As they play the show, Nick (now the narrator) tells the audience that trouble started long before this.Two years earlier, as the boys play at the Ohio State Fair, they are arrested after they learn that Tommy defrauded a hotel they stayed at, owing them $120. Frankie's faith in Tommy dwindles, and it only gets worse after they are both interviewed by a pretty reporter named Lorraine (Erica Piccininni). Frankie meets with her first and starts a relationship with her, and after she meets Tommy, he hits on her, infuriating Frankie. He stops talking to Tommy, which the latter can't understand, as he feels he's been good to him. Though Nick tells the audience that if you think Frankie would have cut Tommy loose then and there, you're not from Jersey.The boys meet with their lawyer so that the money-handling can be transferred to Bob. In a fit of rage, Tommy smashes a chair on the desk. In the present time, Frankie goes to Gyp for help with Tommy's debt. Moved by his devotion to his friend, Gyp doesn't take Frankie's money and says he'll see what he can do. Together, the boys, along with Gyp and Waxman gather and discuss Tommy's debts, which go further when Tommy admits he took money from their tax account, amounting to about half a million. Frankie says the band will pay off the debt together. Nick, having had enough of Tommy's shit, quits the group. It is then decided that Tommy will be sent to Vegas for the mob to keep an eye out on him.With only Frankie and Bob left, the two struggle to find gigs to play, as well as making money to pay off the debts. Frankie receives a phone call from Mary, prompting him to return to Jersey. He learns that Francine (now played by Freya Tingley) has run off to the city. She is brought back by one of Frankie's friends. Frankie meets Francine at a restaurant and encourages her to become a singer, with Crewe being able to sign her. After a while, Frankie and Bob finally pay off the debts to Waxman. Frankie receives his weekly phone call from Francine, only to find that it's a policeman answering, telling him that Francine has died from an apparent overdose. Distraught, Frankie is reluctant to play anymore songs that Bob has written.Following Francine's death, Frankie gets back to singing, starting with "Can't Take My Eyes Off You". It starts off slow, and then builds into a bigger song, which he plays to amused crowds.Fast forward to 1990 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Frankie, Bob, and Nick have reunited. Tommy makes a surprise appearance and reconciles with Frankie. They perform "Sherry", during which each of them give testimonies. Tommy now works for Joe Pesci. Nick explains his leaving the group as a moment of pride and a desire to go home. Frankie says he'll never forget how his experience with the guys started. Bob says he doesn't care where people thinks he came from, and that he's happy to live in Nashville with his wife. We then see the boys in their younger selves performing "Who Loves You".The film ends with the entire cast performing "December 1963 (Oh What A Night)". | neo noir, historical, flashback | tt1742044 |
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains | Corinne Burns is a seventeen-year-old girl whose mother has recently died from lung cancer. Working in a fast food restaurant to help support herself and her younger sister, Corinne is interviewed by a local television station for a story about her town's dwindling economy. During the interview, Corinne becomes angry and belligerent towards the reporter, eventually lashing out at her boss and getting fired. The segment resonates with the station's teenage viewers, who see Corinne as a kindred spirit. The station does a follow-up interview, which primarily consists of Corinne acting flippant and making sarcastic remarks to the journalist. However, she does manage to slip in a plug for her garage band "The Stains", which consists of her, her sister Tracy, and their cousin Jessica.
Emboldened by appearing on television, Corinne attends a concert put on by small-time promoter Lawnboy, featuring the washed-up metal band the Metal Corpses and their opening act, an up-and-coming punk band called the Looters. Eager to end hostilities between the jaded Metal Corpses and the hedonistic Looters, Lawnboy signs the Stains without having heard them perform. Corinne and the Stains join the bands on tour, witnessing firsthand the bands' animosity towards one another, largely the result of the conflict between the aging Lou, the frontman for the Metal Corpses, and Billy, the Looters' volatile lead singer.
At their first show, the Stains prove to be completely inept as a band: Neither Jessica nor Tracy can play instruments, and Corinne sings in an off-key monotone. The audience reacts angrily, prompting Corinne to lash out at them for a variety of real and perceived faults. After the show, the Metal Corpses' guitar player is found dead in the bathroom; the Metal Corpses decide to leave the tour, with Lawnboy making the Looters the new headliners with the Stains as their opening act. A dissatisfied Billy asks Lawnboy to replace the Stains as soon as possible.
At their next show, Corinne debuts a new, more extreme punk look, with hair dyed to resemble a skunk and a see-through blouse worn over a pair of bikini briefs. Claiming that she "never puts out," she goes on another tirade, garnering media attention. While male journalists focus on Corinne's antisocial attitude and the band's lack of talent, female journalists perceive Corinne's rants as calls for female empowerment and hail the Stains as a new voice of feminism. Soon after, the Stains become a national sensation, with girls all over the country emulating Corinne in every way possible, from dying their hair to running away from home.
At a tour stop, Billy and Corinne get a motel room, where Billy attempts to seduce Corinne by sharing his feelings about the band and his own frustrations as an artist. Over the course of their conversation, Billy recites the lyrics to a song, "Join the Professionals," which sums up his most personal feelings about the state of the world. (This was an actual song written and previously recorded by Jones and Cook's post-Pistols band, The Professionals.) At their next stop, the band is met by Lawnboy's agent, Dave Robell, with the intended replacement act for the Stains (Black Randy and the Metrosquad). Although Billy tells Corinne that he only wanted her replaced early on in the tour, Corinne lashes out at him, and at the Stains' next show, she plagiarizes Billy's song, which skyrockets the band to even further stardom. With Robell's encouragement, Corinne signs a new contract, cutting Lawnboy out of any royalties and making the Stains the new headliners of the tour.
At the Stains' first show, Billy delivers a speech to the crowd about how the Stains have betrayed their "never put out" mantra by becoming corporate sell outs; when the Stains come onstage, the fans riot, and Corinne is attacked by a girl with a tube of hair dye. The tour becomes a financial disaster and Robell cancels the Stains' contract. Corinne responds by attacking him with a bottle opener and robbing him of the money he has in his wallet; Corinne then presents it to Lawnboy as an apology.
The next morning, Corinne appears on television, where a journalist chastises her for having been a poor role model to her fans. Billy apologies for ruining Corinne's career and asks her to come back as the Looters' opening act. Corinne refuses; as she wanders the streets, she overhears a radio broadcast identifying the Stains' first song as a hit record. Some time in the future, the Stains make their MTV debut, having become a successful act on Lawnboy's new record label. | cult, satire | tt0082639 |
Vampire | A neglected site in San Francisco is about to get new life as the
Bryant Park Development Project unfolds. In attendance at the dedication
ceremony are the designing architects, John [Jason Miller] and Leslie [Kathryn Harrold] Rawlins, who bow
their heads proudly but reverently as Father Hanley [Scott Paulin] blesses the
newly-unveiled cross which is to form the foundation of the new Saint
Sebastian's Church and the cornerstone of the schools and apartments yet
to be built. Also in attendance is retired detective Harry Kilcoyne [E.G. Marshall] who
notices, after the blessing is over, the bulldozers are revving up, and
the attendees are filing away, that the ground is smoking where the shadow
of the cross falls on it. How odd. Later that night, unseen by no one, a
naked body crawls out of the smoking hole.A month passes. At a party thrown by the Rawlins, Leslie is
introduced by her lawyer friend Nicole DeCamp [Jessica Walter] to a new beau, Anton Voytek [Richard Lynch],
tall, blonde, handsome, stately, and rich. Voytek is an expert in art and
is able to tell Leslie about the model in one of the paintings she
acquired in Paris. As Nicole and Anton are leaving, Anton tells John that
he has an interesting proposition to present to him and offers to treat
the Rawlins to a night at the ballet so that they can talk about it.
Unfortunately, Anton is unable to keep the date, but he asks Nicole to
present the project to John and Leslie. It appears that Anton's family
were wealthy Europeans who had millions of dollars of valuable artwork by
artists such as Donatello, Botticelli, and da Vinci, which they smuggled
into the U.S. during the war and buried in caverns under the Heidecker
estate, the very place where Byrant Park is being erected. Voytek wants
the Rawlins to halt the development project temporarily and dig up the
family treasure.The next day, as John tries to make heads or tails out of some
blueprints of the underground caverns, Leslie visits the art museum and
learns that all the artworks on Anton's list are bona fide...and they've
been reported stolen from museums and collections around the world. Work
on Bryant Park stops, the artwork is recovered along with a human skull
and a rosary, and Voytek is arrested. As the police lead him away, Voytek
turns to John and says, "I trusted you, Rawlins, and that trust cost me
everything I treasure. I assure you that you will be repaid...in kind."Voytek spends the night in jail, but Nicole bails him out just before
dawn. Without a word of thanks, he takes off running down the street and
makes it to his light-tight apartment just as he starts to smoke in the
morning sun. That night, he pays a visit to the Rawlins's house, catching
Leslie as she prepares to leave. She invites him in for just a moment, and
so starts the seduction. By the time John returns home, Voytek has killed
Leslie and mutilated her body. Unfortunately, the police cannot tie Voytek
to the scene, and Nicole swears that Anton was with her all evening.
In his anger and anguish, John breaks into Voytek's apartment just as
he is waking in his coffin. John realizes that Voytek is a vampire and
tears out of there. However, a neighbor calls the police, and John is
taken to jail. His friend and colleague Christopher Bell [Michael Tucker] bails him out. On
his way out, John is spotted by Harry Kilcoyne. Harry follows John and is
intrigued when John goes to the library and takes out a lot of books about
vampires, so intrigued, in fact, that when he learns John has been taken
to a mental hospital armed with crosses and stakes, Harry goes to see him.
Unfortunately, Voytek has gotten there first. Just as Voytek bends over
John, who is helplessly strapped to his bed, Harry enters the room. Voytek
leaps out the window.Turns out that Harry has had doings with Voytek in the past and also
suspects that Voytek is a vampire. Later, as John and Harry share a drink
in Harry's living room, Harry tells John the story. Back in 1939, Harry
and his cop buddy Maurice Bernier were assigned to investigate a series of
murders in the Bryant Park area. In each case, the victim's throat was
torn out, but there was never any blood found. At first, they thought they
were looking for a homicidal maniac. However, Bernier eventually came to
believe it was the work of a vampire. Bernier took an early retirement,
became a priest, and founded the first St Sebastian Church a stone's throw
away from the Heidecker estate. Harry went off to war. When he got back,
Bernier had vanished. It is Harry's assumption that Bernier, along with
his rosary, trapped Voytek in the caverns under the Heidecker estate.
Rather than face his own destruction, Voytek brought down the whole estate
on top of them both, killing Bernier and trapping Voytek there for the
past 40 years, releasing him now because of the new construction.Just as John and Harry come to realize that they're going to have to
band together to hunt Voytek, there comes a knock on their door. It's
little Tommy Parker [Adam Starr] from across the hall and his mother Andrea [Barrie Youngfellow]. Andrea is
late for work and is wondering whether Harry can babysit Tommy. After
Harry gets Tommy in bed, John tells Harry what he's learned about Voytek
from the books he's been reading. There are stories about a golden-haired
vampire from as far back as the 13th century in what is now Hungary. John
thinks they refer to Voytek, making him over 700 years old!Harry suggests that their first act should be to contact casket
companies in the morning, looking for a large purchase by one individual,
on the hunch that Voytek would have several places of sanctuary. The next
step will be to track down the locations of these caskets and, even if
they don't find Voytek in them, to make them uninhabitable for him. When
Andrea returns to take Tommy home, Harry presents her with the gift of a
crucifix that once belonged to his dead wife and asks her to send Tommy a
week early to visit his father in Arizona.The next day, Harry picks up a few vials of holy water and has a
friend fashion some stakes for him. Tommy takes off for Arizona, after
Andrea places Harry's crucifix on Tommy's neck. John discovers that five
caskets for theatrical use were ordered by Maurice Bernier and delivered
to 635A Howard Street. At the Howard Street address, which turns out to be
a theater, Harry and John find a casket. When they open it, they are
horrified to find it contains Leslie's body. At first, John cannot drive
the stake. After a little prompting from Harry, he does the deed.Meanwhile, Harry has asked a friend of his to keep his eye on Andrea
at the disco where she works. It's closing time, and Harry is a bit late
picking her up, so she accepts a ride in the limo of a friend of one of
her coworkers. After the driver drops off the coworker, Voytek gets in.
When Harry finally gets to the disco, he finds that his friend has been
murdered and Andrea is gone. He hurries back to his apartment to see if
Andrea has gotten home safely. Instead, he gets a phone call from Voytek
who informs Harry that he has captured Andrea.Now it becomes even more imperative to step up their search for
Voytek. First stop is Nichole's house. Nicole looks pretty bedraggled, but
she reluctantly gives John a list of properties that Voytek has recently
purchased through her. John warns Nicole to get away from Voytek, and then
he and Harry set out to visit each one of the properties, looking for
Voytek's coffins and making them uninhabitable. The first stop is Voytek's
Nob Hill apartment, but he has totally vacated the premises. Next top is
an old mill, followed by the old Heidecker brewery, where they find
nothing but empty coffins. It's getting late in the day when they finally
reach the last property way up the coast in Mendocito...five acres of an
old cemetery where they must search for the Heidecker family vault.The sun has gone down. Voytek rises from his coffin and wakes up
Andrea just as Harry and John enter the vault. Andrea screams at them to
go away, but they are determined to end it here and now, even though
Voytek promises to go away and never return. As Voytek threatens them with
his plans to destroy everyone they love, including Tommy, Harry slowly
unscrews the lid on one of his vials of holy water. As Voytek drones on,
Harry tosses the water at him. Then, they attack Voytek with crosses, but
Voytek overpowers them and gets away. Andrea returns to her senses."We're safe for tonight," Harry says."It's not over," John says.Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl. | paranormal, gothic, murder | tt0080079 |
Mr. & Mrs. Smith | DAVID and ANN SMITH have a volatile marriage, to say the least. They also have several "rules" concerning their marriage. One is that they will not leave their room until they've patched up after a quarrel. The latest goes on for three days. David, a lawyer, hangs up his whole STAFF while the bickering couple patch it up.Once they've made up, they're back at the usual loving bickering. They also have a rule that once a day they can ask the other a question in which they must answer honestly. Mrs. Smith asks her beloved: "If they could do it all over again, would he marry her?" Mr. Smith, believing honesty is the best policy, tells her "No," which is decidedly the wrong answer.That afternoon, MR. DEEVER comes to see David. An officious man, Deever informs David that because of a legal technicality, he and his wife aren't legally married. They'll have to marry again. David's somewhat amused by the whole idea, not realizing that Mr. Deever also goes to see Ann, telling her the same thing.David takes Ann out for a romantic evening, going to the restaurant they used to attend, which has now become somewhat of a hovel. Further, the dress that Ann wore when they were courting doesn't quite fit. When David takes Ann up to the apartment and appears intent upon still sleeping with her, Ann is outraged when she realizes he, too, knows they aren't legally married and intends taking "advantage."Furious, Ann tosses him out of their apartment. David seeks solace at a local club, where carousing member CHUCK BENSON gives him advice. Now David finds himself in a peculiar position. Having stated that morning to Ann that he might not marry her again if he had it to do over, he now has the chance "not" to be married but now realizes he does want to be married to her, after all.Thus, David pursues her all over town. Unfortunately, Ann will have none of it. When he threatens to cut her off financially, Ann allows that she's taken a job at a department store. David tries to drag her away physically from her new position. Ann loses the job anyway, when her BOSS realizes she's married, which is against store policy.Meanwhile, David abandons his work, getting behind in his cases. His partner, JEFF, asks to make a dinner date with Ann, hoping to straighten everything out, but, to David's chagrin, Ann shows interest in Jeff and begins dating him. David retaliates by going out with some FLOOZIES arranged by club member chuck Benson, everyone ending up at the same club. David tries to extract himself from the embarrassing situation by giving himself a bloody nose - not an easy task, requiring that he bop himself in the face a few times.Ann leaves with Jeff, angry that David's "date" is acting like Florence Nightingale. Ann and Jeff attend an amusement park, getting stuck in a ride in the rain. Jeff starts getting a cold. They go back to Ann's apartment, where Jeff proves ever the gentleman, reluctant to make any moves on Ann. When he has a few drinks, he only gets goofy and she leaves.The following day, David continues following Ann, this time by cab, pretending to the CABBIE that he's a private detective. He follows her into his law office, finding her in partner Jeff's office, along with Jeff's PARENTS. David finds out that Jeff's Parents consider their son engaged to Ann, so David, determined to break this up, starts making it sound as though Ann's a problem. Horrified, Jeff's Parents start believing she's on the "trashy" side.Ann and Jeff travel to Lake Placid to meet Jeff's Parents. When they arrive, they find they've been relegated to remote adjoining cabins. David shows up, frozen in the snow, collapsing in front of them. They rush him to a warm bed, where he prattles on, apparently only half conscious. Ann feels sorry for him.When Jeff sees how connected they still are, he politely agrees to withdraw his offer of marriage. Ann is torn, but when she realizes that David is just faking being sick, she's furious with him, confronting him. The two have one of their royal fights. But later, after dinner, Ann worries about David, telling Jeff she intends to make him dislike her once and for all. While David's in an adjoining cabin, Ann pretends that she and Jeff are more intimate than they really are.David rushes in, realizes that she's only pretending. Furious, Ann wants David to stand up to David, but he doesn't. Jeff's Parents show up as all parties are entangled in this most sticky romantic mess. But the bickering David and Ann end up together, after Ann, hoping to escape him on skis, becomes trapped in a room with him when he knocks her back into a chair, skis akimbo. As with their rule, they won't leave the room until they've made up. After a few angry words, Ann begins to calm down and soon they begin to kiss | comedy | tt0033922 |
A Tale of Two Cities | === Book the First: Recalled to Life ===
Dickens's famous opening sentence introduces the universal approach of the book, the French Revolution, and the drama depicted within:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
In 1775, a man flags down the nightly mail-coach on its route from London to Dover. The man is Jerry Cruncher, an employee of Tellson's Bank in London; he carries a message for Jarvis Lorry, a passenger and one of the bank's managers. Mr. Lorry sends Jerry back to deliver a cryptic response to the bank: "Recalled to Life." The message refers to Alexandre Manette, a French physician who has been released from the Bastille after an 18-year imprisonment. Once Mr. Lorry arrives in Dover, he meets with Dr. Manette's daughter Lucie and her governess, Miss Pross. Lucie has believed her father to be dead, and faints at the news that he is alive; Mr. Lorry takes her to France to reunite with him.
In the Paris neighborhood of Saint Antoine, Dr. Manette has been given lodgings by his former servant Ernest Defarge and his wife Therese, owners of a wine shop. Mr. Lorry and Lucie find him in a small garret, where he spends much of his time making shoes—a skill he learned in prison, which he uses to distract himself from his thoughts, and which has become an obsession for him. He does not recognize Lucie at first but does eventually see the resemblance to her mother through her blue eyes and long golden hair, a strand of which he found on his sleeve when he was imprisoned. Mr. Lorry and Lucie take him back to England.
=== Book the Second: The Golden Thread ===
In 1780, French émigré Charles Darnay is on trial for treason against the British Crown. The key witnesses against him are two British spies, John Barsad and Roger Cly, who claim that Darnay gave information about British troops in North America to the French. Barsad states that he would recognize Darnay anywhere, at which point Darnay's defense counsel, Stryver, directs attention to Sydney Carton, a barrister present in the courtroom who looks almost identical to him. With Barsad's eyewitness testimony now discredited, Darnay is acquitted.
In Paris, the hated and abusive Marquis St. Evrémonde orders his carriage driven recklessly fast through the crowded streets, hitting and killing the child of a peasant, Gaspard. The Marquis throws a coin to Gaspard to compensate him for his loss, and Defarge comforts the distraught father, having observed the incident. As the Marquis's coach drives off, the coin is flung back into his coach by an unknown hand, enraging the Marquis.
Arriving at his country château, the marquis meets with his nephew and heir, Darnay. Out of disgust with his aristocratic family, Darnay has shed his real surname and adopted an anglicized version of his mother's maiden name, D'Aulnais. The following passage records the Marquis' principles of aristocratic superiority:
"Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend," observed the Marquis, "will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof," looking up to it, "shuts out the sky."
That night, Gaspard, who followed the Marquis to his château by riding on the underside of the carriage, stabs and kills him in his sleep. Gaspard leaves a note on the knife saying, "Drive him fast to his tomb. This, from JACQUES." After nearly a year on the run, he is caught and hanged above the village well.
In London, Darnay gets Dr. Manette's permission to wed Lucie; but Carton confesses his love to Lucie as well. Knowing she will not love him in return, Carton promises to "embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you". Stryver, the barrister who defended Darnay and with whom Carton has a working relationship, considers proposing marriage to Lucie, but Mr. Lorry talks him out of the idea.
On the morning of the marriage, Darnay reveals his real name and family lineage to Dr. Manette, a detail he had been asked to withhold until that day. In consequence, Dr. Manette reverts to his obsessive shoemaking after the couple leave for their honeymoon. He returns to sanity before their return, and the whole incident is kept secret from Lucie. Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross destroy the shoemaking bench and tools, which Dr. Manette had brought with him from Paris.
As time passes in England, Lucie and Charles begin to raise a family, a son (who dies in childhood) and a daughter, little Lucie. Mr. Lorry finds a second home and a sort of family with the Darnays. Stryver marries a rich widow with three children and becomes even more insufferable as his ambitions begin to be realized. Carton, even though he seldom visits, is accepted as a close friend of the family and becomes a special favourite of little Lucie.
In July 1789, the Defarges help to lead the storming of the Bastille, a symbol of royal tyranny. Defarge enters Dr. Manette's former cell, "One Hundred and Five, North Tower," and searches it thoroughly. Throughout the countryside, local officials and other representatives of the aristocracy are dragged from their homes to be killed, and the St. Evrémonde château is burned to the ground.
In 1792, Mr. Lorry decides to travel to Paris to collect important documents from the Tellson's branch in that city and bring them to London for safekeeping against the chaos of the French Revolution. Darnay intercepts a letter written by Gabelle, one of his uncle's servants who has been imprisoned by the revolutionaries, pleading for the Marquis to help secure his release. Without telling his family or revealing his position as the new Marquis, Darnay sets out for Paris.
=== Book the Third: The Track of a Storm ===
Shortly after Darnay arrives in Paris, he is denounced for being an emigrated aristocrat from France and jailed in La Force Prison. Dr. Manette, Lucie, little Lucie, Jerry, and Miss Pross travel to Paris and meet Mr. Lorry to try to free Darnay. A year and three months pass, and Darnay is finally tried.
Dr. Manette, viewed as a hero for his imprisonment in the Bastille, testifies on Darnay's behalf at his trial. Darnay is released, only to be arrested again later that day. A new trial begins on the following day, under new charges brought by the Defarges and a third individual who is soon revealed as Dr. Manette. He had written an account of his imprisonment at the hands of Darnay's father and hidden it in his cell; Defarge found it while searching the cell during the storming of the Bastille.
While running errands with Jerry, Miss Pross is amazed to see her long-lost brother Solomon, but he does not want to be recognized in public. Carton suddenly steps forward from the shadows and identifies Solomon as Barsad, one of the spies who tried to frame Darnay for treason at his trial in 1780. Jerry remembers that he has seen Solomon with Cly, the other key witness at the trial and that Cly had faked his death to escape England. By threatening to denounce Solomon to the revolutionary tribunal as a Briton, Carton blackmails him into helping with a plan.
At the tribunal, Defarge identifies Darnay as the nephew of the dead Marquis St. Evrémonde and reads Dr. Manette's letter. Defarge had learned Darnay's lineage from Solomon during the latter's visit to the wine shop several years earlier. The letter describes Dr. Manette's imprisonment at the hands of Darnay's father and uncle for trying to report their crimes against a peasant family. Darnay's uncle had become infatuated with a girl, whom he had kidnapped and raped; despite Dr. Manette's attempt to save her, she died. The uncle killed her husband by working him to death, and her father died from a heart attack on being informed of what had happened. Before he died defending the family honour, the brother of the raped peasant had hidden the last member of the family, his younger sister. The Evrémonde brothers imprisoned Dr. Manette after he refused their offer of a bribe to keep quiet. He concludes his letter by condemning the Evrémondes, "them and their descendants, to the last of their race." Dr. Manette is horrified, but he is not allowed to retract his statement. Darnay is sent to the Conciergerie and sentenced to be guillotined the next day.
Carton wanders into the Defarges' wine shop, where he overhears Madame Defarge talking about her plans to have both Lucie and little Lucie condemned. Carton discovers that Madame Defarge was the surviving sister of the peasant family savaged by the Evrémondes. At night, when Dr. Manette returns, shattered after spending the day in many failed attempts to save Darnay's life, he falls into an obsessive search for his shoemaking implements. Carton urges Lorry to flee Paris with Lucie, her father, and Little Lucie, asking them to leave as soon as he joins them in the coach.
Shortly before the executions are to begin, Solomon sneaks Carton into the prison for a visit with Darnay. The two men trade clothes, and Carton drugs Darnay and has Solomon carry him out. Carton has decided to be executed in his place and has given his own identification papers to Mr. Lorry to present on Darnay's behalf. Following Carton's earlier instructions, the family and Mr. Lorry flee to England with the unconscious Darnay, but not before receiving a note from Carton which allows them to pass the France border.
Meanwhile, Madame Defarge, armed with a dagger and pistol, goes to the Manette residence, hoping to apprehend Lucie and little Lucie and bring them in for execution. However, the family is already gone and Miss Pross stays behind to confront and delay Madame Defarge. As the two women struggle, Madame Defarge's pistol discharges, killing her and causing Miss Pross to go permanently deaf from noise and shock.
The novel concludes with the guillotining of Carton. As he is waiting to board the tumbril, he is approached by a seamstress, also condemned to death, who mistakes him for Darnay (with whom she had been imprisoned earlier) but realizes the truth once she sees him at close range. Awed by his unselfish courage and sacrifice, she asks to stay close to him and he agrees. Upon their arrival at the guillotine, Carton comforts her, telling her that their ends will be quick but that there is no Time or Trouble "in the better land where ... [they] will be mercifully sheltered", and she is able to meet her death in peace. Carton's unspoken last thoughts are prophetic:
I see Barsad, and Cly, Defarge, The Vengeance [a lieutenant of Madame Defarge], the Juryman, the Judge, long ranks of the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old, perishing by this retributive instrument, before it shall cease out of its present use. I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out.
I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more. I see Her with a child upon her bosom, who bears my name. I see her father, aged and bent, but otherwise restored, and faithful to all men in his healing office, and at peace. I see the good old man [Mr. Lorry], so long their friend, in ten years' time enriching them with all he has, and passing tranquilly to his reward.
I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. I see her and her husband, their course done, lying side by side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honoured and held sacred in the other's soul, than I was in the souls of both.
I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine. I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his. I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away. I see him, fore-most of just judges and honoured men, bringing a boy of my name, with a forehead that I know and golden hair, to this place—then fair to look upon, with not a trace of this day's disfigurement—and I hear him tell the child my story, with a tender and a faltering voice.
It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. | romantic | tt0001915 |
Deadly Eyes | The plot and subplots center on the movie's leading man, Paul Harris (Sam Groom), a divorced high school teacher and basketball coach and his interactions during a killer rat infestation with a health department inspector Kelly (Sara Botsford); a high school cheerleader, Trudy (Lisa Langlois); his students; and his friend, Dr. Spencer (Cec Linder), a college professor and rat expert.
Giant rats the size of small dogs living in mountains of grain full of steroids are rendered homeless when a health department inspector orders it burned. The Rats migrate to a suburban home occupied by unsupervised high school students. The Rats begin to kill a toddler left unattended in a high chair as well as Henry a senior citizen is attacked from rats, walking the snowy streets alone late at night. Foskins (Scatman Crothers), a health department field inspector, is destined to become the next victim. Inspecting the bowels of the city's sewer system, he encounters a pack of rats. Foskins commences with 'the running of the rats' in the sewer, followed by his demise.
Paul telephones his friend, a professor who is a rat expert, who instantly concludes that the steroid feed had spawned a new breed of 'super-rat' that had migrated into the sewers in search of food. Upon hearing this information, the Health Inspector immediately orders the fumigation of the entire city sewer system, which is immediately and efficiently carried out with no apparent effect. The futility of this action is confirmed when the rat expert himself is attacked and killed. The Rats then move on to a bowling alley and a movie theater and make their first brazen mass attack on the unsuspecting public. The Rats select the viewers of a Bruce Lee movie, resulting in numerous deaths incluind matt and a scene of fleeing film patrons.
Meanwhile, the city's mayor prepares to make an inaugural run of a new subway section - straight into a hungry pack of rats. While escaping the Rats, and sacrificing the other delegates, the mayor stows away on the empty subway train. Paul attempts to stop the festivities. He is forced to assault a cop and take his revolver. Paul proceeds down the tunnel and finds a disabled subway train with passengers just emerging from the cars.
Paul finds Kelly and his son just as the rats attack the passengers and mayor is killed from rats off screen. The three are able to escape down the tunnel and find refuge in a fenced-in maintenance area which is the rats nest. Fortunately, they discover cutting torches and drums of flammable liquids and soon, the three escape from the tunnel as the rats are killed during a flammable explosion behind him. After the three survivors re-board the subway train to reach safety, the train reaches the platform and the party-goers for the new subway section approach the train and to shock, it's revealed that the three had boarded the same train as the Mayor did, which shows a small amount of surviving rats eating the body of the mayor as the final scene shows a bloody rat hissing at the train window. | violence | tt0083801 |
Lo squartatore di New York | An old man is walking his dog in New York City when the dog retrieves a decomposed human hand. It is identified by the police as belonging to Ann-Lynne, a local prostitute. Lieutenant Fred Williams (Jack Hedley), the burned-out police detective investigating the murder, interviews the young woman's nosy and obnoxious landlady, Mrs. Weissburger (Babette New), who tells him that during her daily spying and eavesdropping on her tenants, she overheard the girl last week over the phone arranging to meet a man who spoke with a strange, duck-like voice.
Meanwhile, a young woman (Cinzia de Ponti) rides her bicycle down Manhattan to the Staten Island Ferry at Battery Park. After an altercation with a boorish motorist driving a red Volkswagen, whose car she accidentally scratched riding her bicycle, she rides onto the boat with the man yelling misogynist slurs at her. When the ferry is underway, the young woman sneaks into the car-bay and begins vandalizing the man's car, but she is interrupted by an unseen figure. Introducing herself as Rosie, she tries to engage the man in a conversation. But the figure adopts a grotesque 'Donald Duck' voice and brutally murders her with a switchblade, slashing open her right breast and stabbing in the lower abdomen and disemboweling her, then leaving her body to be discovered when the ferry docks at Staten Island. At the morgue, Lt. Williams talks to Barry Jones the pathologist (Giordano Falzoni), who believes he recognizes the "style" of the killing and links it to Ann-Lynne, as well as a similar case in Harlem the previous month.
Having informed the press that a serial killer is at large, Williams is visited at the station by New York's chief of police (Lucio Fulci). Williams' skeptical superior tells him not to make any further public announcements about the case to avoid starting a city-wide panic. Soon after the police chief leaves, Williams is notified that a man "sounding like a duck" phoned while he was out at the press conference wanting to speak with him. Williams travels to Columbia University where he meets with a brilliant young psychotherapy professor named Dr. Paul Davis (Paolo Malco) for help in creating a profile of the killer.
That night in New York's red-light district, Jane Lodge (Alexandra Delli Colli), an attractive, well-dressed woman in a chic raincoat and derby hat, attends a live sex show and records the simulated moans and groans of the two performers with a pocket tape recorder. A scruffy, dangerous looking man (Howard Ross), with two fingers missing from his right hand and sitting in the same row with her, observes what she is doing. After the show has ended, the female performer (Zora Kerova) retires backstage to her dressing room only to find it totally dark. Hearing a noise, she opens a closet door and is brutally attacked by the maniac, who disembowels her by shoving a broken and jagged liquor bottle from her crotch to her abdomen. Later that night, at the home of Kitty (Daniela Doria), a prostitute regularly visited by Williams, he receives a taunting phone call from the duck-voiced killer saying that he has killed again.
The next day, Jane shows her latest tape recording to her husband Dr. Lodge (Laurence Welles), who has agreed to support their open-marriage. Jane goes to a bar in a rough neighborhood where she's approached by two Hispanic bar punks who proceed to fondle and sexually humiliate her right at the bar. After being taken advantage of, the emotionally troubled Jane runs out and drives away.
That night, Fay Majors (Almanta Keller), a casually dressed young woman is riding alone on a late-night subway train when she gets menaced by the same ominous man from the live sex theater. Fleeing from the perceived threat, she runs off the train, through the deserted subway station, and onto the street where she gets attacked in a dark alley by the quacking maniac, who brutally stabs her in the leg and slashes her hands and arms as she tries to defend herself. Limping away, Fay stumbles through a doorway into a seedy apartment building where she closes and locks the door behind her so the killer will not follow. Fay passes out from the loss of blood, and then realty and illusion blur: Fay is sitting alone in a dark movie theater watching cartoons when she attacked and killed by a different, handsome young man who slashes her neck with a straight razor. Fay wakes up in the hospital the morning after when the same man visits her in her room. The man is revealed to be her physicist boyfriend Peter Bunch (Andrew Painter), who is relieved that she has survived the attack. Lt. Williams and Dr. Davis visit Fay where she tells them about her attacker who was missing two fingers from his right hand. Williams and Davis both conclude that this is the killer since all forensic evidence points to the killer being left-handed.
Somewhere in night-time New York, the owner of his mutilated right hand picks up Jane and takes her to a sleazy hotel room for bondage sex. He ties up the semi-nude woman to the bed. The S&M game she has willingly begun turns nasty when he begins to beat her. Then the man turns up the radio loud while it plays Berto Pisano's "Tic nervoso" and makes a muttered phone-call, describing the bound woman to someone on the other line as "she's right up your perverted alley. " A little later, while the man sleeps, Jane overhears a radio DJ describing the killer, whom the press has now dubbed, 'the New York Ripper' and missing two fingers from his right hand. Jane carefully and quietly unties herself from the bed and flees into the hotel hallway, only to be killed by the real New York Ripper who stabs her to death just as she tries to make for the exit at the end of the hall.
Williams arrives at the scene of the crime where the police find Jane's tape recordings of the sex shows and of her 'master. ' Learning from witnesses, Williams discovers that the identity of the man is Mickey Scellenda, a Greek immigrant with a history of sexual assault and drug abuse. Williams and the police step up the search for Scellenda after raiding his apartment, finding photographs of most of the Ripper victims and huge stashes of pornography and drug paraphernalia. Williams also pays a visit to Dr. Lodge to inform him of his wife's murder. Dr. Lodge tearfully defends his open marriage which gets him a sneering response from the moralistic Williams.
Meanwhile, Dr. Davis begins to express doubt to the killer's identity for Mickey Scellenda is only a petty criminal with a low intelligence quotient, not the high intelligence that Davis has established in profiling the New York Ripper. Davis then buys a gay porn magazine at a local newsstand (revealing his repressed homosexuality), and pays a visit to Peter and Fay at their house to ask them more questions about Fay's experience. Something about their story arouses his professional suspicious. That evening, after Peter goes out, Fay is attacked in their house by Scellenda who breaks in trying to kill her. But she is saved when Peter returns, and the man flees.
A few days later, Williams gets another taunting phone call from the New York Ripper, who wants to "dedicate a murder" to him. Williams and the police put a trace on the line and race to the location, only to find that the killer has set up a two-way radio to a remote phone booth, while he is presently in the home of Kitty, the young prostitute favored by Williams, brutally torturing her by slowly applying a razorblade to her bare chest and her face. Williams races to Kitty's apartment, but is too late as the killer has fled, leaving behind Kitty's horribly maimed corpse to be discovered.
Some time later, the dead body of Mickey Scellenda is found having committed suicide from self-suffocation. When Dr. Barry Jones informs Williams that Scellenda was dead for the last eight days, four days before Kitty's murder, Williams finally realizes that they have been tailing the wrong man. Williams relays this to Professor Davis, who is both delighted and disappointed with the news. Davis explains that with Scellenda eliminated as a suspect, his original idea to the killer's identity is confirmed; a misogynist psychopath who used Scellenda to throw the police off his trail.
Fay is shown visiting a hospital where Peter has a child from a previous marriage, a little girl named Suzy, who is dying from a rare bone disorder that has led to the amputation of her left arm and right leg. Visiting the hospital, Williams and Davis observe little Suzy in her hospital bed and decide to race over to Peter and Fay's place to arrest both of them. At Peter and Fay's house, one of them gets a phone call from a duck-voiced person, while the other one overhears. When Peter goes into the kitchen for dinner, Fay has disappeared. Going upstairs to Suzy's bedroom, Fay jumps out of the darkness at Peter while stabbing him with a kitchen knife. Suddenly, Peter rises, quacking like a duck, and struggles with Fay in which they both tumble down the stairs. Just as Peter grabs the knife away from Fay and about to stab her, Williams runs in and literally blasts Peter's face off with one shot from his gun. In the ambulance, Davis explains to Fay her deranged boyfriend's motivation for killing. His hatred of sexually active women stemmed from bitterness at the cruel blow fate had dealt his young daughter, who will never enjoy the freedoms of his despised victims. After leaving the scene, the phone in the now-deserted house rings again. In her hospital bed, little Suzy is calling out for her father, pleading to him to answer her call, as her voice is drowned out beneath the indifferent traffic of the city. | dark, grindhouse film, cruelty, murder, cult, horror, violence, suspenseful, sadist | tt0084719 |
The Last American Virgin | The plot closely follows the original Israeli film Eskimo Limon (Lemon Popsicle), and revolves around protagonist Gary (Lawrence Monoson), a typical high school student in early 1980s Los Angeles, and his friends Rick (Steve Antin), the slick ladies' man, and David (Joe Rubbo).
Most of the plot involves their numerous attempts to have sex, which are usually successful for Rick and David, but rarely for Gary. Early in the film the three boys pick up three girls with the promise of cocaine (instead they use Sweet'n Low). They go over to Gary's house where he gets stuck with the homely and overweight Millie, a friend of the other two more attractive girls. But their party is interrupted when Gary's parents return home and pandemonium ensues.
A love triangle develops between Gary, Rick and Karen (Diane Franklin). Karen is a beautiful transfer student to their school who is a virgin that Rick is determined to deflower.
One day Gary delivers pizza to Carmela (Louisa Moritz), a sexy Latina woman whose sailor boyfriend is never home, and she tells him she wants more than just pizza. Being too afraid to follow up on it, he goes away and convinces his friends to go along with him. They drop by her home using the pretext they were nearby on a pizza delivery and decided to bring her over some extra pizzas. She lets them in, puts on music and performs a sexy dance routine, to the delight of the boys. She promptly fornicates with Rick and David, but her boyfriend Paco returns home just as Gary is about to have his turn, prompting them to flee.
Eventually, Rick gets Karen pregnant after they have sex only once, and he leaves her. Gary decides to help Karen pay for her abortion by selling most of his possessions and borrowing money from his boss. After the abortion, Gary and Karen spend the remainder of the weekend alone together in Gary's grandmother's house. While nursing her back to health, Gary tells Karen that he sincerely loves her. Karen appears to reciprocate and they both share a tender kiss. Karen invites Gary to her 18th birthday party the following week. Gary scrapes up a few more dollars and buys Karen a gold locket for her birthday.
When Gary arrives at the party, his dreams of a lasting romance with Karen are shattered when he sees Karen making out with Rick. Despite what Rick had put Karen through, she apparently decided to take him back. Gary angrily leaves the party without saying a word to either of them, taking Karen's gift with him. Tears streaming down his face, Gary drives home alone, emotionally broken and defeated. | tragedy, cult, adult comedy, romantic | tt0084234 |
Raging Bull | In a brief scene in 1964, an aging, overweight Italian American, Jake LaMotta, practices a comedy routine. In 1941, LaMotta is in a major boxing match against Jimmy Reeves, where he received his first loss. Jake's brother Joey LaMotta discusses a potential shot for the middleweight title with one of his Mafia connections, Salvy Batts. Some time thereafter, Jake spots a 15-year-old girl named Vickie at an open-air swimming pool in his Bronx neighborhood. He eventually pursues a relationship with her, even though he is already married. In 1943, Jake defeats Sugar Ray Robinson, and has a rematch three weeks later. Despite the fact that Jake dominates Robinson during the bout, the judges surprisingly rule in favor of Robinson and Joey feels Robinson won only because he was enlisting into the U.S. Army the following week. By 1945, Jake marries Vickie.
Jake constantly worries about Vickie having feelings for other men, particularly when she makes an off-hand comment about Tony Janiro, Jake's opponent in his next fight. His jealousy is evident when he brutally defeats Janiro in front of the local Mob boss, Tommy Como, and Vickie. As Joey discusses the victory with journalists at the Copacabana, he is distracted by seeing Vickie approach a table with Salvy and his crew. Joey speaks with Vickie, who says she is giving up on his brother. Blaming Salvy, Joey viciously attacks him in a fight that spills outside of the club. Como later orders them to apologize, and has Joey tell Jake that if he wants a chance at the championship title, which Como controls, he will have to take a dive first. In a match against Billy Fox, after briefly pummeling his opponent, Jake does not even bother to put up a fight. He is suspended shortly thereafter from the board on suspicion of throwing the fight, though he realizes the error of his judgment when it is too late. He is eventually reinstated, and in 1949, wins the middleweight championship title against Marcel Cerdan.
A year later, Jake asks Joey if he fought with Salvy at the Copacabana because of Vickie. Jake then asks if Joey had an affair with her; Joey refuses to answer, insults Jake, and leaves. Jake directly asks Vickie about the affair, and when she hides from him in the bathroom, he breaks down the door, prompting her to sarcastically state that she had sex with the entire neighborhood (including his brother, Salvy, and Tommy Como). Jake angrily walks to Joey's house, with Vickie following him, and assaults Joey in front of his wife and children. After defending his championship belt in a grueling fifteen-round bout against Laurent Dauthuille in 1950, he makes a call to his brother after the fight, but when Joey assumes Salvy is on the other end and starts insulting and cursing at him, Jake says nothing and hangs up. Estranged from Joey, Jake's career begins to decline slowly and he eventually loses his title to Sugar Ray Robinson in their final encounter in 1951.
By 1956, Jake and his family have moved to Miami. After he stays out all night at his new nightclub there, Vickie tells him she wants a divorce (which she has been planning since his retirement) as well as full custody of their kids. She also threatens to call the cops if he comes anywhere near them. He is later arrested for introducing under-age girls to men in his club. He tries and fails to bribe his way out of his criminal case using the jewels from his championship belt instead of selling the belt itself. In 1957 he goes to jail where he pounds the walls, sorrowfully questioning his misfortune and crying in despair. Upon returning to New York City in 1958, he happens upon his estranged brother Joey, who forgives him but is elusive. Returning to the opening scene in 1964, Jake refers to the "I coulda been a contender" scene from the 1954 film On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando, complaining that his brother should have been there for him but is also keen enough to give himself some slack. After a stagehand informs him that the auditorium where he is about to perform is crowded, Jake starts to chant "I'm the boss" while shadowboxing. | boring, cult, violence, atmospheric, flashback, home movie | tt0081398 |
The Witches of Eastwick | This unsold TV series pilot opens with three young women, named Alex, Jane, and Sukie, playing in a little league game when they hear the coach make a sexist remark. All of a sudden, it starts to storm! We then see them laughing and running home in the rain as Alex screams: "Ok, who conjured it?". "We all did!" yells Jane. The girls are apparently witches and all live in the same house together. They are also single and none of them have any children. That night, after much drinking and gossiping, they start talking about what the perfect man would be like and whether or not he really exists or is just too good to be true. Sukie then suggests that they just conjure him up using their powers. After much debate on whether or not this would be a good idea, they finally decide to try it.The next morning, a very obnoxious man comes knocking at the door. He's apparently just moved into the neighborhood and stopped by to borrow a cup of sugar. When Alex answers the door, he barrages inside without even introducing himself and goes right on trying to swoon the girls off their feet by ranting and raving. After a while, he finally introduces himself to be Darryl Van Horne! Both Jane and Sukie find him charming, but Alex knows better. She knows exactly who he is. Later that day, as Jane is teaching the kids music lessons at the school, Darryl arrives to surprise her. As Darryl begins to play the piano for her and the children, the school headmaster, Raymond Gentry, comes in to see Jane. As Jane listens to Darryl's beautiful music, the headmaster suddenly grabs Jane from behind. Jane then turns around and violently slaps him senseless in front of everyone! Embarrassed by what's just happened, Raymond fires Jane on the spot! That night, at a fancy restaurant, Jane tells the others what happened to her at the school. Jane is convinced he was under Darryl's spell and is determined on getting rid of Darryl once and for all. Alex agrees, but Sukie likes him and wants him to stay. After a lot of fighting and a lot of talking, they finally all agree that it would be best to send him back.The next day, Alex stops by Darryl's mansion to talk to him. After Darryl gives Alex a personal tour of the house and all of it's artwork, she then sneaks away for just a moment in order to get some of his hair from one of his combs and his old shirt. They later go up to his bedroom, where he unsuccessfully tries to seduce her into his bed with him. For a moment, Alex is tempted but she then resists him and goes home. There, she, Jane, and Sukie mold a voodoo doll using the old shirt, his hair, and cookie dough. They then cast a spell on it so that "When it dries, it'll crack and turn to dust. And so will Darryl." Just as they are cleaning the kitchen afterwards, Jane gets a phone call from Raymond, the school headmaster, who wants to apologize and give Jane her job back. That night, Jane arrives at Raymond's house to make amends. They both make up for what they did, but it becomes clear that Raymond is still trying to take advantage of her by trying to get her drunk with wine. Unaware to either of them, Darryl is watching them. He puts a spell on Raymond so that the entire truth just comes out. Suddenly, Darryl then appears in the room out of nowhere to save Jane while Raymond, dumbfounded, still stands there scratching his head because of what just happened. As Jane and Darryl are walking out of the house, Darryl suddenly collapses. He becomes very sick and very pale. Jane, realizing Darryl might just not be such a bad guy after all, brings him to their house for help. As Darryl slowly dies away, the girls start to fight about whether they should help him or not. But to their horror, the voodoo doll already dries up and crumples to dust before their eyes. And suddenly, to their shock, Darryl himself bursts through the door, alive and well! It seems that since they changed their minds in the end, the spell didn't work! And following behind him is his butler, Fidel, with a tray full of exquisite feasts. The episode then finishes with the whole gang of friends sitting in front of the TV, watching "The Exorcist". | paranormal | tt0837565 |
Slipstream | A barren Earth, with rocky dry hills and a slow narrow stream of water. A female narrator voice-over says that pollution has destroyed the surface of the planet, and that the huge wind stream now rule it: the most dangerous situation is called Slipstream- it's like a river of wind. In that scenery, an airplane with a square tail is flying after Byron (Bob Peck). Soon, William "Will" Tasker (Mark Hamill) and Belitski (Kitty Aldridge) capture him. He says the renown sentences: "It's over. End of the hunt.", and makes a comment saying that Byron thought that the winds would help him. Byron says that he's heard god's voice. The two police officers take him to the small Western-like town which they are the police force of. People at the local diner wonder why Byron is so important, why there is such a big reward on his head, and even whether the charges are true at all - Byron is supposed to have killed a man. Some other people say that he's a prophet. The local canteen is a rough place. Everybody is dressed like rough cowboys, except for Byron, who dresses like a British gentleman. Petros (Alkis Kritikos) is the dirty cook there, and Abigail (Susan Leong) is the local waitress, and also the girlfriend of one of the town's rebels. Belitsky tells Matt Owens (Bill Paxton), a bounty hunter posing as a merchant, that he is scum. Belitsky and Tasker behave like they own the place, and a woman who is doing labour for life (Diana Defries) talks like a hard woman.Matt appears out of nowhere wanting to get the reward. At first Belitski and Tasker don't take him seriously, and they talk to him demissively trying to distract him. Tasker shoots a dart and he hits Matt, and tells him that it's got poison, but Matt doesn't seem to believe him. There is another diversion - a small plane crashing on them - allows Owens to take Byron away with him. On the plane, Byron doesn't talk at all while Matt feels all right and worries about Byron creating trouble, as he prefers to produce him alive.Byron says that he knows he must be punished, although he doesn't clearly state that he had killed anyone. Owens talks about Byron's ideas. Byron says that humanity has lost the battle against nature, but that there is time to re-conquer the planet. Owens is a very capable pilot, and he flies through sharp mountain ranges á la Star Wars until he reaches a town whose houses have been carved on the hill rock. Byron is able to uncuff himself. He gives the handcuffs to Owens. Byron tells him that Matt will realise pretty soon that he can trust him. The name of the town is Hell's Kitchen.Several people are having a bath on a jacuzzi. They laugh, including Rosie (Gay Baynes) and Montclaire (Robbie Coltrane) because Owens gives himself airs, but Byron has disappeared while Matt was talking to them. Byron has healed a boy's eyes, so his father (Eris Akman) will always be grateful to him. The fact that he is a healer causes a bit of a commotion on the town. Byron seems to be humouring Owens, staying with him because he's decided to do so. Matt gives his boots to one of the youngsters of the town (Bruce Boa), as he intends to leave somewhere else from that moment on, and never return to that place.The two police officer reach the woods surrounding Hell's Kitchen, and they found some men moonlightning, including Montclaire, and they kill them without difficulty. They bury the contrabandists under the rocks. Matt Owens goes on his way on his airplane with Byron, but they have to land to spend the night on a cave. Matt talks about his dreams concerning having thousands of balloons with his name on them, but he says that he always wakes up. Matt thinks that Byron is trying to plant the idea on his head of letting him go, but hat won't happen. Matt is also worried that Byron will try to do something fishy to him while they are sleeping as Byron sleeps with his eyes open-wide. Byron says that Matt wouldn't be able to kill him even if he tried to escape.Byron tries to check Matt's pulse, as he may have symptoms of curare poisoning, but Matt thinks he's tried to strungle him in his sleep. Matt admits that he's lost. Byron heals a man. Maya (Rita Wolf) says that her people didn't want to defend themselves, as violence only brings out more violence. Ariel (Eleanor David) stays by Byron's side while he heals the man. Byron heals the bleeding wound. The wounded man's name is Travis (Paul Reynolds) doesn't believe in Byron, saying that he is a false prophet, and that he wasn't born from a father. Maya tries to convince Trevor.Tasker and Belitski appear, and they make a deal with Matt: the poison's antidote in exchange of Byron. During the night, strong winds make navigation really difficult. Tasker and Belitski tell Matt that Byron is an android, a robot which wants to behave as human - that's why it was said that he wasn't born from a man. Byron is in a kind of square kite and Matt goes up to release it. Byron says that Tasker - who is ascending by way of a parachute - may join them, but Matt is more realistic and knows that they won't. Belitski says she knew that Matt Owens' word could not be trusted. The thing falls down to the floor.Ariel wants to go with them. Matt goes on wanting his reward, and Tasker mocks the machine who wants to behave as a human. Although Ariel has fought the police officers, she walks on and closes the door after her. Byron says she'll come back and Matt asks him why he is always right: Byron says he's perceptive.They are inside a dereclict church / cathedral, but it leads the way to a bar. Two men (Rico Ross & George Camiller) are drinking champagne, and the first one complains that if they keep on helping everybody, somebody will try to destroy the place in the end. Ariel wants a life which is more than mere survival from day to day. Everybody dances, and Byron does it very well.Ariel defends the idea that Byron may solve the air conditioning problem. Avatar (Ben Kingsley) oposes the idea of using an android: he deems the wind problem an unsolvable problem. He and the mother (Jennifer Hilary) are outraged that an android has shagged his daughter (Maiser Asghar), and even Ariel saying that only Byron is the android - he slept with Ariel - doesn not help Byron's cause. Byron says that he's been able to sleep and that he dreamt. Matt's decided to let Byron go. Byron seems shocked at the news. Byron is happy to have the change of either staying or going.But Bielitski and Tasker reach the hidden town. Byron is terrified: he doesn't want to be free to go if Ariel doesn't want to leave without him. Avatar says that the community is responsible of judging Byron. Ariel believes that Byron didn't kill anybody. Tasker threatens to kill everybody. The people in the community take Byron to Tasker. Bielitski shoots Matt with another dart. He punches her and ties her to a bed.Tasker leaves with Byron. The strong winds force Byron to take the reigns of the plane. However, the plane crashes and Tasker dies. Byron is distraught that Tasker thought that he could have saved him.Matt is with his new girlfriends, and he finally has his fancy-designed balloons flying off onto the sky - a bright but a bit cloudy day with a soft breeze at the most. | satire, murder | tt0098350 |
Spider-Man 2 | The video game picks up two years after it's predecessor with an opening narration by Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and a pan through the large city of New York. After touching bases with the Narrator/Tour Guide (Bruce Campbell) and learning the basics of crawling and charged jumps through the tutorial, Spider-Man is late for his class with Dr. Curt Connors (Joe Alaskey). While swinging to the university, he is disrupted by a cry for help and swings over to stop a group of commandos from stealing a mysterious yet precious briefcase from a woman.Resuming on his personal life, Peter is disgraced to find he is late once again for his professor's class. As if things weren't any better, Peter realizes he is going to be late for his birthday dinner with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) and Harry Osborn (Josh Keaton). Fitting into the Spidey suit again, he swings over to the restaurant and learns that Mary Jane is in a play and Harry Osborn is funding money for a brilliant scientist- Otto Octavius, soon to be Doc Ock (Alfred Molina). Mary Jane offers to give Peter a free ticket to her play and Harry agrees to set up a meeting so Peter and Octavius can meet.The following night, Peter meets Mary Jane by a museum to collect the ticket. Only seconds after receiving it, he notices a band of thieves breaking into the art museum and after humiliating himself in front of Mary Jane, reluctantly goes after the thieves as Spider-Man. Moments after Spider-Man's victory over the thieves, a strange figure catches his attention. The figure is Black Cat (Holly Fields) who leads the enticed Spidey through a chase across the rooftops of Manhattan. Black Cat rests and moment and then disappears without a trace.The next day, Spider-Man stops by the Daily Bugle and as Peter Parker- collects information for a Bugle Mission and heads off. After the mission which lead him to taking pics from the top of the Empire State Building, an explosion occurs a few blocks down. Investigating the area, Spider-Man meets the Rhino (John DiMaggio) and the two brawl only to have Spider-Man web up the burly and obnoxious foe. That night, Peter meets Harry outside of Octavius's large apartment by Central Park for dinner. Ocatvius's scientific ambitions are somewhat vague to Peter and come off as a subtle tone of greed as opposed to mankind benefit. The meeting is postponed as Rosie Ocatvius (Susan Egan) promptly calls for dinner.While making photo rounds in Greenwich Village, an alarm goes off at a jewelry store. Spotting the suspicious Black Cat, Spider-Man once more chases her across the rooftops and crevices of skyscrapers. After Cat flirts with Spidey and disappears, he realizes he must meet Mary Jane at a movie theater.The following day after the date with MJ, Peter is at the Bugle and J. Jonah Jameson (Jay Gordon) informs him of a special effects movie star from Hollywood named Quentin Beck/Mysterio (James Arnold Taylor) who is claiming that Spider-Man is a fake. Peter rushes over to Madison Square Garden for pictures- while in reality he will appear as Spider-Man against Beck.Beck and Spider-Man meet amid a fake cardboard audience and phony announcers and Beck declares a series of three challenges. The first two consist of rounding up captured criminals from a prison that Spider-Man had collected and the third is a challenging obstacle course. By the end of the competition, Spider-Man conquers and Beck is both upset and humiliated at his loss. It is during this time that one of the criminals, Herman Schultz/The Shocker (Michael Beattie), unknowingly escapes from both security and Spidey during the highlight of Beck's loss.A day later, Octavius invites Peter to come back to his apartment to discuss the science behind his vision. After the visit, Peter puts on the suit and rushes over to Mary Jane's play before he is too late. Unfortunately, a gang of robbers with snipers and explosives rob a gem store and Spidey forcefully commits to his hero work. Much to his further dismay on missing Mary Jane's play, Spider-Man arrives in the knick of time to catch Mary Jane talking with her new boyfriend, John Jameson (Charles Klausmeyer).Before Spider-Man can intervene, Black Cat sneakily appears once more and informs Spidey that she knows where the art thieves from the museum attempt to attack next. The time arrived yet again for another dazzling night chase through the rooftops in following Black Cat. It ends when Cat leads Spidey to an alleyway where the thieves are boarding crates into a getaway truck. While Spider-Man does the amazing and puts a stop to them for good- Black Cat manages to sneak away once more and this time, she's taken a golden artifact with her.Deciding to visit the Bugle the next day, Peter is instructed by his boss Jonah to go down to the press conference building where Quentin Beck shall speak about Spider-Man. Swinging over there, Spidey only finds trouble as the theater is burning, the conference reporters are in danger from alien-like machines and a large holograph of Mysterio appears centerstage. While Spider-Man saves the reporters and defeats the robots- the Mysterio hologram beckons Spidey to Lady Liberty where an alien invasion is about to occur.Surely enough, Mysterio has created a massive mothership atop the Statue of Liberty's torch where the main brain is kept. Spider-Man swings from the hovering UFO's above the water and to Liberty Island where he destroys 8 orbs and finally the brain that controls the alien illusion. As the extra terrestrial material evaporate, Spider-Man is given one final invitation by Mysterio to come to his funhouse of doom.Spider-Man gets back on the mainland and swings over to Beck's apartment where Mysterio's funhouse lair is hidden behind a bookshelf. In the first room of the funhouse, everything morphs upside down and Spider-Man faces giant, laughing toys known as Mr. Hop-N-Hack. After defeating them, he is brought into a circular room with mirrors where disfigured duplicates of him arise from the reflections. Destroying all of the mirrors brings Spider-Man out of the funhouse and to another dead end as Mysterio escaped in the nick of time.The conclusion of Mysterio's alien invasion is followed with the disastor of the birth of Doc Ock. Racing over to Octavius's apartment for a demonstration of his fusion reactor- the demonstration goes array and Rosie ends up dead while Octavius passes out with the mechanical arm aids attached to him. Even as Spider-Man shuts down the fusion reactor machine, he is too late to save Rosie and Octavius is taken to the medics.While swinging to another class of Dr. Connor's with the mindset he will finally arrive on time, Mysterio's alien robots attack and Spider-Man fights them. During this time, Octavius (now as Doc Ock) has escaped from the hospital and threatens Connors to help him. Declaring him insane, Connors attempts to escape only to be brutally wounded by Ock who flees the scene. Spider-Man arrives seconds late to find his professor in need of medical assistance.Remembering he was going to visit Aunt May (Mindy Sterling) at the Bank of Manhattan, Peter arrives to discuss money matters with a loan officer. The payment is disrupted as Doc Ock and a handful of henchmen rob the bank. Quickly outfitting in his suit, Spider-Man arrives and battles Ock. After knocking out various thugs, Ock seizes bags of cash and Aunt May and flees the building. Matters worsen when Ock as a helicopter and places Aunt May on the El Barrio train tracks and the speeding train is about to kill the loving, senior citizen. Once more, Spidey saves the day and his aunt's life by catching her in the knick of time. However, Ock is still on the loose.Spider-Man arrives at John Jameson's banquet under orders from J. Jonah Jameson- but upon the news that Mary Jane will wed John, Peter is furious and cowers in dismay upon the rooftop. Suddenly when Black Cat arrives, Spider-Man's mood changes, especially when she mentions that Shocker is out and on the loose. Following her to an old warehouse, The Shocker and Spidey have a rendezvous like old times. Shocker escapes as Spidey checks on an injured Black Cat, who is insistent on her condition that she is ok.Later, Mysterio is found in a Speedy Mart harassing the cashier until Spidey arrives and puts Beck in police custody for good. However, when J. Jonah Jameson prints the paper with Spider-Man as the villain, Spidey is furious but promptly stopped by Black Cat who states that she has once again found out where Shocker is hiding. Following Black Cat under the Queensboro Bridge and to Roosevelt Island, the chase ends at an old, run down Oscorp Factory.Once more, the Shocker and Spider-Man duke it out- and with aid from Black Cat- place him back behind bars. Black Cat disappears however before Spidey could thank her, so he decides to see Mary Jane's play in hopes he can make it. He is late however and even though he saves her from three thugs about to mug her, Mary Jane is upset at Peter and repeats that she is marrying John.Deciding to seek Black Cat for girl advice, Spider-Man finds her atop one of the gargoyles on the Chrysler Building. After a brief talk, Cat cheers Spider-Man up by racing him to a warehouse where a group of gangsters are illegally selling armored battle suits. Spidey and Cat crash the party and put an end to the dealing. With one final word of advice from Black Cat about his personal life, Spider-Man goes to MJ's apartment as Peter and tries to talk to her only to end up humiliating himself. Later that night in the Oscorp building, Harry is visited by Doc Ock who demands for more tritium in order to power his fusion reactor. Harry agrees but only if Spider-Man is captured and brought to him personally. He then reveals that Peter is the key to finding him.The following day, MJ thought about what Peter said and decides to meet him at a small cafe'. The meeting is shortlived for Doc Ock comes crashing through the window and kidnaps Mary Jane while telling Peter to have Spider-Man meet him at a tower in El Barrio. Agreeing to his demands, Spider-Man swings over to El Barrio and battles Ock atop the elevated train. However, Spidey passes out from exhaustion at the end of the bout and is brought to Harry.Unmasking him, Harry is horrified to see Peter is the real identity of Spider-Man. Promising he will talk about this matter later, Peter begs Harry for the location of Ock's lair stating that he has MJ hostage. Hypnotically telling him the location, Spider-Man swings over to Doc Ock's waterfront warehouse.The final battle occurs and after Spider-Man shuts down Ock's fusion reactor and knock's some sense into the maniacal 8 limbed supervillain, Ock agrees to destroy his own machine and sacrifice himself by drowning with it in the river. Mary Jane finally sees the truth about Peter and in the end, she goes to his apartment and tells him that she cannot live without him.Police sirens interrupt their love moment but MJ acknowledge's Peter's curse and lets him swing outward as your friendly neighborhood, Spider-Man. | good versus evil, revenge, psychedelic, violence | tt0411906 |
Ultimo mondo cannibale | A light aircraft is flying over spectacular jungle terrain. On board is oil prospector Robert Harper (Massimo Foschi), his business partner Ralph (Ivan Rossimov), the pilot Charlie (Sheik Razak Shikur), and a young lady named Swan (Judy Rosly). There is much talk about inhospitable and harsh the jungle is which is apparently Malaysia. They are on their way to visit a oil prospecting party which has set up camp there.Upon landing, they find the area abandoned. They soon discover a native weapon covered with blood. Ralph is concerned, exclaiming that the weapon indicates the people who raided the camp are; "worse then natives. Judging the way this was made, they're still living in the stone age." Harper wonders into the jungle, while Ralph follows him and they both get lost. During their trek through the jungle, they discover the partially-decomposed corpse of one of the prospectors. Harper and Ralph manage to return to the airstrip where the seriousness of their predicament becomes apparently. But since they wondered off, it is too late for them to take off for darkness comes and they decide to sit out the night in the plane.Later that night, Swan unwisely decides to leave the plane so she can relive herself in the nearby bushes. She is captured by several unseen natives. The three men are all too scared to help even though they hear her screams, convincing themselves that they should stay put for the night and look for her in the morning when it is daylight.The next morning, Harper, Ralph, and Charlie set out into the jungle to look for Swan. Within minutes, Charlie springs a native trap and is horribly impaled by a spiked ball. Momentarily losing his mind at the sight of his dead friend, Harper runs blindly into the jungle followed by Ralph. This time, they really do get hopelessly lost. After witnessing a group of native warriors eating the remains of Swan, the two men continue on and come across a river. They decide to make a raft to float downstream and hopefully make it back towards the airstrip. During the ride, their raft overturns on some rocks, and Harper is left alone as he grabs onto a shore rock as Ralph is swept away by the current.Over the next day-and-a-half, Harper wonders aimlessly through the trackless and inhospitable jungle dealing with insects, snakes, and other wildlife. Desperately hungry, he unwisely gorges himself on mushrooms, starts to hallucinate and soon passes out. When he wakes up, he finds himself surrounded by dozens of long-haired, savage natives, warily poking their spears at him. The natives take the captive Harper back to their camp which is a huge cave dwelling place.The savage natives tie up Harper where they strip him naked, and string him up in a harness and hoist him into the heights of the misty cave. Having seen him arrive by airplane, the natives apparently believe that he has the power to fly, so they let him freefall 60 or more feet before he is abruptly halted by the harness and rope device to which he is attached to. His painful ordeal continues again and again until he passes out, while the natives wave their arms and hoot hellishly.Over the next several days, Harper is imprisoned in a cage and forced to watch the natives and their lifestyle. He is fed dead and rotting small animals, as well as subjected to further torture and humiliation. Harper watches the natives bring a captive warrior from a rival tribe and have him slowly killed by tying the warrior's arm to an army ant hill where they ants slowly eat the captive warrior alive.Harper befriends one of the very few women of the tribe, a native woman who, despite the language barrier, introduces herself as Pulan (Me Me Lai). But she is held in check by Harper's guards who forbid her from talking to their prisoner. Harper soon becomes clear at what the natives have in store for him: they apparently want to use him as bait to catch a very large meal like a crocodile the natives catch after using a bird to catch their prey. He is forced to watch the natives kill, skin, and eat the crocodile among other various animals from a python to a tree monkey.One evening, Harper decides to make his move. He tricks Pulan into opening his cage, and then grabs her as well as bludgeoning the guard watching him. Harper escapes from the cave with Pulan as a hostage/guide. When she tries to escape, he attacks and savagely rapes her, cementing their bond. Being violated, Pulan apparently decides, by her tribe's custom, to become his companion and servant.One day during a sudden rainstorm, Harper and Pulan come across a cave, and find Ralph, who is alive and well and been hiding out from the natives this entire time. However, Ralph's mobility is impaired by a festering leg wound which he got during the overturning of their raft. Both men decide to force Pulan to lead them back to the airstrip to their plane so they can return home. The next day, the three of them set off as Ralph explains more about jungle survival. At one point, Ralph ensnares a cobra, milks its venom, and applies it to the end of Harper's makeshift lance.Pulan's hesitation about traveling through cannibal country is soon justified when they are surrounded by dozens of natives. In the chase, Ralph is hit in the chest by a spear, while Pulan is also hit and falls prey to her fellow native people and quickly killed. Harper is forced to help Ralph along as Pulan is gorily beheaded, sliced open, and gutted. Hot coals are place into her gaping chest cavity and her flesh is eaten.By the time the cannibals catch up to the two men, who make it to the river, Ralph is weakening fast from his fresh wound and can no longer defend himself. So, Harper is forced to fight against one of the cannibal natives. Harper kills his opponent by stabbing him with the poisoned lance. His assimilation into the savage ways of the jungle is completed when in devastating fashion, he disembowels his foe, pulls out an internal organ, and eats in front of the native warriors who watch the whole thing. Following this show of strength, the intimidated natives slowly back away and allow Harper to continue on his journey, carrying his barely conscious friend with him.Harper and Ralph finally follow a track from the river and make it back at the airstrip with the plane still sitting in its place. As the natives look on from a respective distance, Harper places Ralph in back of the plane, starts up and engine and takes off, finally free from his ordeal. But in the back seat, Ralph after hearing from Harper that they have made it and are on their way home, kneels over and dies having succumbed to his wounds. | violence, horror, cruelty, murder | tt0078437 |
Backdraft | At a Chicago city firehouse in 1971, a young boy and his even younger brother are trying on a fireman's coat. The older boy, Steven McCaffrey, lectures his brother, Brian, on how to properly buckle the front so it won't open in a hazardous situation. Just then, the alarm goes off in the firehouse and their father rushes in, asking Brian if he wants to join them on the call. Brian does and his father takes him in the fire engine with him. He shows his son how to properly blow the engine's horn to clear the streets and intersections on their way to the site.When they arrive on site, the call is for an apartment building. Brian watches as his father quickly makes his way up to the top floor where the blaze is. He and his partner, John "Axe" Adcox, rescue a kid about Brian's age and give him to their cohorts waiting on a nearby ladder. McCaffrey and Axe continuing battling the fire when a gas line ruptures and the entire floor explodes, killing McCaffrey. Brian watches his father's helmet land in front of him on the street. Axe, pushed away from the explosion by McCaffrey, rushes out and hugs Brian, then appears to bark orders to the rest of the company. Brian is stunned and picks up his father's helmet just as a photographer snaps a picture of him. (The picture later becomes a prize-winning cover of Life magazine.)Twenty years later, in the present day, Brian is at a party being thrown at a local bar; he has just graduated from a firefighter's training academy and the class is celebrating. He and his friend, Tim, are also waiting for their station assignments. Tim is given Engine 17, the toughest company in the city. Brian's own assignment is elsewhere because he'd bribed the city fire chief. Brian doesn't want to work for 17 because his older brother, Steven, runs the house and the two have become estranged. At the party, Brian also meets up with his old girlfriend, Jennifer, who isn't very happy to see him; Brian has hardly made any effort to keep in touch with her or his family for several years. Tim interrupts them, saying that 17 has been sent on a nearby call and that they both should go and watch their comrades work.Moments before, after parking his Porsche in front of his house, a man named Seagrave is entering his house when he's consumed by a huge explosion that propels him back into the street and through the windshield of his own car. When Brian and time make it to the site, the fire is already out and Brian's brother and Axe are there, bragging about the completed job. Brian sees Seagrave, horribly burned and dead, still embedded in his windshield. Steven appears and tells Brian that he's talked to the fire chief and convinced him that Brian belongs at Company 17. Brian is flustered that his brother interfered with his station assignment. Meanwhile, Donald "Shadow" Rimgale, an arson inspector, arrives on site and begins to collect forensic evidence. When Steven asks him if he's found a cause, Rimgale smartly answers "Mice, with matches."Brian visits his sister-in-law, Helen, and his nephew. He also notices that Steven isn't home; Helen tells him they've been separated. Because he didn't keep in touch with anyone back home, Brian didn't know about their situation. He next goes to his father's fishing boat near the river, where Steven has been living since the separation. Steven is suspicious of Brian's return to firefighting and suggests that Brian won't stay in the job, much like his failure at several other career fields of the previous few years. Brian tells his brother he's wrong.The next day, Brian gets up early for work, however, his car won't start and he must run to 17's house. When he gets there, the company is already on their way out to a call. He jumps aboard Steven's engine and dresses inside, catching up with Axe, who had looked after the McCaffrey brothers after their father died. The company reaches the site, a dressmaker's factory. After Steven embarrassingly buckles Brian's fire coat for him, they go inside and begin to battle the fire, which turns out to be quite difficult; it seems to be "jumping floors". At one point, the floor collapses and the men have to save one of their buddies and pull him up safely. The team receives a call saying there are no other companies to help them out. Brian is helping Steven with his hose when he thinks he hears someone calling for help. He rushes into another room but is blown backward by a blast of fire. When the fire backdrafts, Brian sees someone lying unconscious nearby, whom he carries outside, only to find that it's a mannequin, not a real person. Later, while he vomits outside, Steven yells at Brian for wandering off. Back at the fire station, Brian and Tim, as new candidates (or "probies") are ordered to make lunch for the entire company. The company welcomes them both and plays a prank on Brian, using the mannequin he'd "rescued" from the building.At a party being thrown for the Chicago Fire Chief, Steven spots his wife with another man. A Chicago alderman, Swayzak, offers Brian a chance to work with Rimgale. Brian turns him down and finds out that his old girlfriend, Jennifer, works in the alderman's office. Steven grows increasingly jealous of his wife and also becomes quite drunk and starts a fight with the man. Brian tries to help and they're both ejected from the party. Brian takes Steven home and Steven, before passing out, tells Brian that fire itself will not kill him.Later, Brian and Steven respond to a fire raging in a slum tenement where they're told they'll find a trapped kid. The two rush into the building without waiting for backup. When they find the apartment where the child is trapped, Steven breaks the door down and rushes in. Brian hesitates and is blown back by an explosion of fire and air. Backup arrives and Steven saves the young boy. Later, the two talk on the street and argue about Steven's seemingly uncontrollable need to emulate their father which often gets him in trouble and risks the lives of his crew. Brian decides to leave Company 17, take Swayzak's offer and goes to work for Rimgale. Rimgale takes Brian out with him immediately to the parole hearing of a pyromaniac, Ronald. When Brian first meets Ronald, the man is excited, recognizing Brian from the cover photo of him from Life magazine. He also shares the story of Rimgale's nickname, "Shadow"; Rimgale had been burned badly in a fire started by Ronald years before and the blast from a small tub of phosphorus had thrown Rimgale's shadow on the wall (Rimgale still carries horrific scars on his back and side from the incident). At the parole hearing, Ronald says that his incarceration has reformed him and he's ready to rejoin society. Rimgale isn't convinced and interrupts the hearing to show Ronald a burned doll from one of his child victims. Ronald admits he'd like to burn the entire world and his parole is denied.At a city theatre, the proprietor, Donald Cosgrove, opens his office door and is killed by an escaping blast of heat. Company 17 responds, but most of the blast, a "backdraft" has burned out. Brian and Rimgale arrive to investigate the scene. Brian's former colleagues from 17 seem somewhat resentful that he's taken a desk job. Rimgale searches the proprietor's office and finds a clue behind an electrical socket in the wall. When they talk later with the county coroner, Brian and Rimgale are told that the accelerant from the fire was a chemical called trichtochlorate, traces of which were found on Cosgrove's corpse.Brian reunites with Jennifer and shows her around Rimgale's firehouse. The two climb onto the back of an engine and have sex, just as the company is called to a high-rise fire. Company 17 is also there. While inspecting the burning floors, Steven takes the opportunity to train Tim on breaking doors down with their axes. Tim forgets to check one of the doors for heat and is blown back by a blast of fire when he breaks it open. Another blast sets him on fire. By the time the rest of the company comes in with hoses, Tim is horrifically burned and taken away in an ambulance. At the hospital, Brian and Steven get into a fight when Brian suggests his brother's need for heroics caused Tim's injuries.Brian asks Jennifer to do some snooping in Swayzak's office for any evidence that could link the deaths of Seagrave & Cosgrove. Rimgale is convinced they were all victims of the same arsonist. Jennifer finds evidence that they were friends of Swayzak and were involved in a complicated fraud scam that forced the closure of firehouses throughout the city; the firehouses would later be turned into parks or community centers, costing firefighters their jobs and resources. Rimgale and Brian go to Swayzak's home. When they smell escaping natural gas, they search the house. Brian finds Swayzak unconscious and is attacked by the arsonist, who wears a ski cap. Brian wrestles with him and shoves him against a shorting electrical plug (the one meant to set the natural gas ablaze). Rimgale finds them and throws the man off Brian. The arsonist runs off. Brian and Rimgale pull Swayzak from the burning house just as it explodes. Rimgale lands on a wrought-iron railing and is impaled through his shoulder. While angrily recovering in the hospital, he charges Brian with continuing the investigation.Brian visits Ronald in prison to try and understand the psychology of the arsonist. Ronald gets Brian to admit that he'd always wanted to be a firefighter because of his father and his untimely death. Brian also admits that fire itself still scares him, much like it did the day he saw his father burn to death. Ronald suggests to Brian that the arsonist is likely a firefighter who has access to trichtochlorate. Brian suspects his brother and goes to his father's boat, finding cans of a solvent containing the chemical. Steven shows up and the two argue over Steven's responsibility in raising Brian and Brian's failure to be a firefighter. Steven counters, saying that he found the responsibility of taking care of Brian after the father died thrust unfairly upon him years before. Brian goes to 17's house and searches Steven's locker, finding nothing. As he closes it up, he sees Adcox, shirtless, in the locker room. He notices a strange burn on Adcox' back, shaped like an electrical socket. Brian realizes it was Axe that he fought in Swayzak's house and he is the arsonist.Outside, in an alley, Steven asks Brian if the arsonist is Adcox, not noticing Axe listening at the window above them. The company is called to a fire at a chemical factory and Brian joins them. A few blocks from the site, the truck Brian is riding in flips over in a minor auto accident and Brian must run to the factory. He finds Steven and Axe arguing on the roof; Axe explains that he was fed up with politicians closing down firehalls, reducing the number of firefighters in the city and placing the lives of the remaining fighters in danger due to downsizing. Axe's plan was to kill all the politicians responsible. While the three continue to debate Axe's actions, the roof of the building begins to collapse. All three run to the edges of the roof and Brian makes it to a fire escape. A blast of fire causes him to fall into a large elevator shaft that fills with water. A broken gas pipe throws fire in his direction but he is saved by Steven. As they walk out of the building, they are attacked by Axe. Axe and Steven seem ready to fight each other with their axes but Adcox breaks down. A blast from a few chemical barrels below them wrecks the catwalk they're standing on and they end up hanging from the twisted metal, with Steven holding on to Axe several stories above the inferno below. With Steven's hand slipping, Axe tells Steven to let him fall. Steven refuses and his hand slips. Axe is killed and Steven falls onto a pipe-railing, causing serious injury to his abdomen. Two of 17's other men rush into the room but lose their hose in another blast. Brian makes it down to the floor of the massive room and takes control of the hose, allowing the two men to reach Steven. Steven is proud that his brother has overcome his fear of fire and is bravely fighting the blaze.Steven is rushed to the hospital, with Brian at his side. On the way, Steven's condition worsens and he falls unconscious and dies. Before he dies, he implores Brian not to reveal that Axe was the arsonist so it won't taint the department. Following a traditional funeral procession through the city, Steven and Axe are buried with honors. Brian and Rimgale interrupt a press conference being held by Swayzak and present the evidence they've collected, stating that Swayzak engineered the downsizing of the Chicago fire department along with Cosgrove, Seagrave and others. Brian apologizes to Jennifer for bringing down her boss.Brian rejoins 17 and keeps the shield from his brother's helmet. A call comes up and Brian joins the company on the run. On the way, he helps a new candidate buckle his fire coat properly, much like his brother had done for him. | cult, melodrama | tt0101393 |
Be Cool | In this sequel to the 1995 film, 'Get Shorty' former loan shark-turned-movie producer Chili Palmer (John Travolta), after years of filmmaking in Hollywood, enters the music industry after witnessing the execution, by the head of the Russian mob, of his friend Tommy Athens (James Woods), owner of a record company. Chili uses the opportunity to help his friend's widow, Edie Athens (Uma Thurman), manage the failing business, which owes $300,000 to the hip hop producer Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer). Chili enters the music industry on the talents of a female entertainer, Linda Moon (Christina Milian).Moon convinces Chili to take on her cause, getting out of contractual obligations to Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel) and Raji (Vince Vaughn), who has a gay Samoan bodyguard named Elliott (The Rock), an aspiring actor and the butt of Carr and Raji's homophobic jokes. Carr and Raji take exception to Chili's intervention, and hire a hitman, Joe "Loop" Lupino (Robert Pastorelli) to kill Chili. In the meantime, Chili convinces Edie to produce Moon, hoping to resurrect Athens' failing record company through a live performance with Steven Tyler and Aerosmith.LaSalle threatens Chili and Edie for payment of the $300,000, but they convince him to give them a few days to get the money plus the vig. When the Russians attempt to kill Chili, Joe Loop mistakenly kills Ivan Argianiyev (George Fisher), the Russian Mob hitman. Carr is furious about the mistake and orders Raji to confront Loop at once. At a restaurant, he informs Loop about Carr's anger with him and warns him to do his job properly. Raji then kills Loop with a metal baseball bat after Loop "disrespects" him. After Chili talks Linda into leaving Carr and his girl group, Carr tries to trick Chili by handing him a pawn ticket, claiming that Linda's contract was at the pawn shop owned by the Russians. This is actually a set-up by Carr to get Chili killed.Wary of Carr's plans to get him killed, Chili hands the ticket to Edie, who turns it over to the police. Now the cops, instead of Chili, pay the Russians a visit. Meanwhile, Raji and Elliot set up LaSalle by making him believe that Carr tricked Chili in giving him the $300,000 grand to get Linda's contract. Furious, LaSalle and the DubMD pay Carr a visit to confront him in his office. Believing that Carr tricked him by giving the ticket to the police, Bulkin and his men pay a visit to Carr's office while Sin LaSalle and the DubMD's are there. Insulted by Bulkin's racist remarks, LaSalle kills him. In the meantime, Raji sends Elliot to kill Chili. However, Chili befriends Elliot and tells him that he can help him out with his acting career. When Carr threatens Chili, Chili sends him to the hands of the police with a pawn ticket. Finally when Raji and Elliot threaten Chili, he again befriends Elliot when Edie helps him figure out how to answer his cell phone message on it.After learning that Chili had gotten him an audition for a film, Elliot turns on Raji because he erased the evidence of it on his answering machine. For all his smooth talking and flamboyant wardrobe, Raji finds himself in a firework conflagration which roasts him live on camera. Carr is arrested on murder charges when they find him with the bat used to kill Joe Loop.During all of this confusion, Chili squeezes in a dance scene with Edie (a nod to his "Twist Contest" scene, also with Thurman, in Pulp Fiction) and Moon gets her debut with Aerosmith. Finally, LaSalle becomes the producer for Moon and Elliot embarks on a successful acting career (his first film is with Nicole Kidman). | murder, flashback | tt0377471 |
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold | A year after the events of the first film, Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) is a much happier and livelier man, having moved out of the city and become station manager at the radio station where he works, where he has employed his best friend, Phil Berquist (Daniel Stern). However, he is being plagued with nightmares about his deceased friend, Curly, and comes to believe that he may still be alive. On his 40th birthday, Mitch sees a man resembling Curly on the train, which does nothing to placate his worries, and later finds a treasure map belonging to Lincoln Washburn hidden in Curly's old hat, albeit with a missing corner. He and Phil investigate the contents of the map in the library and learn that Lincoln Washburn, Curly's father, was a train robber in the Old West and in 1908 infamously stole and hid one million dollars in gold bullion in the deserts near Las Vegas. With an impending trip to there for a convention, Mitch decides to venture out to find the gold (which would now be worth twenty million) along with Phil and his estranged younger brother, Glen (Jon Lovitz).
Several mishaps ensue, such as Glen accidentally burning a hole in the map with a magnifying glass, Mitch almost falling off a cliff while retrieving it and Phil believing he was bitten by a rattlesnake while he actually sat on a cactus. They are ambushed by the two cowboys who they bought their supplies from, who demand the map, since Phil recklessly told them all about the gold. Just as they are poised to kill them, a man appears and fights them off. He introduces himself as Duke (Jack Palance), Curly's identical twin brother, and explains that long ago, his father had plans to find the gold with his sons once he was no longer being monitored, but he died before. On her death bed, their mother gave Curly the map, and he contacted Duke to find him so that they could find the gold together, but he died on the cattle drive. Duke learned from Cookie that Mitch had Curly's belongings, and so sought him out, though he believed he was Curly. Though Duke is prepared to take the map and find the gold by himself, Mitch chastises him for his attitude, reasoning that Curly would not approve. Out of respect for Curly, Duke relents and allows the others to accompany him and share the gold.
A reckless act by Mitch causes a stampede in which the map and almost all their supplies are lost. Thanks to Glen's memory, they are able to press on and find the location of the cave where the gold is hidden. They eventually find it, but are confronted by two armed cowboys also seeking it. In the ensuing fight, Glen is shot and apparently killed, but Duke discovers the bullets to be blanks with red paint. At that moment, Clay Stone (Noble Willingham), the organizer of the cattle drive, appears along with some of their old friends, such as Ira and Barry Shalowitz. Clay explains that the cowboys are his sons and he has been looking for Duke for some time. Having left the cattle business, he is now making a living taking men on a trip to find the gold, which is revealed to be lead painted with that color. Though Mitch, Phil, and Glen feel lost, Duke remains convinced that the gold is out there somewhere, and stays behind as the others return to Las Vegas.
However, Mitch is visited by Duke in his hotel room, who reveals that the entire time, he knew where the gold truly was and intended to keep it all for himself, but couldn't bring himself to do so. He also reveals to Mitch that the one thing he had to find out for himself is honesty. Through Mitch's skepticism, Duke reveals that he had the missing corner of the map, which points to where Lincoln reburied the gold in 1909, and presents a bar of it to Mitch as a gift. He tries to scratch the gold off with a knife, and screams in joy upon realizing that it is real after all. | violence | tt0109439 |
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? | The film centers on the volatile marriage of a middle-aged married couple: George, an associate history professor at a small New England college, and Martha, the daughter of the president. After they return home drunk from a party, Martha reveals she has invited a young married couple, whom she'd met at the party, for a drink. The guests arrive – Nick, a biology professor (whom Martha mistakenly believes to be a math professor), and his wife, Honey. As the four drink, Martha and George engage in scathing verbal abuse in front of Nick and Honey. The younger couple is first embarrassed and later enmeshed.
The wives briefly separate from the husbands, and upon their return, Honey reveals that Martha has told her about her and George's son, adding that she understands that the following day (Sunday) will mark his sixteenth birthday. George is visibly angry that Martha has divulged this information.
Martha taunts George aggressively and he retaliates with his usual passive aggression. Martha tells an embarrassing story about how she humiliated him in front of her father. Martha's taunts continue, and George reacts violently by breaking a bottle. Nick and Honey become increasingly unsettled, and Honey, who has had too much to drink, runs to the bathroom to vomit.
Martha goes to the kitchen to make coffee, and George and Nick go outside. The younger man confesses he was attracted to Honey more for her family's money than passion, and married her only because he mistakenly believed she was pregnant. George describes his own marriage as one of never-ending accommodation and adjustment, then admits he considers Nick a threat. George also tells a story about a boy he grew up with who had accidentally killed his mother and years later, his father, and ended up living out his days in a mental hospital. Nick admits he aims to charm and sleep his way to the top, and jokes that Martha would be a good place to start.
When their guests propose leaving, George insists on driving them home. They approach a roadhouse, and Honey suggests they stop to dance. While Honey and George watch, Nick suggestively dances with Martha, who continues to mock and criticize George. George unplugs the jukebox and announces the game is over. In response, Martha alludes to the fact he may have murdered his parents like the protagonist in his unpublished, non-fiction novel, prompting George to attack Martha until Nick pulls him away from her. George tells the group about a second novel he allegedly has written about a young couple from the Midwest, a good-looking teacher and his timid wife, who marry because of her hysterical pregnancy and money, then settle in a small college town. An embarrassed Honey realizes Nick indiscreetly told George about their past and runs from the room. Nick promises revenge on George, and then runs after Honey.
In the parking lot, George tells his wife he cannot stand the way she constantly humiliates him, and she tauntingly accuses him of having married her for just that reason. Their rage erupts into a declaration of "total war". Martha drives off, retrieving Nick and Honey, leaving George to make his way back home on foot. When he arrives home, he discovers the car crashed on the drive and Honey half conscious on the back seat and sees Martha and Nick together through the bedroom window. Through Honey's drunken babbling, George begins to suspect that her pregnancy was in fact real, and that she secretly had an abortion. He then devises a plan to get back at Martha.
When Martha accuses Nick of being sexually inadequate, he blames his impotence on all the liquor he has consumed. George then appears holding snapdragons, which he throws at Martha and Nick in another game. He mentions his and Martha's son, prompting her to reminisce about his birth and childhood and how he was nearly destroyed by his father. George accuses Martha of engaging in destructive and abusive behavior with the boy, who frequently ran away to escape her attention. George then announces he has received a telegram with bad news—their son has been killed in a car accident.
As Martha begs George not to "kill" their son, Nick suddenly realizes the truth: Martha and George had never been able to have children, and filled the void with an imaginary son. By declaring their son dead, accordingly, George has "killed" him. George explains that their one mutually-agreed-upon rule was to never mention the "existence" of their son to anyone else, and that he "killed" him because Martha broke that rule by mentioning him to Honey.
The young couple departs quietly, and George and Martha are left alone as the day begins to break outside. George starts singing the song "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", and Martha responds, "I am, George, I am." | comedy, fantasy, cruelty, psychological, prank | tt0061184 |
San Andreas | The film opens with the girl, Natalie (Morgan Griffin), driving through the cliff of San Fernando Valley, 16 miles (25.75 kms) north of Los Angeles, when suddenly the rock slides onto the car, causing it to fall then hang into the edge of cliff. Moments later, Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter-pilot Chief Raymond "Ray" Gaines (Dwayne Johnson) and his other colleagues comes to rescue the girl trapped in the car. Ray safely rescues the girl moments before the car falls into the cliff.In CALTECH, Dr. Kim Park (Will Yun Lee) receives a data of minor earthquakes in Falco, Nevada and shows it to his collegue and seismologist Lawrence Hayes (Paul Giamatti). The minor quakes measure 2.0 to 2.6. Hayes is curious of why such a minor quakes can produce even there are no faults in Nevada. Hayes and Park decide to go to Nevada to test the theory.While Ray is calling for his daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario), for the upcoming trip to San Francisco, he receives a divorce papers. Recently, he is divorced from his estranged wife Emma (Carla Gugino) and she is now with his new boyfriend Daniel Riddick (Ioan Gruffudd).Meanwhile, at the Hoover Dam, along with Hayes, Park is now testing a magnetic pulse of quake. Suddenly, his device detects a sudden spike pulse then a stronger earthquake triggers. It measures 7.0 - highest ever recorded. As the dam starting to break, Park struggles to escape while Hayes tells the people, still on the dam, to get out. Park now exits the dam facility, however when he sees a girl - staying beside the dam while crying - he carries her out. After rescuing the girl, Park is impaled by a rod in his right foot. The dam completely crumbles and Park is killed. The disaster leads to the flooding in towns and the earthquake was the strongest and destructive ever recorded in Nevada's history.Back to California, Ray arrives at his family house for planning what to do for the trip. After that, Ray is back to work for another mission: rescue the disaster victims in Nevada. Daniel and Blake head to San Francisco for a meeting. While Daniel is having a meeting, Blake meets an English guy named Ben Taylor (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) - having an interview - and his brother, Ollie (Art Parkinson).In CALTECH, the reporter, Serena (Archie Panjabi) arrived and wants to interview Hayes about what happen in Nevada. Hayes states that they didn't know that there was any fault line in there. He says that they can predict an earthquake just like they did along with Park. One of his colleague interrupts Hayes and he presents him the data showing the pulse rates where detected on the entire San Andreas fault. The pulse rates were higher than Nevada. Hayes then explains to them on why the earthquake triggered in Nevada even there are no fault line: his theory is to draw a fault line near Nevada and it connects to the end of the fault boundary. Hayes predicts that the whole San Andreas might go off.In Los Angeles, Emma is having a lunch with Daniel's sister, Susan, in a high rise restaurant. After some conversation with Susan, Emma answers a call from Ray, in the helicopter en route for maintenance. Ray apologizes Emma for what he did the other day. Their phone conversation is interrupted by the strong earthquake. Emma tells to Ray that they're having an earthquake and he also notice that the freeway is crumbling in the process. Ray instructs Emma to get to the roof for rescue. According to the CALTECH, the first major earthquake peaked at 8.5 and later 9.1. Not only in Los Angeles, but the whole California and the quake is heading to San Francisco where Blake and Daniel are there.While the ensuing destructive earthquake, the people inside the building panic in terror; others are injured. Emma told Susan to get to the roof together, but she goes to the exit, only she is killed in a crumbling floor. Emma made it to the roof, with the floor and the surrounding structures crumbling in the process. Emma manage to recover and emerges from the rubble. Finally, Ray rescues Emma and barely escapes as the surrounding structures collapse. The whole city is now completely devastated.Meanwhile in San Francisco, after Ben has the interview, Blake borrows Ollie's book to write her number in it for Ben to call her. As Blake and Daniel drive inside the parking lot, the earthquake hits. They manages to escape but the floor collapses ahead and they become trapped. The debris crushes the driver, making the driver's seat to stuck Blake's leg. Daniel leaves her for help. As Daniel calls for help, the debris falls near to him and kills a security guard. Because of this, he flees in terror instead of saving Blake.Ben and Ollie are struggling to save her as the debris above her continues to press the roof. By using the screw jack to lift the debris out, Blake is still stuck but at least the driver's seat pushes away a bit. When Ben pops the tires, finally they rescue her. The trio get out of the building as the aftershock continues. The trio decides to go to the electronic store in order for her to contact with her family.Blake, Ben and Ollie goes to the electronic store. Blake found the phone and she calls her parents that she's okay. Also, she tells them that Daniel left him. This makes Emma angry and she leaves an intimidating message to Daniel's voicemail. Ray advises Blake that they will need to get out immediately and they will go to Coit Tower as rendezvous. Ray and Emma quickly heads to San Francisco to save her.Meanwhile, Daniel is walking through the crowd in the street when suddenly a strong earthquake hits again. The structure ahead the crowd collapses. In order to save himself, Daniel steals the safe spot of one of its victims. The victim is swept away by the debris.When Ray and Emma are en route to the city, the helicopter's engine fails, forcing them to make a crash landing into the superstore in Bakersfield. As they try to steal the vehicle, which is already stolen, the perpetrator aims the gun to him but he manage to subdue the perpetrator and then they drive away.With the help of Serena, Hayes is able to warn the others, through the news coverage, of a much bigger earthquake in San Francisco. He tells the people of San Francisco to get out now, and their lives depends on it.After Ray and Emma obtain the vehicle, they drive out when they see an old couple warns that them to stop their vehicle - it is the now-opened San Andreas fault rendering the road impassable. They drive it back to the old couple who happen to own an airplane. In exchange for their stolen vehicle, Ray and Emma manage to fly their plane to San Francisco. While on the plane, Ray recaps about what happen with their daughter, Mallory, who died in a rafting accident. Ray regrets because he did not save his daughter. That's why Emma stays harder with Blake and that's the reason of Emma and Ray getting divorce. Then they fly to San FranciscoBlake, Ben and Ollie, walking through the streets of crowd, head to Coit Tower for their meeting place, but it is already engulfed in flames. So, they change the plan by going to the highest ground which is Nob Hill in order to signal her family.Ray and Emma make it to San Francisco but they cannot land the plane because the airport has a lot of cracks and scattered planes. Ray has no choice but they will sky dive to the stadium - still standing - leaving the plane to crash into the Pacific Ocean as long as it runs out the fuel.Meanwhile, Blake, Ben and Ollie are walking through the deserted street when the strong earthquake hits. The earthquake measures 9.6, the largest recorded in the history. Blake and Ollie quickly get into the side of the street but Ben goes to the opposite side. The glass shard, coming from the building, pricks Ben's leg. The remaining still standing structures destroy, ground ruptures, suspension bridge crumbles, etc. At the same time, Ray manages to tell other people to get the side of the stadium safely and the higher beams nearly crashes them - but all of them are safe.After the earthquake, Blake carefully removes the glass shard from Ben's leg and then they move to the highest ground. Ray and Emma drive in the boat to the city where they see Coit Tower is on fire. He knows that Blake has gone somewhere else. They notice that the water recedes quickly, which means that the tsunami is about to hit the city. As the trio receives the tsunami warning from the radio, it is too late for them to head to the highest ground. So, the trio quickly heads to the Daniel's unfinished building.Ray and Emma, in the boat, and the other boats manage to drive into the giant tidal wave. They almost made it through but they almost hit a cargo ship, that is carried by tidal wave. Daniel, is still on the Golden Gate Bridge, and is crushed by loose ship container, killing him. The cargo ship slices the Golden Gate Bridge in half and the tidal wave continues to hit the city. Sadly, most of the people, still on the ground, don't make it.The trio is in now in the building when the tidal wave hits. Ray and Emma drive through the devastated town to find Blake. Blake and Ollie sees her parents riding in the boat but they don't see them. Ollie then uses the laser pointer - that he obtained from the electronics store - to attract her parents. Now the parents sees them inside the building, but before can save them, the building starts to sink into the ground. Blake is separated from the two brothers as they made it up to the floor. Blake is now trapped inside as the water continues to rise up. Ray manages to rescue his daughter, only the exits are jammed. Blake then apparently dies from drowning and Ray struggles to get her out. Ray then tries to resuscitate Blake, but as the building is going to collapse, Emma drives through the window and they quickly get out as the building finally collapses completely.Once outside, after Ray tried to revive Blake, she's now back to her life and finally reunites with her family. Later, the five make it to a relief in Marin County. The family along with Ben and Ollie watch the sunset, on the destroyed and radically altered geography of the San Francisco Bay Area, and they talk about the future. They also see an American flag is wave to the now-destroyed Golden Gate Bridge. | suspenseful, humor, romantic, flashback | tt2126355 |
Ghostbusters II | After saving New York City from the demi-god Gozer, the Ghostbusters—Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman, and Winston Zeddemore—are sued for the property damage they caused, and barred from investigating the supernatural, forcing them out of business. Ray owns an occult bookstore and works as an unpopular children's entertainer with Winston, Egon works in a laboratory conducting experiments into human emotion, and Peter hosts a pseudo-psychic television show. Peter's former girlfriend Dana Barrett has had a son, Oscar, with an ex-husband, and works at the Museum of Modern Art. After an incident in which Oscar's baby carriage is controlled by an unseen force and drawn to a busy junction, Dana turns to the Ghostbusters for help. Meanwhile, Dana's colleague Dr. Janosz Poha is indoctrinated by the spirit of Vigo the Carpathian, a powerful sixteenth-century tyrant and magician trapped in a painting in the gallery. Vigo orders Janosz to locate a child that Vigo can possess, allowing him to return to life on the New Year.
The Ghostbusters' investigation leads them to illegally excavate First Avenue at the point where the baby carriage stopped. Lowered underneath, Ray discovers a river of pink slime filling the abandoned Beach Pneumatic Transit line. Attacked by the slime after obtaining a sample, Ray accidentally causes a city-wide blackout, and the Ghostbusters are arrested. They are found guilty of investigating the supernatural, but before they can be taken away, the slime taken as evidence reacts to the judge's angry outburst and explodes, releasing two ghosts who were murderers that the judge had executed that proceed to devastate the courtroom. The Ghostbusters imprison the ghosts in exchange for the dismissal of all charges and that they be allowed to resume their Ghostbusting business.
Later, the slime invades Dana's apartment and attacks her and Oscar. She seeks refuge with Peter, and the two begin to renew their relationship. Investigating the slime and Vigo's history, the Ghostbusters discover that the slime reacts to emotions, and suspect that it has been generated by the negative attitudes of New Yorkers. While Peter and Dana have dinner together, Egon, Ray, and Winston explore the underground river of slime. While measuring the depth, Winston gets pulled into the flowing river, and Ray and Egon jump in after him. After they escape back to the surface Ray and Winston begin arguing, but Egon realizes that they are being influenced by the slime, so they strip off their clothes. They also learn the river is flowing directly to the museum.
The Ghostbusters go to the mayor with their suspicions, but are dismissed; the mayor's assistant, Jack Hardemeyer, has them committed to a psychiatric hospital to protect the mayor's interests as he runs for governor. Meanwhile, a spirit resembling Janosz kidnaps Oscar from Peter's apartment, and Dana pursues them to the museum alone. After she enters, the museum is covered with a barrier of impenetrable slime.
New Year's Eve sees a sudden increase of supernatural activity as the slime rises from the subway line and onto the city streets, causing widespread paranormal activity with ghosts attacking citizens. In response, the mayor fires Hardemeyer and has the Ghostbusters released. After heading to the museum, they are unable to breach the power of the slime barrier with their proton packs. Determining that they need a symbol of powerful positivity to rally the citizens and weaken the slime, the Ghostbusters use positively-charged mood slime, and a remix of "Higher and Higher" to animate the Statue of Liberty and pilot it through the streets before the cheering populace. As they arrive at the museum, the slime begins to recede and they use the Statue's torch to break through the museum's ceiling to attack Vigo and Janosz.
Janosz is neutralized with positively-charged slime, but Vigo immobilizes the Ghostbusters and attempts a transfer into Oscar's body. A chorus of "Auld Lang Syne" by the citizens outside weakens Vigo, returning him to the painting and freeing the Ghostbusters. Vigo momentarily possesses Ray, and the other Ghostbusters attack him with a combination of proton streams and positively-charged mood slime. Dressed in full Ghostbusters attire, Louis attacks the weakened slime barrier around the building with a proton stream of his own. This combination destroys Vigo and changes the painting to a likeness of the four Ghostbusters standing protectively around Oscar. Outside, the Ghostbusters receive a standing ovation from the crowd and, at a later ceremony to restore the Statue, the Key to the City from the mayor. | comedy, fantasy, paranormal, allegory, cult, humor, action | tt0097428 |
Rocky II | Picking up immediately after the events in the first Rocky movie, Rocky II begins with the events of 14th round of the Bicentennial New Years Day fight from the first movie. The fight lasts the entire 15 rounds with each fighter suffering many devastating injuries. After the fight, Rocky calls out for Adrian, who runs down to the ring. As Creed is announced the winner by split decision, Adrian and Rocky embrace, and Rocky tells her that he loves her.After their championship bout, Rocky (Sylvester Stalone) and Apollo (Carl Weathers) are taken by ambulance to Pennsylvania Hospital in Center City (a WCAU-TV Channel 10 news truck follows behind the ambulance), where they meet once again in the hospital lobby with a mob of reporters. Apollo Creed, who retained the championship on points, is furious at Rocky, the first man to go the distance with him, and starts clamoring for another chance to knock Rocky out. Rocky goes to Apollo's room that night and asks "Did you give me your best?" to which Apollo answers "Yeah." Rocky declines talk of a rematch and tells Apollo that he is quitting boxing. Rocky's decision to retire is strengthened when doctors tell him he needs surgery for a detached retina.Following his hospital stay, Rocky proposes to Adrian (Talie Shire) in front of the tiger exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo, and they later get married in a private church ceremony. Rocky begins to enjoy the profits from his fight with Apollo. He buys his first brand new car which is a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am (even though it's still supposedly 1976), goes on a shopping spree (purchasing a black leather jacket with a tiger on the back for himself, a fur coat for Adrian, and some gold wristwatches, to name a few), and buys a two-story row house in another Philly neighborhood. He also convinces his previous employer, the loan shark Gazzo (Joe Spinell), to give Paulie (Burt Young) his old collecting job. Rocky then opts to earn money by appearing in television commercials. His new career, however, is quickly derailed by his sub-par reading skills, which leads to a clash with the director of his first commercial.Over the next few months, Rocky, unable to find white-collar work due to his lack of education beyond the 8th grade, and after being laid off (because of cutbacks) from the meat packing plant where Paulie previously worked, gets a job "helping out" as an assistant trainer at Mickey's gym. Adrian, now pregnant, returns to her old job at the pet store. Running short on money from his unwise spending spree, Rocky also hands over his new Trans Am car to Paulie, who agrees to take over the insurance payments.Meanwhile, Apollo Creed has been receiving hate mail about his split-decision win over Rocky and is filled with anger and frustration: the letters alternately accuse him of deliberately carrying "that chump" (Rocky) the distance or state outright that he should have lost and has no business calling himself the champ. Determined to prove himself and win back the respect of his fans, Apollo elects to try and pressure Rocky into another fight, despite protests from his trainer, Tony "Duke" Evers, to find a new contender to fight against (when asked by Apollo what Tony is afraid of, Tony replies "He's all wrong for us. I saw you beat that man like I ain't never seen no man get beat before. And the man kept coming after you."). Rocky himself begins to have second thoughts about the fight, but because of the pressure applied by Apollo, Rocky decides to accept the challenge for a rematch against Apollo on Thanksgiving 1976 and begins training once again.Mickey is unwilling to train Rocky at first, due to his bad eye. However, after seeing Apollo making fun of Rocky on public television, he becomes furious with Apollo and agrees to train Rocky. Mickey decides he wants the left-handed Rocky to learn to fight right-handed in order to better protect the eye, and to give him a surprise advantage by switching back to left-handed with the intention of throwing off Apollo's timing and confusing him. He also focuses on improving Rocky's speed by using an old training method from his own boxing days: he forces Rocky to chase a chicken around a vacant lot, stating, "If you can catch this thing you can catch greased lightning."However, Adrian's opposition saps Rocky's resolve and his training suffers. When Paulie confronts Adrian about her opinion, her angry reaction creates a serious medical condition that breaks her water prematurely. During the birth of their son, Adrian falls into a coma, and as a result of the premature birth, their son is placed into an incubator at the hospital ICU. Rocky breaks away from training to spend every waking moment either at her side or in the hospital chapel with Mickey, not even seeing his newborn son until several days later when she recovers. When Adrian emerges from the coma, she tells Rocky to "win" and he restarts training in earnest with Mickey for the rematch with Apollo. His condition improves dramatically with increased strength and speed.As with the first fight, Rocky's training includes his famous brisk run throughout the city of Philadelphia. This time, however, he is greeted with the cheers and encouragement of onlookers as he runs through the streets of South Philadelphia, having become a local celebrity following his narrow loss to Apollo. Along the way, children and pre-teens begin to follow him, their numbers increasing dramatically block by block. By the time he reaches the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Center City, hundreds of young people have joined in. Ultimately, they follow Rocky to the top of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, enthusiastically chanting his name as he lifts his arms in a victory pose.Rocky and Apollo once again fight an intense battle in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Paulie and a still-recovering Adrian stay home to watch the match on their TV set. Gazzo personally attends the match with a front-row seat as in the first film. Unlike the first match, Apollo gets off to a fast start, flooring Rocky twice in the first two rounds and building a huge lead on the scorecards as the fight goes on. But throughout the fight, Rocky pounds away at Apollo on and off, turning the fight into a brutal battle.At the start of the 15th and final round, Apollo's trainer begs him not to try to go for a knockout, as he can win simply by avoiding Rocky. Apollo, desperately wanting to prove he can knock out Rocky and very frustrated that he keeps coming back, disregards the advice. Mickey tells Rocky to switch back to boxing left-handed now, and although Rocky initially refuses, he switches back, landing several crashing lefts. Rocky hits Apollo with a final punch that knocks him down, but from sheer exhaustion, Rocky also goes down to the canvas. The referee starts the final ten-count as the fighters struggle to their feet.At the count of 9, Apollo, finally realizing all but too late that the last fight was not fixed, collapses while reaching for the top rope, while Rocky picks himself up and is declared the WBA's new Heavyweight Champion of the World. In his post-match speech, he thanks Apollo for another hard-fought battle, Mickey for training him, and God. Rocky states "Except for my kid being born, this is the greatest night in the history of my life, and I just want to say one thing to my wife who's home: Yo, Adrian! I did it!" | violence, revenge, cult, romantic, flashback | tt0079817 |
Assassin's Creed | Spain, 1492The Knights of the Templar Order are seeking out the Apple of Eden, which legend tells contains the seeds that led to the first sin. The Templars wants to seize the Apple for control over free will in a violent world. The Brotherhood of Assassins were the ones set out to destroy the Templars. Aguilar de Nerha (Michael Fassbender) is tasked with stopping the Templars from taking the Apple. He recites the Assassin's Creed: "We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins."We jump to the 20th century where a young Callum Lynch (Angus Brown) trying to ride his bike across rooftops. After he fails, he goes home and finds his mother Mary (Essie Davis) has been murdered by Cal's father Joseph (Brian Gleeson), who is dressed as an Assassin. Cal runs away from home as his father is pursued by modern day Templars.It is now the present day. An adult Callum (now played by Michael Fassbender) is headed to his execution after being convicted of murder. He is hooked up to a chair for a lethal injection. Cal experiences trippy imagery before passing out.Cal wakes up to find Dr. Sophia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard), who tells him that he is legally dead, but has been brought to a facility. Cal runs out of his room and comes across a window overlooking the city in a massive building. Sophia tells Cal that the building belongs to Abstergo Industries. They need Cal for an important experiment.Callum is taken to a room with a large claw-like mechanism called the Animus. Sophia explains that the Animus will allow Cal to see the memories of his ancestor, Aguilar. After getting hooked into the Animus, Cal finds himself in the Spanish Inquisition as Aguilar. He and his partner Maria (Ariane Labed) are tasked with rescuing the son of Sultan Muhammad XII (Khalid Abdalla), Prince Ahmed of Granada (Kemaal Deen-Ellis), who has been kidnapped by Templars under the order of Tomas de Torquemada (Javier Gutierrez) in order to obtain the Apple from the Sultan. Aguilar strikes when he kills the Templar group's leader with a Hidden Blade concealed in his sleeve. Aguilar and Maria chase after a chariot where Ahmed is being taken. They run the chariot off the street, causing it to slide over a cliff. Aguilar grabs Ahmed and is left dangling before a Templar leader named Ojeda (Hovik Keuchkerian) approaches him. Sophia then takes Callum out of the Animus, leaving him on a literal cliffhanger.Cal meets other people in the facility who are descendants of Assassins, including Moussa (Michael K. Williams), whose ancestor Baptiste used voodoo against his enemies.Cal begins to experience hallucinations of Aguilar fighting, at times appearing as though he is attacking Cal. Sophia explains that these reflections are normal as part of being put in the Animus. She states that the Animus is meant to show people who made them what they are.Sophia and her father Alan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons) are followers of the Templars. They both claim to be seeking the Apple of Eden in order to rid the world of violence. Rikkin meets with a higher-up, Ellen Kaye (Charlotte Rampling), who wants to shut down Rikkin's project due to the lack of success in locating the Apple.Cal experiences more hallucinations, seeing Aguilar attacking him. Cal dodges Aguilar's attacks, but he ends up striking several Abstergo officials. He is subdued and taken back to the Animus. Now, Aguilar and Maria are captured and detained in a cell with their mentor Benedicto (Carlos Bardem). The Assassins are set to be publicly executed. Benedicto is burned alive, but Aguilar manages to free himself and Maria. They cause explosions by setting off oil barrels and then run over rooftops as the Templars chase after them. Aguilar performs a Leap of Faith, but it causes Callum in the present to be caught in a malfunction with the Animus.Cal and Sophia discuss the project as they both hate the Assassins as it was they that killed both their mothers.Cal reunites with Joseph (now played by Brendan Gleeson). Cal still hates Joseph for killing Mary, but Joseph explains that Mary had willingly allowed herself to be killed so that Abstergo would not experiment on them.When Callum returns to the Animus, we see that Aguilar and Maria found the Apple about to be exchanged between Torquemada and the Sultan in order for Torquemada to return Ahmed to his father. The Assassins fight the Templars and kill them all except for Torquemada and Ojeda. Aguilar gets the Apple, but Ojeda holds Maria with a knife to her neck. Ojeda demands the Apple, but Maria would rather sacrifice herself than to let Aguilar give up the Apple. Aguilar holds onto the Apple, and Ojeda drives the knife into Maria's neck, killing her. Aguilar fights Ojeda and stabs him to death with his Hidden Blade before making off the with Apple.The Rikkins learn that the Apple is currently in the tomb of Christopher Columbus. After retrieving it, they head to a temple in London for a grand ceremony. Sophia learns that her father cares more about completely eradicating the Assassins instead of their strive for peace.Callum has fully synchronized with Aguilar and has accepted his role as an Assassin, especially after seeing Mary dressed as an Assassin as she speaks to him. He leads Moussa and several other modern day Assassins against the Templars, slaughtering nearly all of them. Cal and Sophia come across each other. She threatens to expose him, but he knows she won't do it. They make it to Rikkin and kill him before taking back the Apple.The Assassins are now free from Abstergo, but Sophia appears to conspire against Callum in retaliation for her father's death. | suspenseful, murder, violence, flashback, good versus evil, historical fiction, psychedelic, revenge, sci-fi | tt2094766 |
Palabras encadenadas | Locked in a dark basement, Laura, a psychiatrist in her early thirties, contemplates in horror a video where a man confesses to be a serial killer. Its Ramón, an apparently normal man in his forties, who seems to be quite harmless. Gagged and bound to a chair, Laura realizes that its the same person who kidnapped her and who is now pacing in the shadows. Ramón continues to speak as he turns off the television. He walks over to her, takes off the gag, and challenges Laura to play the Word Game. If she wins, she gets to go free; but if she loses, hell poke her eye out. Laura is terrified, but reluctantly accepts. The game begins. Laura makes a mistake. Ramon menacingly moves towards her. Lauras screams are useless.A month later, we see Ramón giving a class at the University where he teaches. Hes a charismatic philosophy teacher. Two policemen discreetly interrupt his class and kindly ask him to come with them to the police station. Once there, commissioner Espinosa and inspector Sánchez interrogate Ramón, the two of them are investigating the strange disappearance of Ramons ex-wife, the psychiatrist, Laura Galán. Ramon lies, as he calmly tells the two policemen that he hasnt seen Laura in ages. As he ably dodges the two inspectors questions and insinuations he begins to tell them about what had happened in the basement the month before. It seems that Ramon left Laura unharmed when she lost at the word game. However, he decided to torture her psychologically, humiliate her and avenge himself by terrifying her, while he forced her to find him an effective therapy for his mental illness. Ramón admits to having killed eighteen people in order to create the alibi that would allow him to murder Laura. As he tells his story, the two policemen begin to corner Ramon with the evidence at hand. His violent behaviour, well documented in the divorce trial is brought together with a series of hard evidence: photographs, blood samples, a video... His tremendously confusing statement will soon make it clear that he has something to hide.Ramon becomes more and more nervous and tries to justify his conduct. Little by little he begins to reveal what happened in the basement with Laura. The two policemen relentlessly hound him until he finally breaks down. His final confession will be more than surprising. | murder | tt0339489 |
Meet the Hollowheads | In a strange, dark world full of pipes, tubes, corridors and a mysterious "edge" that naughty children are threatened with being thrown over, the Hollowhead family lives in a brightly lit, colorful happy home, until some clogged tubes, an imposing boss, and a little too much softening cream bring it all crashing down on them. Henry Hollowhead informs his wife that his new boss will be coming to dinner, and she graciously agrees to make it a memorable one. He hopes to take advantage of this chance at getting a promotion at United Umbilical by impressing his boss over a delicous dinner. Meanwhile, Billy Hollowhead and his best friend are making a mess in the bedroom with Billy's new splat-spray game, using the family pet's parasites as ammunition. Older sister, budding beauty Cindy Hollowhead is raving about the upcoming party, and her brother Bud is practicing just a little too loudly on his electro-chicken-accordian instrument, which he will be playing at the same party. Mr. Hollowhead and boss Mr. Crabneck arrive just in time to see the succulent Cindy leaving for the party, and Mr. Crabneck wastes no time in showing his slimey side to both daughter and mother. Dinner begins, with some idle chitchat about work, degrading into a discussion of the dangers of rationalism, and finally coming back to Mr. Hollowhead's desired promotion. At this point, Mr. Crabneck informs them that he is a very very very lonely man, and the only chance Henry has at getting promoted lies with Miriam, and her willingness to ease his boss's loneliness. Unable to restrain himself further, Mr. Crabneck attacks Miriam's neck while Henry ponders a way to get noticed at work. She fends him off with the help of her well-adjusted youngest son Billy, until Henry joins in and together, the three subdue Mr. Crabneck. It takes a few tries, as Mr. Crabneck is a tough crab to crack, but they finally knock him out and hide him in the kitchen just as the police arrive with daugther Cindy. The party has been raided by police after the party-goers tapped into a highly restricted tube, and Cindy was taken into custody under the intoxicating influence of two pounds of softening cream. Oldest son Bud returns after having been booed out of the party because of his new songs, and Mr. Crabneck wakes up once more before finally expiring at the sight of Cindy's drunken state. But, instead of throwing the body over the edge, they throw him in the regeneration chamber, revive him, and put him in the basement with Grandpa, who they are secretly keeping alive despite the law. Problem solved, promotion secured, and pervert safely locked away, the family reminds each other how important family is, because the family that slays together, stays together. And remember kids, just say "No!" to butt polish! | absurd, cult, psychedelic | tt0095608 |
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | In 1963 Oregon, Randle Patrick McMurphy (Nicholson), a criminal who has been sentenced to a fairly short prison term, decides to have himself declared insane so he'll be transferred to a mental institution, where he expects to serve the rest of his term free of prison labor and in (comparative) comfort and luxury.His ward in the mental institution is run by an unyielding tyrant, Nurse Ratched (Fletcher), who has cowed the patients (most of whom are "voluntary" or there by choice) into dejected institutionalized submission. McMurphy becomes ensnared in a number of power games with Nurse Ratched for the hearts and minds of the patients. All the time, however, the question is just how sane any of the players in the ward actually are and whether they really belong there.Throughout his stay at the hospital, McMurphy forms friendships with his fellow patients but the bonds are deepest with two in particular: Billy Bibbit (Dourif), a suicidal, stuttering manchild whom Ratched has humiliated and dominated into a quivering mess; and "Chief" Bromden (Sampson), a 6'5" muscular Native American who has schizophrenia. Recognized by the patients in the ward as deaf, and unable to speak, they ignore him but also respect him for his enormous size. In the former, McMurphy sees a younger brother figure whom he wants to teach to have fun, while the latter is his only real confidant, as they both understand what it is like to be treated into submission.McMurphy initially insults Chief when he enters the ward, but attempts to use his size as an advantage (for example, in playing basketball, for which his height is favorable). When Mac sees how submissive the patients are under Ratched's tyrannical control, he resolves to antagonize her and undermine her authority as much as possible. At a counseling session, McMurphy proposes that the ward's work schedule be altered so that the patients can watch the World Series on television. When the 1st meeting comes to a halt under Ratched's authority, Mac takes wagers on whether he can lift the ward's marble water-treatment control panel and throw it through a window to escape and watch the Series at a bar. He naturally fails, but puts forth an extreme effort.The next discussion over changing the work detail quickly becomes a battle of wills when Ratched announces that a majority vote will be acceptable. However, Ratched, upon realizing that the vote may go McMurphy's way, deftly alters the rules, stating that votes must be taken from the Chronic and Vegetable patients . When the vote doesn't favor McMurphy, he begins to imagine the game is on TV and rallies most of the other patients behind him, causing a major ruckus.McMurphy leads the patients in a basketball game against the ward's orderlies. Chief Bromden proves to be an effective player, scoring several baskets. While the orderlies claim that the patients are cheating, McMurphy ignores their objections. While the patients later relax in the hospital pool, Mac finds out, from an orderly, that he won't be released at the end of his prison sentence, but will remain in the hospital for as long as the board and Ratched deem necessary.Another counseling session ensues and McMurphy, very upset at the orderly's revelation, finds out that he's been listed as a "committed" patient and will only be released when Ratched permits it, a highly unlikely scenario. Murphy also discovers that many of the patients in the ward are there voluntarily: they can leave any time they wish but due to Ratched's dominance, they are afraid to take the chance. McMurphy seems particularly upset that a young man like Billy remains on the ward voluntarily when he could be free and maybe enjoying his youth.The session quickly erupts in violence however, when the subject of Ratched's cigarette rationing is addressed by an upset patient named Charlie Cheswick. A fight breaks out with the orderlies and Mac, Bromden (who'd pulled Mac off one of the orderlies) and Cheswick are sent to a detention area where electro-convulsive therapy is conducted on disruptive patients. Cheswick is sent first to undergo ECT, while McMurphy and Chief wait on the bench. In the few moments they have alone, McMurphy offers Chief a piece of gum, and Chief verbally thanks him. A surprised McMurphy realizes that Chief can speak and has actually been faking his situation at the ward the whole time. McMurphy resolves to allow Chief in on his escape plan because of his hidden wisdom. Ending this scene, a more defiant McMurphy emerges from the detention area to an awaiting Nurse Ratched.Closer to Christmas McMurphy, fed up with Ratched's oppressive methods, sneaks into the nurse's station and calls his girlfriend, Candy, to bring booze and assist in his escape. She brings a girlfriend, and both enter the ward when McMurphy convinces the ward's night attendant, Mr. Turkle, to open one of the ward's secured windows. The patients drink, while Billy flirts with McMurphy's girlfriend.Later in the evening, when McMurphy and the Chief plan to finally leave, Billy, upset at Mac's departure, hints to Mac that he wants a date with Candy. Billy and Candy are given a private room and Mac boosts Billy's confidence & allows him to have sex with her. McMurphy, however, while waiting (believing the encounter will be quick), falls asleep with the rest of the patients.Nurse Ratched and the orderlies arrive in the morning to discover the patients asleep hung over. Though clearly upset and angry, she commands the orderlies to lock the open window and conduct a head count. When they discover that one patient, Billy, is missing, Ratched demands the others to reveal his whereabouts. Billy is discovered with Candy, who is immediately led out of the hospital.Ratched demands that Billy tell him who allowed him to have sex with Candy. Billy, his stutter noticeably gone, tells her that McMurphy did, and that the rest of the ward encouraged him. A passively angry Ratched then threatens to tell Billy's mother, citing her long-time friendship with her. Billy's stutter returns very quickly and, very upset, begs Ratched not to tell his mother. When she explains that he should have thought of the consequences, he breaks down into tears and is dragged away to Dr. Spivey's office, screaming. McMurphy, still in possession of Turkle's keys, unlocks one of the windows and is about to escape when Ratched's nurse assistant, Miss Pilbro, screams loudly.McMurphy and everyone else rush to Spivey's office where Billy had been led to. Having been left alone momentarily, he commits suicide, using a jagged piece of glass to slit his throat. After McMurphy sees what the ward has done to his friend and hears Ratched's orders for everyone to remain calm and return to their routine, he explodes into a violent rage, strangling Nurse Ratched until she is near death. She survives, but McMurphy is knocked unconscious by one of the orderlies and taken off the ward.Rumors float around the ward of McMurphy's fate. Some believe he'd escaped, others seem to know he was lobotomized. Late one night, McMurphy is quietly returned to his bed by orderlies. The Chief sneaks over to Mac's bed and finds him unresponsive; he also sees two scars on Mac's forehead, indicating that he'd been lobotomized. Unwilling to leave McMurphy behind, the Chief suffocates his vegetable-like friend with a pillow. He lifts the heavy marble hydrotherapy fountain that Mac was unable to before and, hurling it through a barred window, escapes to Canada. | psychological, depressing, dramatic, cult, violence, insanity, satire, claustrophobic, sadist, sentimental | tt0073486 |
1 | While on the phone with his girlfriend Jill (Ashley Hinshaw), who has moved away to attend college, David (Rhys Wakefield) prompts her to explicitly wish that he were there to see her compete in a fencing tournament, only to surprise her with an unplanned visit. After the competition, David approaches Jill's similarly attired opponent (Hannah Kasulka) from behind and flirts with her, thinking she is his girlfriend. Intrigued, she kisses David, and Jill storms off angrily after walking in on them. Later, David meets with his friend and roommate Teddy (Logan Miller), a sex-obsessed student who tells him that Jill will attend a house party later. Hoping that she will speak with him in person, David decides to attend the party, too.At nightfall, David and Teddy drive over to the large house where Angad (Rohan Kymal) is hosting the party in his parents house. Dozens of people are already there, drinking, partying, smoking dope, and other wild things.Meanwhile, a strange meteor lands near the site of the party, and electrical arcs cause a momentary blackout. The wild revelers do not notice brief, anomalous phenomena that occur during the blackout, such as a mirror image out of sync, but a drug dealer's girlfriend outside the party becomes spooked.As the raucous party proceeds, David searches the house for Jill, and Teddy attempts to charm Melanie (Natalie Hall) a very attractive blond student. To Teddy's surprise, Melanie invites him to join her upstairs in ten minutes. Meanwhile, David spies on Jill as she flirts with a friend. Elsewhere, Allison (Colleen Dengel), an outsider, unsuccessfully attempts to fit in. David attempts to apologize to Jill, but she becomes more angry with his fumbled apology and says that he makes her feel replaceable. When a small fire starts caused by a flying tennis ball, the sprinklers put out the fire. So, Angrad moves the party outside, and the house empties except for David, Teddy, Allison, and Melanie.When Teddy joins Melanie upstairs, he finds her naked on a bed. They proceed to have sex, and she steps into the shower afterward. During a second blackout, a duplicate of Melanie appears on the bed, surprised to find Teddy in the room. When the original Melanie exits the shower, the two Melanies come face-to-face, and Teddy flees the room in a panic.David confirms that the house has filled with duplicates of the party-goers, who repeat the actions their originals took ten minutes ago. Outside, the drug dealer Kyle (Adam David Thompson) and his duplicate get into a violent confrontation, and David watches as one of them murders the other. Worried that the duplicates may be hostile, the originals attempt to hide. Eventually, the duplicates disappear when another blackout happens due to the strange supernatural event.With each blackout, the duplicates momentarily reappear and reenact increasingly more recent actions. David becomes convinced that he can save his relationship if he crafts a better apology to Jill's duplicate. At the same time, Allison befriends her duplicate (Suzanne Dengel). Also, Teddy accidentally ruins the rendez-vous between his and Melanie's duplicates.Teddy runs outside and warns the other partygoers that his duplicate will now become belligerent, and he convinces the party-goers, most of whom are still skeptical, to hide from their duplicates in a pool house. When the duplicates reappear, David knocks his own duplicate unconscious and charms Jill's duplicate, and Teddy's duplicate attempts to convince the skeptical crowd of duplicates to attack the originals.Worried about their safety, several of the originals sneak out and murder their duplicates, which turns the enraged duplicates hostile. The originals retreat back to the pool house, and the duplicates lay siege. The next blackout causes the duplicates to appear inside the pool house. The crowded room erupts in violence, and several people die, including Teddy.David tracks down the original Jill, who had wandered back to the house, and he murders her so that he can be with her duplicate. In the meantime, the narcissist Allison seduces her duplicate, and they share a kiss.The final blackout causes the duplicates and originals to merge. David and Jill leave together and make their way to the pool house and have a make-out session. The confused party-goers stagger out of the pool house, and they begin to disperse. In the final shot, two meteors, like the original, are shown passing through the sky and appear to be leaving Earth. | paranormal, murder | tt2395385 |
Foreign Correspondent | In mid-August 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, the editor of the New York Globe, Mr. Powers (Harry Davenport), is concerned about the crisis in Europe, the growing power of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, and the inability of celebrated foreign correspondents to get answers about whether war will ensue. After searching for a good, tough crime reporter for a fresh viewpoint, he appoints Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea) as a foreign correspondent, under the pen name Huntley Haverstock.
The reporter's first assignment is Stephen Fisher (Herbert Marshall), leader of the Universal Peace Party, at an event held by Fisher in honour of a Dutch diplomat named Van Meer (Albert Bassermann). On the way to the party, Haverstock sees Van Meer entering the car that is to take him to the party, and runs to interview him; Van Meer invites him to ride along, but diplomatically evades his questioning. At the party, Haverstock meets Fisher's daughter, Carol (Laraine Day). Van Meer disappears mysteriously. Later, Fisher informs the guests that Van Meer, who was supposed to be the guest of honor, will not be attending the party; instead he will be at a political conference in Amsterdam.
At the conference, Van Meer is shot in front of a large crowd by a man disguised as a photographer. Haverstock commandeers a car to follow the assassin's getaway car. The car he jumps into happens to have in it Carol and another reporter, Scott ffolliott (George Sanders), who explains that the capital letter in his surname was dropped in memory of an executed ancestor. The group follows the assassin to the countryside, where they see a windmill begin turning backwards: obviously a signal.
While Carol and ffolliott go for help, Haverstock searches the windmill and finds a live Van Meer; the man who was killed was an impostor substituted to make everyone believe Van Meer was killed. The old man has been drugged and is unable to tell Haverstock anything. Haverstock is forced to flee when the kidnappers become aware of him. They escape with Van Meer in an aircraft before the police arrive.
Later, back at Haverstock's hotel room, two spies dressed as policemen arrive to kidnap him. When he suspects who they really are, he escapes out the window and into Carol Fisher's room.
Haverstock and Carol board a British boat to England, and while a furious storm thunders overhead, he proposes marriage to her which she accepts. In England, they go to Carol's father's house, where Haverstock sees a man whom he recognizes as one of the men at the windmill. He informs Fisher and Fisher promises that he will send a bodyguard to protect him. The bodyguard, Rowley (Edmund Gwenn), repeatedly tries to kill Haverstock. When the assassin tries to push him off the top of the Westminster Cathedral tower, Haverstock steps aside and Rowley plunges to his death.
Haverstock and ffolliott are convinced that Fisher is a traitor, so they come up with a plan: Haverstock will take Carol to the countryside, and ffolliott will pretend she has been kidnapped to force Fisher to divulge Van Meer's location. After a misunderstanding with Haverstock, Carol returns to London. Just as Fisher is about to fall for ffolliott's bluff, he hears her car pull up.
Fisher heads to a hotel where Van Meer is being held with ffolliott on his tail. Van Meer is being interrogated using sleep deprivation to discover a secret clause in a treaty he signed. Just as he is being forced to divulge the information the organization wants, ffolliott distracts the interrogators. When Haverstock arrives, Fisher and his bodyguards escape, leaving Van Meer behind. Van Meer is rushed to the hospital in a coma.
England and France declare war on Germany. While Haverstock, ffolliott and the Fishers are on a Short S.30 Empire aircraft to America, Fisher confesses his misdeeds to his daughter. Carol believes Haverstock does not really love her but only used her to pursue her father. Haverstock protests that he was just doing his job as a reporter. Seconds later, the aircraft is shelled by a German destroyer and crashes into the ocean. The survivors perch on the floating wing of the downed aircraft. Realizing that it cannot support everyone, Fisher sacrifices himself by allowing himself to drown. Jones and ffolliott attempt to save him, but are unsuccessful. They are rescued by an American ship, the Mohican. The captain refuses to allow the reporters to file their story using the ship's communications citing American neutrality, but Jones, ffolliott, and Carol surreptitiously communicate the story by radio-telephone to Mr. Powers. Later, back in London and now a successful war correspondent, Haverstock, with Carol at his side, describes London being bombed in a live radio broadcast to the United States, urging Americans to fortify their country and "keep the lights burning" as they go dark in the studio. | murder | tt0032484 |
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan | Borat Sagdiyev is a TV reporter of a popular show in Kazakhstan. The movie opens when Borat is in his hometown of Kusak in Kazakhstan. He is introducing the entire town to the documentary movie he is going to be filming. There's people like the town mechanic / abortionist, the town rapist, his annoying neighbor, his wife Oxana, and so on and so forth. Borat also talks about his home and his hobbies. Hobbies include ping pong, which he plays rather poorly, and traveling to capital city where he watches women as they do their business. Borat takes you through his home where you meet his wife Oxana and his sons Huey and Lewis, and introduces us to his annoying neighbor Yusuf. Borat and Yusuf have been engaged in a game of coveted goods, where everything Borat gets, Yusuf attempts to get as well, but since Yusuf doesn't have the money that Borat has, everything Yusuf buys is of significantly less quality.Borat is hailed as a hero in his town as he is contracted by the government of Kazakhstan to travel to America to make a documentary which will bring together, hopefully, the cultures of America and Kazakhstan. Borat is to travel to America with his most venerable producer Azamat Bagatov, who will handle all the behind the scenes work of this documentary. After a rather lengthy flight with multiple stops and connections, Borat finally arrives in New York City. On the subway to his hotel, his pet chicken escapes his bag and wrecks havoc on the subway. Borat's attempts to introduce himself to the native New Yorkers is also a complete failure.At the hotel, Borat attempts to bargain with the hotel owners about his negotiated room rate, only to be met with another failure as the hotel has a set rate in which it can rent rooms out. He has apparently never been in an elevator which he thinks is his actual hotel room. The next series of footage shows Borat attempting to integrate his life into New York City. Unfortunately he finds the natives aren't as friendly as they are in his native Kazakhstan.The next day Borat meets with a humor coach. The coach attempts to tell Borat about everything that he needs to know to be funny. Borat's version of humor and the humor coaches' version of humor don't exactly mix. The next interview finds Borat as the only male in a group of feminists. There, the humor he learned from the humor coach, and the feminists' version of humor again don't exactly mix. While at the hotel, Borat is learning about American television. There while flipping through the channels he stumbles upon an American television show called "Baywatch". He is immediately smitten with the show's star, one Pamela Anderson, who is unlike any Kazakh woman he has ever seen. While at the hotel Borat receives news that his wife has died in a horrible accident. He's grateful because he remembered shortly before he left that she threatened him with castration if he cheated on her. He then is seen leaving packing his things and wants to leave New York. He then convinces his producer Azamat that in order to see the real America they need to leave New York for greener pastures. Azamat isn't entirely convinced and has received threats from the Kazakh government that they need to do all their filming in New York or else. Borat convinces Azamat otherwise.Since Borat doesn't know how to drive he enrolls in a driving course and becomes very friendly with driving instructor, but his behavior behind the wheel takes things a bit too far. Borat is then seen at a GM dealer. He is asking the dealer what to do to buy the vehicle he needs to complete the cross country road trip. The dealer explains that the car he needs, as well as one he needs to attract women, is a Corvette or a Hummer H2. But the high price tag alienates Borat and Azamat. Borat decides they need something much less expensive. The dealer obliges and sells Borat a former ice cream truck that's worth $750. They then set about heading across the country.Their first stop is a news cast in North Carolina. There Borat manages to be the center of attention, while humiliating the weatherman, who can't stop laughing as Borat walks on stage in the middle of the broadcast. Their next stop is Washington, DC where Borat engages in a group of individuals who are much friendlier than they were in New York City. Upon meeting with Republican leader Alan Keys, Borat is shocked to learn that he unwittingly participated in a gay pride parade. Borat and Azamat quickly high tail it to their next destination - South Carolina. While in South Carolina, Borat and Azamat attend a rodeo. There, Borat is asked to sing the US national anthem which ends rather poorly when Borat attempts to integrate the Kazakh national anthem with the US national anthem. The next stop takes Borat and Azamat to a yard sale. There Borat thinks that the host of the yard sale is a gypsy but in fact all the stuff that they're selling came from inside their home. Borat finds another sign that they are destined to go to California to meet Pamela Anderson when he discovers a book about Baywatch. He then takes the book and he and Azamat high tail it to their next destination.Their next stop takes them to Atlanta. There they get lost off the freeway looking for a place to stay for the night. Borat meets a group of "gangstas" who teach him their ways and means. Borat and Azamat head to a rather upscale Marriott Hotel. Borat tries the gangsta's methods and immediately gets kicked out of the hotel. So the next place they go to stay is a bed and breakfast outside of the city. Unfortunately for Borat, the place is run by an elderly Jewish couple. He and Azamat are scared and immediately begin thinking of excuses to leave the establishment. Borat is still freaked from their visit to the Jewish run bed and breakfast that they stayed in. So much that he feels that they need protection. Borat and Azamat then decide to deal with a shady vendor who specializes in zoo animals and sells Borat and Azamat their own bear which protects but also annoys them and winds up scaring a group of school kids who think they're driving a real ice cream truck.Borat decides while in Atlanta that he needs to learn about American culture. To do so Azamat has him attend a formal dinner party. Things go incredibly south when Borat manages to offend everyone in attendance. First by showing some unflattering pictures of his sons Huey and Lewis, and attempting to dispose of his business the Kazakhstan way. They finally have had it with him when Borat contacts his "date" who turns out to be a prostitute. He's then asked to leave the party. Borat and his new date Luenell, decide that they should go hit the town and go to a bar with a mechanical bull.The next stop takes them to Houston Texas. There, Borat is shopping at an antique store to buy a gift to present to his new bride Pamela. Borat asks the owner about their obsession with the Confederate flag and secession which they claim is a part of southern heritage. He winds up clumsily crashing into most of the objects in the store and gets kicked out. While at the hotel, Borat catches Azamat with his Baywatch magazine doing unspeakable acts with it, and he and Borat get into a massive fight that ends with them crashing an executive convention completely naked.Azamat leaves - leaving Borat with only his return ticket and the chicken. Borat is depressed that he will be unable to complete the journey and may even wind up getting stranded in Houston. He drives as far as he can on what's left of the ice cream truck's gas. Thankfully he manages to hitchhike across the country with a group of college fraternity brothers. They then proceed to get really drunk. Borat tells them about his quest to marry Pamela Anderson. The guys show Borat her sex tape and he's now completely freaked out. He then leaves the Winnebago and winds up sleeping outside in a parking lot. There, while starting a bonfire with the Baywatch magazine, he accidentally incinerates his return ticket and lets his pet chicken go.He's now in Phoenix, Arizona. What he steps into next turns out to be a Pentecostal gathering at a huge mega church. There's even political figures involved in the large mass. After listening to the key note speakers which include a US Congressman, anti-evolution activists, and multiple judges and state senators, Borat is then baptized and joins the church. He then catches a ride out to Hollywood. The long journey is almost over. While in Hollywood, Borat manages to reunite with Azamat who's making some additional money doing character work in the tourist areas. Azamat is still angry about what happened in Houston but tells Borat he wants to complete the documentary and return to Kazakhstan and forget this entire trip ever happened. We also learn the fate of the bear that they acquired for security purposes.Azamat manages to track down Pamela Anderson. She's doing a DVD signing at the Virgin Records store in Orange, California. They go to the mall and Borat is first in line. He attempts to propose to Pamela Anderson - the traditional Kazakhstani way which involves a large, decorated sack he tries to throw over in an attempt to kidnap her, but she is completely freaked out by the proposal and runs off. Borat chases her out the back of the store and is finally tackled by security guards and arrested. Borat comes to the realization that true love is found where you least expect it. He and Azamat head back to Atlanta, and get a bus ride thanks to Borat's new connections with the Arizona mega church, where Borat reunites with Luennell, and wants her to come to Kazakhstan with him. She happily accepts the offer.Several months later the documentary is complete and Borat is back in his village of Kusak. He's a national hero now because the documentary was successful and has made Kazakhstan more appealing on an international stage. Borat introduces his new wife Luennell, who he married some time after the documentary was completed. And things have improved since then. He has spread the religion of Christianity to most of Kazakhstan, and he managed to up the game against his neighbor Yusuf, who it seems can only afford the iPod Mini, where Borat has purchased a full iPod. He then gets the village together and says thank you for watching the movie and goodbye. The movie ends with the Kazakhstan national anthem. | comedy, boring, adult comedy, bleak, cult, flashback, humor, satire, romantic, entertaining | tt0443453 |
Water for Elephants | When Jacob Jankowski,parents dead and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted circus owner. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.The movie begins with an elderly man (who is actually Jacob - Hal Holbrook) outside after a circus performance, looking for his ride, when younger workers notice him and ask if he is lost or needs to go back to the home. He insists that he doesn't belong in a home and becomes quite upset when they persistently ask, but then apologizes for his rude behavior. The young men bring him inside from the rain, and while one man goes about calling the old folks home, the other notices Jacob looking at the pictures hanging on the wall. The young man is shocked to find out Jacob knew about the circus and even more impressed when he says he was there, right in the middle of it. It is explained that it was the most famous circus disaster in history. The young man passes him an old photograph of a young woman sitting on an elephant's trunk, and Jacob tears up. The young man asks Jacob to tell him what happened in 1931, and so the story begins.The movie flashes back to 1931, as a young man (younger Jacob - Robert Pattinson) was preparing to take his final exam at vet school. He lived at home with his parents who had left Poland to seek a better life in America. The police show up during his exam to break the news that his father and mother were killed in a car accident. After identifying the bodies, he ends up throwing up in an alley.The news gets worse when it is explained to him that the bank is taking all his family's assets due to his father's defaulting on loans. The young man insists that his father was a good man, and the family home was paid for. He shortly realizes that his parents had mortgaged their home to send him to vet school. Jacob leaves his boyhood home with one suitcase and plans to walk to Albany where there would be jobs, but he didn't make it to Albany. He hops on a passing train and meets some older men, who offer to help him find work the next day.They arrive at an open field, where a large group of men file out of the train and begin constructing the circus tent. Jacob is in awe of the entire process, but is soon thrust into shoveling manure. While working, a pretty woman catches his eye (Marlena - Reese Witherspoon) as she is talking to horses, asking one if it's okay. It is pretty clear she is part of the act and Jacob walks over to take a look at the horse's leg. She quickly turns away from him, taking the horses with her. Jacob follows her and witnesses with amazement her circus act with the horses. He asks one of his fellow workers about her and is told she is the boss's wife and you don't talk to her.Jacob is introduced to the August (the boss) and impresses him enough to become the new veterinarian. He is then introduced to Marlena and she, once again, brushes him off. He examines one of the horse's injuries and explains to August that he should be put down. August tells him that is unacceptable and to make it work so the horse can perform through the season. He stumbles upon Marlena, who is comforting the injured horse and they have a short conversation about how the horse should be put down. Jacob grabs a gun, but before pulling the trigger, Marlena tells him it will be his last decision if he goes against what August says. He pulls the trigger and Marlena tells him she will be sad to see him go. August finds Jacob and threatens to throw him off the train.To help fill the money void left when the star horse was put down, August buys an elephant named Rosie and insists that, with Marlena in the mix, he will sell out crowds. It is quickly established that Marlena both appreciates and adores the way that Jacobs cares for animals and they bond over training the elephant. Later, Jacob is invited to drinks with August and Marlena to celebrate the addition of Rosie to the circus. During drinks, August states that he wants Jacob to be the Bull Man, and Jacob explains he is not a real vet, as he did not receive a degree. August shockingly doesn't mind and they drink a cheer to Rosie. After an awkward moment with August, who is very drunk, Marlena puts him to bed. Jacob asks if he should go, and Marlena tells him to dance with her just once and then he can go. They dance and nearly kiss before she tells him he should leave.While training the elephant, August uses the bull hook too aggressively for Jacob's and Marlena's tastes, but they keep silent. Later during Rosie's first performance, with Marlena atop her, August uses too much force to try to get a more exciting performance out of Rosie. Rosie freaks out and runs from the tent, forcing Marlena to grab a pole at the exit of the tent before being carried off on the stampeding elephant. Although the crowd cheers at Marlena's great gymnastic move, August is enraged. After the workers coax Rosie back to the circus, he takes the bull hook and beats Rosie with it. Jacob tries to stop him, but is held back by other workers, and Marlena stands outside Rosie's train car with her hands over her ears until Rosie's shrieking stops.Later, Jacob discovers that Rosie is able to take commands that are spoken in German, and August couldn't be happier. All three of them go out to celebrate and, with August away from the table, Marlena and Jacob have a conversation about her past. At the end, she asks Jacob, Where were you when I was 17? The party gets raided (Prohibition Era), so Jacob and Marlena flee into an alley, far away from August. They share a kiss, but Marlena pulls away and tells Jacob not to follow her.Jacob and Marlena act as if nothing has happened between them, it's business as usual, and the circus is selling out shows. During a surprise celebration for Jacob (due to him discovering Rosie's talents), August senses something a bit too intimate when he notices an exchange between Jacob and Marlena. Later, August discovers Marlena and Jacob at her tent, and confronts them in an unconventional way. Marlena almost has August convinced there is nothing between her and Jacob, but he rejects her story. A fight breaks out and Jacob is forced to jump off the train, but not before convincing Marlena to jump with him.They find sanctuary at a hotel, and make love, but in the morning are discovered by August's henchmen. A bloodied and beaten Jacob regains consciousness only to discover Marlena is gone. He makes his way back to the circus and finds his closest work mates are not in their bunks. Knowing how August is, Jacob becomes enraged with thoughts of them having been killed (it is later explained they were thrown off the train, landed on a rock field, and did not survive). He sneaks into August's tent, to find Marlena lying with him. He has a knife in his hand and is about to kill August, but Marlena sees what he is about to do and convinces him otherwise. They meet the next morning and discuss their escape plan, which will be after the matinée act. While waiting for the show to be over, he hears the roar of the crowd change and rushes into the tent. The workers let the wild animals out of their cages, including the tigers and bears. This was done as payback for August's having had two of the workers (Jacob's closest work mates) killed. As the crowd rushes to get out, August encounters Jacob and begins hitting him with a pipe. Marlena sees what is happening, and tries to stop him, but is quickly taken down by August. He begins choking her, while his henchmen attend to Jacob, who is trying to get to Marlena. Rosie senses what is happening, just as Jacob begins speaking German to her, commanding her to pick up a spike and hit August with it. August dies.Jacob becomes a licensed veterinarian, and he and Marlena get married and start their own act. The movie returns to the present day and older Jacob explains that he and Marlena had five kids, and they kept the horses and Rosie. After many years, Rosie passed away, and Jacob explained that Marlena cried for days as Rosie had been part of their lives from the beginning. The young man asked what happened to Marlena, and he told him she passed away in her bed, still beautiful. Jacob says that he was able to give her everything he ever promised her. Jacob then asks the man for a job as a ticket taker for the circus, saying there's nothing wrong with him other than that he is old. The man agrees, saying that Jacob will go down in the records book as the oldest man to run away with the circus. Jacob laughs and says, I'm not running away, I'm coming home. | violence, historical, depressing, romantic, historical fiction | tt1067583 |
The Spirit | In a cat-filled mausoleum in Central City, Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht), also known as the masked vigilante The Spirit, receives a phone call from Detective Sussman (Dan Gerrity) about something big going on near an old shipwreck in the mudflats, something that could involve the Spirits arch-nemesis, The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson). The Spirit dons his costume and travels across rooftops while delivering a voice-over soliloquy about the city being his one true love. A woman (Kimberly Cox) is being mugged in an alley below. He manages to save her, receiving a knife wound that he seems to not even notice. The woman asks, What are you? The Spirit runs away, catching a ride from Officer Liebowitz (Frank Miller) and heading toward the flats.At the swampland, a beautiful femme fatale, Sand Saref (Eva Mendes), rises from the water and appears to shoot Sussman multiple times. The Spirit and Liebowitz find the wounded Sussman, but a flashback reveals that it was really the Octopus who shot him in an effort to recover two identical chests underwater. Sand and her husband Mahmoud (Eric Balfour) tried to flee with both chests, but the Octopus wounded Mahmoud and snapped a line connecting the two chests. Sand escaped, leaving one chest behind, which the Octopus retrieved from the murky depths.After the Octopus kills Liebowitz by ripping his head off, he sends away his cloned henchmen, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos (all played by Louis Lombardi), to be alone to take on the Spirit. Octopus accomplice Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson) drives up, running over Pathos in the process. She departs with the cargo, expressing her thoughts that the Spirit and the Octopus will be at it all night.The two enemies do indeed take part in a long and highly stylized fight. A still quite alive Pathos shoots the Spirit, putting the hero down for the count, while the Octopus claims that he and the Spirit share a connection in their capability to take such great amounts of punishment.The Spirit is awakened by his lover Dr. Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), daughter of Police Commissioner Dolan (Dan Lauria). Appearing to be in perfect health despite his gunshot wounds (something which has occurred seemingly many times before), the Spirit is reluctant to be admitted to a hospital but Ellen insists. He is shocked to notice a gold locket in Sussaman's hand; a piece torn from Sand Sarefs neck earlier. He is berated by Commissioner Dolan, the only person who knows the Spirits true identity, for the loss of two officers due to going after the Octopus without permission or backup.Sand Sarefs locket contains pictures of a much younger Denny Colt (Johnny Simmons) and Sand (Seychelle Gabriel). The two grew up together in Central City. Denny bought Sand the locket as a gift to satisfy the girls love of diamonds and other such shiny things, including the Golden Fleece of Jason and the Argonauts. They lived happily until Sands father, a cop, was accidentally shot dead one night in a struggle between a mobster and Dennys uncle, a washed-up (and presumably alcoholic) boxer who then committed suicide. Sand said she now hated cops. Fleeing to Europe, she was never heard from again for fifteen years. With her back in Central City, the Spirits interest is obviously piqued. He concludes that her desires of youth have evolved into a criminal career.In a secret lair, the Octopus and Silken Floss open the chest but discover that it does not contain the mysterious Blood of Heracles as expected, but an unseen object that produces an otherworldly glow. Incandescent with rage, the Octopus exaggeratedly slaughters three of four more cloned thugs and orders a fourth to commit seppuku. He learns of Sands involvement in the mixing up of the chests and the villains decide a trade is in order.Sand and Mahmoud visit the office of a high-class fence named Donenfeld (Richard Portnow), whom Sand paid to locate the underwater treasure she wanted -- the Argonauts Golden Fleece. It is implied that Donenfeld gave up the treasures location to the Octopus as well to ensure his familys safety. For selling her out, Sand transfers Donenfelds payment into another account, then persuades the fence to shoot himself.At St. Alices Hospital, the Spirit has fully regenerated good as new. He nearly seduces Ellen, but she has a clearer understanding than expected of the Spirits tendency to fall in love with every woman he meets. Commissioner Dolan angrily enters with young rookie cop Morgenstern (Stana Katic) and calls the Spirit away to a case.Sand's history as one of the worlds great jewel thieves is relayed to the Spirit, the cops both unaware of his past life with the suspect. Unable to believe Sand could be a criminal, the Spirit tracks her down. He is about to arrest her when caught off-guard by her standing before him fully nude. He also sees that Mahmoud has died due to tasting the Blood of Heracles. Sand doesn't recognize the Spirit as the presumed-dead Denny. She is stunned when he reveals his knowledge of her looking for the Golden Fleece. Sand shoves the Spirit through a window. His trenchcoat stops his fall when it snags on the horn of a gigantic ram statue.Morgenstern calls with a lead: Pathos was found near the mudflats with his shoes covered in industrial salt. It allows the Spirit to deduce that his nemesis is headquartered under the Feiffer Industrial Salt plant. After taking down several clones, he enters a sewer tunnel and comes face-to-face with Floss, who kisses the Spirit as a distraction while she injects a knockout agent into his neck.In the Octopuss lair, the Spirit awakens to find himself tied to a dentists chair and surrounded by Nazi paraphernalia. A beautiful belly dancer sensuously dances behind a curtain, prompting the Spirit to break the fourth wall and claim to recognize her as the strangest woman he has ever encountered. It is revealed to be Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega), a psychotic assassin. The Octopus enters after a message from Sand an exchange of the Golden Fleece and the Blood of Heracles has been arranged at the city projects. The Spirit is told the story of the Octopus's quest for immortality. His and Flosss experimentation eventually led to the creation of a serum (something of a scientific equivalent to the Elixir of Life) that could grant immortality or, at least, nigh indestructibility. Dennys corpse was used as a test subject. He awoke in a casket, broke out of his grave, and went to see Commissioner Dolan, creating a new identity to fight crime as a police spy. The Octopus injected himself and arch-enemies were born.The Octopus intends to drink the mystical Blood and expand his immortality toward becoming a god. But first he intends to kill the Spirit by having Plaster slice him into tiny bits. She instead cuts him loose when reminded of a romantic encounter. The Spirit then gives the Octopus a beating, crushing him under a large Reichsadler eagle statue. He escapes with Plaster and they kiss, only for her to impale the Spirit on her sword.Bleeding profusely, he stumbles to the city docks, collapses into the water and confronts the beautifully ethereal Angel of Death, the siren Lorelei (Jaime King), who has haunted the Spirits sleep. He is the only man to have ever wrongfully escaped death. His hallucinations lead to surreal images of her taking him where he truly belongs. But he manages to gather his senses by remembering Ellen, Sand, and the city all needing him. As the Spirit swims to the surface, Lorelei vows vengeance.The Spirit is again put into Ellens critical care in the hospital. At the projects, Sand and her lastest henchman fly in with the Blood of Heracles to meet Floss and a clone carrying the Golden Fleece. After a four-way standoff, Sand attempts to convince Floss to get out of serving the Octopus before he kills her. They transfer the treasures and both minions are shot, at which point the Octopus emerges from his truck. He asks Floss for the vase. Unable to take a side, Floss drives off as the Spirit suddenly materializes.The Octopus unloads with progressively bigger guns, downing him with a pair of four-barreled shotguns. Dolans SWAT team then storms the area and opens fire. The carnage ends when Morgenstern uses a huge combination RPG to blow off one of the Octopuss arms and Dolan shoots him in the head. The Octopus gets to the Blood of Heracles and prepares to drink it, but Sand shoots the vase just in time. The Spirit then uses a grenade to blow the Octopus to smithereens.Showdown over, the Spirit gives Sand her locket back. They kiss as Ellen looks on, feeling betrayed. The old flames bid each other goodbye and the Spirit convinces Dolan to let Sand go in gratitude for saving the world. He tries to patch things up with Ellen, but she accepts that their relationship will always be fractured. Elsewhere, Floss discovers the Octopuss severed finger crawling toward her. She picks it up and departs with it, planning to clone the octopus. | cult, psychedelic, flashback | tt0831887 |
Dexter | {{This synopsis covers the story arc of all eight seasons. Without naming names, it still spoils storylines. It is provided as a reference for viewers who have seen the show from beginning to end.}}Dexter is a serial killer with a "code" which directs his compulsions to kill only the guilty. As a blood spatter analyst for the Miami police, he has access to crime scenes, picking up clues and checking DNA to confirm a target's guilt before he kills them. His dead adoptive father Harry, a policeman, created the code after recognizing Dexter's problem when he was very young. Harry decided to teach Dexter to focus his urges on killing killers who would otherwise escape justice in the legal system. He creates the steps Dexter must take to keep from being caught. In the present, Harry sometimes serves as his mental partner, discussing cases and always reminding him of the code. Before his death, Harry had also charged Dexter to take care of his stepsister Debra - she is unaware of Dexter's secret and his complete lack of feelings, but they try to be close to each other.Season one features the Ice Truck Killer, who intrigues Dexter personally. The killer finally reveals their surprising connection, but when he seizes Debra, Dexter has to kill him.In season two, the bodies Dexter had been dropping from his boat are discovered. He scrambles to cover his tracks as the department searches for the Bay Harbor Butcher. He is drawn to a woman who eventually reveals her sinister side. In the finale, events allow Dexter to frame a dead police department member as the Butcher.In season three Dexter is ready to kill a target, but is surprised by another man in the house. Dexter is forced to kill him, but it turns out he is related to a public official. Rita announces she is pregnant. As Dexter pursues The Skinner killer, a person discovers Dexter's secret and begins ordering Dexter to kill certain people. Dexter marries Rita.Season four features the Trinity killer, as well as Dexter's exhaustion facing the demands of being a husband and father. The season ends with the death of a major character.Season five revolves around the Barrel Girl murders. Dexter finds and releases the only victim who lived, and she insists on helping him take down the guilty men. Dexter enjoys her company, but at the end she explains she has achieved her goal and will walk away from their relationship. Without knowing their identities, Debra tracks them down but decides they have done the world a service, and lets them go free, sight unseen.Season six focuses on the Doomsday killer, who connects his kills to religion. In the season finale, Debra walks in just as Dexter stabs the killer.In season seven, Dexter admits to Debra that he is a serial killer. LaGuerta privately re-opens the Bay Harbor Butcher case. The Ukrainian mob becomes a special nuisance. Hannah McKay also appears, but Dexter ultimately lets her go free. In the finale, Debra is forced to kill an innocent person to preserve Dexter's secret.In the final season, Debra is a shambles from her guilt. Dr. Vogel, a psychologist who specializes in psychopaths, joins the police pursuit of The Brain Surgeon, and privately reveals to Dexter her past connection to him. Meanwhile, Dexter forms a serious relationship with a woman from his past. He realizes he is experiencing emotions, and that his need to kill has vanished. They decide to take Dexter's son and leave Miami forever. In the season finale, a major character dies and Dexter realizes he has destroyed everyone who came in contact with him. | comedy, murder, violence, flashback, satire, sadist | tt0773262 |
Georgia Rule | Rebellious 17-years-old Rachel screams, drugs, drinks, fights with everyone and has sex with several boys; she is, in a word, uncontrollable. With her latest car crash, Rachel has broken the final rule in her mother Lily's San Francisco home. With nowhere else to take the impulsive and rambunctious girl, Lily hauls her daughter to the one place she swore she'd never return—her own mother's house in Idaho. Matriarch Georgia lives her life by a number of unbreakable rules—God comes first, and hard work comes a very close second—and wants that anyone who shares her home do the same. Now saddled with raising the young woman, it requires each patient breath she takes to understand Rachel's fury.
Georgia arranges a job for Rachel as the office girl of Dr. Simon Ward, the local veterinarian, who also unofficially treats people. His two nephews Sam and Ethan are often at Georgia's house. Simon does not show interest in Rachel or other women, so she thinks he is gay. However, Simon's sister Paula reveals that he is still mourning the death of his wife and son who were killed in a car collision three years earlier. He refuses to have sex with Rachel even when she tries to seduce him, but feels some passion for her mother Lily, whom he has dated in the past.
Rachel performs oral sex on Harlan Wilson, who, not yet being married, was still a virgin because of his LDS (Mormon) religion. He confesses to his LDS girlfriend, who is shocked. A team of LDS girls spy on Harlan to make sure he does not "have sex" again. After almost running them over with Harlan's truck, Rachel explains to them that what happened was over and that they can go back to having their summer fun. They agree to do so, but they tell Rachel to go home, leading Rachel to threaten them by saying if they have anything to do with her and Harlan again she will find all of their boyfriends and "fuck them stupid", at which point they stop insulting her and stop spying on Harlan.
While trying to make a point to Simon about survival, Rachel bluntly says that her stepfather Arnold sexually molested her from the time she was 12 until she turned 14. Seeing the effect of her revelation, Rachel tries to convince him she lied. However, Simon tells Georgia about the abuse, and Georgia tells Lily, who thinks Rachel is lying. Heartbroken, Lily comes to believe her daughter, begins to drink heavily and asks Arnold for a divorce.
When Arnold arrives, Georgia tells him to leave, and refuses to allow him in the house. Finally, she forces him to leave by hitting him with a baseball bat; when he still refuses to leave the property, she threatens to hit his new red Ferrari. Rachel sees that Lily cannot accept the truth, and lies to her about being molested.
At the motel where Arnold is staying Rachel tells him that she has a video tape of the two having sex when she was 14, and Arnold seems worried. Rachel demands $10 million if he does not keep Lily happy. She admits to him that she told Lily lies because she does not want her to be upset anymore. On the way back to San Francisco Arnold tells Lily that he is giving Rachel his Ferrari, and Lily realizes that he is guilty.
Lily starts a raging argument/attack and Arnold finally admits to having molested Rachel numerous times, using the excuse that Rachel seduced him, Lily's alcoholism drove him to it and that Rachel enjoyed it. so Arnold drives off, leaving Lily to walk home. Georgia, Simon, Rachel, and Harlan catch up with Lily in Harlan's pick-up truck and a tearful Rachel apologizes for her behavior. Harlan tells Georgia that he is in love with Rachel and plans to marry her when he gets back from his two-year mission. | romantic | tt0791304 |
Eye of the Needle | A man calling himself Henry Faber (Donald Sutherland) is actually "the Needle," a German spy in England during World War II. The Needle dropped out of sight in Germany in 1938 and now inhabits a series of drab bed-sitting-rooms in England while he spies on the British war effort. He is known as the Needle because of his trademarked way of killing people by jabbing a stiletto into their rib cages. He kills with a singular lack of passion, and will kill even the most innocent of bystanders if he thinks they might somehow threaten his objective, or just get in the way.The Needle is a very lonely man. He was raised by parents who did not love him, he was shipped off to boarding schools, and he spent parts of his childhood in America, where he learned English. Perhaps none of these experiences fully explains his isolation and ruthlessness, but maybe it's just part of being a spy.The Needle manages to remain in Britain until the eve of D-Day in 1944, when he learns that the D-Day invasion is to take place on Normandy, and he discovers phony plywood "airplanes" intended to look, from the air, like Patton's invasion force, but it's a ruse to throw off the Germans. Hitler has summoned Faber to come brief him about the Allied invasion plans in person.In his attempt to return to Germany with the information, the Needle travels by boat to an area off the coast of Scotland, intending to rendezvous with a German U-boat, but a fierce storm strands him on the nearby Storm Island.Storm Island is isolated and occupied only by a lighthouse-keeper and by a young married couple, a woman (Kate Nelligan), her partially paralyzed husband David (Christopher Cazenove), their son, and their shepherd, Tom.Lucy is frustrated, mired in a loveless marriage with her emotionally damaged husband. David had been a Royal Air Force commander, but he was paralyzed as a result of an automobile accident on their wedding day.The Needle pretends to be merely a lost sailor. And Lucy, frustrated by her husband's drunkenness and refusal to love, becomes attracted to him. They make love. She grows fond of him. It's not clear if he's fond of her, but he tells her things he has told to no one else.The love affair suggests there's a sympathetic personality buried somewhere inside the Nazi spy, though he remains enigmatic. Early on, we discover that he may not enjoy the hand life has dealt him. When a courier asks him about the way he lives, and "What else can one do?" the Needle answers, "One can just stop."The Needle kills David and the lighthouse-keeper. Lucy realizes that her lover has been lying to her after she discovers David's body, and she prepares to turn him in. The Needle must get to the only radio on the island in time to report to his superiors the exact location of the D-Day invasion. Lucy is the Allies' last chance to keep the details secret. Tension mounts as the Needle races against time to make contact with the U-boat and/or stop Nelligan before she blows the whistle on him.The Needle threatens Lucy, first in a psychological way and then with violence. "The war has come down to the two of us," Sutherland tells Nelligan, as they struggle with what they should do. Nelligan isn't sure if Faber is a treacherous spy or an unloved child, but in the end, she shoots him as he tries to escape in a boat. | suspenseful, intrigue, murder, romantic | tt0082351 |
Hard Candy | The movie opens with a chat window between Lensman319 and Thonggirrrrl14. It is obvious that they have been chatting and they make a plan to meet at a local coffee shop that day at 11am. At the coffee shop (called Nighthawks after the famous painting by Ed Hopper) we meet Thonggirrrrl14, Haley Stark (Ellen Page) who is eating a piece of chocolate cake. Jeff Kohlver (Patrick Wilson) walks up to her. She turns and sheepishly smiles and asks, Jeff? She has chocolate on her lips and tells him it is amazing and he has to try it. He wipes the chocolate off her lips and sucks on his thumb. She tells him that he does not seem like the kind of guy that needs to meet girls on the internet (since he is clearly good looking). He says that he prefers it that way because he gets to meet the person first and that as a photographer, he has found that faces lie. She asks if her face lies. He studies her faces and says she is longing, wanting, needing . . . more chocolate. She laughs and a rapport is established between the two. She turns back to the counter and orders more chocolate and coffee and he pays for it. He also buys her a Nighthawks T-shirt. She models the shirt for him. When she is in the bathroom, she quickly opens the door to reveal herself in only her top and we see the Jeff is visibly agitated. He keeps saying that she is only a little girl and that he has to wait 4 years before he could be with her. They sit and talk in there for a while as the camera pans over a poster of a missing girl (Donna) on the message board behind them. He has an live concert MP3 of a band that she loves at his apartment and she invites herself over to listen to it even though they both decide that it is crazy to do so. As they are talking, he points to a huge book in her bag that she covers up and says is a medical textbook from her dad who teaches at a University.They drive in his car to his home. It seems to be some distance from town and they show the windy roads he takes to get there. Jeff lives in a clean well decorated apartment. There are pictures of scantily clad young models on his wall. Haley takes an immediate interest in these pictures and asks how many of these girls he has slept with. One in particular, Janelle, has the date 3/19 on it and Jeff gets antsy when Haley takes it off the wall. He grabs it from her and puts it back. He gets her a drink while she is listening to the MP3 and she says she doesn't drink anything she hasn't mixed herself. She goes into the kitchen and mixes screwdrivers. When Jeff is slow in drinking, she insists that he keep pace with her. She asks to be photographed and plays music loudly and jumps on the couch. He is getting dizzy and weak and finally collapses.When Jeff wakes up he is tied to a wheelchair and Haley has completely changed. The innocent shy girl we met in the beginning was just an act. She has come with a purpose. We learn that she drugged him and that she specifically chose this day to meet him because his neighbors were out and no one would hear him screaming. He accuses her of stalking him. She says that he has been stalking her. Haley has been chatting with him under many screen names on line with different ages and he was only interested in the ones that were under 18. Jeff claims to have had a connection with her. She accuses him of researching topics that she says she is interested in and reveals that she hates the band that she came over to listen to. She accuses Jeff of being a pedophile and says she is going to search his house for clues. He denies it saying he didn't do anything and that she invited herself and was the one being forward. She says that he is the adult and should know better.Haley searches the house and doesn't find anything. She thinks this is suspicious because men usually have some sort of porn around and he doesn't even have that. He does have records on his computer that pictures were downloaded but the pictures are not there. She suspects that this is where the kiddy porn is. In the search, she finds a gun in a box under his bed. She takes out the gun and throws in on the bed She finally finds a safe hidden in the middle of the room in a sort of coffee table with an inset that is filled with stones. Under the stones is the safe. She figures out the code of the safe as the 3/19 on the picture of Janelle whom Jeff is still madly in love with. His screen name also had 319. Her reaction to what she finds in the safe leads us to believe that is where Jeff has been hiding his kiddy porn, but of course, we never see it. There is also a picture of a girl in front of the Nighthawks. Haley throws the picture at Jeff and asks him why she gets to keep her clothes on. He says that he met her once at the cafe but that he never took her back to the house. He denies being a pedophile. The picture is of Donna, the missing girl from the poster in Nighthawks. It is now clear that Jeff had something to do with Donna's disappearance. He tells her to call the cops, that he will confess. She says that what she has in mind is worse but assures him that she does not want to kill him.She leave the room for some reason and he wheels himself to the bedroom and gets the gun. When he wheels back into the kitchen, she is waiting for him with saran wrap. She wraps his face until he passes out. When he comes to again, he is strapped to a wheely table with his pants off and a bag of ice on his genitals. Haley is wearing a green surgeon's smock. She announces that she will castrate him, goes into his studio and sets up his camera so he can watch it. He begs and cries for his balls but she says it is the only way. She begins to try to make a deal with him but then changes her mind. When she begins the surgery, we can hear the cutting noises and see blurrily the screen as the surgery takes place. When she is done, she holds up his balls and contemplates what to do with them. She jokes about seeing how far they will bounce. She finished by putting them down the garbage disposal. She then says she is done with him and she will take a shower and then call a cab and leave.He is furious now and struggles to get free. He manages to do so and immediately feels for his balls. They are still there! She didn't perform the surgery! He checks the video recorder and sees in the VCR a tape of castrations. He runs for the phone and almost dials 911 put instead gets the scalpel and goes into the bathroom for Haley. We can hear the shower running but when he pulls back the curtain, she isn't there. She is behind him with a taser. She zaps him and he falls into tub unconscious again. She then begins to clean the apartment of her fingerprints. In the most comic scene in the movie, Jeff is pathetically crawling in the hallway with the scalpel as Haley moves around him cleaning. She walks by him and zaps him with the taser again until he falls unconscious again.Then we see him tied up in a contraption with a noose around his neck and standing on a chair. She lets him know that she has called Janelle and that she is coming and will see the evidence that he is a pedophile. He freaks out at this. She offers him redemption in the form of a clean reputation. If he would hang himself, she would get rid of the evidence and no one would know that he was a pedophile and Janelle will think he killed himself because of his unrequited love for her. If not, she will see it and then what would she think of him? A neighbor visits at this time and there is a moment that we think Haley will be found out, but she isn't. She tells the neighbor that she is his niece. The neighbor asked her what she was doing on the roof because she saw her there earlier while she was in her garden. The girl slips up when she says that she was on the roof to check a leak. The neighbor informs her that she knows that it hasnt rained and with that the girls just runs in the house. He lunges at her and manages to free himself. She runs around the building, gets the rope and goes to the roof. He grabs a knife and finally finds Haley on the roof. She has his gun. She offers him the same deal again. A noose is set up on the roof. If he will hang himself, no one will know about the little girls. Jeff confesses that he watched and took photos of Donna but that he didn't kill her. He says he will give Haley the name of the person if she would spare him. Haley says she already knows the name and the funny thing is that Aaron said that it was Jeff who did the killing right before he hung himself. Jeff understands now that Haley has set this all up from the beginning. She puts the noose on his head and says, "I promise to get rid of the evidence. No one will know." Meanwhile Janelle has arrived and is downstairs ringing the doorbell. Jeff jumps. Haley looks over the ledge and says, "Or not" | comedy, suspenseful, cruelty, murder, mystery, psychological, cult, sadist, violence, insanity, claustrophobic, revenge, storytelling | tt0424136 |
Subsets and Splits