These are Resurfaced short or quickie reviews written in 2002 or earlier. For more information, please visit this link: Resurfaced Reviews.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Rating

Director

Steven Spielberg

Screenplay

Steven Spielberg

Length

2h 18m

Starring

Richard Dreyfuss, Francois Truffaut, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, Bob Balaban, J. Patrick McNamara, Warren Kemmerling

MPAA Rating

PG

Basic Plot

A Steven Spielberg film that sparked a major new alien fascination in our film community.

Review

Steven Spielberg makes history with a very involving, well-acted look at government protection of alien existance. When Roy Neary has a close encounter with an alien craft, he often finds himself imagining this large, almost-flat-sided mountain. When he sees it on TV, he goes there to find out what is going on and why he remembers it.

Review Written

Unknown

Death on the Nile (1978)

Rating

Director

John Guillermin

Screenplay

Anthony Shaffer (Novel: Agatha Christie)

Length

2h 20m

Starring

Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Jon Finch, Olivia Hussey, I.S. Johar, George Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, Simon MacCorkindale, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden, Harry Andrews, Sam Wanamaker

MPAA Rating

PG

Basic Plot

This is the adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel by the same name. Passengers gather on an Egyptian tour boat and visit some of the countries sites. Along the way, a disgraceful murder is committed and the wonderful Hercule Poirot must step in and solve the crime.

Review

Some interesting acting from a largely-famous cast. Peter Ustinov is a less-interesting Poirot than his predecessor Albert Finney. Finney captured Poirot so well that no one has been able to top him. Bette Davis and Angela Lansbury are among the passengers and shed some class on this story. The occasional batch of bad acting surfaces on occasion, but the film remains seaworthy.

Review Written

Unknown

The Rescuers (1977)

Rating

Director

John Lounsberry, Art Stevens

Screenplay

Larry Clemmons, Ken Anderson, Frank Thomas, Vance Gerry, David Michener, Ted Berman, Fred Lucky, Burny Mattinson, Dick Sebast (Book: Margery Sharp)

Length

1h 18m

Starring

Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Joe Flynn, Jeanette Nolan, Patt Buttram, Jim Jordan, John McIntire, Michelle Stacy, Bernard Fox

MPAA Rating

G

Basic Plot

A little girl is kidnapped and used as a slave to help a villainess find a very large gem so she can have it all to herself. Two mice come to the rescue.

Review

One of my favorite films from childhood Rescuers follows Bernard and Miss Bianca on a journey to save the lost Penny. Madame Medusa is a classic Disney villain and the story is fun and interesting.

Review Written

Unknown

Traveller (1997)

Rating

Director

Jack Green

Screenplay

Jim McGlynn

Length

1h 41m

Starring

Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, Julianna Margulies, James Gammon, Luke Askew, Nikki DeLoach, Danielle Wiener, Michael Shaner, Vincent Chase, Andrew Porter, Jean Howard

MPAA Rating

R

Basic Plot

A dishonest family who sends its members out to cheat trusting people out of money for services not fully rendered. Pat O’Hara, whose father was exiled for marrying outside of the family returns to the family and is taken under the reluctant wing of Bokky, one of the main children of the con family.

Review

A plot twisting film with some great acting and some surprising turns. Margulies is in top form along with Paxton and Wahlberg, all terrific actors showing their strengths in this intelligent film. The plot twists enough to be sometimes confusing, but always solves itself in the end.

Awards Prospects

No prospects for awards or nominations.

Review Written

Unknown

Donnie Brasco (1997)

Rating

Director

Mike Newell

Screenplay

Paul Attanasio (Book: Joseph D. Pistone, Richard Woodley)

Length

2h 07m

Starring

Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Anne Heche, Zeljko Ivanek, Gerry Becker, Robert Miano, Brian Tarantina, Rocco Sisto, Zach Grenier

MPAA Rating

R

Basic Plot

Yet another film about crime syndicates. Starring Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands, as Joe Pistone, a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent under cover as Donnie Brasco to infiltrate a New York mob circle. Al Pacino plays Lefty Ruggiero, an aging mafia member who takes the new recruit under his wings. Through an array of events, from New York to Miami, Donnie Brasco infiltrates the mafia successfully and without suspicion to assist in the downfall of severall of the mafia’s leading men.

Review

A nice set of performances surrounded by a period New York, substantially twisting plot and a swift hand at directing, Donnie Brasco is one of the best of the recent crop of mafia-related films. What falls short is Al Pacino’s performance, he’s done it so muchre’s nothing new, he’s a street thug forever. Johnny Depp, however, proves that he can act in multiple venues from comedy to high drama.

Awards Prospects

Could be a Best Picture contender if the rest of the year doesn’t bring some powerful films. Both Depp and Pacino could get nominations, but this film will win None

Review Written

Unknown