Klaatu and Gort are back in this remake of the 1951 Science Fiction Classic. An alien, Klaatu, lands in Central Park with a message of dire consequences. He is shot and imprisoned by the military. With the help of Dr. Benson, Klaatu escapes. With the humanity on the extinction list, can Dr. Benson convince Klaatu to allow mankind a second chance?
Remakes of old movies and TV shows haven’t exactly been of the best quality lately (Starsky and Hutch, Dukes of Hazard). This one is the exception. The moral was kept and like the original was part of the story and not lectured to the audience. Some of the names were kept (Klaatu, Gort, Benson, and Barnhardt) and a few scenes were close to the original movie (Meeting Barnhardt, visiting the grave of the boy’s father). Overall this was a great movie and didn’t shame the original. They just needed to use Gort a little more, he was cool!
Klaatu – Keanu Reeves (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Dracula, Matrix) Dr. Helen Benson – Jennifer Connelly (Labyrinth, Rocketeer, Dark City, Hulk, Dark Water) Secretary of Defense Regina Jackson – Kathy Bates (My Best Friend is a Vampire, Misery, Titanic, The Waterboy, Golden Compass) Jacob Benson – Jaden Smith Barnhardt – John Cleese (Igor, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third)
A strange ship lands in Washington with a warning to Earth. Klaatu brings a message about war and nuclear weapons. Of course, he is shot by the army. Now, Klaatu is on the run and in hiding. He befriends a young boy, Bobby, and his mother, Helen. Klaatu seeks out an Einstein like Professor Barnhart to help get his message out. He demonstrates his power by stopping all transportation on Earth (hence the title). Once the army finds Klaatu, he’s on the run again and it’s up to Helen to save the Earth from his giant robot, Gort. Klaatu Barada Nikto!
This is classic science fiction. No cheesy special effects or strange monsters from outer space (except for the robot). Klaatu has odd behavior, but not odd enough to stand out as a space man. The message of the movie is not overwhelming and works well with the story. Excellent acting and very good special effects (for a movie made in 1951).
The movie is based on the story by Harry Bates.
Recommended!
Director: Robert Wise
Starring:
Klaatu: Michael Rennie
(The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936), The Lost World (1960), Batman (1966) as the Sandman, Cyborg 2087 (1966))
Helen Benson: Patricia Neal
(Stranger from Venus (1954))
Tom Stevens: Hugh Marlowe
(World Without End (1956), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962))
Prof. Jacob Barnhardt:
Sam Jaffe (Gunga Din (1939), Ben-Hur (1959), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980))
Bobby Benson:
Billy Gray (Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949), Werewolves on Wheels (1971), The Vampyre Wars (1996))
Mrs. Barley:
Frances Bavier
Gort: Lock Martin
(Invaders from Mars (1953), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957))
Jim Barnes, Dr. Cargraves, General Thayer and Joe Sweeny take a fantastic trip to the moon. After failed attempts to launch a rocket, General Thayer convinces Jim Barnes (head of an airplane manufacture) that the United States must be the first to get to the moon (“The rocket is the absolute necessity. If any other power gets one out into space before we do, we will no longer be the United States, we will be the disunited world.”). With the help of Woody Wood Pecker, Barnes and Thayer convince other industrialist to invest in their adventure.
They build their rocket in White Sands, New Mexico and before anyone can stop them, they launch! After some small mechanical problems and a thrilling space walk the crew almost crashes on the moon. With too much fuel spent on their landing, the adventure begins. How does the heroic crew make it back to Earth?
The special effects aren’t too bad for a movie made in 1950. They simulated G-forces from take off, weightlessness and a spacewalk. The movie did try to keep some scientific facts straight like pauses during communication with Earth, barren airless moon and low gravity on the moon. There are no aliens, Amazon women or rocks with numbers on them.
Co-written by Robert A. Heinlein and loosely based on his novel “Rocketship Galileo”. A fun fact: “Rocketship Galileo” was rejected due to the idea of going to the moon being too far fetched. Other movies based on Heinlein novels are “Puppet Master” and “Starship Troopers”.
This film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and nominated for Best Art Direction – Color.
Memorable line: “No beer, no babes, no baseball.“
Recommended!
Director: Irving Pichel (also the narrator for the Woody Wood Pecker cartoon). Jim Barnes: John Archer (King of the Zombies, Command & Conquer: Red Alert – Voice) Dr. Charles Cargraves: Warner Anderson (Song of the Thin Man) General Thayer: Tom Powers (Angel and the Bad Man, Double Indemnity) Joe Sweeney: Dick Wesson
Something strange is happening in Santa Mira, Ca. Returning home, Dr. Miles Bennell is confronted by several towns’ people claiming their family isn’t really their family. Later, they change their minds and claim that everything is fine. Mass hysteria is to blame for the behavior, until Dr. Bennell’s friend Jack finds a body in his closet with very little facial features and no finger prints. This “body” strangely resembles Jack. The pod people are on the move and Dr. Bennell and his girlfriend, Becky, are on the run. Don’t fall asleep or the pod people will get you!
For a 1950’s black and white science fiction movie, it has a few chilling scenes. This movie didn’t need elaborate special effects or guys in rubber monster suits. Falling asleep and waking up not yourself can be just as scary has a hockey mask wearing psycho.
Fun Fact: Kevin McCarthy played Dr. Miles Bennell in both 1956 and 1978 versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers as well as Dr. Bennell in Looney Toons: Back in Action.
Memorable Line: They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next!
Recommended!
Director: Don Siegel
Staring: Kevin McCarthy – Dr. Miles Bennell Dana Wynter – Becky Driscoll
Something has crashed in the Arctic! Air Force Captain Hendry, his facetious crew and a reporter, Scotty, are sent to help a small expedition investigate it. At the crash site, they find a strange circular ship flash frozen in the ice. They fail to “blow” the ship out of the ice, but were able to recover the sole occupant still frozen solid. Back at the camp, the “alien” is accidentally unfrozen by one of the crew members and decides to have dinner, human is on the menu. Dinner fights back.
This is a fun classic black and white movie with little special effects. The cast and crew must have had fun making the movie; it comes out in their performance. The alien makes an appearance in the last part of the movie and only has less than 10 minutes of screen time. It’s worth the wait.
This film was very loosely based on the short story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell. It was later remade by John Carpenter which follows the original short story more closely.
Recommended!
Director: Christian Nyby
Staring: Kenneth Tobey (Captain Hendry) Margaret Sheridan (Nikki) James Arness (The Thing)
Retired “supers”, Bob and Helen, were living a simple life and raising their kids in the suburbs. That is until, Bob, loses his job as a claims adjuster (knocking the boss through several walls will do that). Keeping the sudden unemployment a secret, Bob finds a new career with a secret government organization. Things go bad for Bob and the whole family has to rescue him.
The ending of this movie screams for a sequel! This had an awesome story, great characterization and lots of room for more movies. I’m especially surprised that they didn’t turn it into a regular TV cartoon (like Lilo & Stitch, Emperor’s New Groove, Aladdin and Buzz Lightyear). This has potential to be better than the first movie (which few sequels can do). Incredibles, Rise of the Underminer!
2. True Lies (1994)
Arnold, Jamie Lee and Tom really clicked in this action adventure movie. Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and partner Gib Gibson (Tom Arnold) are secret agents, so secret that their families don’t even know. Helen Tasker (Jamie Lee Curtis) has a little “misadventure” that pulls the whole family into Harry’s profession. Lots of action, adventure and some comedy made this a great flick.
If they could bring the whole cast back (after Governor Schwarzenegger is done playing politics), this would be a great sequel. Have the whole family involved (daughter included) in a fun action packed adventure. Maybe Gib will get to get out of the truck this time.
3. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
Hit man Martin Q. Blank (John Cusack) is going to his high school reunion. This is a “killer” comedy. While back in his home town of, Grosse Pointe, Martin hooks up with his x-girlfriend, Debi Newberry (Minnie Driver), hoping for forgiveness after abandoning her on prom night. Things turn worse when Martin takes on his next contract, who happens to live in Grosse Pointe! Dan Aykroyd had a great performance as rival hit man, Grocer.
John Cusack and Minnie Driver at their best! I really think this would make a good sequel. Happy couple Martin and Debi dealing with a few problems from Martin’s past? It’s got potential!
4. The Adventure Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension! (1984)
This movie is simply hard to describe. Buckaroo (Peter Weller) and the Hong Kong Cavaliers have to stop an alien invasion lead by Lord John Whorfin (John Lithgow). This is packed with famous stars including Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, and Christopher Lloyd.
I realize that we will never see a sequel to this awesome movie. This should have been a huge franchise (with possibly having more movies than James Bond and Friday 13th?) At least our favorite overachiever gets to live on in comic books.
5. Serenity (2005)
Space cowboy, Mal, and his motley crew of misfits go to the big screen for another exciting Joss Whedon adventure. This is the movie continuation of the short series, Firefly (no need to have seen the show to enjoy the movie). River (Summer Glau) is rescued by her bother Simon (Sean Maher) and is chased across space by an assassin called “The Operative”. Mal’s not happy and the crew are enjoying themselves. Great fight scenes (little girl River beats up big man Jayne, played by Adam Baldwin, makes the movie worth watching) and awesome special effects. Many faces from the TV show make an appearance.
I got introduced to the TV show by watching the movie. I’m sorry that I missed the show when it was on TV. I’m actually split on this one, a sequel or bring back the TV show. Either way, more adventures for this crew would be worth the watch.
Post your suggestion in the comments. Would love to hear what other movies people would like to see as sequels!
Evil genius assistant looking for monster for long walks along a desolate countryside in a turbulent thunderstorm! Ok, so that is more interesting than the movie. Evil Igor is left to create an evil invention for the evil science fair after his evil master, evil mad scientist; Dr. Something or Other dies in an evil accident. His evil invention is to create LIFE! The Monster, Eva, isn’t all that evil. After a failed attempt to make her evil, she decides she’s an <> actress! The only characters that were entertaining were Igor’s assistants (assistant’s assistants?), Scamper and Brain. Brain is a brain in a jar and Scamper is a suicidal undead bunny (really, not making this up).
I have to admit I had high hopes for this movie, but was very disappointed. I was hoping for a fun play on Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, but was left feeling like the writers just didn’t try. The Igor character seems allot like a similar Igor character from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels (which are more entertaining than this movie). The movie spent too much time talking about being evil (it’s a kid’s movie) to the point that I started to think it was a bad idea for my kids to watch it. The moral of the movie, everyone has a good side (Didn’t they do that in Return of the Jedi?). I think whoever was responsible for making this movie may have missed a chance to do something new and exiting, but blew it.
When they were planning the toy tie in, did anyone think of creating a plush Scamper?
Not recommended.
Memorable Line: Would you like to see this face on a 60 foot screen?
Igor – John Cusak (America’s Sweethearts, Grosse Pointe Blank, Better Off Dead) Dr. Glickenstein – John Cleese (Monty Python and too many funny movies to name) King Malbert – Jay Leno (Scooby Doo and the Goblin King, Cars, Ice Age 1 & 2, Robots and some late night TV show)
Bruce Campbell, friends and family get together to make a movie about Bruce Campbell. Bruce had to pull all of his raw talent to pull off this role. He plays Bruce Campbell a low budget, B-movie, actor. This role was a big stretch.
A demon is awakened in a small town in Oregon and begins killing off the residents. Local fanboy, Jeff, kidnaps our favorite low-budget hero Bruce Campbell to help lead the town against the demon. That really is the plot. Expect many references to older Campbell movies, many familiar faces from his films and several very good laughs.
I would recommend this film to other Bruce Campbell fans. If you aren’t a fan, don’t bother.
Memorable Line: “Bruce Campbell is the greatest actor of his generation.”
Director: Bruce Campbell Staring: Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, and many other fun movies)
