Beneath The 12 Mile Reef (1953)

Set in the Florida Keys, two rival families who dive for sponges clash over diving rights but when the Greek son (Robert Wagner) of one diver (Gilbert Roland) falls in love with the daughter (Terry Moore) of the patriarch (Richard Boone) of the rival clan, complications ensue. After the celebrated success of THE ROBE and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE, this was the third film to be released in the CinemaScope format. Its simple Romeo & Juliet storyline is overshadowed by the underwater diving sequences, which while no doubt impressive in CinemaScope to 1953 audiences, result in tedium today and slow down the narrative. Wagner and Moore are likable enough but they lack the screen presence that's needed to keep us focused on the trifling storyline. The cinematography by Edward Cronjager received an Oscar nomination but the real star of the film is the eloquent score by Bernard Herrmann which binds the film together both below the sea and on the land. With J. Carrol Naish, Peter Graves, Angela Clarke, Jacques Aubuchon, Jay Novello and Harry Carey Jr.

Alien (1979)

A commercial space ship towing 20 million tons of ore is on its way home to Earth when it receives a transmission to interrupt its journey and investigate a mysterious signal from a planet. While investigating the signal, one of the group (John Hurt) discovers a massive cavern which hosts a field of large eggs when one of them bursts and a creature attaches itself to his face. The terror escalates when the creature morphs into something more horrible and more powerful than they ever imagined. Directed by Ridley Scott, whose commercial breakthrough this film was, this is one of the greatest horror (despite it's sci-fi setting, it's undeniably a horror film) films of all time. There's no way to describe the impact this film had on audiences seeing it for the first time and the "chest burster" scene ranks with the shower murder in PSYCHO as one of the most shocking sequences of the horror genre. Scott slowly and carefully builds up the tension and increases it in doses as the film reaches its nail biting climax. The awesome art direction and set design is by Michael Seymour, Roger Christian and Leslie Dilley, the intense score by Jerry Goldsmith. With a perfect cast that includes Sigourney Weaver (in her breakthrough role) as the first of the modern action film heroines, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton and Yaphet Kotto.

Les Demoiselles De Rochefort (aka Young Girls Of Rochefort) (1967)

In the small seaside town of Rochefort, a carnival comes to town for the weekend. The carnival serves as a background for various characters who are destined to be together but haven't met yet as their paths criss cross but always missing each other. Two sisters, a dancer (Catherine Deneuve) and a composer (Francoise Dorleac, who would be killed shortly in an auto crash after the filming), their mother (Danielle Darrieux), a lovesick sailor (Jacques Perrin), a music store owner (Michel Piccoli), two carnies (George Chakiris, Grover Dale) and a visiting American (Gene Kelly). This candy colored musical courtesy of Jacques Demy (LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG) is a loving homage to the MGM musicals of the 40s and 50s. Demy has shot the film in creamy pastels, hot pinks, oranges, lavender and turquoise and people walking down the street suddenly twirl and do leaps! While film lacks the verve and wit of the great MGM musicals like SINGIN' IN THE RAIN or THE BAND WAGON, Demy clearly has a genuine affection for the genre and those films that one would be churlish to nitpick. Besides, there's much to admire and at times, the film is downright exhilarating! With the exception of Darrieux, all the actors' singing is dubbed. The lively choreography is by Norman Maens and bouncy, jazzy score and songs by the great Michel Legrand.

Away We Go (2009)

An unmarried but committed thirty something couple (John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph) are struggling to make ends meet. When she becomes pregnant, they discover his self centered parents (Jeff Daniels, Catherine O'Hara) are moving to Belgium and won't be around for the baby so they decide to go on a road trip (Arizona, Wisconsin, Montreal, Florida) to find the right place to raise their daughter. This gentle "road" movie is filled with detailed characterizations by a superb cast. Director Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY) displays a deft touch in handling the shifting emotional landscape while balancing the stronger comedic elements without eclipsing the more subtle dramatic ones. Each place they visit finds a mini story all its own. Arizona: the mentally unbalanced Allison Janney married to the paranoid Jim Gaffigan (their atrocious parenting skills are both funny and frightening) and Rudolph's sister, Carmen Ejogo. Wisconsin: the pretentious whack job (a terrific Maggie Gyllenhaal) and her husband (Josh Hamilton) with questionable, unconventional ideas on parenting. Montreal: the seemingly happy couple (Chris Messina, Melanie Lynskey) with a houseful of adopted children. Florida: Krasinski's confused, hapless brother (Paul Schneider) trying to cope with life as a single father. A lovely film.

Wife Versus Secretary (1936)

A magazine publisher (Clark Gable) is happily married to his wife (Myrna Loy) of three years. But gossip mongers and do gooders plant the seed of distrust in her ear that his secretary (Jean Harlow) may be more than just a secretary. Slowly, her trust in him begins to unravel as circumstantial evidence points to his being unfaithful. Directed by Clarence Brown, it's an earnest cautionary tale out of MGM without the zing that its notable cast promises, James Stewart is in it too as Harlow's dull boyfriend. The most interesting character is Harlow's secretary and while it's nice to see Harlow playing something other than a brassy, wisecracking blonde, robbed of her strong sexual presence she comes across as rather bland. There's something off putting about the predatory innuendo inflicted on Loy from so called friends and family (even mother in law May Robson tells her to get rid of the secretary) that's never fully explored. Still, the star wattage of its four leads is almost enough to keep you hooked to the screen. With Gloria Holden and John Qualen.

The Virgin Queen (1955)

Determined to obtain the three ships he needs in order to sail to the New World, Walter Raleigh (Richard Todd) inveigles himself into the court and confidence of Elizabeth I (Bette Davis). But what he doesn't count on is her romantic infatuation with him. Directed by Henry Koster (THE ROBE). Though titled THE VIRGIN QUEEN, the film is really about Sir Walter Raleigh with Elizabeth a supporting character. This is the second time Davis takes on the role of Elizabeth (the first was in 1939's PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX) and by this time, she had grown into the role so she didn't have to overcompensate by trying so hard. Alas, while she had the dashing Errol Flynn in ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, here she has to settle for the charmless Todd. Joan Collins plays Elizabeth's romantic rival and while undeniably lovely, she's no match for Davis in their scenes together. The handsome production design is by Leland Fuller and Lyle Wheeler and the costumes, the handiwork of Mary Wills. Koster's direction is adequate but there's not much he can do with the anemic screenplay. The potent score is by Franz Waxman. With Herbert Marshall, Dan O'Herlihy, Jay Robinson, Robert Douglas and Leslie Parrish. In CinemaScope.

Frantic (1988)

An American surgeon (Harrison Ford) and his wife (Betty Buckley) are visiting Paris for a medical conference. When he gets out of the shower at the hotel, his wife has disappeared and to find her he must take an excursion into a dark and deadly world of drugs, terrorists and murder. This first rate, crackerjack thriller is directed by Roman Polanski and I doubt Hitchcock could do any bettter. Ford's (in one of his best performances, I'd say best if it weren't for MOSQUITO COAST) role could easily have been played by James Stewart or Cary Grant in their prime. He perfectly embodies the strong, solid American image on a strange soil yet with enough humility that he doesn't come across as an "ugly American". The sexy Emmanuelle Seigner is captivating as the naive smuggler who picks up the wrong suitcase (which belonged to Buckley) and thus spins both their worlds into a maelstrom of precariousness. Polanski keeps things twisting and turning as rapidly as possible, accompanied by an intense and atmospheric Ennio Morricone score. With John Mahoney, Alexandra Stewart, David Huddleston and Gerard Klein.

At Bertram's Hotel (1987)

While spending a holiday at Bertram's hotel in London, a hotel that caters to those who prefer the Edwardian formality of a past era, Miss Marple (Joan Hickson) can't help but feel that something is wrong with the surroundings. Everything looks and feels authentic but there's an atmosphere of falsity that encompasses the milieu. When an absent minded clergyman (Preston Lockwood) disappears, the hotel's dark secret begins to unravel. Not one of Agatha Christie's best late works but for the most part, there are enough twists and turns to keep the viewer engrossed in the proceedings. Hickson is, of course, the definitive Miss Marple to anyone who has read the Christie's Marple mysteries. The ending is a bit of a letdown though with a rather silly chase that would have had Christie cringing. Directed by Mary McMurray and with Joan Greenwood, whose beauty has faded but there's no mistaking that plum voice of hers, George Baker and Caroline Blakiston as an aging, international playgirl whose past is a key to solving the mystery.

The Sins Of Rachel Cade (1961)

In the Belgian Congo of 1939, a Protestant missionary and nurse (Angie Dickinson) with strict moral views arrives to work in a jungle hospital but when the doctor (Douglas Spencer) in charge dies of a heart attack, it falls upon her to maintain the mission hospital with the help of two natives. But the sexual freedom of the native populace as well as the presence of a Belgian official (Peter Finch) and an American flier (Roger Moore) begins to unravel her sexual repression. The film is interesting for its frankness in sexual matters. For example, the film brings up and condemns the tribal ritual of genital mutilation on young girls (not much talked about in 1961) as well as questioning the projection of one's value system on another culture. The unorthodox casting of sexy Angie Dickinson as an uptight, sexually repressed missionary pays off here. She's really quite good, reining in her innate sexuality and convincingly displaying the inner conflict of a woman at war with herself regarding her sexual nature. It's a pity the film isn't better though her performance seems to make it so, at times. Moore is dull and Finch seems to be doing a retread of a similar character he played in THE NUN'S STORY. Directed by Gordon Douglas with a reheated score by Max Steiner which sounds right out a 40s romance like NOW VOYAGER. With Mary Wickes, Errol John, Juano Hernandez, Woody Strode and Scatman Crothers.

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Based (with lots of additional material from other sources as well as a liberal dramatic license) on the book of Exodus from the Bible, the film follows the story of Moses from an infant (Fraser Heston) plucked from the Nile by Pharaoh's daughter (Nina Foch) to a Prince of Egypt (Charlton Heston) and the deliverer of the Hebrews out of slavery from Egypt to the Promised Land. This Cecil B. DeMille film, a remake of his 1923 silent film, is surely one of the most entertaining movies ever made. Whatever his flaws as a film maker, and there were many, he was a great storyteller and his telling here is grand kitschy movie making at its best. It's a bit ponderous at times (including DeMille's pompous narration) but the florid, overripe dialogue in addition to an inspired cast and still impressive special effects make it, well ... timeless. I don't think the movie would be the same without Heston as Moses. He often seems an actor out of his time, which may account for his success at playing historical characters for times past. When he commands the Red Sea to part, you damn well believe he could do it! The thrilling score is by Elmer Bernstein. The stellar cast includes Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, Cedric Hardwicke, Martha Scott, John Carradine, Woody Strode, Olive Deering, Eduard Franz, Douglass Dumbrille, Michael Ansara, Mike Connors and Henry Wilcoxon.

Bruno (2009)

A flamboyantly gay fashionista and TV host named Bruno (Sacha Baron Cohen) loses his TV show and his dwarf lover so he flies to America in the hopes of being a mega Star. Directed by Larry Charles, this mockumentary is based, like BORAT, on a character previously created by Cohen for DA ALI G SHOW television show. The film is uneven in its humor but Cohen is so outrageous and pushing the envelope that one can't help but gasp and laugh at the same time. Some segments just lie there but when it hits its target, it's hilarious. The comedic highpoint is probably a live TV show aimed at African American Christians where Bruno flaunts the black infant (named O.J.) he swapped for an ipod in Africa, along with photos of the child in questionable taste (like hanging on a cross) to the horror and outrage of the audience. Cohen manages to sucker in a few celebrities like Harrison Ford, Paula Abdul and politician Ron Paul into the proceedings. Certainly not for everybody with its graphic nudity and sexual situations but I found myself laughing out loud more often than not. With Elton John, Bono, Sting, Snoop Dogg and Gustaf Hammarsten as Bruno's smitten and abused sidekick.

Shall We Dance (1937)

In Paris, a Russian ballet dancer (Fred Astaire), who's really from Philadelphia, sets his sights on a showgirl (Ginger Rogers) and books passage on a luxury liner in order to follow her back to New York. Directed by Mark Sandrich (TOP HAT). This, the seventh pairing of Astaire and Rogers lacks a consistently witty screenplay and the usual assortment of engaging supporting characters that are the earmark of their best vehicles. Fortunately, there's a terrific batch of original songs by George and Ira Gershwin including the haunting They Can't Take That Away From Me, They All Laughed and the clever Let's Call The Whole Thing Off as well as several memorable dance numbers: Astaire's solo to Slap That Bass, Astaire and Rogers' dance on roller skates in Central Park and the finale with Astaire dancing with dozens of girls wearing Ginger Rogers masks. Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore are around doing their patented specialties, befuddlement for Horton and indignation for Blore as well as Jerome Cowan, Ann Shoemaker, the purring voiced Ketti Gallian and ballerina Harriet Hoctor whose specialty is dancing en pointe while doing a back-bend.