The Professionals

The western is my genre, my spirit animal, my go-to when I'm looking for a type of movie I just know I'll like. There are very few so-called "perfect" westerns out there, but I've got my favorites. Some are obvious, highly respected and known by even non-western fans. One that seems to get lost in the shuffle at times? A classic, a true gem, and one I never tire of, 1966's The Professionals.

It's 1917 and the Mexican Revolution is still raging strong all over the country. Along the U.S./Mexico border, four men, Rico Fardan (Lee Marvin), Bill Dolworth (Burt Lancaster), Hans Ehrengard (Robert Ryan) and Jake Sharp (Woody Strode), have been brought together to perform a dangerous mission. The little group, each of them a specialist in one way or another, has been hired by rancher and oil tycoon Joe Grant (Ralph Bellamy) to ride deep into Mexico and rescue his wife, Maria (Claudia Cardinale), who's been kidnapped by a bandit and revolutionary, Jesus Raza (Jack Palance). Maria is believed to be stashed away in a hacienda in the mountains with Raza's small army standing guard. This quartet is the best of the best with few equals, but even this job seems to be too much, especially if they haven't been told the whole truth of what they're riding into. Can they pull off the job?

Aired recently on Turner Classic Movies, host Robert Osborne introduced the movie stating that director Richard Brooks deserves more of a reputation, of a following for a career that produced six Oscar nominations and plenty of good to great to classic movies, as a director, producer and writer. For me, this is easily his best work. It's one of my favorites, and I always enjoy catching up with it. Mutually appreciated by both audiences and critics, 'Professionals' is one of the best westerns of the 1960's and really, one of the best westerns of all-time. It picked up two Oscar nominations, one for Brooks' directing and one for his script. Not a flaw in sight. Sit back and enjoy this one, hopefully with a big tub of popcorn.

Let's get the boring technical stuff out of the way. Boring, but necessary. Brooks earned a Best Director nomination for blending a movie that features the technical, storytelling, characters, humor, action and visual look. With filming locations in the Valley of Fire, Death Valley, along with Nevada, California and Sonora, the visual appeal is evident. On the trail thanks to some key landmarks, you're always aware of where you are. As well, the traveling and action scenes are aided immensely by composer Maurice Jarre's score, especially the main theme. Listen HERE. Throw it all together, and you feel like you're right there with our Professionals in the sweaty, sun-baked desert where bandits and revolutionaries are there behind every rock waiting to ambush you.

The cast is pretty insane in terms of pure talent and star power, but with each repeated viewing, it always comes back to the script for me. Adapting a western novel called 'A Mule for the Marquesa,' Brooks transformed a good book into a great movie. This is a story that loves it characters, both the good and bad, and more importantly, knows them well. The script absolutely crackles, Lancaster and Marvin especially relishing delivering one memorable one-liner after another. I can't think of too many westerns that have the ability to tread that fine line between serious action and a sense of humor. Read IMDB's memorable quotes HERE. What's impressive? Even out of context, they still can put a smile on your face, give you a good laugh. When you actually see Lancaster, Marvin and Co. deliver said lines? Oh my, you're in for a treat.

I love a good men-on-a-mission movie, and this one belongs right at the top with The Magnificent Seven, The Guns of Navarone and The Dirty Dozen as my favorites. Seriously...Lancaster, Marvin, Ryan and Strode...oh, and Palance, Cardinale and Bellamy! That sound you hear is my head exploding from awesomeness. Brooks' script introduces our characters with lightning-fast ease and we get to know them in that quick flash. Marvin's Fardan is an ex-soldier, a leader, an organizer and a planner, Ryan's Ehrengard a horse wrangler, a cowboy and the very best, Strode's Jake an expert tracker and scout and specialist with bow and arrow, and last but not least, Lancaster's Dolworth is a mercenary, a philosophizing dynamite expert. That is a ridiculously talented cast with a lousy script, but combined with Brooks' script, the end result is some of the most memorable western characters ever with a story to boot. You can't pass that up now, can you?!?

When I think of Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin working together here, it puts a smile on my face. Their Bill Dolworth and Rico Fardan are the heart of the movie, mercenaries, soldiers and adventurers who are good friends who have worked together in the past, including previously in the Mexican Revolution. They too have a history with Palance's Raza, making their job a touch more difficult. What the script and actors do so effortlessly is bring these characters to life. They're tough, rough-hewn men who live by their word and their hard-fought ability to survive. They fight because they're good at it, and maybe, just maybe, they like it a little bit. Their one-on-one scenes are some of the most memorable in the entire movie. When you throw the always reliable Robert Ryan and Woody Strode into the mix, you're in for a treat.

Okay, we need an actor in the mid 1960's to play a Mexican revolutionary....naturally, it's Jack Palance! His Raza though is an underrated character, an equal to our Professionals, a somewhat disillusioned fighter who fights on because he loves Mexico, the people, and wants those in power out.  Then there is Claudia Cardinale, maybe the most beautiful woman to ever grace the screen. Her Maria has some tricks up her sleeves as we're introduced to her about halfway through. Bellamy is perfect in his part, beginning and end, as the worrying Joe Grant (or is he...). Also look for Jorge Martinez de Hoyos, Joe De Santis and Rafael Bertrand in key supporting parts. In a scene-stealing part, Marie Gomez plays Chiquita, one of Raza's soldiers who has a history with Lancaster's Bill.

What's funny about 'Professionals' is that it isn't an action-heavy story. Yes, there's gunfights, chases and some memorable sequences, but it isn't a 2-hour action scene. It's the better for it. We get to know our characters really well in quick scenes featuring Brooks' snappy dialogue. When the action does come, is it ever worth it, especially the pre-dawn attack on Raza's hacienda deep in the mountains. Loud and chaotic, it is a gem. The other action is on a smaller-scale, tightly-edited firefights in claustrophobic canyons. So if there isn't an overabundance of action, who cares? The general tone of the movie aids that cause. It's not just a western. It's also a buddy flick, a heist movie, a chase story, a love story, a history lesson of sorts, and with a bit of a twist mystery in the second half of a 117-minute feature film.

They don't come along much better than this. One of those perfect action-adventure movies, one that's hard to poke holes in. A phenomenal cast, a memorable script, and all you can ask for in a western. A true classic, for fans of the genre and even those who aren't.

The Professionals (1966): ****/****
Rewrite of a March 2011 review

The Yellow Tomahawk

Every so often, I just need a good, old-fashioned B-western. It doesn't have to be great or even particularly good, but I need that dose of WESTERN. So while 1954's The Yellow Tomahawk is pretty run-of-the-mill, I liked it. Entertaining, surprisingly violent and with a cool cast, it's a solid western that's worth a watch.

Riding out of the wilderness, frontiersman Adam Reed (Rory Calhoun) finds himself being chased by Cheyenne warriors. He's cornered and looks to be in trouble until his blood brother, Cheyenne warrior Fire Knife (Lee Van Cleef), steps in, all of it a show to arrange a meeting. Fire Knife has a warning and a message he would like delivered. The U.S. cavalry is building a new fort nearby with a commander, Major Ives (Warner Anderson), who lead a bloody massacre months prior against a peaceful Indian camp. His reputation has preceded him with Fire Knife passing his message along to Reed. What is it? Tell Ives to stop building the fort and risk an attack that will wipe out the partially-assembled fort. Reed rides down to the fort and passes it along but Ives isn't having it, doubting the truth of the threat. What awaits for the small garrison and the soldiers' families who have traveled west? Reed sees the writing on the wall but no one else seems to believe what's coming.

Nothing flashy here, nothing too crazy. From director Lesley Selander, 'Tomahawk' is nonetheless an entertaining, pretty solid western that isn't limited by its budget or limitations. A longtime director in film and television, Selander is a pro at spinning a movie like this. So often, westerns are town-bound. limited by a fake-looking set that never allows the story to breathe. This particular entry does not have that problem with virtually no sets! The cavalry building a fort allows for no sets other than a couple half-assembled walls. It was shot on-location at the Kanab Movie Ranch and Fort, giving the story a cool, intimidating, scary sense of the openness of the desert and wilderness. You're all alone out there, and with the threat of an imminent Indian attack, there's no place to hide.

A star of B-westerns who often played supporting roles in bigger budget pictures, Calhoun is a favorite of mine. He plays a memorable, roguish good guy, a solid anti-hero with an edge who is quite comfortable in the western and in the saddle. His Adam Reed character, a frontiersman and scout of sorts, is interesting because of his hinted-at backstory. It's never told in detail, but it appears he lived with the Cheyenne at some point, his brotherhood and family connection with a young Lee Van Cleef as warrior Fire Knife. If there was a little more time to breathe ('Tomahawk' is a very pleasant 82 minutes), maybe we could have learned some more about out hero. Still, what's there is pretty cool.

No A-listers on-hand here, but that doesn't detract from an overall good cast. Peggie Castle (Lily Merrill on TV's Lawman) is the necessary love interest, a beautiful woman visiting her fiance, a cavalry officer, at the budding fort. She's no damsel in distress either, a welcome addition to the genre. Noah Beery Jr. has some stereotypical fun as Tonio, an ay-ay-ay Mexican horse wrangler with a beautiful Indian girl, Honey Bear (Rita Moreno), who follows him around. As the stupidly blind officer, Major Ives, Warner Anderson is frighteningly uncomfortable, portraying an officer that was probably all too familiar in the wild west. Also look for Peter Graves (gold prospector) and Adam Williams and James Best (cavalry troopers) in key supporting parts.

One good western after another followed a simple formula. Introduce a disparate group of survivors and individuals, throw them into a survival situation with an ever-present Indian war party, and see who makes it out. After an intense, tension-building first 30 minutes or so, that's what 'Tomahawk' uses as a base. We follow a small group of survivors of an Indian attack trying to get across the desert to safety. The action itself is pretty intense in itself, especially the Cheyenne attack on the hastily-built and poorly-defended fort. It's not hugely graphic -- it is still 1954 after all -- but the violence is incredibly rough and if it had been shown on-screen, whoo, we're talking one nasty picture. The ending too is pretty honest for a mid-1950's western, something that surprised me, caught me off-guard a little bit.

A solid western overall. Worth checking out.

The Yellow Tomahawk (1954): ** 1/2 /****

Spotlight

Early in high school, I decided I want to go into journalism, specifically hoping to be a sports reporter/beat writer. I loved sports and still do and currently have a job with the Chicago Tribune as an editor. Even in my eight years since graduating college, I've seen journalism change drastically. God knows where it will go in eight years. Naturally, I was psyched to see 2015's Spotlight, a movie that shows how important journalism is and should continue to be. Oh, and it's a damn good movie.

It's 2001 at the Boston Globe and the Spotlight desk, led by editor Walter 'Robby' Robinson (Michael Keaton) with its three-man staff, focuses on big, deep, investigative stories that sometimes take months and even years to develop into something. The Globe is getting a new editor, Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), who wants the Spotlight team to investigate an untold story, one that's gone untouched for years with only a story written here and there. He wants the team to explore the story of a Boston priest who was brought up on charges for child molestation and all the gory details. Even as investigative journalists, they've got their work cut out for them, dealing with the Catholic church and victims that don't necessarily want to be interviewed. Even with that said though, Robby and his team have no idea the depths of what they will find as they investigate deeper and deeper.

A quasi-journalist myself, I'm a sucker for all journalism movies from All the President's Men to State of Play to Kill the Messenger and many more in between. I think movies like this are relevant more than ever now in 2016 as newspapers continue their descent into oblivion of sorts. Where will journalism -- especially print journalism -- go from here? Will it survive? Can it? Movies like 'Spotlight' show a need for this sort of investigative reporting, hard-hitting storytelling and dogged journalists who pursue the truth because someone, anyone has to do it. I loved this movie. It's getting all sorts of Oscar buzz, and it will no doubt pull some serious nominations (and hopefully some wins too). It deserves any and all of the buzz it is getting.

Director Tom McCarthy jumps into this film with a refreshing thought. Simply put, he wants to tell a story. There's no explosions, huge twists, pyrotechnics, nudity or violence to speak of. It is a straightforward, elegantly-told story that tells just that, a true story. Much like The Big Short, 'Spotlight' tells a story that is astonishing in its truth, discomforting down to your very toes and unsettling to the point it can be hard to believe you are in fact watching something that actually happened. The story drifts along with the investigation as it gets deeper and darker, the Spotlight team truly understanding the depths and horrors of what goes on with priests in the Catholic church. It's not often you see films like this that are just so perfectly professionally done. It doesn't need a ton of style or an in-your-face mentality. Like its main characters, McCarthy's film simply is looking to find the truth and tell a story.

'Spotlight' is a film that respects its characters and what they do without glorifying them. These reporters want to tell a story, sometimes ones that are incredibly difficult to track and nail down. Some pretty talented actors were picked to bring these real-life reporters to life, including Keaton's Robby, Mark Ruffalo's Mike Rezendes, Rachel McAdams' Sacha Pfeiffer, and Brian d'Arcy James' Matt Carroll. In brief snippets, we get to know about them and their personal lives, nice touches that help us as we go along with the investigation. There isn't a weak performance in the group, and they feel incredibly authentic in bringing them to life. Even when it seems like they've hit a dead-end, they keep looking, keep investigating, even when the truth sounds impossible. Schreiber too is excellent as new editor Marty Baron with John Slattery doing a fine turn as Ben Bradlee Jr., an editor with the Globe who plays an integral part in the clergy cover-up investigation.

But wait...there's more! Because the above-mentioned performances weren't enough, right? I think Stanley Tucci has the ability to walk into a room and steal every scene he's in, an ability he shows off here as a lawyer who wants to do right, who wants to fight for his clients, often the victims and survivors of clergy abuse. Also look for Billy Crudup, Jamey Sheridan, Paul Guilfoyle, an uncredited Richard Jenkins lending his voice to a key role over the phone, and Len Cariou.

Working off the true story, McCarthy tells his story on the ground, in the newsrooms and cramped offices, at the reporters' desks with their desktop computers, phones ringing and notebooks in hand in just about every passing scene. We see them on the phones, pursuing leads, digging through old clips and paperwork, and you get the sense of this is what journalism IS and what it SHOULD BE. It feels authentic. It feels real, and that's why the movie is so criminally straightforward and memorable. 'Spotlight' does not pull any punches. This is the true story of a horrific cover-up that you just shake your head at that something this horrifying could go uncovered, unreported for so long. Will it bring home a bunch of Oscars? Who knows for sure? I know this though. It definitely should.

Great movie. Go see it.

Spotlight (2015): ****/****

The Sea Chase

First and foremost, John Wayne was one of the screen's most iconic cowboys. Sure, he took some detours along the way as soldiers, cops and on occasion, as sailors and captains. It can be kinda odd seeing him at see instead of in the saddle, but some of the ventures are pretty good, especially 1955's The Sea Chase. And it's not just the Duke that's interesting, but some generally unique choices in storytelling and tone. And away we go on the high seas!

It's the late 1930's and the German steam freighter Ergenstrasse, commanded by German captain Karl Ehrlich (Wayne), is in port in Sydney, Australia. Ehrlich has fallen from some impressive heights in the German navy because he refuses to support the Nazi party, but he's a supremely capable officer with a solid reputation among fellow sailors. Then the whole world is turned upside down when World War II breaks out, leaving the Ergenstrasse far from home and badly under-supplied. Before they slip out from Sydney though, Ehrlich is visited by the German consul who thrusts a German spy on-board, Elsa Keller (Lana Turner), who has important information and needs to get back to German soil. The British Navy doesn't want to let Ehrlich's ship get through though, setting off a cat-and-mouse across the Pacific and Atlantic of who can out-maneuver the other.

This isn't a movie remembered as one of John Wayne's best, but from the star's weakest decade overall, it's a pretty good entry. It isn't a classic, but I found it damn entertaining, director John Farrow at the helm (shipping/sailing pun intended) of a war thriller that's been generally forgotten. John Wayne as a German captain during WWII? Even if he despises the Nazi party, that's a risky play for a star associated with America and patriotism. 'Chase' was filmed in Australia and Hawaii, its sun-drenched locations giving the thriller one purty look. It isn't flashy, but it certainly gets the job done.

So Wayne as a German captain works surprisingly well. He commits himself to the part in the same way he would a cowboy or a soldier. His Karl Ehrlich is a career man, someone who lives by his word and expects others around him to do the same. Nothing is aggressive or heavy-handed about the background, just that Wayne's Ehrlich has little use for Hitler and the Nazis and is paying for those feelings by being sent to captain the far-off German steamer with no value and no hope of promotion. He knows getting back to Germany will end in trouble for his own future, but it is his duty and he feels compelled to do it, troubling results be damned. He looks comfortable to in the role and compared to some of those 1950's duds -- like The Conqueror or Blood Alley -- it's a classic!

In a long, distinguished career, Wayne wasn't always given too many roles with love interests. Okay, that's not true. Love interests other than Maureen O'Hara. Some reviews seem to disagree with me, but I thought the Duke and the lovely Lana Turner were pretty good together. They've both got somewhat checkered pasts and neither has a future that seems too pleasant, but those two stubborn kids, wouldn't you know that they end up falling for each other a tiny bit? Oh, sorry, SPOILER. A good pairing, the only time these two Hollywood legends worked together. It's a very solid pairing.

If a John Wayne at sea love story isn't your thing, the supporting cast here should pull you in. They're not always given a lot to do in a 117-minute running time, but the character actor star power is ON-POINT here. It's cool just seeing all these fellas together, starting with David Farrar as Napier, Ehrlich's friend and a British officer leading the chase, and Lyle Bettger as Chief Officer Kirchner, a die-hard, loyal follower of the Nazi party who's gonna cause all sorts of problems. As for the Ergenstrasse crew -- and I take a deep breath -- look for Tab Hunter, James Arness, Richard Davalos, Luis Van Rooten, John Qualen, Paul Fix, Alan Hale Jr., Peter Whitney, Claude Akins, John Doucette, and Adam Williams. Not bad, huh? Movie nerds will definitely appreciate that character actor-studded cast.

There are some slower portions during the midsection as Ehrlich and the Ergenstrasse improvises and picks up some supplies at a remote Pacific island. It's necessary though as we get to know the persistently stubborn captain and his beautiful German spy on-board. The international intrigue though picks up, especially when Bettger's Kirchner goes on his own and makes a dangerous command decision that puts the whole crew at risk. There's nothing too flashy from beginning to end, but this is a pretty solid sea thriller, meant to be watched on a rainy Sunday afternoon or late at night with some popcorn. A cool change of pace for the Duke with the beautiful Lana Turner and a fun supporting cast. Definitely worth a watch.

The Sea Chase (1955): ***/****

The Ridiculous 6

Haha people are so dumb. Did you read THIS story? It says that Netflix has stated that 2015's The Ridiculous 6 got the most-ever views for a movie in its first 30-days upon its release. Hahaha why would you watch that crap? Ah, so, yeah, I watched that crap. Call it morbid curiosity, but I watched it. If this doesn't prove that I'll watch just about any western, I don't know what does. And away we go!

An orphan who has lived with the Apaches most of his life, Tommy (Adam Sandler), a.k.a. White Knife, has grown into a respected warrior who's a specialist with knives. One day, a famous bandit named Frank Stockburn (Nick Nolte) rides into the village claiming to be Tommy's father, and that his long-lost treasure is not too far away. Before they can go get it though, a vicious gang of killers swoops in and kidnaps Frank. Stunned at the revelation his father is alive, Tommy is in hot pursuit behind the bandits, but he's in for another surprise. Out on the trail, he keeps meeting the seeds of Frank's past. That's right, he meets five half-brothers, including Ramon (Rob Schneider), Little Pete (Taylor Lautner), Herm (Jorge Garcia), Chico (Terry Crews) and Danny (Luke Wilson). Working together, can the six brothers save their long-lost father from certain death?

To say this flick had a checkered production would be an understatement. Originally supposed to be released by Warner Bros., it was dropped. Netflix scooped it up and on things went! During production, 'Ridiculous' caused a stir when some of the Native Americans working on-set walked off, upset with the movie's portrayal of Indians. My thought there is 'Really? What did you think this was gonna be?' It all led to that point where I saw the trailer for the movie and thought "Oh, come on, that can't be good if Netflix had to showcase it rather than a theatrical run.' So what's to say of director Frank Coraci's straight-to-Netflix western? Well...

It's pretty awful. There are some laughs along the way -- genuine laughs -- but they're generally lost in a sea of recurring jokes that go nowhere, awful characters, and a story at 119 minutes that is a touch on the long side. I've mentioned my worries about comedic westerns early and often as I've written these reviews over the years, and the same issues are here. If you don't handle it right, it's just goofy to downright dumb. Coraci (a frequent Sandler director), Sandler and co-writer Tim Herlihy clearly know the western genre. They pick and choose some stereotypes here and some cliches there and mix it all together into one jumbled-up mess. Some of the end results pay off with laughs while others flop.

Two things ultimately got me through this flick. Okay, maybe 3. 1. I wanted to write a review. Look at all those movie stars! 2. I love westerns. 3. Okay, it was just 2. Adam Sandler's movies aren't meant to be classics. They're supposed to be fun. So what I did like here was the often very stupid dynamic among the actual Ridiculous 6. White Knife is the stoic anti-hero, Schneider's Ramon, the Mexican bandit, Little Pete, the mentally challenged idiot (a truly painful performance to watch), Garcia's Herm, the mute, mammoth mountain man, Crews' Chico the saloon piano player, Wilson's Danny the gunfighter looking for redemption. The group even...sings (so there's that) about finding their Dad. There are some good gags here, including Chico "revealing" to his brothers that he's actually black (gasp!). Same for a scene where they discuss their ridiculous skills and talents, The payoff is worth it.

Who else to watch out for? I liked Will Forte as the leader of the Left-Eye gang, bandits who have shown the commitment to the gang by tearing out their right eyes, including Clem (Steve Zahn), already down to one eye when he joins the gang. I won't give away all the surprises -- you can do that by looking at the full cast listing -- but it was cool to see guys like Harvey Keitel (a gunslinging saloon owner), Danny Trejo (bandit leader), Steve Buscemi (barber/doctor in a truly disgusting scene), and John Turturro (Abner Doubleday introducing baseball to Indians) pop up here and there. Plenty more familiar faces pop up here and there so keep your eyes peeled throughout for some good, some bad and some just plain dumb.

What's unfortunate I thought was that there actually was a fair share of potential for a western spoof/satire here. I did laugh here and there throughout. Unfortunately, most of that potential gets swept away in a sea of donkey diarrhea scenes (twice), one scene of bathroom humor after another, jokes about third nipples, odd special effects overdone sight gags and generally that feel that a 13-year old giggled his way through writing the screenplay. I'm not giving it a positive rating, but it isn't so awful that it's not worth a watch, at least to experience the mostly badness mixed with the at-times goodness.

Now what about a sequel...

The Ridiculous 6 (2015): * 1/2 /****

Creed

In very understandable fashion, Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone is protective of his legacy, of his movies, of his iconic characters. No character from Stallone's career is more iconic than Rocky Balboa, the boxer from Philly and the Italian Stallion himself. He had been approached about playing Rocky again, turning the offer down until he saw the script for this movie, 2015's Creed. He made the right call if you were wondering. It is a gem.

An angry young man, about 12 years old, Adonis Johnson is taken in by Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), the widow of the late fighter Apollo Creed. Since his own mother died some years before, Adonis has bounced around the system going from group home to group home with a couple stints in juvy. Now, he's got a chance to amount to something. He learns he's the illegitimate son of Apollo, his father dying before he was born. Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) grows up, tries to lead his own life, all the while boxing on the side and teaching himself as he goes with some natural talent kicking in along the way. In his late 20's with some wins to his name, Adonis decides he wants to pursue boxing full-time, leaving behind everything he knows in Los Angeles to move to Philadelphia where he hopes to train and make something of himself. First up in Philly? Trying to convince Rocky Balboa (Stallone) himself to train him. That may be easier said than done.

From what I've read, Creed director/writer Ryan Coogler (Aaron Covington co-writing the screenplay) had approached Stallone previously about revisiting/rebooting Rocky from a different angle. Finally, Stallone saw a script he didn't just like but LOVED. With some gentle nudging from his wife, Rocky himself chose to come back again as the Italian Stallion. Here's the finished product. Long story short? It works so freaking well. If you're going to reboot a beloved series and one of the most beloved characters ever, this is how you do it. It isn't good. It's great.

What works so well is the respect Coogler, Covington and Jordan have for the franchise without being too nostalgic. Yes, it's cool seeing Rocky back on the streets of Philadelphia, but 'Creed' is able to find that perfect middle ground in between. It isn't too new. It isn't too nostalgic. Rocky is a hugely important character, but it's not his movie. It's young Adonis and aging Rocky. Coogler films in Philadelphia (necessarily and appropriately), giving the story a gritty, authentic feel. While it is polished, it is not overly polished. The camera is there through the training, through the fights, through the dialogue, and it's right there with the characters. It seems simple, but it gives you that feeling you're right there with the action. When you're down in the trenches, you feel the twists and turns far more than when you're watching from a distance.

Michael B. Jordan is an actor I've been aware of for several years, but this is the first role I'm actually seeing him in. Consider me a huge fan. What a great, subtle but heated and intense part for the young actor who is definitely on the road to bigger and better things as an actor and a movie star. I think the biggest compliment I can give to this performance is that -- like the film itself -- it feels very real. The emotions don't feel forced or awkward or twisted. This is a young man in his late 20's and is trying to find himself, find some answers about who he is and who he wants to be. As well, Adonis has to live up to his family name, something he doesn't want to be tarnished because of something he does or doesn't do. In a very nice touch, we also see his developing relationship with Bianca (Tessa Thompson), a singer who lives in his building who's slowly losing her hearing. A ton of chemistry between the duo in a very believable relationship.

The heart of the movie though is the father-son, mentor-student relationship that develops between Adonis and Rocky. It is heartbreakingly perfect. Though they are at different points in their lives, they're also looking for the same thing; friendship, and more simply, a friend. I thought it was an appropriate choice not to stereotype Rocky or make him a cliche. This is the Rocky we know, just an older Rocky now in his late 60's. He's lost his wife and best friend but still runs his Italian restaurant in south Philly. When he meets the persistent Adonis, he resists at first at his request to train him but ultimately gives in. What results is spot-on. Sports cliches, training montages, it could all be overdone or too much, but Stallone's commitment to the part levels it. This feels like an authentic relationship from the moment we see the two together, and without giving away any spoilers, the way the Adonis/Rocky relationship grows is perfect for the tone of the story.

'Creed' doesn't focus on a long, long cast. It picks its characters and goes. Rashad is excellent in a smaller part as Adonis' adopted mother and Apollo's widow. Tony Bellew is excellent as "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, a British fighter, the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, with Graham McTavish as his trainer. Also look for Wood Harris and Ritchie Coster in key supporting parts.

Ready for a surprise (relative)? 'Creed' doesn't feature a whole lot of time in the actual boxing ring. Sure, there's training sequences as Adonis develops his boxing ability, but there's really only two fights (and one's relatively short, if effective). What's that mean? When we are in the ring, there is some FREAKING ENERGY. I won't spoil it, but Coogler keeps that camera moving without much in the way of editing. Very few cuts, but the camera is there shoulder-to-shoulder with our fighters. It's an impressive job shooting a sport that would probably be a lot easier to shoot with said hyper-fast editing.  As for that final fight, Coogler makes a brilliant choice. We haven't heard the Rocky theme to this point, but at an absolute perfect moment....oh, well, it's good. I'm getting chills just thinking about the moment.

Pretty much nothing to complain about here. Too many good, memorable, spine-tingling moments to mention, and I don't want to spoil them if you haven't seen the movie. Michael B. Jordan is excellent and an incredibly believable boxer/athlete. Sylvester Stallone steals the movie, reprising his Rocky role in a performance that will no doubt earn him a Best Supporting Actor nod and hopefully win it. He deserves it. The performance is that good. The whole movie is. I can't recommend it enough, for fans and non-fans of the Rocky series. Loved it.

Creed (2014): ****/****

Top 10 of 2015

My, my, how time flies. I got a job this past April that ate up a whole bunch of my free time so I wasn't able to watch as many movies I have in previous years (or simply as many as I wanted to watch). That said, it was a pretty good year for flicks, especially in theaters where one franchise I love after another had new releases from Fast and Furious to James Bond, Mission: Impossible to Jurassic Park and plenty in between. And lastly, remember, this isn't the BEST or the most critically acclaimed films. I'm a cheaper date than that. It's what entertained me the most. Click on the movie title for the full review. Here we go! (And remember, these are movies I watched between January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015).

10. Interstellar (2014)

One of the first movies I saw in 2015, I'm still not quite sure what the movie was about or its ultimate message. What do I know? I loved watching this film from director Christopher Nolan. The scale, the scope, the musical score, the immensity of space, the beauty and terror of open space, it all adds up. Matthew McConaughey leads an all-star cast with some surprises along the way. An excellent movie-going experience.

9. Stretch (2014)

Nothing smooth about the production of this mostly-ignored crime thriller with plenty of laughs. Originally intended as a theatrical release, it ended up on straight to video-on-demand. I loved it. Patrick Wilson plays Stretch, a down-on-his-luck actor turned limo driver and his crazy night on-duty and all the kooky characters he meets along the way. A lot of fun with the underrated Wilson's narration providing some memorable laughs.

8. Dom Hemingway (2013)

When done right, it's always fun to see celebrities step out of their comfort zone and play some hilariously off-center leading parts. In steps Jude Law as Dom Hemingway, a longtime crook recently released from jail and looking to get paid for keeping some well-guarded secrets to himself. What a crazy, funny, ridiculous, dark, bizarre movie, but much like Stretch, it JUST WORKS. Law is an absolute scene-stealer over and over again in this oddball British crime thriller.

7. John Wick (2014)

"A hit man comes out of retirement when mobsters kill his dog." What a deceptively dumb plot description...which is only half-true. This is my most pleasant surprise of the year, Keanu Reeves as the titular hit man, who, yes, is avenging his dog but there's so much more going on with his reasoning. Stylish, violent and a really cool cast inhabit a special kind of hitman world. I might have tweaked the ending, but a minor complaint in a bullet-riddled action movie that's a hell of a lot of fun.

6. The Martian (2015)

I loved Andy Weir's novel 'The Martian' and was appropriately psyched for the Ridley Scott-directed film adaptation. Matt Damon is stranded astronaut Mark Watney, left behind by his crew and feared dead during a sandstorm. Can he survive? Can he hold on for a rescue...if he can somehow get in contact with Earth? Damon is phenomenal as the brilliant Watney, always ready with a sarcastic comment or biting one-liner. The rest of the cast...well, it'd take quite a while to list the cast. Not a weakness in the entire movie.

5. Inside Out (2015):

I didn't even try and review this one. My feeble brain couldn't handle it. What a smart, creative, truly inventive movie, the story of Riley, a young girl moving with her parents to a new town and new school. We see her life through her emotions, Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith), as they run her life from a control panel in her head. Too many smart, funny moments to even mention. A perfect movie for both kids and adults.

4. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

It's been fascinating watching the Mission: Impossible series develop over these last two movies. Like the Fast and Furious movies, they tweaked and rejigged things nicely, turning an espionage series into an action-packed espionage series that pushes the limits of gun battles, stunts, chases, heists and so much more. Tom Cruise returns as heroic, no stopping him agent Ethan Hunt with newcomer Rebecca Ferguson stealing the show as a rival agent who's intentions aren't known. So much freaking fun.

3. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985):

Oh, my. Just "oh, my." The French Connection is a heck of a movie, but this may be William Friedkin's best film. William Petersen is Richard Chance, a no-rules, roguish Treasury agent on the trail of the counterfeiter who murdered his partner. This is a procedural cop drama/thriller on absolute freaking steroids. Dark, cynical, brutal, horrifically stylish, a movie that lingered in my mind for days later. Ssssssssssssoooooooooo good.

2. Furious 7 (2015):

Hi, I'm Tim, and I love these movies. Much like the Mission: Impossible movies, these are movies built around characters we've come to love and action that stretches the limits of any reality but is so absolutely fun you don't even care. Full of action -- car chases and otherwise -- this sequel was a hell of a lot of fun with Vin Diesel leading the way and Jason Statham joining the cast as the villain. Style points? A moving tribute to star Paul Walker who died tragically in a car crash as the movie was being made. I lean toward wrapping up the series on a high note, but there's too much money involved. Curious to see where things go from here, but I'll be there throughout.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015):

Like Inside Out, I debated even writing a review, but I struggled through it. All I could think while watching this franchise reboot from director George Miller was "This is what movie-going experiences should be like more often." Tom Hardy says about 38 words the entire movie as Max, a drifter in a postapocalyptic world, with Charlize Theron as a scene-stealing...well, just see the movie. The simplest of stories here, but let's cut to it; this is a 2-hour chase scene that barely takes a breath, rarely sits back and relaxes for more than a minute or two. This is a movie that stuck with me long after its first viewing. W-O-W. Just wow. What a movie.

So that's it. That's 2015. I watched significantly less movies, but it was quite a year for movies. What movies just missed out on the Top 10? If I did another list, it would include (in no particular order) Whiplash, The Verdict, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Everest, Chef, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and one of the bigger pleasant surprises of the year, The Man from UNCLE.

Bring on 2016!

Hell is For Heroes

In a career shortened by his tragic death at the age of 50, Steve McQueen turned in one memorable performance after another. Films like The Sand Pebbles and The Great Escape and Bullitt come to mind as frequent mentions as the King of Cool's most iconic roles (and rightfully so. They're gems). But how about an underrated performance that doesn't get its due? I've always thought 1962's Hell is For Heroes belonged in McQueen's best performance list. What do you think?

It's 1944 in France along the Siegfried Line and rumors are spreading that troops will be heading home soon. As the infantry waits, Private John Reese (McQueen) arrives as a replacement for an already undermanned squad commanded by Sgt. Larkin (Harry Guardino) with the platoon led by Sgt. Pike (Fess Parker). The troops aren't going home though. They're being sent back on the line. Larkin's squad is in for a surprise though. The entire company was moved in during the night, but many of the men were pulled back during the night and relocated up the line to serve as a reserve for an expected German counterattack. What's that mean for Larkin's squad? The sergeant and his five men, including Reese, must hold an extended portion of the line until reinforcements can arrive. Can they? What if the Germans catch on to who they're actually facing off against?

I think this is one of the best, most underrated war films ever made. It is rarely mentioned in conversations of great war films, but it certainly belongs in the conversation. Director Don Siegel -- one of the all-timers at tough guy flicks -- helms a low-budget (but never in a bad way) war story that genuinely tries to show the horrors of war on a more personal level. This isn't armies clashing over territory. This is a half-dozen tired American soldiers simply trying to survive against overwhelming odds and in spite of idiotic orders. There's no picture of the war or fighting on a grand scale. We're in the trenches and foxholes with the soldiers who are interested in getting some sleep, eating some good food and not being shot at for a change.

What's always appealed to me about Siegel's film is the stark, bleak look. 'Heroes' is filmed in black and white, an excellent decision that helps focus the story more on the soldiers and their bleak situation with little in the way of distraction. Much of the story is focused then on a stretch of line marked with trenches, dugouts, bombed-out pillboxes, dragon's teeth, foxholes and all the remnants of previous fighting littering the ground. Across the line a few hundred yards, the German infantry -- mostly unseen -- waits like a presence just waiting to strike. An obvious impact on TV's Combat!, 'Heroes' has a memorable look, Siegel not undone by his relatively small budget. Throw in a wartime score from Leonard Rosenman -- not used often, highly effective when used -- that's moody and dark and scene-setting and you've got all the ingredients! Watch the opening/closing credits HERE for a sample.

The thing holding it all together though is McQueen's performance as Private John Reese, a brutally efficient soldier and fighter who's most effective in combat. Once removed from the fighting, he starts to get in trouble. This is a performance built on such an intimidating presence that McQueen was supposedly incredibly difficult to work with on-set, rarely getting out of character. His physical appearance is gaunt with several day-old stubble on his face. For lack of a better description, Reese is a psychopath, albeit an incredibly capable soldier. One of the earliest method actors, McQueen radiates intensity and rage here like few performances I've ever seen. He barely speaks and when he does, he's short, quick and to the point. But my goodness, it is a highly memorable performance, one tortured individual who is most at home when the bullets are flying through the air and death is ever-present. One of my first thoughts when watching The Hurt Locker was that Jeremy Renner's character could have been Reese's son! What a performance from McQueen.

The entire ensemble is a strong one with McQueen leading the way. Fess Parker is solid as Pike, the tough sergeant trying to hold his men together even considering the hellish fighting they've been through. Larkin too is a capable soldier, Guardino doing a fine job of showing his unease at what he likely should do and what he's been ordered to do. His squad includes James Coburn as Henshaw, a mechanical genius, Bobby Darin as Corby, a scrounger always ready with a joke/quip, Mike Kellin as Kolinsky, the worrier, and Bill Mullikin as Cumberly, the cheery soldier with a positive outlook. The squad gets unlikely reinforcements in the form of Bob Newhart's Pvt. Driscoll, a typist who finds himself at the front line, and Nick Adams as Homer, a young Polish man who tags along with the squad. Also look for Joseph Hoover as Capt. Loomis, the company commander, and L.Q. Jones appearing very briefly as a supply sergeant.

This is one of the earliest examples of a real look at war I can think of. Sure, Darin has some jokes and Newhart briefly gets to do a telephone bit, but the message of the story is the absolute horror of war. There's nothing glamorous or glorifying about it. It's men killing men in horrific fashion. 'Heroes' is interested in small unit pictures, squad vs. squad, as we see some of the ruses Larkin's men use to trick the Germans into thinking there's far more of them than there really is. When the violence and gunfire erupts, it's quick, unsettling and vicious. Characters die in truly uncomfortable ways that isn't just "Bang...You're Dead." One characters screams "My guts! My guts! Don't tell my wife it was like this!" as he bleeds out before a medic arrives. Generally forgotten, 'Heroes' was one of the first to show war as it really was, laying the groundwork for many future war films.

Take this next part with a grain of salt (I'm not sure how true it is), but I've read Siegel simply ran out of money late in filming and the studio didn't give him anymore. What's next? An improvised ending that is actually one of the most memorable, startling endings I've ever seen. It stays in tune with the movie's general downbeat tone with no happy endings in sight. What I've always wondered then is this...what was the original ending if there was more of a budget? I'm still searching for that answer! In the meantime, it's an excellent movie, one that deserves far more of a reputation among war movie fans. It's a gem.

Hell is For Heroes (1962): ****/****
Rewrite of December 2010 review

Ant-Man

Okay, it may be officially time to just tip your cap to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the people running it, deciding where to go with the phenomenally successful franchise(s). After bringing Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and the Avengers to life, the MCU turned to lesser known commodities, including Guardians of the Galaxy (a gem) and 2015's Ant-Man.

Fresh off his most recent stint in jail, cat burglar Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is looking to go straight this time as he tries to look after his young daughter. Lang isn't any old crook though, with his degree in mechanical engineering and his reputation he's gained as a bit of a Robin Hood-esque thief. As an ex-con, he finds holding a job rather tough and resorts to his old ways, teaming up with his old cellmate, Luis (Michael Pena), for a job that seems like a sure thing. Well, it ain't. Breaking into a safe in the basement of an old San Francisco house, all Scott finds is an odd-looking suit. The trick? The owner of the house, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), is a brilliant scientist who's laid a trap for Scott. The odd suit has amazing capabilities as it is able to shrink a man down to the almost microscopic size of an ant and gain access to all sorts of places previously unheard of. The catch is that Pym's former student, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), has replicated Pym's formula for shrinking a man, but his motives for using it are far more sinister.

Okay, one minor rant, and we'll get going. I liked Ant-Man...a lot. It's definitely in consideration for my Top 10 of the year. That said...it's goofy. You have to go along with the premise that Pym and Scott can somehow communicate with ants just by telepathically sending the insects an order. The beauty of it is the entire thing is played straight. The tone is of an action-comedy but just goes with the entire premise. Goofy but playing the potentially goofy completely straight. End of rant. Ah, ants are everywhere!

Like I said, tip your cap to the folks over at Marvel. This was a great flick, fun, entertaining, full of laughs and action with some interesting characters and back stories. It is an origin story, introducing the roots of how Scott becomes Ant-Man but also some history involving Pym's history and his development of the science. Director Peyton Reed, working off a script by Rudd, Adam McKay, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, turns in an excellent addition to the Marvel Universe that -- as mentioned -- did remind me of Guardians. We've got characters we don't necessarily have a huge background with but make them interesting and somewhat sympathetic from the get-go. Sure, things are a tad formulaic among superhero (or quasi-superhero) movies, but why fix what isn't broken? Hugely entertaining from beginning to end in this 117-minute flick.

I love Paul Rudd. He's one of the best comedic actors out there so him getting a crack at an action hero of sorts is great. Following in Chris Pratt's footsteps, Rudd famously said he didn't eat anything for a year to get in great shape for the movie, turning the comedian into a ripped action star. It's a character that allows him to be both funny and an action star, if a somewhat unwilling, questioning star, but that's what the part needs! Rudd's Scott is a brilliant engineer who uses his knowledge to be a hell of a thief. His backstory accounting for how he ends up in jail to start the flick is pretty cool too. In another Guardians comparison, Rudd is similar to Pratt's Star Lord character, a normal guy and not a superhero who's always ready with a one-liner or some smart-ass response but when the chips are down is more than capable of getting the job done. And that's important because Rudd is believable too as an action star. If it felt fake, forced or uncomfortable, the movie would have sunk fast. Lesson learned? Don't doubt Paul Rudd!

Now for one of the more underrated aspects of the MCU, something we just take for granted with one new flick after another...the supporting cast! The universe continues to pull big names in, starting with Michael Douglas in the Robert Redford mode, a screen legend clearly having a ball with the blockbuster flick and a fun part. His relationship with Scott is an interesting one, something I imagine will be explored more in any (SPOILER sorta SPOILER) forthcoming sequels. That dynamic gets some fuel for the fire with Pym's daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly, always a welcome addition!), involved in the potential world takeover by miniature fighters!!! (It's not as ridiculous as it sounds). Stoll is an ideal villain, greedy and sinister without hamming it up too much. None of the four are prototypical actors you'd think would lead a Marvel flick, but there's not a weak link in the bunch.

Who else to look for? If there's a relative weak point, it's the subplot of Scott trying to do right by his daughter (Abby Ryder Fortson), his ex-wife (Judy Greer), and her new husband (Bobby Canavale), who also happens to be a detective keeping his eye on Scott! The best parts though go to Scott's crew of cronies, ex-cons who are all-around dumb but always ready with a one-liner, including the always welcome Michael Pena, rapper T.I. and David Dastmalchian.

What the Marvel Universe continues to deliver on is the all-powerful special effects. CGI can be a movie-ruiner for me when it's not handled right, but Marvel in general (and here specifically with Ant-Man) has found a way to not overdo it while making what we do see pretty immaculate. We're introduced to the shrinking ability that sees Scott in the suit shrunk down and basically falling through an apartment building with all the pratfalls that would mean nothing to a regular size man, but to a man shrunk to the size of an ant would be life-and-death situations. It's comical but serious as Ant-Man springs back to life-size in a flash. His training montage of sorts as he adjusts to the suit has its fair share of laughs off of sight-gags as well, running at a door where he's supposed to shrink down and fly through the keyhole where he'll pop back to normal on the far side. The visual is pretty flawless throughout, impressive CGI that's part of the action and never calls attention to itself. That's what you want and need for it all to jell so effortlessly.

Okay, startling to ramble some so let's wrap this up. I thought the coolest angle of 'Ant' was that sure, there's some world domination at hand, but the heart of the story is a heist flick. Can Scott, Pym, Hope and crew pull off an impossible robbery of sorts? That's a new angle among the Marvel Universe and a welcome one, not same-old, same-old. Also....ALSO, if you haven't seen, Ant-Man will be involved in the Avengers/Captain America movies going forward so look for a cool appearance by Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson (Falcon) along with a scene in the credits previewing Captain America: Civil War. So that's FREAKING AWESOME! There's some other quick appearances too so keep your eyes open! In the meantime, Ant-Man is excellent so give it a chance or watch it again!

Ant-Man (2015): *** 1/2 /****