F-Fz Movies updated July 31, 2019

The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) Frank and Jack Baker are professional musicians who play small clubs. They play schmaltzy music and have never needed a day job. Times are changing and dates are becoming more difficult to get so they interview female singers. They finally decide on Susie Diamond, a former 'escort' who needs some refinement, but the act begins to take off again. While the act is now successful, both Frank and Jack have problems with their life on the road. Susie becomes the agent that makes them re-evaluate where they are going, and how honest they have been with each other.

Great cast simple straightforward story. Enjoy!

The Facts of Life (1960)  Suburban Pasadena couples Kitty and Jack Weaver, Mary and Larry Gilbert, and Connie and Doc Mason do everything together. Kitty and Mary are best friends, but Kitty and Larry don't get along. Kitty thinks Larry is a bore, and Larry doesn't like that Kitty doesn't laugh at his jokes. When the three couples plan a week long group trip together to Acapulco, they don't plan on the fact that out of circumstance Kitty and Larry would need to spend all their time together without the other four. Kitty and Larry also don't plan that in really getting to know each other that they would fall for each other, which is what happens. Kitty and Larry aren't certain if they're just caught up in the moment, if they're bored with their respective unsatisfying marriages or if it would have happened under regular circumstances. As their feelings for each other don't go away over time, they have to figure out what to do.

A UPI news item dated July 3, 1960 reports that while preparing to film a scene on a boat, Lucille Ball fell, struck her head and was knocked unconscious. She was taken to Cedars of Lebanon Hospital for a possible concussion and severe face and leg bruises. Her ex-husband Desi Arnaz rushed to the hospital from his ranch at Corona to be with her. Fortunately, preliminary x-rays of the head, neck and spine showed that the beloved star was not seriously hurt.

Hope and Ball unsuccessfully tried to talk Desi Arnaz into making a guest appearance in the film.

The Facts of Life was indeed a problematic picture. The injury to Lucy was not the films only mishap. Don DeFore injured his back requiring hospitalization, director Melvin Frank broke his ankle playing golf and had to hobble around on crutches, the film's publicist came down with a two week case of the mumps, Bob Hope smashed his finger, and even the delivery man from Lucy's pharmacy fell into the same tank that the star had. To top things off, a few days after Lucy referred to her Desilu soundstage as a "firetrap," it partially burned down.

Fail-Safe (1964)  When the United States Air Force's elaborate fail-safe systems fail, a squadron of nuclear-armed bombers crosses the Bering Strait into the USSR to attack. No one is quite sure why it happened but it's left to the President of the United States to try and find a solution with his Soviet counterpart. For some, like political scientist Professor Groetschele, the situation presents opportunities. He argues that they should not dwell on the morality of the attack and simply accept that it has happened. On that basis, he argues in favor of an all-out nuclear attack against the Soviet Union as the only sure way to ensure the survival of American culture and beliefs. The President sees it differently and works with the Soviets to stop the American bombers before they reach their target. When that fails, the President sees only one possible way to prevent global thermo-nuclear war.

Fail-Safe is a novel by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler. The story was initially serialized in three installments in the Saturday Evening Post on October 13, 20, and 27, 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Lots of people complaine about the cover of the Post featuring US Planes bombing Moscow.  I was in the Air Force stationed at Goose Bay Labrador in October of 1962.  I was working afternoons and TV was not pervasive as it is now and the internet wouldn't be invented for 7 years.  So as I arrived for work I noticed that all of out fighters were armed with nuclear weapons.  Normally only the two to four fighters on alert had live weapons.  Also, Canadian law prohibithed nukes from Canadian soil.  So these must have been flown in from the states.  It was a real scary week.  We all knew that our base was a primary target for the Soviets.

Falling Down (1993)  William Foster, AKA D-FENS, is an unemployed, divorced engineer in the defense industry who's reached his boiling point. First he finds himself in gridlock, which he deals with by abandoning his car. He subsequently happens across an unhelpful convenience store clerk whose prices D-FENS 'rolls back', by demolishing the store with a baseball bat after overpowering the clerk. Soon he finds himself in gangland, and deals with some tough-looking gang members by attacking them and running them off. When the gang members try to retaliate, it fails when they crash their car and D-FENS takes their bag full of guns. Unfortunately for him, a retiring cop is on his trail, and soon things will come to blows as D-FENS heads towards Venice for his young daughter's birthday party.

Good adult angst movie.  The world is frustrating and somedays we all would like to strike back.  Great job by the lead roles.

Fancy Pants (1950)  An American actor (Arthur Tyler) impersonating an English butler is hired by a nouveau riche woman (Effie Floud) from New Mexico to refine her husband and headstrong daughter (Aggie). The complications increase when the town believes Arthur to be an Earl, and President Roosevelt decides to pay a visit.

The interior set at Paramount Studios representing the first floor of Norma Desmond's mansion in Sunset Blvd. starring Gloria Swanson was also used in this film, giving fans of that classic a rare opportunity to see it in full color.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) The adventures of writer Newt Scamander in New York's secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.

In mid-20s New York, Newt Scamander, the British young activist wizard, arrives in town, holding a mysterious leather suitcase which shelters a wide array of diverse and magical creatures that exist among us. Amid an already fragile equilibrium of secrecy, and the increasing disasters ascribed to the dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, Newt's precious suitcase will be lost--and to make matters worse--several creatures will manage to escape. Before long, this situation will catch Senior Auror Percival Graves' attention who will target Newt, in the background of an invisible, devastating, and utterly unpredictable menace that still wreaks havoc on 5th Avenue. In the end, is there a hidden agenda behind Graves' intentions; moreover, what will happen to the remaining fantastic beasts still loose in the streets?

In the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows novel, Xenophilius Lovegood is in possession of the horn of an erumpent, which he insists is the horn of a crumple-horned snorkack. Hermione mentions to her friends to be careful around it, because she is not fooled, and knows that an erumpent horn is prone to exploding. In the novel, they find out that she is indeed correct. An erumpent appears in this film, as one of the beasts Newt needs to recapture (the one that resembles a rhino that escapes to Central Park), and the species' explosive, and generally destructive nature, is portrayed on film for the first time.

In the 1920s, "muggles" was U.S. slang for marijuana cigarettes. This may explain why members of the U.S. wizarding community don't use the term to mean non-magical people, but call them "no-maj" instead.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) In 1927, the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) is transferring the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald from their maximum security prison to London to be tried for his crimes in Europe. Grindelwald escapes during the transfer, aided by his follower and MACUSA employee, Abernathy. Three months later in London, Newt Scamander appeals to the Ministry of Magic to restore his revoked international travel rights following his misadventure in New York City. While at the Ministry, Newt runs into Leta Lestrange, an old Hogwarts classmate who is engaged to his brother, Theseus, an Auror in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Ministry offers to restore Newt's travel rights if he assists Theseus in locating the obscurity Credence Barebone, who has resurfaced in Paris. Credence may be Leta's long-lost brother, Corvus Lestrange, the last of a long line of pure-blood wizards. Grindelwald believes only Credence can kill his equal, Hogwarts Professor Albus Dumbledore. Newt, however, declines, refusing to choose sides, and the Auror Grimmson is dispatched instead.

Gellert Grindelwald has escaped imprisonment and begun gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: elevating wizards above muggles. Grindelwald's former friend Albus Dumbledore is the only one capable of stopping him, but he needs help from his former student Newt Scamander.

The Far Country (1954)  In 1896, Jeff Webster sees the start of the Klondike gold rush as a golden opportunity to make a fortune in beef...and woe betide anyone standing in his way! He drives a cattle herd from Wyoming to Seattle, by ship to Skagway, and (after a delay caused by larcenous town boss Gannon) through the mountains to Dawson. There, he and his partner Ben Tatum get into the gold business themselves. Two lovely women fall for misanthropic Jeff, but he believes in every-man-for-himself, turning his back on growing lawlessness...until it finally strikes home.

One of the many great cowboy movies I saw as a boy.

One of James Stewart's favorite stories of his film career concerned his horse, Pie, a sorrel stallion whom Stewart called, "One of the best co-stars I ever had." Pie appeared as Stewart's horse in 17 Westerns, and the actor developed a strong personal bond with the horse. Pie was very intelligent, Stewart recalled, and would often "act for the cameras when they were rolling. He was a ham of a horse." When shooting the climax of "The Far Country," the script called for Stewart's horse to walk down a dark street alone, with no rider in the saddle, to fool the bad guys who were waiting to ambush Stewart. Assistant Director John Sherwood asked Stewart if Pie would be able to do the scene. Stewart replied, "I'll talk to him." Just before the cameras rolled, Stewart took Pie aside and whispered to the horse for several minutes, giving him instructions for the scene. When Stewart let the horse go, Pie walked perfectly down the middle of the street, doing the scene in one take. When Pie died in 1970, Stewart arranged to have the horse buried at his California ranch.

The Finnish title of this film is "Seikkailijoiden luvattu maa", meaning "The Promised Land of Adventurers" in English.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)  Follows a group of high school students growing up in southern California, based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for a love interest, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, respectively. The center of the film is held by Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer dude who faces off with the resolute Mr. Hand, who is convinced that everyone is on dope.

Video store operators reported the the tapes became worn out in spot where the sexual fantasy scene occurrs.  This was due to people rewinding and watching over and over.

For his masturbation scene, Judge Reinhold brought a large dildo to work with, unbeknown to the rest of the cast. Phoebe Cates look of horror and disgust is very real.

Nicholas Cage's film debut.

Fat Man and Little Boy  (1989)  In real life, Robert Oppenheimer was the scientific head of the Manhattan Project, the secret wartime project in New Mexico where the first atomic bombs were designed and built. General Leslie Groves was in overall command of it. This film reenacts the project with an emphasis on their relationship.

Fatal Attraction (1987)  Happily married New York lawyer Dan Callagher has an affair with his colleague Alex, and the two enjoy a love making weekend while Dan's wife and kid are away. But Alex will not let go of him, and she will stop at nothing to have him for herself. Just how far will she go to get what she wants?.

Great movie.  Orignal ending would have been better IMO.  The tragedy is that most men would follow their dicks over a cliff.

Fatal Instinct (1993)  A spoof of the late 80s and early 90s suspense thrillers and murder mysteries, including Basic Instinct, Sleeping With The Enemy, Cape Fear and others. A cop/attorney (yes he's both) is seduced by a woman while his wife is having an affair with a mechanic. Lots of other sublots and visual gags in the style of Naked Gun.

Not as good as Naked Gun or the Airplane movies but a good try.

The Favourite (2018) Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen's companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfill her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.

Costume designer Sandy Powell intentionally used anachronistic fabrics. Laser-cut lace and vinyl were used for many courtiers' clothes. The servants' dresses and britches are made from denim recycled from thrift store jeans from throughout England. Queen Anne's dressing gown is made from a chenille blanket that Powell found on eBay.

During the filming of their first sex scene, Emma Stone was nervous that she would go up too high on Olivia Colman's leg. Colman had the idea to borrow a large makeup sponge and put it in between her legs for Stone's hand to touch. In an interview on The Graham Norton Show (2007), Colman said Stone was very surprised, "her face was a picture!

The FBI Story (1959)  This film follows the career of fictional FBI agent Chip Hardesty. It starts off with the 1955 airline bombing by Jack Graham who placed a bomb in his mother's suitcase so he could collect the insurance and killed 44 people in the process. The story then goes back to 1924 when a dissatisfied Hardesty is thinking of leaving he agency. His interest is reignited with appointment of J. Edgar Hoover as the new Director and a renewed sense of mission for the FBI. Working with his good friend Sam Crandall, he tells the story of some of the major cases he worked on: the fight against the Ku Klux Klan; the case of Oklahoma Indians who were being killed for their oil-rich lands; and the fight against the slew of high profile 1930s bank robbers including Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, John Dillinger and Ma Barker. During World War II their focus was on Nazi spies and subversive elements. By the 1950s, the focus was on communist spies.

A good white wash of the FBI.  See J. Edgar for a darker view.  This is worth seeing.  Stewart is very believable.

The scene in the film in which J. Edgar Hoover "personally" arrested Alvin Carpis has since been debunked as a myth created by Hoover himself. In 1936 Hoover had gone before the Senate Appropriations Commitee to get more funds to continue to build the FBI. A senator asked Hoover if he'd ever personally made an arrest. Hoover kept trying to dodge the question but was eventually forced to answer that he hadn't (he'd joined the bureau as an Assistant Director and was promoted through the bureaucracy without ever having served in the field). Embarrassed by the hearings, Hoover made it a point to follow the case of Carpis, the last of the high-profile 1930s-era bank robbers. According to Carpis himself in his autobiography "Public Enemy Number One: The Alvin Karpis Story", as he was leaving the hotel to get into his car, he was surrounded by nearly a dozen well-armed agents who forced him out of the car. As he stood there being patted down for weapons, he noticed two men peering around the corner. An agent saw what Carpis was looking at and said, "It's okay, Chief. We got 'im." Then Hoover and his assistant, 'Clyde Tolson (I)' (who makes a cameo appearance in the film in the same scene as Hoover) came out and Hoover dramatically showed Karpis his badge, declaring, "Karpis, you're under arrest!"

A Few Good Men (1992)  In this dramatic courtroom thriller, LT Daniel Kaffee, a Navy lawyer who has never seen the inside of the courtroom, defends two stubborn Marines who have been accused of murdering a colleague. Kaffee is known as being lazy and had arranged for a plea bargain. Downey's Aunt Ginny appoints Cmdr. Galloway to represent him. Also on the legal staff is LTJG Sam Weinberg. The team rounds up many facts and Kaffee is discovering that he is really cut out for trial work. The defense is originally based upon the fact that PFC Santiago, the victim, was given a "CODE RED". Santiago was basically a screw-up. At Gitmo, screw-ups aren't tolerated. Especially by Col. Nathan Jessup. In Cuba, Jessup and two senior officers try to give all the help they can, but Kaffee knows something's fishy. In the conclusion of the film, the fireworks are set off by a confrontation between Jessup and Kaffee.

Wolfgang Bodison was working for Rob Reiner on A Few Good Men as a location scout when Reiner decided he was perfect for the part of Lance Corporal Harold Dawson. Reiner said he looked like a marine.  

Field of Dreams (1989)  Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella hears a voice in his corn field tell him, "If you build it, he will come." He interprets this message as an instruction to build a baseball field on his farm, upon which appear the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other seven Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series. When the voices continue, Ray seeks out a reclusive author to help him understand the meaning of the messages and the purpose for his field.

The Fifth Element (1997) In the future, life as we know it is threatened by the arrival of Evil. Only the Fifth Element can stop the Evil from extinguishing life, as it tries to do every five thousand years. She is assisted by a former elite commando turned cab driver, Korben Dallas, who is, in turn, helped by Prince/Arsenio clone, Ruby Rhod. Unfortunately, Evil is being assisted by Mr. Zorg, who seeks to profit from the chaos that Evil will bring, and his alien mercenaries.

This is an awesome movie with a great cast.  Mostly tongue in cheek with awesome performances.

Firewall (2006)  Jack Stanfield is a bank's security chief who has designed a computer system & firewall to protect his employer from fraud. One day, after being introduced to a man named Bill Cox who is interested in working with Jack on a security project, Jack finds himself ambushed and staring down a gun barrel. The man holding the gun is Cox. When Jack arrives home the motive for the meeting becomes clear: Cox & his gang of violent, psychopathic thieves want Jack to hack through his employer's computer security & transfer $100 million to Cox's bank accounts in the Caymans. Failure to comply means the murder of Jack's family. Stanfield realizes this will implicate him as an embezzler but he complies. However, even after Cox has the money, it becomes obvious that he had no intention of letting anyone live and kidnaps the family to kill them & hide their bodies, leaving one of his henchman to eliminate Jack. When Jack kills the thug who was supposed to kill him, the sociopathic Cox's plans are ruined. Jack must race against time to get his family back before Cox and his fellow thugs carry out their murderous plans.

Good cast, good story and almost a good movie.  Harrison Ford is worth the price of admission.

The Firm (1993)  Mitch McDeere is a young man with a promising future in Law. About to sit his Bar exam, he is approached by 'The Firm' and made an offer he doesn't refuse. Seduced by the money and gifts showered on him, he is totally oblivious to the more sinister side of his company. Then, two Associates are murdered. The FBI contact him, asking him for information and suddenly his life is ruined. He has a choice - work with the FBI, or stay with the Firm. Either way he will lose his life as he knows it. Mitch figures the only way out is to follow his own plan.

Like most of Gresham's work the book is better.  However, I like the movie and like the movie's ending better than the book's.  Great cast.

The Peabody Hotel scene was filmed in a private apartment in the Shrine building, in downtown Memphis. The studio moved out all of the tenant's belongings, and he stayed at the Peabody during filming. The Shrine is closer to the Mississippi river than the Peabody, which has an obstructed view of the river.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)  Wanda brings her new secret lover, Otto to England to help her and her lover George and stuttering animal lover Ken steal $20 million in diamonds. Wanda and Otto then turn in George to the police so they can have the loot for themselves, but George has already moved the diamonds and only he knows where they are. All four of the criminals start double-crossing each other to try to get to the diamonds before anyone else. Wanda tries to find them by "getting close" to George's barrister, Archie Leach, because if George pleads guilty he will tell Archie where the diamonds are to cut his sentence. Absolute hilarity ensues.

Awesomely funny crime caper.

When Otto leaves Archie's home, he says to Archie's wife Wendy that they would all speak German without the USA. He leaves the house while singing the first verse of the anthem: "Deutschland über alles". The German dubbed version has an altered dialog, he says that they'd all eat sauerkraut and listen to military marches, then he imitates some military marches instead of singing the anthem, as the first verse is considered too nationalist and generally not sung in public.

Flags of Our Fathers (2006)  During WW2 the American Government's war chest was empty because the American people didn't have faith that they could win so they stopped buying war bonds. So a campaign was launched using the photo of the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima. Now the three surviving men in the picture, Doc Bradley, Rene Gagnon and Ira Hayes are brought back to the U.S. for the bond drive. But when they arrive they learn that the story the government released to the press is full inaccuracies and they have keep on saying the story even though it's not true. While Rene Gagnon has no trouble saying it, Doc Bradley and Ira Hayes are not comfortable with it.

Flash Gordon (1936)  A rogue planet is 'rushing madly toward the earth.' Impending doom creates worldwide pandemonium. But maverick scientist Dr. Zarkov hopes to stay disaster by travelling to the new planet in his experimental rocket. Two chance-met strangers, athletic Flash Gordon and damsel in distress Dale Arden, go with him. Arrived, the trio find Mongo to be a planet of wonders, warring factions, and deadly perils, its orbit controlled by Emperor Ming who has his own sinister plans for earth. Can our heroes, armed only with science and sex appeal, stop him?

This serialized version is the original, modeled on the comic strip of the same name and era.  It is of course one of the first things I saw on TV that was a hint of space travel in the far future and whetted my interest in reading science fiction.  The special effects in the 30s were nearly non-existent and that is obvious in the thermite rocket ships.  The acting is a bit weak but they were chosen as eye candy.

This series is well worth watching.

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)  A mysterious plague, the Purple Death, ravages the earth. Dr. Zarkov, investigating in his spaceship, finds a ship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere with dust. Sure enough, Ming the Merciless is up to his old tricks. So it's back to Mongo for Flash, Dale, and Zarkov, this time with ready-made allies waiting: Prince Barin of Arboria and Queen Fria of the frozen northern land of Frigia; where, it so happens, is found polarite, antidote to the plague. But Ming will use all his forces to keep our heroes from thwarting his plans of conquest.

It could have been titled Flash Gordon the quest for more money, but it is as good as the original and better than many sequels that Hollywood has produced.

Charles Middleton as Ming the Merciless is the epitome of a great bad guy.  See him in Way Out West with Laurel and Hardy.

John Hamilton, who plays Flash's father Professor Gordon, is best known to 1950s TV fans as editor Perry White of Adventures of Superman.

In the final chapter before his demise, Ming is looking to escape. In the endings of most serial episodes the hero is is the one trying to escape (then thought to be killed - until the next week). This might suggest another sequel or fourth Flash Gordon serial. However, after 7 December 1941 and the attack on Pearl Harbor, just 3 years after Orson Welles' infamous 'War of the Worlds' radio broadcast simulating an attack from from outer space, the production of "space travel" films were put on hold.

Flash Gordon (1980)  Flash Gordon is an American football player who along with Dale Arden are returning to New York City after a long vacation, until the plane they are passengers on crashes into the laboratory of Russian scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov. Both Flash and Dale become unwilling passengers on-board Zarkov's rocketship as Zarkov sets a course for the planet Mongo. Arriving on Mongo, Flash and his companions find the planet is under the rulership of the evil Emperor Ming the Merciless and Ming is attacking Earth with natural disasters as he bids to destroy Earth. Realizing that Earth and the human race is in mortal danger, Flash decides to unite the kingdoms of Mongo and combine the forces of rivals Prince Barin and Prince Vultan to rescue Dale, who is to become Ming's wife and defeat Ming and save Earth from annihilation.

This is a decent remake of the serialized Flash Gordon from the 1930s.  I saw all of them on TV on Saturday mornings when I was a boy.  (Yes, I know you can't imagine there being TV when I was a boy, but there was.)

Flatliners (1990)  Medical students begin to explore the realm of near death experiences, hoping for insights. Each has their heart stopped and is revived. They begin having flashes of walking nightmares from their childhood, reflecting sins they committed or had committed against them. The experiences continue to intensify, and they begin to be physically beaten by their visions as they try and go deeper into the death experience to find a cure.

Flesh Gordon (1974)  Emperor Wang (the Perverted) is leader of the planet Porno and sends his mighty "Sex Ray" towards Earth, turning everyone into sex-mad fiends. Only one man can save the Earth, football player Flesh Gordon. Along with his girlfriend Dale Ardent and Professor Flexi-Jerkoff, they set off towards the source of the Sex Ray, unaware of the perils that face them!

A parody of the serialized Flash Gordon (1936/I) with a strong sexual campy flavor. Not only is there nudity any time there is any excuse for it, but many of the scenes are staged as closely as possible to the old serial shots. Many of the scenes are only funny if you've seen the original. Quite outrageous.

The special effects need work and the sex is overdone but there are some very clever things in this movie.  Remember, "Monster's work is never done."

Flintstones (1994)  The Flintstones and the Rubbles are modern stone-age families. Fred and Barney work at Slate and Company, mining rock. Fred gives Barney some money so he and Betty can adopt a baby. When Fred and Barney take a test to determine who should become the new associate vice president, Barney returns the favor by switching his test answers for Fred's, whose answers aren't very good. Fred gets the executive position, but little realizes that he's being manipulated by Cliff Vandercave to be the fall guy for an embezzlement scheme.

Fairly good try to make the cartoon come to life....maybe next time.

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)  A cargo plane goes down in a sandstorm in the Sahara with less than a dozen men on board. One of the passengers is an airplane designer who comes up with the idea of ripping off the undamaged wing and using it as the basis for an airplane they will build to escape before their food and water run out.

The plane they leave on at the end of the film was to be a C-82 Boom. The stunt of taking off was too dangerous, so legendary stunt pilot Paul Mantz was asked to merely come in low, run his landing gear along the ground, then take off again, simulating a take-off. On the second take the plane crashed and was destroyed, killing Mantz. As all main footage had already been shot, a North American O-47A observation plane from the Air Museum was substituted for the remaining close-ups.

Flintstones (1994)  The Flintstones and the Rubbles are modern stone-age families. Fred and Barney work at Slate and Company, mining rock. Fred gives Barney some money so he and Betty can adopt a baby. When Fred and Barney take a test to determine who should become the new associate vice president, Barney returns the favor by switching his test answers for Fred's, whose answers aren't very good. Fred gets the executive position, but little realizes that he's being manipulated by Cliff Vandercave to be the fall guy for an embezzlement scheme.

Fairly good try to make the cartoon come to life....maybe next time.

Flying Down to Reno (1933)  In Miami, during the presentation of the Yankee Clippers, the wolf band leader and pilot Roger Bond flirts with the guest Belinha de Resende and the stringent hotel manager fires them. However, the band is hired for the opening night of the Atlântico Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, and they need to fly to Brazil. When Roger meets Belinha in the hall of the hotel, he learns that she lost her flight to Rio and he offers a ride for her in his plane. Roger is forced to land in an island and he immediately fixes the mechanical problem in the plane; however, he lies to Belinha and tells that he can not fix the problem just to spend the night alone with her. But Belinha, who is the fiancée of the Brazilian Júlio, resists to his harassment and later she finds another plane to fly to Rio. Once in Rio, the infatuated Roger meets his friend Júlio without knowing that he is the fiancé of Belinha, and he tells about his love for the woman. When the Yankee Clippers are ready to open the hotel, powerful bankers that are interested to force the bankruptcy of the Atlântico's owner to take the hotel, send the police since he does not have the permit to anticipate the opening day. However, Roger's friend and musician Fred Ayres proposes an airborne show to the guests. Meanwhile, the brokenhearted Roger decides to return to his country and leave Belinha with Júlio.

Originally conceived by RKO as a vehicle for Dolores del Rio, this film is most notable for its star-making pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The two relative unknowns smoked up the screen in a dance number called "The Carioca" that generated such a positive response form critics and fans that they were eventually reunited in nine subsequent films.

In the Flying down to Rio musical number, many of the girls on the airplane wings are wearing see-through tops. The Hays code, introduced in 1930 was not enforced until 1934.

Follow the Sun (1951) The inspiring film biography of the courageous champion golfer Ben Hogan.  Mostly focuses on his comeback after a serious automobile accident. 

I saw this movie when I was eight years old.  It was quite inspiring to see how he worked his way back.

Hogan and his wife, Valerie, survived a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus on a fog-shrouded bridge, early in the morning, east of Van Horn, Texas on February 2, 1949. Hogan threw himself across Valerie in order to protect her, and would have been killed had he not done so, as the steering column punctured the driver's seat.

This accident left Hogan, age 36, with a double-fracture of the pelvis, a fractured collar bone, a left ankle fracture, a chipped rib, and near-fatal blood clots: he would suffer lifelong circulation problems and other physical limitations. His doctors said he might never walk again, let alone play golf competitively. While in hospital, Hogan's life was endangered by a blood clot problem, leading doctors to tie off the vena cava. Hogan left the hospital on April 1, 59 days after the accident.

After regaining his strength by extensive walking, he resumed golf activities in November 1949. He returned to the PGA Tour to start the 1950 season, at the Los Angeles Open, where he tied with Sam Snead over 72 holes, but lost the 18-hole playoff.

Fools' Parade (1971)  When a trio of ex-convicts led by Mattie Appleyard is released from prison, they hope to open a general store using money Mattie has saved during his 40-year sentence. This attempt is met with great resistance from a corrupt prison official and the banker who issued.

Good movie, all star cast.  Not great, could have been, but has trouble trying to decide if it is a drama or a comedy.

Footloose (1984)  Classic tale of teen rebellion and repression features a delightful combination of dance choreography and realistic and touching performances. When teenager Ren McCormack and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small town in the West, he's in for a real case of culture shock. Though he tries hard to fit in, the streetwise Ren can't quite believe he's living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. There is one small pleasure, however: Ariel Moore, a troubled but lovely blonde with a jealous boyfriend. And a Bible-thumping minister, who is responsible for keeping the town dance-free. Ren and his classmates want to do away with this ordinance, especially since the senior prom is around the corner, but only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople. Fast-paced drama is filled with such now-famous hit songs as the title track and "Let's Hear It for the Boy."

Loosely based on events that took place in the small, rural, and extremely religious farming town of Elmore City, Oklahoma in 1978. Dancing had been banned for nearly 90 years until a group of high school teenagers challenged it.

Forrest Gump (1994) Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low IQ but good intentions. He is running through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, starts a ping-pong craze, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone.

Four Last Songs (2006)  A comic drama set on a Mediterranean island, where a motley collection of characters is seeking musical redemption.

This comic romp has a serious underpinning about enjoying life.

The Four Seasons (1981)  Middle aged couples Jack and Kate Burroughs, Nick and Anne Callan, and Danny and Claudia Zimmer are best friends who do everything together. As couples, they have weathered the flood of divorces that have beset their other friends. When one of the six decides to make a change in life, the other five are forced to examine their marriages, their friendships with each other, the true meaning of love and their own personal foibles. Over the course of one year, the movie is set against the backdrop of four vacations they take together, one in each of the four seasons, with Antonio Vivaldi's associated suite of music introducing each. By their fourth vacation together, Jack feels that they need to "clear the air".

Alan Alda said what inspired the film was an actual incident where he judged a friend too harshly. He realized that not only was he wrong, that friendship goes through "seasons"; so he wrote the script based on that notion.

Fracture (2007)  Wealthy, brilliant, and meticulous Ted Crawford, a structural engineer in Los Angeles, shoots his wife and entraps her lover. He signs a confession; at the arraignment, he asserts his rights to represent himself and asks the court to move immediately to trial. The prosecutor is Willy Beachum, a hotshot who's soon to join a fancy civil-law firm, told by everyone it's an open and shut case. Crawford sees Beachum's weakness, the hairline fracture of his character: Willy's a winner. The engineer sets in motion a clockwork crime with all the objects moving in ways he predicts.

This movie will hold your attention until the very end.

Frankenstein (1931)  Henry Frankenstein is a brilliant scientist who has been conducting experiments on the re-animation of lifeless bodies. He has conducted experiments on small animals and is now ready to create life in a man he has assembled from body parts he has been collecting from various sites such as graveyards or the gallows. His fiancée Elizabeth and friend Victor Moritz are worried about his health as he spends far too many hours in his laboratory on his experiments. He's successful and the creature he's made come to life is gentle but clearly afraid of fire. Henry's father, Baron Frankenstein, bring his son to his senses and Henry agrees that the monster should be humanely destroyed. Before they can do so however, the monster escapes and in its innocence, kills a little girl. The villagers rise up intent on destroying the murdering creature.

In one scene, the Monster (Boris Karloff) walks through a forest and comes upon a little girl, Maria, who is throwing flowers into a pond. The monster joins her in the activity but soon runs out of flowers. At a loss for something to throw into the water, he looks at Maria and moves toward her. In all American prints of the movie, the scene ends here. But as originally filmed, the action continues to show the monster grabbing Maria, hurling her into the lake, then departing in confusion when Maria fails to float as the flowers did. This bit was deleted because the censors objected to the violent end of the little girl. This scene is restored in the DVD reissue.

After bringing the monster to life, Dr. Frankenstein uttered the famous line, "Now I know what it's like to Be God!" The movie was originally released with this line of dialogue, but when it was re-released in the late '30s, censors demanded it be removed on the grounds that it was blasphemy. A loud clap of thunder was substituted on the soundtrack. The dialogue was partially restored on the video release, but since no decent recording of the dialogue could be found, it still appears garbled and indistinct. The censored dialog was partially returned to the soundtrack in the initial "restored version" releases. Further restoration has now completely brought back this line of missing dialog. A clean recording of the missing dialog was reportedly found on a Vitaphone disc (similar to a large phonograph record). Modern audio technology had to be used to insert the dialog back into the film without any detectable change in the audio quality. 

The method of animating the creature is never discussed in Mary Shelley's novel. In the book, Frankenstein, narrating, refuses to divulge how he did it so no one can re-create his actions. However, the use of lightning to resurrect the monster has become the accepted methodology and appears in virtually every Frankenstein movie since.

 Frankenstein (1994)  Dr. Frankenstein creates a simple creature from various body parts. The creature turns into a monster when Dr. Frankenstein rejects him. Sticking close to the original novel, Kenneth Branagh guides us through the story of Frankenstein's quest for knowledge and his creature's search for his "father".

This is a good attempt to remake the 1931 version.  It almost succeeds.  And, of course the book is much better.  This is worth seeing.  I do hope someone else tries to bring Mary Shelley's work to "life" correctly.  I would be a good miniseries.

The French Connection (1971)  William Friedkin's gritty police drama portrays two tough New York City cops trying to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from France. An interesting contrast is established between 'Popeye' Doyle, a short-tempered alcoholic bigot who is nevertheless a hard-working and dedicated police officer, and his nemesis Alain Charnier, a suave and urbane gentleman who is nevertheless a criminal and one of the largest drug suppliers of pure heroin to North America. During the surveillance and eventual bust, Friedkin provides one of the most gripping and memorable car chase sequences ever filmed.

Absolutely awesome movie....maybe I should see how many times I have used 'awesome' on this web site :) .

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)  A film is being made of a story, set in 19th century England, about Charles, a biologist who's engaged to be married, but who falls in love with outcast Sarah, whose melancholy makes her leave him after a short, but passionate affair. Anna and Mike, who play the characters of Sarah and Charles, go, during the shooting of the film, through a relationship that runs parallel to that of their characters.

Very thoughtful movie.

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)  Evelyn Couch is having trouble in her marriage, and no one seems to take her seriously. While in a nursing home visiting relatives, she meets Ninny Threadgoode, an outgoing old woman, who tells her the story of Idgie Threadgoode, a young woman in 1920's Alabama. Through Idgie's inspiring life, Evelyn learns to be more assertive and builds a lasting friendship of her own with Ninny.

Tawanda!!!! Great movie, great cast.  Read the book too.  My mother grew up in Kentucky and loved fried green tomatoes.  I never cared for them.  I was reluctant to read the book until I saw the movie.

From Here to Eternity (1953)  It's 1941. Robert E. Lee Prewitt has requested Army transfer and has ended up at Schofield in Hawaii. His new captain, Dana Holmes, has heard of his boxing prowess and is keen to get him to represent the company. However, 'Prew' is adamant that he doesn't box anymore, so Captain Holmes gets his subordinates to make his life a living hell. Meanwhile Sergeant Warden starts seeing the captain's wife, who has a history of seeking external relief from a troubled marriage. Prew's friend Maggio has a few altercations with the sadistic stockade Sergeant 'Fatso' Judson, and Prew begins falling in love with social club employee Lorene. Unbeknownst to anyone, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor looms in the distance.

I saw this movie when I was ten years old.  I didn't really understand it then.  I do now.

Full Metal Jacket(1987)  Full Metal Jacket begins by following the trials and tribulations of a platoon of fresh Marine Corps recruits focusing on the relationship between Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Privates Pyle and Joker. We see Pyle grow into an instrument of death as Hartman has forseen of all of his recruits. Through Pyle's torment and Joker's unwillingness to stand up against it the climax of part one is achieved with all three main characters deciding their fates by their action or inaction. The second chapter of Full Metal Jacket delves into Joker's psyche and the repeated referal to the fact that he joined the Corps to become a killer. When his mostly behind the scenes job as a combat correspondant is interfered with by the Tet offensive he is thrust into real combat and ultimately must choose if he really is a killer.

Absolutely awesome movie but hard to watch more than once.

Funny Face (1957)  Fashion photographer Dick Avery, in search for an intellectual backdrop for an air-headed model, expropriates a Greenwich Village bookstore. When the photo session is over the store is left in a shambles, much to salesgirl Jo Stockton's dismay. Avery stays behind to help her clean up. Later, he examines the photos taken there and sees Jo in the background of one shot. He is intrigued by her unique appearance, as is Maggie Prescott, the editor of a leading fashion magazine. They offer Jo a modeling contract, which she reluctantly accepts only because it includes a trip to Paris. Eventually, her snobbish attitude toward the job softens, and Jo begins to enjoy the work and the company of her handsome photographer.

Predictible but enjoyable love story.