Spy Kids Movies

The kids of secret agent parents must rescue their parents. Banderas (Desperado) plays the father, Gugino (Sin City) plays the mother, Cumming (GoldenEye) is the bad guy, and Shalhoub (Monk) is a minion. Also, making appearances: Hatcher (Tomorrow Never Dies), Marin (Cheech and Chong Up In Smoke), and Trejo as Machete (Machete). All in all, I say: SEE IT if you have kids. It's fun - it's how kids would like to think being a spy is about.

IMDb writes, "The Cortez siblings set out for a mysterious island, where they encounter a genetic scientist and a set of rival spy kids." Same cast, but this time Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs) and Montalban (Fantasy Island) join the cast. All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you have kids that want to see the entire series.

IMDb writes, "Carmen's caught in a virtual reality game designed by the Kids' new nemesis, the Toymaker (Stallone). It's up to Juni to save his sister, and ultimately the world." Same cast except this time they are joined by Stallone (Rambo) and Hayek (Desperado). All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless your kids have a 3D tv.

The original kids are no longer kids, so they have passed the torch to their niece and nephew. The original kids still make an appearance. This time it's their aunt (Alba from Sin City) who is the spy. The bad guy is Piven (The Family Man). The father is played by McHale (The Community) and he is not a spy. The best part though is the dog voiced by Gervais (The Office). All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless again you have kids. In which case, this one has a lot of potty humor just FYI.

Open Range

This Costner western is in my top 10 all time favorite westerns. A once gunslinger has since retired to move cattle. When he and his men are attacked, he takes up arms against the town's corrupt lawman. He also finds love for the first time in his life. The characters are older than they usually are, and they have learned from the mistakes of their youth which makes this movie intriguing. What happens with gunslingers who live long enough to make it to their forties? The cinematography is breathtaking, and the actors even more so. Costner (Dances With Wolves) is the gunslinger. Duvall (Crazy Heart) is his partner and friend. Mexican actor Luna (Y Tu Mama Tambien) is a youngster looking to learn from the older men. Bening (Mars Attacks) is the doctors unmarried sister. Russo (Beverly Hills Cop) is the crooked sheriff. This is Jeter's (The Green Mile) last role, and he did an amazing job. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Robert Rodriguez Western Trilogy

1) El Mariachi

The best of all three - he should have stopped here. In fact, All in all, I say: SEE IT and then forget I even told you there were two more.
This was a low, low budget independent film. I saw it with about two other people at United Artist Tara Cinemas. It was only out about two weeks, but I loved it and since then it has become a cult classic. No one of fame was it in, but it was perfect. IMDb writes, "A traveling mariachi is mistaken for a murderous criminal and must hide from a gang bent on killing him." There was more: a lonely mariachi falls in love with a woman who is promised to the local drug kingpin.

2) Desperado

The same Mariachi from the first film, but now Rodrigues is famous and has money, so he gets professional actors and messes up the whole romance and violence. The only good part is when Banderas is playing guitar and singing the Los Lobos song - that's it. All in all, I say: SKIP IT. IMDb writes, ""El Mariachi" Was a traveling mariachi in search of a steady employer. He got mixed up with another man carrying a guitar case in the same town, and was hunted down. He fell in love with a girl named Domino, however, she was killed and El Mariachi was shot in the hand, nearly causing him to never play guitar again. El Mariachi went out and got revenge on all those who destroyed his life. Eventually leading up to his brother, "Bucho". Bucho kills his only friend, Buscemi and causes El Mariachi great grief. El Mariachi falls in love with another girl, Carolina. They eventually marry and have a daughter together."

3) Once Upon A Time in Mexico

IMDb writes, "However, years later, a man named General Marquez kills Carolina and their daughter and leaves El Mariachi for dead. He is sought out by Agent Sands and is caught up in a battle against the Barillo cartel, who plans to assassinate the president. However, El Mariachi meets again with Marquez and exacts his revenge, avenging his loved ones and bringing him to peace." The screenplay was overreaching and there was way too much going on. All in all, I say: SKIP IT. I'm not even going to tell you who else is in this - they should be ashamed.

Once Upon a Time in the West

Sergio Leone's western that followed The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. IMDb writes, "Epic story of a mysterious stranger with a harmonica who joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad." Fonda (The Grapes of Wrath) is the bad guy and I'll bet he got some bad press for doing this movie at the time because he murders a kid and rapes a woman. Robarbs (The Day After) is one of the protectors. Bronson (Death Wish) is the man with the harmonica. Another great soundtrack - another eerie song that brings on the memory of the ending scene every time I hear it. Epic - so epic that Robert Rodriguez stole it for the ending of his trilogy of westerns. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like westerns - it is must to be taken serious.

Leone's Western Trilogy

1) A Fistful of Dollars

Eastwood (Unforgiven) is "A wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge" (IMDb). Volonte (a ton of Italian films I never heard of) is the head of a gang in this nameless town. This western was released in 1964 by Italian director Sergio Leone (Once Upon A Time in the West) in Italy with mainly Italian actors. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you are the type to want to see everything in order. If you could care less and just want a good western - SKIP IT and see the last of the trilogy.

2) A Few Dollars More

Eastwood and Volonte play basically the same characters - Eastwood good and Volonte bad - bad until we meet the Colonel. Cleef (Escape From New York) is a once Colonel now bounty hunter on the same trail as Eastwood (Deadpool) so they team up. Same director and still practically all Italian. If you want to see all three in order then All in all, I say: SEE IT otherwise SKIP to the last one.

3) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The best soundtrack, the best showdown scene, the best costumes, the best script, the BEST WESTERN EVER MADE. It is my number one all time favorite!!! Guess which of these three is the good, the bad, or the ugly: Eastwood, Wallach (The Holiday), and Cleef. IMDb writes, "A  bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery." I'm not telling you who dies and who lives. Still Leone, but a more diverse cast. So many shows and movies have been based off this script. All in all, I say: SEE IT and then replay the ending a couple of times and then listen to the soundtrack. Even Leone himself will steal his own ending for another western two years after this one.

Silverado

In my top 10 all time favorite westerns. Kevin Kline was the headliner in this, but Kevin Costner steals his scenes. It has a lot of humor along with the guns fights to keep the viewer interested. Kline (A Fish Called Wanda - his co-star Cleese also has a part in this) is a reformed bad guy who runs into his old gang. Costner (Wyatt Earp - his co-star Fahey also has a part in this) and Glenn (Man on Fire - the one before Washington) are brothers on their way to California who get sucked into the brutality of the local cattle rancher. Dennehy (F/X) is the local sheriff for hire and the gun to beat by the end. Goldblum (Independence Day) plays a gambler, Arquette (The Whole Nine Yards) plays a pioneer, and Glover (Predator) plays a son getting revenge for the death of his family - this movie is before Lethal Weapon or A Color Purple. The costume are authentic. Costner did almost all his own horse and gun stunts. It was written and directed by the Kasden's - the one's who wrote Bodyguard for Costner, Grand Canyon for Glover, and The Big Chill for Kline. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Waking Up Married

I was looking for some light reading. This is I was able to read in less than four hours. It's cutesy and nothing heavy or pornographic. Two people with trust issues drink too much in Vegas and get married. Instead of annulling they decide to give it a go for three months. They fall in love. All in all, I say: BEACH READ