they have green blood and a pinecone where their heart should be

I watched a bunch of movies and then phased out of the writing mode - so the reviewing duties have stockpiled. Time to get some out! Here are a couple of hits and a couple of misses.

The Missing (2003) - "When rancher and single mother of two Maggie Gilkeson (Cate Blanchett) sees her teenage daughter, Lily (Evan Rachel Wood), kidnapped by Apache rebels, she reluctantly accepts the help of her estranged father, Samuel (Tommy Lee Jones), in tracking down the kidnappers. Along the way, the two must learn to reconcile the past and work together if they are going to have any hope of getting Lily back before she is taken over the border and forced to become a prostitute."
source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it has an interesting top bill
IMDB: 6.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 58% Audience: 50%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "'Why didn't you stay?'

    "'[long pause] There's an Apache story about a man that woke up one morning and saw a hawk on the wind. Walked outside and never returned. After he died he met his wife in the spirit world. She asked him why he never came home, he said "Well, the hawk kept flying". [pause] There's always the next something.... And that will take a man away.'"

MPAA rating: R

directed by: Ron Howard

my notes: this is a strange film, covering heavy issues, and is more depressing than entertaining. The final sequences redeem it but it's a slog til then.

overall: marginally recommended

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) - "Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), a new member of the U.S. Navy, has a bad attitude. When he signs up for the Aviation Academy, he is met with the strict leadership of Sgt. Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.), who gives Zack a rude awakening in terms of relating with other people. Through Foley's guidance—and an unexpected romance with Paula (Debra Winger), an outsider who hangs around the naval base—Zack learns some tough lessons and discovers what he truly wants out of life."
source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it's a classic! There's no one on the planet who hasn't seen this film!
IMDB: 7.0/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 78% Audience: 81%
my IMDB: 6/10

AFI:    100 Years...100 Passions (2002) #29

    100 Years...100 Songs (2004) #75

    100 Years...100 Cheers (2006) #68

notable quote: “You can kick me outta here, but I ain't quitting.”

MPAA rating: R

directed by: Taylor Hackford

my notes: I expected to dislike it, to think it was dumb. Far from that, I found it captivating, sexy as hell, and surprisingly thoughtful. (And now I get the cultural references!)

Academy Award winner:
• Best Supporting Actor—Louis Gossett, Jr.

• Best Original Song—"Up Where We Belong" (Music: Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyrics: Will Jennings)

Academy Award nominee:
• Best Actress—Debra Winger

• Best Screenplay, written directly for the screen—Douglas Day Stewart

• Best Film Editing—Peter Zinner

• Best Original Score—Nitzsche
overall: recommended

Monsoon Wedding (2001) - "A BAFTA-winning film about a father, Lalit Verma, trying to marry off his daughter, Aditi, in the traditional manner. Aditi is having second thoughts, while her cousin Ayesha Verma, 17, is just beginning to realize she's attractive to boys, and her other cousin, Ria, has a shocking revelation. Her brother, however, just wants to dance."
source: watched on television
I watched it because: I've wanted to see it for a while, and there it was on TV when I had access
IMDB: 7.3/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 95% Audience: 87%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "Only brave warriors fall off their horses in battle. How can kneeling cowards know what a fall is? [pause] Listen, sweetheart—the main thing is, you have to fight the battle."

MPAA rating: R

directed by: Mira Nair

my notes: long and rambling, swirling and fantastical, creepy and romantic. I liked it a lot.

overall: recommended

Midnight Run (1988) - "When Eddie Moscone (Joe Pantoliano) hires tight-lipped bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) to locate a mob accountant named 'The Duke' (Charles Grodin) and bring him to L.A., Eddie tells Jack that the job will be simple, or a "midnight run." But when Jack finds The Duke, the FBI and the mob are anxious to get their hands on him. In a cross-country chase, Jack must evade the authorities, hide from the mob and prevent The Duke's erratic personality from driving him mad."
source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: ...of my endless hope & patience for De Niro movies
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 94% Audience: 87%
my IMDB: 3/10

notable quote: “You have two emotions—silence and rage.”

MPAA rating: R

directed by: Martin Brest

my notes: good lord. Terrible!

overall: not  recommended

[the title quotation is from The Missing]