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Exodus [1960]

starring: Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson, Peter Lawford, Lee J. Cobb
directed by: Otto Preminger

February 02, 2004
As the story opens in Cyprus, several hundred Jewish refugees have just been taken off a boat headed for Palestine and incarcerated in a British prison camp. Jewish activist Ari Ben Canaan (Paul Newman) decides to stage a mass escape and send them all to Palestine on a new ship, which is dubbed "Exodus." On board the ship are teen refugees Karen and Dov (Sal Mineo) and Kitty Freeman (Eva Marie Saint), an American nurse.

It was a formidable task trying to transfer the huge novel to the screen, and it isn't completely successful. Newman is an odd choice, but gives a good performance as the stalwart hero. Saint is completely wrong for her part; she's unattractive and unappealing. The script doesn't help either; their so-called romance ... Read More:

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North By Northwest [1959]

starring: Cary Grant, James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau
directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

June 01, 2006
I could rave for hours about this film, but suffice to say it's the perfect thriller, the template for countless other films and everyone should have it. This edition (the Warner from 2006) is a simply stunning transfer with that true Technicolor feel and all for a fiver. Incredible.

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Grand Prix (2 Disc Special Edition) [1966]

starring: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune, Brian Bedford
directed by: John Frankenheimer

October 02, 2006
I remember watching this film when I was a kid with my motorsport addicted grandfather and didn't fully appreciate the story, cast and locations but loved the action.

I purchased the 2 disc Special Edition recently and Ive watched twice since and loved it even more now that film quality has been hugely improved on visual colour and sound quality.

I can now appreciate the film more with age, the director Zimmermann, who also directed Ronin (note the car chases), James Garner (I loved The Rockford Files), Tishiro Mifune (Im a big Akira Kurosawa fan)and now the fact that I know the circuits and locations in the film, the cars and the histories of the REAL individual F1 drivers. Graham Hill, James Hill, Jack Brabham, Phil Hill (who drove ... Read More:

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Superman Returns - Single Disc [2006]

starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Parker Posey, Frank Langella
directed by: Bryan Singer

December 04, 2006
Superman is possibly my favourite superhero and Superman: The Movie was really the first of the superhero movies that had special effects that didn't grate (though of course it doesn't look so hot by today's standards). So I was really looking forward to a return to form after the disasters of Superman 3 and 4. But Superman Returns was a massive disappointment.

I thought Brandon Routh was OK but here are the main problems.

1. It was a sort of rehash of the first movie but not as good.
2. The cinematography kind of sucked. It didn't really match my expectations of a Superman movie.
3. Why wheel out Lex Luthor again? Surely there must be other villains in the Superman universe?
4. Kate Bosworth was totally miscast as Lois Lane. ... Read More:

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Superman Returns [HD DVD] [2006]

starring: Eva Marie Saint, Kevin Spacey, Brandon Routh, Parker Posey, James Marsden
directed by: Bryan Singer

December 04, 2006
After such a long time away from the big screen and with no Christopher Reeve there was a chance this could have been a big disappointment- no chance! Every thing about the movie is good, the action scenes are as you would expect and demand from a Superman movie and the effects are fantastic. The script is also intelligent and in much the same style as the original movie, which means you are engaged throughout.

I can't understand the reviewers who have criticised the acting, Brandon Routh does a magnificent job as Kent/Superman and has perfected Christopher Reeve's mannerisms so well that it's scary. Kevin Spacey is good as Lex Luther but admittedly doesn't have quite the same presence as Gene Hackman, and Kate Bosworth slips comfortably into the role of Lois. ... Read More:

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The Stalking Moon [1968] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Henry Beckman, Richard Bull, Lonny Chapman, Noland Clay, Lou Frizzell
directed by: Robert Mulligan

August 26, 2008
Warner Bros. presents "THE STALKING MOON" (25 December 1968) (109 mins/Colo) (Dolby digitally remastered) -- Our story line and plot, "The Stalking Moon", adapted from a novel by Theodore V. Olsen, opens in the Arizona of the Old West, as the U.S. calvary is in the process of relocating Native Americans to reservations --- As army scout Sam Varner (Gregory Peck) is mustering out and retire to a farm in New Mexico --- Varner takes pity on a white woman Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint) and her half-breed son recently rescued from indians, and invites them to join him. He does this even knowing the child's father is a feared and murderous Apache and that sooner or later a showdown is almost inevitable --- Gregory Peck is still a screen presence in middle age and impressive as the army ... Read More:

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Superman Returns [Blu-ray] [2006]

starring: Eva Marie Saint, Kevin Spacey, Brandon Routh, Parker Posey, James Marsden
directed by: Bryan Singer

May 14, 2007
A lot of people I know who saw the film were disappointed by it: "there's no action!" "he didn't use his powers" etc. The problem is people wanted a film based on the comics, where you have OTT villians and most of the film being a free for all.

I didn't have any expectations when I first saw the film, and therefore any opinion was based solely on what was presented. The first reaction is this is visually stunning! The essential way of gaining appreciation for this film is to watch it on blue ray. The picture quality is absolutely crystal clear.

Brandon Routh is Superman! There's so much pressure on him being his first film, and as Clark and particularly Superman, he was awesome. The rest of the cast, especially Kevin Spacy were also great. This film is about ... Read More:

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The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming [1966]

starring: Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters
directed by: Norman Jewison

January 24, 2005
During the Cold War, a Russian submarine bottoms out on a reef off of a New England island and the stranded crew has to: A) survive, B) get their submarine free, and C) deal with an island full of the Americans they have been taught to fear and hate. Meanwhile, the sleepy, ordinary islanders are equally terrified of Russians, and everyone panics as they encounter one another.

This could have evolved into pure zany slapstick (and there is a lot of that), but it goes beyond that as everyone gradually discovers their similarities and common humanity, and then works toward avoiding disaster.

Lots of big names in comedy show up here, including Jonathon Winters, Carl Reiner, Alan Arkin, and Brian Keith. This sounds like the formula for a zany slapstick, silly movie like ... Read More:

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I Dreamed Of Africa [2000]

starring: Kim Basinger, Vincent Perez, Liam Aiken, Garrett Strommen, Eva Marie Saint
directed by: Hugh Hudson

February 05, 2001
Let's start with the beautiful: magnificent use of the African landscape, an enchanting musical score, the touching relationship depicted by Vicent Perez and Liam Aiken.

The controversial: based on the true story of a European woman remaining in Africa despite various tragedies, it raises many important questions about the confrontation of personal project vs family that are not sufficiently approached - extremely interesting food for thought and a wonderful trigger for post-movie discussion.

The good: brilliant performances by all actors, with my special preference going to Eve Saint (remember her with Marlon Brando way back?), Liam Aiken and Daniel Craig (in a small but highly accomplished role, as usual). Perez and Basinger are good at the lead, and I must say ... Read More:

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The Titanic [1996] [2007]

starring: Peter Gallagher, George C. Scott, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Eva Marie Saint, Tim Curry
directed by: Robert Lieberman

May 30, 2007

There was only one reason why I couldn't mark this down to one star. That reason is star quality. Catherine Zeta-Jones brings a certain element of respectability to this movie that was clearly made for TV, as well as the presence of some guy from the OC as a self-sacrificing rich guy who would rather save his girl than himself.

So to the plot: Well we all know the story of the Titanic. Sails a bit, hits an Iceberg, sinks. Should be able to sum that up in five minutes right? OH NO. NO SIR. In fact, it's more like four hours, but hey, let's not hold that against it. There is actually some decent interaction between a few of the characters, though the acting is as wooden as a Ship. A Pirate ship though, not the Titanic. I don't know who plays Aase, the worst-named character ... Read More: