Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) Directed by J. Lee Thompson Rating: **1/2
Fourth movie in the original Apes saga follows Cornelius and Zira's son, Milo, now named Caesar, as he leads his fellow enslaved simians to revolt against their masters in a police state America. Fast-paced entry holds viewer's interest while it lasts, but it's often hammy and not particularly subtle in the delivery of its message. Yes, we get it, Caesar: we humans are a rotten bunch. Followed by Battle for the Planet of the Apes, also directed by Thompson.
St. Ives (1976) Directed by J. Lee Thompson Rating: ***
Charles Bronson is Raymond St. Ives, a former crime reporter turned struggling novelist, who is hired by a wealthy senior citizen (played by John Houseman) to retrieve stolen ledgers of some importance. From there, things get tricky, but therein lies the fun of this slick mystery-thriller with comic touches and a surprisingly easygoing attitude. Charlie has never been more at ease on screen, and he's ably supported by Maximillian Schell and Jacqueline Bissett. Robert Englund and Jeff Goldblum appear as muggers that Charlie makes short work of.
Extreme Justice (1993) Directed by Mark L. Lester Rating: *1/2
Loose cannon cop Lou Diamond Phillips is recruited to a special unit within the LAPD, led by shady old partner Scott Glenn, that specializes in stalking violent repeat offenders before killing them in the act. Naturally, when he witnesses the unit's methods firsthand, Phillips starts to have second thoughts. The normally reliable Glenn can't fully save this unpleasant cop thriller that is needlessly profane and violent. How many times do we have to see innocent people getting mowed down in the crossfire?
Fourth movie in the original Apes saga follows Cornelius and Zira's son, Milo, now named Caesar, as he leads his fellow enslaved simians to revolt against their masters in a police state America. Fast-paced entry holds viewer's interest while it lasts, but it's often hammy and not particularly subtle in the delivery of its message. Yes, we get it, Caesar: we humans are a rotten bunch. Followed by Battle for the Planet of the Apes, also directed by Thompson.
St. Ives (1976) Directed by J. Lee Thompson Rating: ***
Charles Bronson is Raymond St. Ives, a former crime reporter turned struggling novelist, who is hired by a wealthy senior citizen (played by John Houseman) to retrieve stolen ledgers of some importance. From there, things get tricky, but therein lies the fun of this slick mystery-thriller with comic touches and a surprisingly easygoing attitude. Charlie has never been more at ease on screen, and he's ably supported by Maximillian Schell and Jacqueline Bissett. Robert Englund and Jeff Goldblum appear as muggers that Charlie makes short work of.
Extreme Justice (1993) Directed by Mark L. Lester Rating: *1/2
Loose cannon cop Lou Diamond Phillips is recruited to a special unit within the LAPD, led by shady old partner Scott Glenn, that specializes in stalking violent repeat offenders before killing them in the act. Naturally, when he witnesses the unit's methods firsthand, Phillips starts to have second thoughts. The normally reliable Glenn can't fully save this unpleasant cop thriller that is needlessly profane and violent. How many times do we have to see innocent people getting mowed down in the crossfire?