Princess Mononoke 

Ashitaka, a warrior who suffers from a curse, ends up in the middle of a conflict between humans who are wrecking the forest, and its creatures who are accompanied by…

From Hell: The Ripper Unmasked (Again)

Johnny Depp. Photo: 20th Century Fox When I was 16 years old, I wrote a paper on Jack the Ripper. I suspect my teacher worried about my choice of subject,…

Rear Window: A View to a Kill

James Stewart. Photo: Paramount This masterpiece from Alfred Hitchcock reunited the director with James Stewart from Rope (1948), another thriller that was set entirely in one apartment. This film has…

North by Northwest: Rushmore Rumble

Cary Grant. Photo: MGM According to one biography on Alfred Hitchcock, it was Bernard Herrmann who introduced screenwriter Ernest Lehman to the director. They hit it off and decided to…

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

As the new leadership of Hogwarts turns increasingly fascist, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is angry to learn that few people are willing to believe that he did meet Voldemort. Many…

Madagascar

In a desperate attempt to find wilderness, a zebra escapes from the New York Central Zoo, inspiring other animals to join him. In 2005, there were plenty of good computer-animated movies,…

Live Free or Die Hard 

The FBI finds itself under cyber attack and John McClane (Bruce Willis) is ordered to pick up Matt Farrell (Justin Long), a brilliant hacker who might have something to do…

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Meet Dr. Jones 

Harrison Ford. Photo: Paramount In the beginning, before there was a movie, everybody involved did their part in contributing bright ideas to the project that would become the best adventure…

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End 

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is rescued from limbo, but our heroes have dangerous enemies to fight in order to preserve a future for the pirates of the Caribbean. The…

Jaws: A Whale of an Adventure

Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss. Photo: Universal In 1975, scientists knew a thing or two about sharks. The public, however, seemed to be largely ignorant. That must be…