Fireproof

Fireproof

Samuel Goldwyn Films

September 26, 2008

Drama

DVD
D-

Poorly written and directed movie about a troubled marriage.  As with Courageous and Facing Giants, Alex Kendrick directed and co-wrote with his brother Stephen.

Firehouse Dog

Firehouse Dog

20th Century Fox

April 6, 2007

Children's, Comedy

DVD
C-

A boy who ditches school meets a lost canine movie star.  Todd Holland directed.

Finian's Rainbow

Finian's Rainbow

Warner Bros.

October 9, 1968

Musical

DVD
C-

Sigh, I like E.Y. Harburg for Wizard of Oz, and gosh knows this is earnest and the scenery is lovely and the voices are fine, but it just doesn't click with me.  (And this is my second attempt to watch it in the last couple years.)  The unlikely Francis Ford Coppola directed.

Fingers

Fingers

Brut Productions

March 2, 1978

Drama

DVD
D+

Vaguely creepy, including that title, but the classic rock is nice.  James Toback wrote and directed.

A Fine Madness

 A Fine Madness

Warner Bros.

June 29, 1966

Dramedy

DVD
D-

Connery is an obnoxious, adulterous carpet-cleaner/poet.  Elliott Baker adapted his own novel, and Irvin Kershner directed.

Finding Graceland

Finding Graceland

Largo Entertainment

September 12, 1998

Drama

DVD
D+

A hitchhiker claims he's Elvis Presley, but the young driver is skeptical.  David Winkler directed and co-wrote.

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Columbia

July 11, 2001

Sci-Fi

DVD

D

Boring early CGI, co-directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi and Motonori Sakakibara.

Final Destination

Final Destination

New Line Cinema

March 17, 2000

Drama

DVD

D+

A teen has premonitions about a flight he's taking with his class to Paris.  Apparently this turns into a horror movie after the first quarter hour, and led to a franchise.  James Wong directed and co-wrote.

The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown

United Artists

August 1, 1980

Drama

DVD
D

Apparently this goes sci-fi after the boring first quarter hour.  Don Taylor directed.

Filth and Wisdom

Filth and Wisdom

IFC Films

17 October 2008

Dramedy

DVD
D

Some filth, not much wisdom, directed and co-written by Madonna.

Fighting with My Family

Fighting with My Family

Lionsgate etc.

28 January 2019

Sports Comedy
DVD
C-

Stephen Merchant wrote and directed this based-on-a-true-story about a family of British wrestlers.

The Fighting Seabees

The Fighting Seabees

Republic Pictures

March 10, 1944

War Drama

DVD
C-

As always, not my genre, although the cast is interesting and we do get to see the Duke get a jitterbug lesson.  Edward Ludwig directed.

Fight Club

Fight Club

20th Century Fox

October 15, 1999

Dramedy
DVD
D

A man resents a woman for crashing, under false pretenses, the support meetings he's been crashing under false pretenses.  This is based on the Chuck Palahniuk novel and directed by David Fincher.

Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey

Universal

February 13, 2015

Romance

DVD
C-

This, at least the first quarter hour, isn't as bad as the E.L. James book, which I couldn't finish.  (For the record, I have read the four basic Twilight books and seen their adaptations, although my feelings about that series will be covered if I end up viewing those movies for this blog.)  In fact, this feels almost like a somber romcom, klutzy heroine and all.  Sam Taylor-Johnson (female) directed.

CIA II: Target Alexa

CIA II: Target Alexa

PM Entertainment Group

December 6, 1993

Action

DVD
D+

So much bantering!  And of course shooting.  Lorenzo Lamas stars, directed, and produced.  Note that this is the last of the "Fifteen Movies" action collection, for this blog, since some are actually TV-movies, and two wouldn't play.

Evasive Action

Evasive Action

Studio Unknown

August 26, 1998 (direct-to-video)

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

Interesting cast and better-than-average-for-the-genre writing but still pretty bloody.  Jerry P. Jacobs directed.

The Sweeper

The Sweeper

June 25, 1996 (straight-to-video)

Crime Drama

DVD
C

This actually wasn't bad from what I saw (everything up to just shortly after "Fifteen years later"), at least as far as this genre goes for me.  A cop tangles with the wrong people, leading to the murder of himself, his wife, and his disco-loving daughter, but his son survives and I assume seeks vengeance.  Joseph Merhi directed.  

Prey of the Jaguar

Prey of the Jaguar

Studio Unknown

February 1997 (direct-to-video)

Action

DVD
D

This starts with some criminals who seem convinced of their own wit and cleverness, even as they kill people.  Then it switches to a happy suburban family.  I'm not surprised to find out that the wife and son are, according to IMDB, brutally murdered sometime after I tuned out.

Legend of the Red Dragon: A Woman with a Vengeance

Legend of the Red Dragon: A Woman with a Vengeance

2006

Action

D

See below for more information

I'm mostly seeing listings for a different Legend of the Red Dragon, but I was able to get at least a little information, including the director, Tôru Ichikawa.  Anyway, this one starts with a torture scene but gets a little better.

Tunnel Vision (2013)

 Tunnel Vision (2013)

Studio Unknown

January 22, 2013

Action

DVD
D-

The first twelve minutes is boring set-up and then the protagonist's wife and small child are murdered.  Delila Vallot directed.

Driven to Kill

 Driven to Kill

20th Century Fox

May 19, 2009 (direct-to-DVD)

Action

DVD

D

I could've done without being told repeatedly how sexy Seagal allegedly is, especially after he beats up two guys just for rudeness.  Jeff King directed.

Road of No Return

 Road of No Return

Studio Unknown

February 23, 2010 (DVD release)

Action
DVD
C-

I couldn't tell if the writing (by director Parviz Saghizadeh) was deliberately bad in this, including the odd frame device of a little-girl narrator, so it was more entertaining than most action films.  This movie is the first on a "Fifteen Movie" collection, so we'll jump around in the alphabet although probably not in the genre.

Fifteen Minutes

 Fifteen Minutes

New Line Cinema

March 9, 2001

Crime Drama

DVD
D-

I didn't care about the sleazy journalists or the sleazy killers.  John Herzfeld wrote and directed.

Field of Dreams

Field of Dreams

Universal

May 5, 1989

Sports Drama, Fantasy

DVD
C-

A man moves to the country and quickly goes mad.  This is based on the W.P. Kinsella book Shoeless Joe and directed by Phil Alden Robinson.

(Note, due to an "upgrade" on blogger, I will be posting fewer pictures now.)

Fiddler on the Roof

 Fiddler on the Roof

United Artists

November 3, 1971

Musical, Historical Drama, Historical Comedy

DVD
B+

I saw this movie at least once years ago, as well as in high school a production by a friend's (Catholic) school.  It still holds up remarkably well, which is saying something for a three-hour, almost fifty-year-old movie.  It is funny and moving, balancing tones well.  And, yes, those songs will stick in your head.

This is based on the stageplay, which in turn is based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem.  Norman Jewison directed.

Ferdinand

Ferdinand
20th Century Fox
December 15, 2017
Children's, Animation, Fantasy
DVD
C-

This expansion of the classic Munro Leaf & Robert Lawson children's book The Story of Ferdinand wasn't as bad as I expected (or at least the first fifteen minutes weren't), despite modern touches like threats to (male human) groins, but I didn't feel like watching more.  Carlos Saldanha directed.

Fences

Fences
Paramount
December 25, 2016
Historical Drama
DVD
C-

A Black garbage collector (Denzel Washington, who also directed) talks a lot in 1950s Pittsburgh.

Félicité

Félicité
Strand Releasing
11 February 2017
Drama
DVD
D

I disliked most of the people in this movie.  Alain Gomis directed and co-wrote.

Jet Li's Fearless

Jet Li's Fearless
Rogue Pictures
26 January 2006
Action, Historical Drama
DVD
C-

I liked this better than some martial arts movies because it shows the human side of its hero, with a long flashback to his childhood.  Ronny Yu directed.

FeardotCom

FeardotCom
Warner Bros.
August 30, 2002
Horror
DVD
D-

Not as unpleasant as I expected, but then "cop donut" jokes help.  William Malone directed.

Fear in the Night (1947)

Fear in the Night
Paramount
April 18, 1947
Crime Drama
DVD
C+

Low-budget and at times laughable, this nonetheless held my interest, with 27-year-old Kelley (yes, Star Trek's McCoy) in his feature-length debut as the hapless sap at the center of a waking nightmare.  Based on the Cornell Woolrich story "And So to Death," and directed by Maxwell Shane.

Fathers and Daughters

Fathers and Daughters
Vertical Entertainment
July 8, 2016
Drama
DVD
D

Depressing tale of a fatal car accident and mental illness, brightened for a moment by Fonda's cameo.  Gabriele Muccino directed.

Father of the Bride (1991)

Father of the Bride (1991)
Buena Vista (AKA Disney)
December 20, 1991
Comedy
DVD
C

Yeah, I'd put this about on a level with the original, although I watched only fifteen minutes rather than thirty as I did for the 1950 version.  It's somewhat interesting to see what changes were made to modernize the story, but having the daughter going for her Master's makes the father's worry about having to support the son-in-law seem pointless.  Director Charles Shyer co-wrote this adaptation with three others, including his then-wife Nancy Meyers.

Father of the Bride (1950)

Father of the Bride (1950)
MGM
June 16, 1950
Comedy
DVD
C

I gave this half an hour, since I liked some of it early on, like the parade of Liz's ex-boyfriends, but the upper-middle-class blandness got to be too much.  This is based on the Edward Streeter novel and directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Father Figures

Father Figures
Warner Bros.
December 22, 2017
Comedy
DVD
D+

Close plays a mother who lied about her twins' father and hilarity fails to ensue.  Lawrence Sher directed.

Fate Is the Hunter

Fate Is the Hunter
20th Century Fox
November 8, 1964
Drama
DVD
B

Based on the Ernest K. Gann novel and directed by Ralph Nelson, this is a character study (of more than one character besides the pilot), a war drama, a war comedy, an action movie, a romance, a bromance, and above all a mystery.  It can be a bit slow at times but is definitely worth watching for that payoff at the end.  And, of course, Suzanne Pleshette (then 27) is wonderful.

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
RM Films International
August 6, 1966
Action
DVD
D+

Busty women, pseudo-hip dialogue, drag-racing, low budget, not as much fun as you might think.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Universal
June 16, 2006
Action
DVD
D

The third entry in the long-running video-game-like series is most interesting (to me) for the shots of Tokyo.  Justin Lin directed three years after Better Luck Tomorrow.

Fargo

Fargo
Gramercy Pictures
April 5, 1996
Crime Drama
DVD
D+

After hearing how wonderful this movie is for years, this turns out to be a Coen Brothers flick I can't get into.

Farewell, My Lovely

Farewell, My Lovely
AVCO Embassy Pictures
August 8, 1975
Crime Drama
DVD
C-

Modern-ish film noir, based on the Chandler novel and directed by Dick Richards.

Far from the Madding Crowd

Far from the Madding Crowd
Fox Searchlight
1 May 2015
Historical Drama
DVD
C-

Again, nice scenery (this time in Dorset), but I didn't really care about the characters in this adaptation of the Hardy novel.  Thomas Vinterberg directed.

Far and Away

Far and Away
Universal
May 22, 1992
Historical Drama
DVD
C-

Cruise is a young Irish farmboy, and the Irish scenery is of course lovely.  Ron Howard directed and co-wrote.  I tuned out before Kidman showed up.

Merlin and the War of the Dragons

Merlin and the War of the Dragons
The Asylum
Released to video 25 November 2008
Historical Drama, Fantasy
DVD
C-

I found the stuff about Merlin's youth mildly interesting, as these things go.  Mark Atkins directed.

Sword of Lancelot AKA Lancelot and Guinevere

Sword of Lancelot AKA Lancelot and Guinevere
Universal
2 June 1963
Historical Drama
DVD
D+

A bit of a vanity production for 50-year-old Wilde, who produced, directed, co-wrote, and stars as Lance.