Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) starring Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Robert Morley, Terry-Thomas. Rather long but enjoyable comedy about a 1910 London-to-Paris air race, with international competition, cheating and romance. The filmmakers built several reproductions of actual early airplanes and used them in the film to nice effect. The humor is a bit broad, but it's all in good fun and the actual race is somewhat exciting. (Subtitles in English are available, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B

The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers (1974) starring Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Charlton Heston, Faye Dunaway, Christopher Lee. Part swashbuckling and part slapstick, this movie is a fresh take on the musketeers' legend. Curiously enough, they always use swords, never muskets. The plot is of little significance, but suffice it to say that there are lots of sword fights, lots of romance and lots of intrigue. A fun film. (Subtitles are not offered, but closed captions save the day.) Grade: A-

Tropic Thunder (DVD)

Tropic Thunder (2008) starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise. A group of dimwitted actors making a war movie are forced to become "real" soldiers when they are abandoned in the jungles of southeast Asia. They run afoul of a drug lord and his minions, who take Stiller captive and force him to re-create a movie role he once played. The movie is perhaps a bit flawed in its particulars, but overall it's a comic masterpiece. Grade: B+

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (DVD)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) starring Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom. Pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) tries to weasel his way out of a blood debt with the ghastly Davey Jones (Bill Nighy), who looks like an octopus is sitting on his head. After the ultimate battle with the Kraken, a mighty beast from the depths, we learn that this movie, long as it is at two and a half hours, is just the set-up for a sequel, which will be released in 2007. Depp fans will not be disappointed, but I found the whole thing rather disappointing. Grade: B-