The Maltese Falcon (1941)

DIRECTOR: John Huston
WRITERS: John Huston, Dashiell Hammett
STARRING: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet
RATED: NR
OPINION STARS: 4 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Suspenseful, Clever, Dramatic
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DESCRIPTION: Humphrey Bogart stars as the Sam Spade, private investigator. When young Miss Wonderly (Astor) comes seeking protection from a man named Thursby, Spade's partner eagerly takes the case... and winds up with a bullet in his chest. In the ensuing hunt to track down his friend's killer, the wily detective is drawn into a tricky world of deception and double-crossing, involving a trio of crooks and a priceless statuette called the Maltese Falcon. Nominated for 3 Academy Awards including Best Picture 1941.     
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammet. Smart, suspenseful, and even funny at times, The Maltese Falcon will keep you guessing till the last possible moment. Bogart turns in a definitive performance as tough guy detective Sam Spade, who tries to keep his cool as the deceit thickens around him. The supporting cast is brilliant (especially Peter Lorre) and the dialogue is snappy and fierce - particularly when sharp-tongued Spade is doing the talking. All in all, this one is a must for anyone who enjoys suspense/mystery. 
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For Ages 11+

"When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!"

Casablanca (1942)

STUDIO:     Warner Bros.
DIRECTOR: Michael Curtiz
STARRING: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre
RATED:         PG
OPINION STARS: 3.5 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Dramatic, Clever, Intense  
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DESCRIPTION: Set during World War II, Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine, an allegedly apolitical nightclub owner in unoccupied French territory who plays host to all kinds of people, including gamblers, smugglers and refugees. But then the last person he expected to see walked through the door - Ilsa (Bergman), the woman who mysteriously deserted him in Paris years ago. Rick soon discovers that she needs his help, as she and her fugitive husband (Henreid) attempt an escape to America. Winner of 3 Academy Awards, including Best Picture 1942. 
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: As far as movie-making goes, Casablanca is incredibly well-done: it has a great script, exceptional cinematography, and top-notch acting from a top-notch cast. It also has literary value, seeing that several well-known expressions that we use today - such as "Play it again, Sam" or "A penny for your thoughts" - are derived from it. Story-wise, though, I'm just not getting it. Consider: it's about a love-triangle; the affection of two men for one woman. And even though the men are decent fellows, the woman, Ilsa, clearly treats her marriage vows lightly (at one point in the movie, she brazenly determines to remain with Blaine despite her husband). Further,  the movie seems to suggest that we should have sympathy for her and her self-imposed woes. Excuse me? I think not. Casablanca may be one of the "greats" of Hollywood history... but that doesn't mean we should watch it without discernment.
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For Ages 11+

"Louis, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Double Indemnity (1944)

STUDIO:     Universal Studios
DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder
STARRING: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather
RATED:        NR
OPINION STARS: 4 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Suspenseful, Eerie, Clever
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DESCRIPTION: Femme fatale Phyllis Dietrichson (Stanwyck) - who is unhappliy married to a stingy oil executive - seduces smooth-talking insurance salesman Walter Neff (MacMurray) into helping her murder her husband and collect the insurance money. It's the perfect crime... too perfect. Robinson co-stars as the wily Barton Keyes, an insurance investigator who has a hunch that something isn't right. Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture 1944.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:             0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Based on the novel by James Cain. With it's cleverly unpredictable plot and snappy dialogue, Double Indemnity is a film that could easily give the famous suspense-master Alfred Hitchcock a run for his money. The acting is superb as well: Stanwyck is suitably chilling as the sadistic Mrs. Dietrichson; MacMurray is convincing as Walter Neff, the love-struck sap; and Robinson turns in a top-notch performance as Keyes, the short, smart insurance investigator. 
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For Ages 12+

"Who’d you think I was anyway? The guy that walks into a good looking dame’s front parlour and says, 'Good afternoon, I sell accident insurance on husbands… you got one that’s been around too long? One you’d like to turn into a little hard cash?'”

Valkyrie (2009)

STUDIO:     United Artists
DIRECTOR: Bryan Singer
STARRING: Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branagh, Terence Stamp, Eddie Izzard
RATED:         PG-13
OPINION STARS: 4.5 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Intense, Gritty, Sad 
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DESCRIPTION: After being seriously wounded in Africa during World War II, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) returns to his native Germany. Outraged at Hitler's atrocities and mismanagment of the war, Stauffenberg joins a secret organization bent on killing the Führer. Soon a central player in the group, Stauffenberg proposes a unique plan: that of linking Hitler's death with an official policy to safeguard Berlin during a government crisis - a contingency plan known as "Valkyrie".
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE: Valkyrie is a factual, unpretentious, and straightforward tale of heroism and sacrifice, revolving around the last attempt to assasinate Adolph Hitler. History tells us the assaination plot failed, and that Hitler committed suicide months later - but that doesn't stop this movie from being as taut and suspenseful as any thriller. Highly recommended.
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Iffy for Age 15

"Look them in the eye. They'll remember you."

My Boy Jack (2007)

STUDIO:      BBC
DIRECTOR:  Brian Kirk 
STARRING: David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe, Carey Mulligan, Kim Cattrall
RATED:    NR
OPINION STARS: 4 out of 5
THIS FILM IS:  Sad, Dramatic, Stirring
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DESCRIPTION: 17 year old Jack Kipling (Radcliffe) applies for service in World War I, but is rejected on account of his severe myopia. Still resolved to join the ranks, however, Jack, with the help and encouragement of his father (Haig), manages to get a position with the Irish Gaurd. Through hard work and gritty determination, Jack rewards his family by surmounting his disability and rising to the rank of Lieutenant. But when he goes missing in the bloody Battle of Loos, his family embarks on a long and untiring effort to find him.
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VIOLENCE AND GORE:   0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIGHTENING CONTENT: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
LANGUAGE:            0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MATURE THEMES:       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INDECENT CONTENT:    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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NOTE:  Based on Rudyard Kipling's poem of the same name. A stirring tale of one boy's determination to fight for his country. Be warned, however, that even though this film is not rated, is does contain some disturbing sequences of war violence and quite a bit of strong language. For mature audiences only.  
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Iffy for Age 16