Today's Movie: Hot Pursuit

2015's Hot Pursuit is a cop and crook on-the-run comedy starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara. In the film Witherspoon plays the part of Rose Cooper, a by-the-book, yet bumbling police officer assigned to transport the wife of a drug dealer to Dallas so she and her husband can testify against the leader of a cartel. After the husband is ambushed and murdered, Cooper and the wife Daniella Riva (played by Sofia Vergara) flee. With them on the run, and two dirty police officers on their tail, Cooper and Riva must get to Dallas in time for the trial and to clear Copper's name.

Now, I like Reese Witherspoon and I like odd-couple comedies, but I found this movie to be surprisingly unfunny. I'd say a good 95% of the comedy relates to one of following gags: 1) Reese Witherspoon is short. 2) The character of Cooper is uptight. 3) Mrs. Riva is a shrill, overdramatic, caricature of a Latina woman. There is no subtlety to either lead performance, and pretty much none of it landed for me. The basic police officer and criminal having to work together premise has been done a million times but, I think with these two actresses there was the potential here to make a fun comedy. Unfortunately, whether it was Director Anne Fletcher (who is known for making lackluster-at-best films), or a bad screenplay, or likely both, Hot Pursuit just isn't a good movie. As for a few positives; I think the total runtime is less than 90 minutes, and there is a cameo by Mike Birbiglia.

Overall, I'm going to give this one a 1 out of 5.

Bullitt

Although probably most known for it's iconic car chase through the streets of San Francisco, which is often regarded as one of the best car chases in cinema history, 1968's Bullitt is worth checking out for more than just one chase sequence. 

The film stars Steve McQueen as Frank Bullitt, a detective assigned to what seems like a routine protective custody detail. The man he's protecting is a key witness set to testify against a mob boss, but early on two hitmen take him out. This turns the protective custody assignment into a hunt for the murderers, with a few twists and turns along the way. It's a simple premise but, it's done so well that the film is incredibly entertaining throughout.

Overall, while not my all-time favorite Steve McQueen role, this is still a terrific flick. It's well paced and effectively uses every minute of it's 113 minute runtime. In addition to McQueen, the film also boast a strong cast consisting of such actors as Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, and Robert Duvall. If you've never seen Bullitt before, or just haven't seen it in awhile, it's definitely worth checking out.

4.5 out of 5

Tomorrow You're Gone

Tomorrow You're Gone is a 2013 crime-thriller starring Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan, and Willem Dafoe. Honestly, based on the cast and the description on the back of the Blu-ray case, I thought this film was going to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, despite all of this, the film a bit of a dud.

The premise of the movie is that a man named Charlie (played by Dorff) has just been released from prison but he's not completely free yet. Charlie still owns a debt to a man known as 'The Buddha' (played by Dafoe). To settle this debt Charlie has to murder a guy for 'The Buddha' but, this is a movie, so things don't go quite as planned... Fairly early on in the film Charlie meets this woman named Florence (played by Michelle Monaghan) and she's probably the best part of the whole film. 

This movie could've worked but, it just doesn't. It's a bit too much style over substance, Dorff just isn't the right actor to carry this film in my opinion, the 92 minute runtime seemed like it was twice that, and the stakes just never felt real while I was watching it.

I was hoping that this was a hidden gem that had just flown under my radar but, that wasn't the case. I can't recommend this one.

1 out of 5

Venus and Vegas

Released in late 2010, Venus and Vegas stars Eddie Kaye Thomas, Donald Faison, Eddie Guerra, Jamie Pressly, and Molly Sims. The film is a crime-comedy about three criminal friends (played by Faison, Guerra, and Thomas) who happen upon what appears to be an easy score. Just outside of Vegas there is a warehouse that is producing counterfeit casino chips. The plan is to break in, steal a bunch of chips, and cash them in. Unfortunately, the heist doesn't go exactly as planned and, the warehouse is run by a Vegas mobster. While all this heist plot is going on, the film is also trying to be a relationship comedy. If done better it may have worked but I don't think this movie quite sticks the landing.

 Overall, while not what I'd call a must-see movie, I did find this movie decently  entertaining. The plot is a bit all over the place and the acting isn't great but, it isn't the worst film that I've pulled out of a bargain bin.
2 out of 5

Billy Bathgate

1991's Billy Bathgate is a movie that frustrates me. I like the 1930's setting, I love films about organized crime, and the cast is solid. This film should work, but it just doesn't.

Based on a novel of the same name, which I admittedly have never read, Billy Bathgate is the story of a teenager from the Bronx named Billy (played by Loren Dean). Early on Billy meets a gangster named Dutch Schultz (played by Dustin Hoffman) and joins his organization. Alongside Dean and Hoffman the film also stars Bruce Willis and Nicole Kidman, and both are fine in this one. For me, Billy is the weakest part of this film and the main reason why I don't like it more. Unlike a good crime film like Goodfellas in which we see the rise and fall of our main character(s), Billy basically just serves as a personal assistant to Dutch. He doesn't kill anyone, or have to dispose of a body, or launder money, or rough-up a guy... he's a bland, vanilla character. Now, I get that we're supposed to like Billy but, a good movie can get you to empathize with people who do terrible things over the course of the film. In all fairness, even though Billy is a flat character, he isn't the only problem. The movie also has some scenes that drag on too long and yet simultaneously doesn't seem to have time to give any character development to the other members of Dutch's crew. The movie also fails to reach a satisfying conclusion; a main story thread that drives the plot is Dutch's upcoming tax-evasion trial. However, even though Dutch is acquitted of the charges he's abruptly gunned down by a rival gang a short time later.

Overall, Billy Bathgate is a film I want to love but I just don't. It isn't unwatchable, and there are bits here and there that I do think are good, but I don't recommend this one.
1.5 out of 5

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

While far from my favorite filmmaker, Guy Ritchie has made several films that I really enjoy such as Snatch (2000), Sherlock Holmes (2009), and RocknRolla (2008). My favorite of his films though is 1998's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The story is about four friends Eddy, Bacon, Tom, and Soap who, after buying their way into a rigged high-takes card game, end up owing a serious debt. As a result, it then becomes a heist film as the four only have a week to come up with £500,000. 

As far as crime-capers go it isn't anything groundbreaking but, it's well done and very entertaining with a number of fun twists and turns along the way. Additionally, I think the dynamic between the four leads Nick Moran as Eddy, Jason Statham as Bacon, Dexter Fletcher as Soap, and Jason Flemyng as Tom works really well. 

If you've never seen Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and you like crime films, especially ones with a comedic edge, then I recommend checking this one out.

 4 out of 5

Today's Movie: Black Mass

Black Mass is a 2015 crime film starring Johnny Depp, and it's about real life Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger. I like a good crime-drama and this is a film I had been meaning to get around to watching for some time but, it just kept getting pushed to the bottom of the stack. Right off the bat, I've never been a big Johnny Depp fan. Sure, there are a few gems but, I think too many of the movies that make up his his filmography involve him putting on a wacky costume, over-acting, and doing a dumb voice (see: Mortdecai, The Lone Ranger, Dark Shadows, 2010's Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, all of the Pirates of the Caribbean films etc.). That being said, I think he's good in this film.

The film starts off in 1975 with Bulger as a fairly small-time criminal, but soon shows him making a deal with FBI agent John Connolly (played by Joel Edgerton) to become an informant. This arrangement between the two allows Bulger to operate and gain power while Connolly diverts the heat to other crime bosses. Intercut throughout the movie are quick scenes with older versions of members from Bulgers gang giving statements to the FBI and, even though in some films this can be distracting, I think they pulled it off in a way that enhanced the film.

Overall, this is a solid film that I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in organized crime stories. At times it felt a little longer than it's two-hour runtime but, the subject matter is compelling enough that I can excuse a scene or two that drag a bit too long.

I give this one a 3.5 out of 5

Recommended Double Feature: Kill the Irishman & The Iceman

Something I always enjoy doing when spending the night in or enjoying a quiet day off is finding a pair of films that go well together either because of genre, lead actor, or director. With that being said, I'm a big fan of movies about organized crime and these two, Kill the Irishman and The Iceman, make for a solid double feature if you want to spend an afternoon with a couple movies.

Both films are crime-thrillers based on actual people, they were released just two years apart, they largely take place in the 1960's and 70's, and both hold very similar Rotten Tomatoes scores. Also, despite the films having pretty good casts (Kill the Irishman stars Ray Stevenson, Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Christopher Walken whereas The Iceman stars Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans and Ray Liotta) they were both box-office disappointments. Quality-wise the movies are very similar; I like the cast of Kill the Irishman a little better and I also think it's just the more interesting movie overall. However, in the hands a more capable director The Iceman could've been the better of the two. Neither film is a top-tier entry in the genre like Goodfellas, The Godfather, or The Untouchables but they're still good entertaining movies.

If you're also fan of the genre then I recommend checking both of these out.

I give Kill the Irishman a 3.5 out of 5 and The Iceman a 3 out of 5.

Five Minutes to Live

Five Minutes to Live is a 1961 crime film starring Johnny Cash, Donald Woods, Vic Tayback, and Cay Forrester. The plot is pretty simple and straight forward: Johnny Cabot and Fred Dorella (played by Cash and Tayback respectively) hatch a plan to steal $70,000 from a bank, by holding the bank's vice president's wife hostage. 

Fred calmly walks into the bank, asks for the money, and informs the bank's VP Ken Wilson (played by Donald Woods) that if he doesn't get the money and call Johnny within five minutes then Ken's wife will die. Meanwhile, Johnny holds the wife (played by Cay Forrester) at gun point in her home while awaiting the call. 

There is also a subplot about Ken planning to divorce his wife and run off with a woman named Ellen (played by Pamela Mason) but, it could have been cut from the film as it doesn't add much to the story.

While not a great crime film, it's not terrible either. The ticking clock plot device does work to build some tension, and Johnny Cash, though not a great actor, is serviceable in the role. I can't wholeheartedly recommend it but, its only about an hour and twenty minutes long so there's nothing to lose if you're curious and want to check it out.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)

 

If you've never seen 2009's Beyond a Reasonable Doubt then you're not alone. The film was a massive failure both critically and commercially, and it was a one that I only recently picked out of a bargain bin out of curiosity. The film is a remake of the 1956 Fritz Lang film of the same name and it is about a man who frames himself for murder in order to prove that the District Attorney has been planting evidence to secure convictions. 

The cast is bit of a mixed bag with Jesse Metcalfe playing a investigative journalist, Joel Moore as his friend and colleague, Amber Tamblyn as the love interest/Assistant DA, and Michael Douglas as the District Attorney. The plot is clunky and extremely predictable (even if you've never seen the original). I love suspense films so I do appreciate the effort, it just doesn't work in this one.

Overall, this isn't unwatchable by any means, it just feels like a subpar, paint by numbers crime-thriller. The last line in the movie is actually a closeup of Amber Tamblyn looking at the camera and saying "F*** You." I know that this is directed at Jesse Metcalfe's character, but I like to imagine that line was for the audience. 

I give this one a 2 out of 5.

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A look back at 'The Firm'

 

Released in 1993, The Firm is an entertaining thriller based on a best-selling John Grisham novel.

Despite boasting a solid cast consisting of actors like Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holly Hunter, and Ed Harris, I think this is an under-seen and probably under-appreciated movie. 

At approximately 2 1/2 hrs. it does drag a tad at a couple of points, but the plot is interesting and the acting is good.

 

The film is about a young lawyer named Mitch (played by Cruise) who accepts a too-good-to-be-true a job with a law firm in Memphis. He very quickly learns that the firm is involved in all sorts of shady activities including laundering money for the Mafia. Of course, the more Mitch looks into these dealings the more the higher ups at the firm grow suspicious. Pretty soon the FBI is also contacting Mitch hoping that he'll be their "man on the inside" feeding them the information needed for an ongoing investigation. Stuck between what the firm will do to him if they find out, and what the FBI will do if he refuses to cooperate results in an intriguing, tension-filled film.

 

Overall, while the movie isn't a masterpiece, I do think it's good. If you haven't seen it, or at least haven't seen it for a while, I recommend giving it a watch.

It's a solid 4 out of 5.

 

80's Month Day 13: Three Fugitives

Thirteen days into "80's Month" and today's film is Three Fugitives, a 1989 comedy-drama starring Nick Nolte and Martin Short.

The plot involves and convict named Daniel Lucas (played by Nolte) who has been in prison for 5yrs after committing 14 armed robberies. However, on the day he is released, he stops by a bank and gets taken hostage by an amature criminal named Ned Perry (played by Short) who is robbing the bank. Not a career criminal like Lucas, Ned is only robbing the bank to get money for treatment for his ill, young daughter, Meg.

Unfortunately for Lucas, a local detective (played by James Earl Jones) assumes that he must be in on the robbery due to his criminal history, and that the whole hostage thing is just an act. From here there are several car chases, all sorts of mishaps (like Ned accidentally shooting Lucas in the leg), a veterinarian with dementia who thinks Lucas is a dog, Ned constantly ignoring Lucas' expert advice, etc. Of course while avoiding the law, the two form an unlikely partnership primarily because Meg takes a liking to Lucas. Eventually, the trio makes a run for Canada and all appears to end well with Lucas saying goodbye to Meg while Ned is exchanging currency. However, Ned ends up being taken hostage by a bank robber in the same manner he originally kidnapped Lucas, and a classic 80's freeze-frame ending closes out the film.

While there are some good moments in the movie, I wouldn't call it a good movie as a whole. Nick Nolte is OK, and Martin Short gets a laugh or two but it's not either one's strongest performance.

If it sounds interesting to you then check it out but, overall, I don't recommend it.

I give it a 1.5 out of 5.

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The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother is one of the often forgotten Gene Wilder films, perhaps partly because it came out just 1yr after arguably his best film; Young Frankenstein. Wilder directed, wrote, and stars in this underrated 1975 comedy. If you haven't seen it, it's a hilarious movie with a solid cast.

Gene Wilder plays Sigerson Holmes, who's older brother Sherlock (or "sheer luck" as Sigerson calls him) delegates some cases to him while he and Dr. Watson lay low for a while. If the cases are still being solved then criminals will never know that Sherlock is taking some time off. Sigerson soon teams up with a Scotland Yard records clerk named Orville (played by Marty Feldman). Orville has the unique ability to recite conversations as if they were recorded. Soon after the two meet, a habitual liar named Jenny Hill (played by Maldeline Kahn) comes to Sigerson's apartment seeking help.

  Jenny has been blackmailed by an opera singer named Eduardo Gambetti (played by Dom DeLuise) to give him a secret document that she has stolen from her fiancee in return for a lewd note that she had previously written. Gambetti intends to sell the document to Sherlock's famous nemesis Professor Moriarty and, of course, it's up to Sigerson to retrieve the mystery document and foil Moriarty's plan.

It's not a perfect film by any stretch but, it is entertaining from start to finish and there are a ton of really funny moments. This is one I definitely recommend, particularly if you like Gene Wilder.

Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5. 

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Dial M for Murder

"...in stories things usually turn out the way the author wants them to; and in real life they don't... always."

Dial M for Murder is a 1954 crime/thriller Directed by the great Alfred Hitchcock. This one didn't quite make my '10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies Everyone Should See' list (which you can check out by clicking here), but that doesn't mean that it isn't a really good film. Like so many of Hitchcock's films, it ropes you in early on and keeps you locked in all the way through.. he's not called 'The Master of Suspense' for nothing after all. So, if you haven't seen this one, I'm just going to give the setup and a few other thoughts without spoiling how everything unfolds.

Ray Milland plays Tony Wendice who is a former professional tennis player and has discovered that his wife Margot (played by Grace Kelly) has been having an affair with an author named Mark Halliday (played by Robert Cummings). Instead of directly confronting her, Tony keeps his knowledge of the affair a secret and proceeds to plan the perfect murder. He figures that by having his wife killed he not only gets his revenge, but will also get the money left to him in her will. So, Tony gets in touch with a low-level criminal who happens to be an old college classmate of his, lays out the plan, and offers the man a substantial amount of money to carry out the murder. But, not everything goes as planned...

This movie was filmed in 3-D but it isn't one of those that looks ridiculous if you just watch it on your TV without 3-D glasses. There is the occasional object in the foreground that looks a tad off, but Hitchcock pretty much filmed it like he would any other film, and didn't resort to 3-D tricks like things popping out at the audience. The acting is solid, the story is interesting throughout, and I recommend checking it out if you've never seen it.

It's a classic and I give it a 5 out of 5.

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A Look Back At: The Untouchables

"You can get further with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word."

The Untouchables is a 1987 crime film Directed by Brian De Palma, and featuring a strong cast consisting of Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, Charles Martian Smith, and Sean Connery. Speaking of Connery, he nabbed a Oscar for 'Best Supporting Actor' for his role in the film, and in a movie with solid acting, a really good score, and top-notch cinematography, he still manages to steal every scene he's in.

The film takes place during Prohibition with Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro) running nearly the entire city of Chicago and, opposite him is a Treasury agent named Eliot Ness (played by Kevin Costner) who has sent to stop him. Ness soon builds a team consisting of a beat cop named Jimmy Malone (played by Connery), a rookie fresh out of the Police Academy named George Stone (played by Andy Garcia), and an accountant named Oscar Wallace (played by Charles Martian Smith).
 Early on they successfully raid a Post office warehouse full liquor owned by Capone, who later kills the henchman in charge of the warehouse with a baseball bat as a warning to the other top men working for him. After that initial raid, Wallace discovers that Capone has not filed an income tax return for several years and suggests that Ness try to build a tax evasion case against him, as they likely won't be able to directly tie him to any other crimes. It isn't long before Malone learns of an incoming liquor shipment and, seeing an opportunity to hurt Capone again, the team heads to the U.S.- Canadian border to intercept it. After a shootout with some of Capone's men, they convince a bookkeeper to testify against Capone. But, once they arrive back in Chicago, one of Capone's henchmen kills the informant, as well as, Wallace.

 After realizing that it was the police chief who tipped of Capone, Malone forces him to reveal the whereabouts of Capone's top bookkeeper, Walter Payne. The stakes are further raised that night, when Malone is shot by the same guy who killed Wallace. Luckily, before he dies Malone is able to tell Ness which train Payne will take out of town. Later, at the train station, Ness and Stone find Payne being escorted by several gangsters. Then, a gunfight breaks out resulting in arguably the best scene in the entire film and when all is said and done all of the henchmen have been killed and Payne is taken alive. 
  Payne then testifies at Capone's trial, Ness kills the guy who killed Malone, and Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison. The film ends with a reporter asking Ness what he'll do if Prohibition is repealed, and he replies, "I think I'll have a drink."

Overall, this one is really entertaining from the opening scene to the very end. For me, everything in this movie just clicks, it's up there with some of my favorite movies about organized crime and I highly recommend it. I give it a 5 out of 5.


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...and don't forget to check out my '10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See' list by clicking here.

Today's Movie: Don't Say A Word

Don’t Say a Word is a 2001 thriller with a halfway decent premise and a pretty solid cast. It’s apparently based on a novel of the same name, but I’ve never read it so I won’t be making any comparisons to the book. 

A gang of thieves pull off a heist and steal a $10million gem but, two of the gang members double-cross their leader, Patrick Koster (played by Sean Bean) and take off with the gem. Some years later, a psychiatrist named Dr. Nathan Conrad (played Michael Douglas), is invited by his former colleague to examine a disturbed young woman named Elisabeth Burrows (played by Brittany Murphy) who is in an asylum. After he is released from prison, Patrick kidnaps the psychiatrist's daughter with the hope that he can force the doctor to acquire a 6-digit number from Elisabeth's memory. Elisabeth’s father was one of the gang members who double-crossed Patrick and the number is, of course, the key to finding out where hidden the gem is hidden. So, Dr. Conrad has to earn Elisabeth’s trust, get the numbers from her, and rescue his daughter.

This is one of those movies that seems like it should pretty good, but for whatever reason kinda falls flat. Maybe it’s just too predictable to be a really great thriller, or maybe they just couldn’t get what worked for the novel to translate well in a 2hr film. It’s definitely not horrible, just underwhelming. 

I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

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 ...and don't forget to check out my review of Disney's newest film Moana by clicking here.

A Look Back At 'Psycho' (1960)

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s great cinematic masterpieces (and I would even argue his best) is 1960’s Psycho. I had previously placed it on my ’10 Movies to Watch in October’ list (which you can check out here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-movies-to-watch-in-october.html) but I still felt like I should have given it a little more of a in-depth review.

 This is not only a great psychological horror film but a great film overall, with iconic moments, a great score, solid acting (particularly Anthony Perkins) and wall-to-wall suspense. It’s spawned a couple of sequels, a remake, and TV show. Much like Hitchcock urging theater owners not to let people to enter the theater late, because it would ruin the experience, I’ll give the setup and end it there just in case anyone reading this has not seen the movie.

The Film starts out in Phoenix, Arizona. During a hotel rendezvous while on her lunch hour, a secretary at a real estate office named Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) discusses with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin), why they can’t afford to get married because Sam is in pretty substantial debt. When Marion returns from lunch, a client comes by the office and drops off a $40,000 cash deposit for a property. Her boss asks her to deposit the money in the bank, and she asks him if she can take the rest of the afternoon off afterwards. But, she doesn’t go to the bank and instead decides to steal the money to give to Sam. So, Marion heads out of town and toward California where Sam lives. That evening, she pulls over on the side of the road and falls asleep, only to be awakened in the morning by a state trooper. He asks her a couple of questions and is suspicious about her nervous behavior but lets her to drive on anyway. Shaken by the run-in with the officer, Marion stops at a dealership and trades in her car for another and then continues on her way.

Later during her travels, it starts raining pretty heavily so she decides to stop for the night at the Bates Motel where she meets Norman Bates and the whole film take a sudden and violent turn.

Like I stated earlier, I think this is one of the all-time great films and it’s always especially good to watch around Halloween. So, if you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen it -or- if you just haven't watched it in a while, go check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

I give this film a 5 out of 5.

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...and for some more good reads check out this Book, Video game, and Comicbook blog:
Boredenthusiast.blogspot.com 

Today's Movie: Soylent Green (1973)

Released in 1973, Soylent Green is a sci-fi/thriller starring Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, and Edward G. Robinson. The film takes place in the year 2022; it’s a dystopian future where the world is suffering from pollution, year-round summer, depleting resources, and a whole slew of other problems. The movie is apparently based on the 1966 novel Make Room! Make Room!, but I’ve never read it so I won’t compare the two.

It’s established pretty early on in the film that the majority of the population is homeless, out of work, and because food is so scarce the common folk have to eat this food called ’Soylent Green’ which is apparently made from plankton. Only the rich elites can afford real fruit, vegetables, and meat.

When a wealthy businessman named William Simonson is murdered, New York City detective Frank Thorn (played by Heston), is sent in to investigate. Thorn checks out the crime scene, questions Simonson’s bodyguard and a woman named Shirl (Leigh Taylor-Young), he takes some of the luxury items like steak and bourbon and also a book titled ‘Soylent Oceanographic Survey Report’.

Later Thorn gives the book to his friend and police analyst Sol Roth (played by Edward G. Robinson)  to do some research. Roth soon discovers that Simonson and the state governor, Joseph Santini, were partners in a law firm, and that Simonson was also a member of the board of the Soylent Corporation. This only further leads Thorn to suspect that the murder wasn’t a burglary gone wrong, but rather an assassination. There are a few twists and turns but, it’s a pretty run-of-the-mill, police thriller until about the last 20 mins.

After further research, Roth decides to go to a clinic for an assisted suicide because he can’t live with the knowledge of his findings. Thorn rushes to stop him, but arrives too late. However, just before dying, Roth tells Thorn to expose the truth. So, Thorn hides aboard a garbage truck headed to a body disposal center, where he sees human corpses are being converted into Soylent Green. This eventually leads to the iconic final line when Heston yells out "Soylent Green is people!”

Overall, it’s decent and there are some interesting ideas in the film, but I wouldn’t call it a ‘must-see’ film. I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

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