Rocketeer, The (1991)

The Rocketeer is a fun adventure film from the early 90s that holds up pretty well. Like Dick Tracy, The Shadow, and The Phantom, The Rocketeer has both a period charm and comic book feel to it. You've got Nazis, mobsters, a zeppelin, and Howard Hughes lumped together in a kind of small-town big-conspiracy story about a boy who finds a secret rocket-pack and tries to protect his friends and the rocket from falling into the wrong hands. The actors are all top-notch, with Alan Arkin playing Billy Campbell's mentor/partner and Timothy Dalton playing a sneering, snobbish (but dreamy) movie actor. Jennifer Connelly is stunning, especially in that white dress at the South Seas club. The special effects are done quite well. Five years later, Schwarzenegger would don a jet pack like the one in this film, but the effects don't look nearly as good in Jingle All the Way as they do here. A great film for kids, but also enjoyable for the adults.

7/10

D.A.R.Y.L. (1985)

Heartwarming family film that is quite entertaining. DARYL is a young boy that is actually a robot who, after being released from the lab by a defector, becomes accepted into a family. He eventually has to face the truth when the military comes calling for their project back. The film is pretty exciting for a family film as it contains car chases, a stealth bomber, and military-conspiracy shenanigans, but ultimately, DARYL is pretty tame. Typical to older family films there is some risque content (for example DARYL's friend calling his sister "Hooker"), but who cares? There is no lesson to be gleaned or deeper emotional content (other than a robot learning to love and that kind of mush), but DARYL is a fun, light-hearted, and harmless film that anyone can enjoy.

7/10

7 Faces of Dr Lao (1964)

Tony Randall hits a grand slam in this surprisingly charming George Pal fantasy film. Dr Lao is a crafty old Chinese doctor who sets up a circus in the Old West town of Abalone. Through his circus he helps many of the town's citizens to see life from a different perspective. The film is sometimes heavy-handed, but often touching. It's worth watching for Randall's performance(s) alone. George Pal manages to reign in his self-indulgence for special effects somewhat and lets the characters take the stage. The makeup effects are wonderful, including Tony Randall's Asian makeup. One of the most distinct things about this movie, though, is the musical score which perfectly combines Asian-sounding styles with the sounds of the Old West. Great fantasy film for the whole family.

9/10