Elvis Presley was not much of an actor, and I've not been much of a fan of his movie work. I've actually only seen some of the hokier stuff from the '60s, "Viva Las Vegas" and such, which was rapidly-produced pop junk built around Presley's rock 'n' roll persona. "Girls, fast cars and some tunes" was the credo. It was less filmmaking than "marketing synergy" before they had a name for that, his movies bolstering his singing career and vice-versa, keeping him top-of-the-bill status even as the longhairs passed him by musically.

A heady mix of '70s nostalgia, movie geekery and coming-of-age drama, this delightful tale chronicles one filmmaker's journey from backyard auteur to Hollywood.

Ellen Burstyn won an Oscar and Martin Scorsese became an established studio director with this hard-edged dramedy that was later turned into a TV show.

A gritty and surprisingly raw war film that shows the heroism and anguish of American soldiers in equal portions, not to mention rank military incompetence.

A beautiful new Blu-ray edition for this shifty woman-in-peril film noir with Joan Crawford and Jack Palance

"1900" is a movie that is at once very large and very small. It was Bernardo Bertolucci's self-conscious attempt to create an epic film about Italy's struggle between fascism and socialism. He framed his tale around two characters, the son of a rich landowner, or

This engaging documentary provides the definitive look at the life and career of arguably baseball's greatest pitcher, who always brought the heat.

This moody British film noir with Dirk Bogarde as a cunning killer of wives is now out in a terrific new Blu-ray edition.

The image that first grabs you is of two men walking in their shirtsleeves, which immediately sticks them out of place against everyone heavily bundled up in the bitter Indianapolis February. Both are in their 40s, sporting bald spots and those hellacious sideburns that were popular in the late 1970s, like psychedelic pyramids rooted on their cheeks. One is short, dark-haired, burly, sleeves rolled up over thick, hairy forearms. The other is taller, with the wispy remains of what was probably once a fine blond head of hair, the collar of his business shirt popped up against the cold.

Whatever you want to say about Sam Peckinpah, the quintessentially American director was not a cuddly guy. His films were about the intersection between the structure of society and the violent impulses buried not so deep in our individual souls. Peckinpah peered into the carefully constructed order humanity wears like a tidy suit and saw the raw, writhing heart of chaos hammering away beneath.

With the sixth entry in the movie series dropping on July 2, Adam Aasen examines the faulty logic in The Purge's plan to reduce crime and unemployment

"The Engineer" plays like the Wish version of "Munich," but that's not an entirely bad thing.

"The Forever Purge" opens up on July 2 and Adam Aasen examines the psychology behind the popular horror/thriller franchise, which has spawned six movies

Splendidly acted and authentic drama on Hulu about a teen struggling with life-and-death issues, a new school and a mother who regards her as part of the help.

A suspenseful and engaging assassin story that can't quite shake the feeling it would have been better realized as a video game instead of a movie.

Gena Rowlands gives a fierce, Oscar-nominated turn as a gun moll out to protect a kid from her mob buddies in this dramatic thriller written and directed by her hubby, John Cassavetes.

A mildly experimental take on found footage.

Despite its low budget and, *ahem*, obvious inspiration from Quentin Tarantino's early films, this slick Brit crime production pilfers plenty of laughs and tense moments.

Comedian Matt Rife takes a stab at a lead role in a feature film, but it's a messy, tonally weird affair where the private detective does very little snooping, or anything much interesting.

For those watching the latest "Fast Saga" rockheaded extravaganza and thinking Vin Diesel can't act, here's a look back at a drama he did with Sidney Lumet that proves he's got another gear.

I admit I had a hard time even getting through "The Last Time I Saw Paris." It represents exactly the sort of Golden Age filmmaking that so turned me off as a youth: melodramatic, slowly paced, maudlin to the point of groan-inducing. It's a romantic film that starts off as a joyful scamp, turns into a drama and soon a tragedy. It's what was known in the old days as a "weepie" — I laughed, I cried, I couldn't wait for it to end.

Southern noir thriller is familiar yet effective.

One of the things I always appreciated about Humphrey Bogart is that he doesn't look like a movie star. With his stooped posture, unimposing stature, scarred lips, slurred speech and (reputed) toupee, he was nobody's idea of handsome. And yet he commanded the screen with his soulful eyes and the way he rolled his jaw.

This unabashedly erotic French film looks at the sizzling love affair between two famed writers who pushed the boundaries of expression and sexuality in the 19th century.

Kids will enjoy this affable superhero sequel, even if parents check their phones

The 1936 Best Picture Oscar winner is surely an extravaganza of stage splendor, and William Powell charms as the impresario who knew the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

Actor makes "Strong" directorial debut.

OK, that's more like it. After my dispiriting foray into checking out a film I incorrectly assumed was related to to 1981's "The Hand," I followed through and watched the horror film that I only saw once 35 years ago but still holds a strong place in my mind.

Made-for-television movies, particularly before the modern era, usually had low production values and even lower ambitions. "A Man for Hanging" is certainly guilty of the former but not the latter. It's a surprisingly effective -- and risk-taking -- Western that in a lot of ways plays more like a horror flick.

Gene Hackman and Melvyn Douglas both give powerful, Oscar-nominated performances in this quietly brutal portrait of a fractured father-son relationship.

Chris finally gets around to watching the beloved '80s puppet fantasy film, and finds it just as magical as advertised.

It'll be less Barben and mostly Heimer this Sunday as "Oppenheimer" is poised to dominate the Academy Awards. Check out our complete picks & predictions.

This is a movie website, though I feel comfortable including the made-for-TV "The Last Days of Patton" here, since it is the largely unknown sequel to 1970's seminal "Patton." General George S. Patton was surely the signature role of George C. Scott's long film career, and that's saying something. He won a Best Actor Oscar for the 1970 film (which he declined) and no doubt relished the chance to revisit the character, who died shortly following the end of World War II after being paralyzed in a freak auto accident.

Samuel L. Jackson and Vincent Cassel wallow and wander through this limp, confusing serial killer hunt set in Scotland.

Essentially a remake of "Pretty in Pink" but with John Hughes' preferred ending, "Some Kind of Wonderful" revisits the teen love triangle with some interesting notes but less energy.