Fantastic Voyage 1966 7 out of 10

Fantastic Voyage 1966  7 out of 10

A great concept movie that was a precursor to a better more modern film  Innerspace starring  Dennis Quaid and Martin Short.  This 1960's Voyage into the human body in a miniature craft with a human crew now seems cheesy with its plastic ship and green screen backgrounds and odd sets -- but at the time it was made it was an adventure.  The crew of this miniaturized vessel must go inside of a diplomat's body  in order to save his life. 

 I s found this journey enjoyable if for no other reason than Donald Pleasance's performance as the (spoiler alert ) saboteur.  The film also stars Raquel Welch.   The movie takes a little while to get going as they detail the whole shrinking process so it isn't as  Fantastic as its title suggests --but it was still an  enoyable one with some good dialogue and colorful sets.

Raiders of the Seven Seas 1953 5 out of 10

Raiders of the Seven Seas  1953 5 out of 10

Raiders of the Seven Seas  stars John Payne and Donna Reed as a notorious pirate and a Spanish Countess.   It is a typical of the old school pirate movie.  There are  cheesy sword battles scattered throughout a lackluster story that meanders with no real purpose.  Barbarossa the pirate steals a ship and frees some slaves at the beginning of the film after romancing a Sultan's harem girl.   He then does what pirates do, robbing and stealing and gathering treasure.  He takes the Countess as a prisoner for ransom and she hates him at first and then eventually falls in love with him.   Most of the old school pirate movies just feel exactly the same.  Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl really changed the genre.  It was everything a pirate movie should and could be and when compared to the old school pirate movies where the sword fights look like something from a play....the old pirate films just don't hold up.

Here is a sample of some of the Pirate action

  

Captain Nemo and the Underwater City 1969 4 out of 10

Captain Nemo and the Underwater City   1969   4 out of 10

Survivors of a sinking ship are rescued by the infamous Captain Nemo and taken to his fabulous color filled golden underwater city where they will not be allowed to leave.   I can say one thing for the film...they knew that they were shooting it in color...the set design and costumes were wild.  Some people dressed like Willa Wonka meets the Wizard of Oz .   Scuba suits that look like they were made for the band KISS  or Evil Knievel.   The movie itself was nothing to get excited about.   Replacing the giant squid from 20,000 Leagues under the Sea this time around we get a giant Ray.   50 minutes go by in the movie before anything even remotely interesting happens and not much else of excitement happens after that again until the end...   It felt more like a tour of Nemo's world than a well structured movie.   Not one of the better Verne inspired films

Experience movies get your tickets at Fandango

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Journey 2:Mysterious Island 2012 8 out of 10

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island   2012  8 out of 10   is a action adventure family film that focusing on a  17 year old boy (Josh Hutcherson) and his   search  for his missing grandfather with the help of his step dad ( Dwayne the Rock Johnson).  He decodes a secret message that takes the 2 on a wild adventure to The Mysterious Island from Jules Verne's book, while bonding in the process.  They actually find the mythical place and his grandfather and  few extra surprises along the way with the help of an island hopping helicopter pilot  (the comic relief) and his daughter (the love interest).  

The Rock is great as the step dad....he is the Arnold of this decade of action movies and shines even in these more kid friendly roles.   Michael Cane is also well cast as the adventure seeking grandfather.   The visuals in the film are fun and vibrant....even when they borderline on silly.   Despite some serious plot issues  with the film it was a fun and enjoyable ride...Kinda of a kids introduction into better adventure  films like Indiana Jones or Pirates.