Showing posts with label 1990. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1990. Show all posts

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Back to the Future Part III

Back to the Future Part III is a 1990 American science fiction Western comedy film and the third and final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson and Lea Thompson. The film continues immediately following Back to the Future Part II. While stranded in 1955 during his time travel adventures, Marty McFly (Fox) discovers that his friend Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, trapped in 1885, was killed by Biff Tannen's great-grandfather Buford. Marty decides to travel to 1885 to rescue Doc. Back to the Future Part III was filmed in California and Arizona, and was produced on a $40 million budget back-to-back with Part II. Part III was released in the United States on May 25, 1990, six months after the previous installment. Part III earned $244.5 million worldwide, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1990.

Plot


On November 12, 1955, Marty McFly discovers that his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, is now trapped in 1885. Marty and Doc's 1955 self use the information in Doc's 1885 letter to locate and repair the DeLorean. Marty spots a tombstone with Doc's name, dated six days after the letter. Learning that Doc was killed by Biff Tannen's great-grandfather, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen, Marty travels back to 1885 to save Doc. Marty arrives on September 2, 1885, in the middle of a United States Cavalry pursuit of Indians. When the fuel line is torn, Marty hides the car in a cave and walks to Hill Valley. He meets his Irish-born great-great-grandparents, Seamus and Maggie McFly, and runs afoul of Buford and his gang. Buford tries to hang Marty, but Doc saves him. Doc agrees to leave 1885, but because commercial gasoline is not yet available, the DeLorean cannot reach 88 miles per hour under its own power. Doc devises a plan to use a locomotive to push the DeLorean up to the required speed. While he and Marty explore a rail spur they intend to use, they spot an out-of-control horse-drawn wagon. Doc saves the passenger, Clara Clayton, and the two fall in love. Marty thwarts Buford's attempt to kill Doc at a town festival, whereupon Buford challenges Marty to a showdown in two days. Doc's name disappears from the photograph of his tombstone, but the date remains unchanged; Doc warns Marty that he might be the one killed by Buford. The night before their departure, Marty and Doc place the DeLorean onto the rail spur. At Clara's house, Doc tells her he is from the future, but she believes it is an excuse to end their relationship and angrily dismisses him. Distraught, Doc returns to the town saloon for a binge, but Marty rides to the saloon and convinces Doc to leave with him. Doc drinks a single shot of whiskey and passes out instantly. Buford arrives early and calls out Marty, but Marty refuses to duel. Doc revives after drinking the bartender's special "Wake-Up Juice" and tries fleeing with Marty, but Buford's gang captures Doc, forcing Marty to duel. During a fistfight, Buford destroys the tombstone, is knocked unconscious into a wagon full of manure, and is then arrested for an earlier robbery. Marty and Doc depart to steal the locomotive. As Clara is leaving on the train, she overhears a salesman discussing how heartbroken Doc was at the saloon. Clara applies the emergency brake and runs back to town. She discovers Doc's model of the time machine and rides after him. Having stolen the train at gunpoint, Doc and Marty begin pushing the DeLorean along the spur line, attempting to get it up to 88 miles per hour. Clara boards the locomotive while Doc climbs towards the DeLorean. Doc encourages Clara to join him. As she climbs to Doc, Clara falls and hangs by her dress. Marty passes his 2015-era hoverboard to Doc so he can save Clara. They coast away from the train as the DeLorean returns to 1985, while the locomotive falls off the unfinished bridge. Marty arrives on October 27, 1985, escaping the powerless DeLorean before it is destroyed by an oncoming freight train. He discovers that everything has returned to the improved timeline and finds Jennifer sleeping on her front porch. He uses the lessons he learned in 1885 to avoid being goaded into a street race with Douglas J. Needles, avoiding a possible automobile accident. Remembering that this accident would have sent Marty's life spiraling downward by 2015, Jennifer opens a fax message she kept from 2015 and watches as its text regarding Marty's firing disappears. Marty takes Jennifer to the time machine wreckage. A locomotive equipped with a flux capacitor appears, manned by Doc, Clara, and their two children Jules and Verne. Doc gives Marty a photo of the two of them by the clockworks at the 1885 festival. Jennifer asks about the fax, and Doc tells them it means that the future has not been written yet. Doc’s train converts into an aerial craft and disappears into an unknown time.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future_Part_III

Home Alone (1990)

Home Alone

Home Alone (stylized as HOME ALONe) is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a boy who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation. Kevin initially relishes being home alone, but soon has to contend with two would-be burglars played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. The film also features Catherine O'Hara and John Heard as Kevin's parents. Culkin was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy. After its release, Home Alone became the highest-grossing live action comedy film of all time in the United States, and also held the record worldwide until it was overtaken by The Hangover Part II in 2011. It is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time at the North American box office (when adjusted for inflation). Home Alone has spawned a successful film franchise with four sequels, including the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the only Home Alone sequel to have the original cast reprising their roles.

Plot


The McCallister family is preparing to spend Christmas in Paris, gathering at Peter and Kate's home outside of Chicago on the night before their departure. Peter and Kate's youngest son, eight-year-old Kevin, is being ridiculed by his siblings and cousins. A fight with his older brother, Buzz, results in Kevin getting sent to the third floor of the house for punishment, where he wishes that his family would disappear. During the night, heavy winds cause damage to power lines, which causes a temporary power outage and resets the alarm clocks, causing the entire family to oversleep. In the confusion and rush to get to the airport, Kevin is accidentally left behind. Kevin wakes up to find the house empty and, thinking his wish has come true, is overjoyed with his new-found freedom. However, Kevin soon becomes frightened by his next door neighbor, "Old Man" Marley, who is rumored to have murdered his family with a snow shovel in 1958; as well as the "Wet Bandits", Harry and Marv, a pair of burglars who have been breaking into other vacant houses in the neighborhood and have targeted the McCallisters' house. Kevin tricks the pair into thinking his entire family is home, forcing them to put their plans on hold. Kate discovers mid-flight that Kevin is missing and, upon arrival in Paris, the family discovers that all flights for the next two days are booked. Peter and the rest of the family go to his brother Rob's apartment in the city while Kate manages to get a flight back to the United States only to get as far as Scranton, Pennsylvania. She attempts to book a flight to Chicago but again, everything is booked. Unable to accept this, Kate is overheard by Gus Polinski, the lead member of a traveling polka band, who offers to let her travel with them to Chicago on their way to Milwaukee in a moving van, which she graciously accepts. Meanwhile, Harry and Marv realize that Kevin is home alone, and on Christmas Eve, Kevin overhears them discussing plans to breaking into his house that night. Kevin goes to church and watches a choir perform. He meets Old Man Marley, who sits with Kevin and they briefly speak; he learns that Marley is actually a nice man and that the rumors about him are false. He tells Kevin he is watching the choir because his granddaughter is singing, but he never gets to see her because he and his son are estranged and have not been on speaking terms for some time; Kevin suggests that he try to reconcile with his son. Kevin returns home and rigs the house with numerous booby traps. Harry and Marv break in, springing the traps and suffering various injuries. While the duo pursues Kevin around the house, he calls the police and flees the house, luring the duo into a neighboring vacant home. Harry and Marv manage to catch him and discuss how they will get their revenge, but Marley sneaks in and knocks them unconscious with his snow shovel before they can do anything to Kevin. The police arrive and arrest Harry and Marv, having identified all the houses they burglarized due to the latter's habit of flooding them. On Christmas Day, Kevin is disappointed to find that his family is still gone. He then hears Kate enter the house and call for him; they reconcile and are soon joined by the rest of the McCallisters, who waited in Paris until they could get a direct flight to Chicago. Kevin keeps silent about his encounter with Harry and Marv, although Peter finds Harry's missing gold tooth. Kevin then observes Marley reuniting with his son and his family. Marley notices Kevin and the pair wave to each other before Marley and his family go inside his house. Buzz suddenly calls out, "Kevin, what did you do to my room?!" at which point Kevin runs off.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Alone

Pretty Woman (1990)

Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall from a screenplay written by J. F. Lawton. The film stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and features Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy (in his final performance), Laura San Giacomo and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Its story centers on down-on-her-luck Hollywood hooker Vivian Ward, who is hired by Edward Lewis, a wealthy businessman, to be his escort for several business and social functions, and their developing relationship over the course of her week-long stay with him. Originally intended to be a dark cautionary tale about class and sex work in Los Angeles, the film was reconceived as a romantic comedy with a large budget. It was widely successful at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1990. The film is one of the most popular films of all time; it saw the highest number of ticket sales in the US ever for a romantic comedy, with Box Office Mojo listing it as the #1 romantic comedy by the highest estimated domestic tickets sold at 42,176,400, slightly ahead of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) at 41,419,500 tickets. The film received positive reviews, with Roberts's performance being praised, for which she received a Golden Globe Award, and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In addition, screenwriter J. F. Lawton was nominated for a Writers Guild Award and a BAFTA Award.

Plot


Edward Lewis, a successful corporate raider in Los Angeles on business, accidentally ends up on Hollywood Boulevard, in the city's red-light district after being rejected and breaking up with his girlfriend during an unpleasant phone call in which Lewis appears highly controlling; he asked his girlfriend to escort him during his California business trip, but she was offended that he could demand from her whatever he wants, as if she is his 'beck and call girl'. After leaving the party where he had this unpleasant phone call, taking his lawyer's Lotus Esprit luxury car, Lewis encounters a prostitute, Vivian Ward. He stops for her, apparently lost and having difficulties driving the car, asking for directions back to Beverly Hills. It is not clear if he really wants to hire her, or just get help getting back to his hotel. He asks her to get in the car and show him how to return to the Beverly Hills Regent where he is staying. It becomes clear that Vivian knows more about the Lotus than he does, and he lets her drive him to his hotel. Vivian charges Lewis $20 for the ride, and then they separate. He goes to his hotel, and she goes to the bus stop to go back to Hollywood Blvd. Lewis goes back to find Vivian waiting for the bus, and decides to hire her for the night, and then later, to play the role his girlfriend had refused, offering Vivian $3000 to stay with him for the next six days as well as paying for a new, more acceptable wardrobe for Vivian. Edward is visibly moved by her transformation from hooker to sophisticated woman, and begins seeing Vivian in a different light. He begins to open up to her, revealing his personal and business lives. Edward takes Vivian to a polo match he sponsors in hopes of networking for his business deal. His attorney Phillip begins to suspect Vivian to be a corporate spy. Edward reassures him by telling him how they truly met and Phillip approaches Vivian, suggesting they do business once her work with Edward is finished. Insulted by Phillip and furious that Edward has revealed the secret of who she really is, Vivian wants to end her arrangement with Edward. Edward confesses to feeling jealous of a business associate who has paid Vivian some personal attention during the week. Vivian's straightforward personality is rubbing off on Edward and he finds himself acting contrary to his normal personal and business personalities. Clearly growing closer, Edward flies with Vivian in his private jet to see La Traviata in San Francisco. Vivian is moved to tears by the story of the prostitute who falls in love with a rich man, further edifying Edward's feelings towards Vivian. After the opera Edward appears to have truly fallen in love with Vivian. Growing extremely fond of Edward, Vivian breaks her "no kissing on the mouth" rule (which her friend Kit taught) and finds herself falling in love with him. He offers to put her up in an apartment so she can be off the streets but she rejects it, insulted and says this is not the "fairy tale" she dreamed of where a knight on a white horse rescues her. In meeting with business associates whose company he is in the process of "raiding", Edward changes his mind at the last minute. His time with Vivian has shown him a different way of looking at life and he suggests working together to help save the associates' company rather than tearing it apart and selling it off for a profit. They will build big ships together. Furious over the loss of so much money, Phillip goes to the hotel to confront Edward, but only finds Vivian. He blames her for changing Edward and attempts to force himself on her. Edward arrives and throws him out of the apartment. With his business in L.A. complete and his return to N.Y. imminent, Edward tries to persuade Vivian to stay one more night with him because she wants to, not because he's paying her but she refuses. On his way to the airport, Edward re-thinks his life and his unexpected feelings for Vivian. He has the hotel chauffeur detour to Vivian's apartment building where he leaps from the white limo and "rescues her"; a visual urban metaphor for the knight on a white horse rescuing the princess, fulfilling Vivian's childhood fantasy.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Woman

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Dances with Wolves

Dances with Wolves is a 1990 American epic Western film directed by, produced by, and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells the story of a Union Army lieutenant who travels to the American frontier to find a military post and his dealings with a group of Lakota Indians. Costner developed the film with an initial budget of $15 million. Dances with Wolves had high production values and won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Much of the dialogue is spoken in Lakota with English subtitles. It was shot in South Dakota and Wyoming, and translated by Albert White Hat, the chair of the Lakota Studies Department at Sinte Gleska University. The film is credited as a leading influence for the revitalization of the Western genre of filmmaking in Hollywood. In 2007, Dances with Wolves was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Plot


In 1864, First Lieutenant John J. Dunbar is wounded in battle at St. David's Field in Tennessee. Choosing death in battle over amputation of his leg, he takes a horse and rides up to and along the Confederate lines. Despite numerous pot shots, the Confederates fail to hit him, and while they are distracted, the Union Army successfully attack the line. Dunbar survives, receives a citation for bravery, and proper medical care. He recovers fully and is awarded Cisco, the horse who carried him, and his choice of posting. Dunbar requests a transfer to the western frontier so he can see it before it disappears. Dunbar is transferred to Fort Hays, a large fort presided over by a suicidal major who despises Dunbar's enthusiasm, but agrees to post him to the furthest outpost they have, Fort Sedgewick, and kills himself shortly afterwards. Dunbar travels with Timmons, a mule wagon provisioner; they arrive to find the fort deserted and in poor condition. Despite the threat of nearby Indian tribes, Dunbar elects to stay and man the post himself. He begins rebuilding and restocking the fort and prefers the solitude, recording many of his observations in his diary. Timmons is killed by Pawnee Indians on the journey back to Ft. Hays; his death, together with that of the major who had sent them there, prevents other soldiers from knowing of Dunbar's assignment, and no other soldiers arrive to reinforce the post. Dunbar initially encounters his Sioux neighbors when attempts are made to steal his horse and intimidate him. Deciding that being a target is a poor prospect, he decides to seek out the Sioux camp and attempt dialogue, rather than wait. On his way he comes across Stands With A Fist, the white adopted daughter of the tribe's medicine man Kicking Bird, who is ritually mutilating herself while mourning for her husband. Dunbar brings her back to the Sioux to recover, and some of the tribe begin to respect him. Eventually, Dunbar establishes a rapport with Kicking Bird and Wind In His Hair, initially visiting each other's camps. The language barrier frustrates them, and Stands With A Fist acts as interpreter, although with difficulty; she only remembers English from her early childhood before the rest of her family was killed during a Pawnee raid. Dunbar finds that the stories he had heard about the tribe were untrue, and he develops a growing respect and appreciation for their lifestyle and culture. Learning their language, he is accepted as an honored guest by the Sioux after he tells them of a migrating herd of buffalo and participates in the hunt. When at Fort Sedgewick, Dunbar also befriends a wolf he dubs "Two Socks" for its white forepaws. Observing Dunbar and Two Socks chasing each other, the Sioux give him the name "Dances With Wolves." During this time, Dunbar also forges a romantic relationship with Stands With A Fist and helps defend the village from an attack by the rival Pawnee tribe. Dunbar eventually wins Kicking Bird's approval to marry Stands With A Fist, and abandons Fort Sedgewick. Because of the growing Pawnee and white threat, Chief Ten Bears decides to move the tribe to its winter camp. Dunbar decides to accompany them but must first retrieve his diary from Fort Sedgewick as he realizes that it would provide the army with the means to find the tribe. However, when he arrives he finds the fort reoccupied by the U.S. Army. Because of his Sioux clothing, the soldiers open fire, killing Cisco and capturing Dunbar, arresting him as a traitor. Senior officers interrogate him, but Dunbar cannot prove his story, as a corporal has found and discarded his diary. Having refused to serve as an interpreter to the tribes, Dunbar is charged with desertion and transported back east as a prisoner. Soldiers of the escort shoot Two Socks when the wolf attempts to follow Dunbar, despite Dunbar's attempts to intervene. Eventually, the Sioux track the convoy, killing the soldiers and freeing Dunbar. They assert that they do not see him as a white man, but as a Sioux warrior called Dances With Wolves. But, at the winter camp, Dunbar decides to leave with Stands With A Fist because his continuing presence would endanger the tribe. As they leave, Wind In His Hair shouts to Dunbar, reminding him that he is Dunbar's friend, a contrast to their original meeting where he shouted at Dunbar in hostility. U.S. troops are seen searching the mountains but are unable to locate them, while a lone wolf howls in the distance. An epilogue states that thirteen years later the last remnants of the free Sioux were subjugated to the American government, ending the conquest of the Western frontier states and the livelihoods of the tribes on the Great Plains.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dances_with_Wolves

Total Recall (1990)

Total Recall

Total Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox and Michael Ironside. The film is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. It tells the story of a construction worker who is having troubling dreams about Mars and a mysterious woman there. It was written by Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, Jon Povill, and Gary Goldman, and won a Special Achievement Academy Award for its visual effects. The original score composed by Jerry Goldsmith won the BMI Film Music Award. The film was one of the most expensive films made at the time of its release, although estimates of its production budget vary and it is not certain whether it ever actually held the record.

Plot


In 2084, construction worker Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is having troubling dreams about Mars and a mysterious woman there. His wife Lori (Sharon Stone) dismisses the dreams and discourages him from thinking about Mars, where the governor, Vilos Cohaagen (Ronny Cox), is fighting rebels while searching for a rumored alien artifact located in the mines. At Rekall, a company that provides memory implants of vacations, Quaid opts for a memory trip to Mars as a Secret Agent fantasy. However, during the procedure, before the memory is implanted, something goes wrong, and Quaid starts revealing previously suppressed memories of actually being a Secret Agent. The company sedates him, wipes his memory of the visit, and sends him home. On the way home, Quaid is attacked by his friend Harry (Robert Costanzo) and some construction co-workers; he is forced to kill them, using elite fighting skills. He is then attacked in his apartment by Lori, who states that she was never his wife; their marriage was just a false memory implant, and Cohaagen sent her as an agent to monitor Quaid. He is then attacked and pursued by armed thugs led by Richter (Michael Ironside), Lori's real husband and Cohaagen's operative. After evading his attackers, Quaid is given a suitcase containing money, gadgets, fake IDs, a disguise, and a video recording. The video is of Quaid himself, who identifies himself as "Hauser" and explains that he used to work for Cohaagen but learned about the artifact and underwent the memory wipe to protect himself. "Hauser" instructs Quaid to remove a tracking device located inside his skull before ordering him to go to Mars and check into the Hilton Hotel with a fake ID. Quaid makes his way to Mars and follows clues to Venusville, the colony's red-light district, primarily populated by people mutated as a result of poor radiation shielding. He meets Benny (Mel Johnson, Jr.), a taxi driver, and Melina (Rachel Ticotin), the woman from his dreams; but she spurns him, believing that Quaid is still working for Cohaagen. Quaid later encounters Dr. Edgemar (Roy Brocksmith) and Lori, who claim Quaid has suffered a "schizoid embolism" and is trapped in a fantasy based on the implanted memories. Edgemar warns that Quaid is headed for lunacy (his description loosely predicting later events) and a lobotomy if he does not return to reality, then offers Quaid a pill that would waken him from the dream. Quaid puts the pill in his mouth, but after seeing Edgemar sweating in fear, he kills Edgemar and spits out the pill. Lori alerts Richter's forces, who burst into the room and capture Quaid, but Melina rescues him, with Quaid killing Lori in the process. The two race back to the Venusville bar and escape into the tunnels with Benny. Unable to locate Quaid, Cohaagen shuts down the ventilation to Venusville, slowly asphyxiating its citizens. Quaid, Melina, and Benny are taken to a resistance base; and Quaid is introduced to Kuato (Marshall Bell), a parasitic twin conjoined to his brother's stomach. Kuato reads Quaid's mind and tells him that the alien artifact is a turbinium reactor that will create a breathable atmosphere for Mars when activated, eliminating Cohaagen's abusive monopoly on breathable air. Cohaagen's forces burst in and kill most of the resistance, including Kuato, who instructs Quaid to start the reactor. Benny reveals that he is also working for Cohaagen, and that he alerted Cohaagen's forces. Quaid and Melina are taken to Cohaagen, who explains that the Quaid persona was a ploy by Hauser to infiltrate the mutants and lead Cohaagen to Kuato, thereby wiping out the resistance. Cohaagen orders Hauser's memory to be re-implanted in Quaid and Melina programmed as Hauser's obedient wife, but Quaid and Melina escape into the mines where the reactor is located. They work their way to the control room of the reactor, and Benny attacks them in an excavation machine. Quaid kills Benny, then confronts Richter and his men, killing them too. Quaid reaches the reactor control room, where Cohaagen is waiting with a bomb. During the ensuing struggle, Cohaagen triggers the bomb, but Quaid throws it away, blowing out one of the walls of the control room and causing an explosive decompression. While reaching for the reactor controls, Quaid knocks out Cohaagen, and he is sucked out onto the Martian surface, killing him. Quaid manages to activate the reactor before he and Melina are also pulled out. The reactor releases air into the Martian atmosphere, saving Quaid, Melina and the rest of Mars' population. As humans walk onto the surface of the planet in its new atmosphere, Quaid momentarily pauses to wonder whether he is dreaming or not, before turning to kiss Melina.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Recall_(1990_film)

Die Hard 2 (1990)

Die Hard 2

Die Hard 2 (sometimes referred to as Die Hard 2: Die Harder) is a 1990 American action film and the second entry in the Die Hard film series. It was released on July 4, 1990. The film was directed by Renny Harlin, written by Steven E. deSouza and Doug Richardson, and stars Bruce Willis as John McClane. The film co-stars Bonnie Bedelia (reprising her role as Holly McClane), William Sadler, Art Evans, William Atherton (reprising his role as Richard "Dick" Thornburg), Franco Nero, Dennis Franz, Fred Thompson, John Amos, and Reginald VelJohnson, returning briefly in his role as Sgt. Al Powell from the first film. The screenplay was written by Steven E. de Souza and Doug Richardson, adapted from Walter Wager's novel 58 Minutes. The novel has the same premise but differs slightly: A cop must stop terrorists who take an airport hostage while his daughter's plane circles overhead. He has 58 minutes to do so before the plane crashes. Roderick Thorp, who wrote the novel Nothing Lasts Forever, upon which Die Hard was based, receives credit for creating "certain original characters", although his name is misspelled onscreen as "Roderick Thorpe". As with the first film, the action in Die Hard 2 takes place on Christmas Eve. McClane is waiting for his wife to land at Washington Dulles International Airport when terrorists take over the air traffic control system. He must stop the terrorists before his wife's plane and several other incoming flights that are circling the airport run out of fuel and crash. During the night, McClane must also contend with airport police, maintenance workers, and a military commander who does not want his assistance. The film was preceded by Die Hard and followed by Die Hard with a Vengeance in 1995, Live Free or Die Hard in 2007 and A Good Day to Die Hard in 2013.

Plot


On Christmas Eve, two years after the Nakatomi Tower Incident, John McClane is waiting at Washington Dulles International Airport for his wife Holly to arrive from Los Angeles. Reporter Richard Thornburg, who exposed Holly's identity to Hans Gruber in the Nakatomi Tower, is assigned a seat across the aisle from her. In the airport bar McClane spots two men in army fatigues carrying a package, one of whom has a gun. He follows them into the baggage area. After a shootout, he kills one of the men while the other escapes. Learning the dead man is a mercenary believed to be killed in action while originally serving with the US military, McClane relates the situation to airport police Captain Carmine Lorenzo, but Lorenzo has McClane ejected from his office. Former U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel William Stuart and other members of his unit establish a base in a church near Dulles. They take over the air traffic control systems, cut off all communication to the planes and seize control of the airport. Their goal is to rescue General Ramon Esperanza, a drug lord and dictator of Val Verde, who is being extradited to the United States to stand trial on drug trafficking charges. They demand a Boeing 747 cargo plane so they can escape to another country with Esperanza in tow, and warn the airport controllers not to try to restore control. McClane realizes his wife is on one of the planes circling above Washington, D.C. with too little fuel to be redirected. He prepares to fight the terrorists, allying himself with a janitor, Marvin, to gain larger access to the airport. Dulles communications director Leslie Barnes heads to the unfinished Annex Skywalk with a SWAT team to re-establish communications with the planes. Just before reaching the Skywalk, the entire group and Barnes are ambushed by Stuart's henchmen at a checkpoint, and the SWAT team is killed in the ensuing firefight. With Marvin's help, McClane reaches the massacre scene, rescuing Barnes and killing Stuart's men. Stuart retaliates by recalibrating the instrument landing system and then impersonating air traffic controllers to crash a British jet, killing all 230 passengers and crew on board. A U.S. Army Special Forces team led by Major Grant is called in. By listening in on a two-way radio that was dropped by one of Stuart's henchmen, McClane finds out that Esperanza, who's killed his captors and is now flying, is landing. With Marvin's aid, McClane reaches the aircraft before Stuart's henchmen, but Esperanza traps him and the antagonists throw grenades into the cockpit. McClane escapes via the ejection seat mere seconds before the grenades detonate and the aircraft explodes. Barnes helps McClane locate the mercenaries's hideout and they tell Grant and his team to raid the location, but the mercenaries escape on snowmobiles. McClane pursues them, but the gun he picked up does not kill anyone when fired. He discovers that the gun is loaded with blanks, and he is horrified to discover that the mercenaries and most members of the Special Forces team have been in cahoots all along (One of the Special Forces is later killed by Major Grant when it transpires he was never part of the team and was merely a last minute replacement). McClane contacts Lorenzo to intercept the Boeing 747 in which the mercenaries will escape, proving his story by firing at Lorenzo with the blank gun. A suspicious Thornburg is monitoring airport radio traffic, and learns about the situation from a secret transmission to the circling planes from Barnes. He phones in a sensational and exaggerated take on what is happening, leading to panic and preventing the officers from reaching the escape plane. Holly subdues Thornburg with a Stun gun. McClane hitches a ride on a news helicopter that drops him off on the wing of the mercenary plane. He jams the left inboard aileron with his jacket, preventing the plane from taking off. Esperanza, who is flying the jet, is shocked when he sees McClane on the wing. Grant emerges and fights McClane, but the former is knocked off the wing and into an engine, which sucks him in, vaporizing him. Stuart then comes out and succeeds in knocking McClane off the plane. He removes McClane's jumper and re-enters the plane. However, he fails to realize McClane opened the fuel hatch before he fell off. McClane uses his cigarette lighter to ignite the trail of fuel, which destroys the jet, killing Esperanza, Stuart and all on board. The pilots of Holly's plane uses the fire trail to help them land, which the other passenger jets do as well. The passengers are safely evacuated and McClane and his wife are happily reunited. Lorenzo appears and thanks John.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard_2

Presumed Innocent (1990)

Presumed Innocent

Presumed Innocent is a 1990 American legal drama film and adaptation of Scott Turow's 1987 novel of the same name. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, and written by Pakula and Frank Pierson, the film stars Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Raúl Juliá, Bonnie Bedelia, Paul Winfield and Greta Scacchi. The story follows Rusty Sabich (Ford), a prosecutor charged with the murder of his female colleague and mistress Carolyn Polhemus (Scacchi). Before publication of the novel, the film rights became the subject of a bidding war among a host of established film studios and producers. Sydney Pollack and Mark Rosenberg acquired the rights in December 1986 and hired Pierson to write the script. The project continued development at Warner Bros., and Pakula was brought in to rewrite the script with Pierson before signing on as the film's director in January 1989. On a budget of $20 million, the film's principal photography commenced in May 1989 and concluded in October of that year. Filming took place on locations in Detroit, Windsor, Ontario, and New Jersey, and on soundstages at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York. Presumed Innocent held its premiere at the Bruin Theater in Los Angeles, California on July 25, 1990 before being released in North America on July 27, 1990. The film has an approval rating of 86% at Rotten Tomatoes, which praised its directing, acting and writing. Presumed Innocent grossed $221 million worldwide and became the eighth-highest-grossing film of 1990. The film was followed by a television miniseries, The Burden of Proof (1992), and a television film sequel, Innocent (2011).

Plot


Rozat "Rusty" Sabich is a prosecutor and the right-hand man of district attorney Raymond Horgan. When his colleague, Carolyn Polhemus, is found raped and murdered in her apartment, Raymond insists that Rusty take charge of the investigation. With the election for District Attorney approaching, Tommy Molto, the acting head of the homicide division, has left to join the rival campaign of Nico Della Guardia. Rusty, a married man, faces a conflict of interest since he had an affair with Carolyn. When he had shown little ambition and would have therefore been of little use in advancing her career, Carolyn abruptly dumped him. He has since reconciled with his wife Barbara, but is still obsessed with Carolyn. Detective Harold Greer is initially in charge of the murder investigation, but Rusty has him replaced with his friend Detective Dan Lipranzer, whom he persuades to narrow the inquiry so that his relationship with Carolyn is left out. Rusty soon discovers that Molto is making his own inquiries. Aspects of the crime suggest that the killer knew police evidence-gathering procedures and covered up clues accordingly. Semen found in the victim's body contains only dead sperm. The killer's blood is Type A, the same as Rusty's. When Della Guardia wins the election, he and Molto accuse Rusty of the murder and push to get evidence against him. Rusty's fingerprints are found on a beer glass from Carolyn's apartment, and fibers from his carpet at home match those found on her body. Lipranzer is removed from the case, and Greer's inquiries uncover the affair. Raymond grows furious with Rusty's handling of the case, but expresses that he had also been romantically involved with Carolyn at one time. Rusty calls on Sandy Stern, a top defense attorney. At trial, it is revealed that the beer glass is missing, and Stern persuades Judge Larren Lyttle to keep this from the jury. Raymond testifies and perjures himself, claiming that Rusty insisted on handling the investigation, thus confirming the defense's claim of a frame-up. Rusty discovers that Carolyn had acquired a file for a bribery case involving a man named Leon Wells. Upon being confronted by Rusty and Lipranzer, Wells confesses that he paid Carolyn to have criminal charges against him dropped, and that the money went to Judge Lyttle. The thrust of Stern's defense is that Della Guardia and Molto have framed Rusty in order to cover up the bribery case. During the cross-examination of the coroner, it is revealed that Carolyn had undergone a tubal ligation, making it impossible for her to become pregnant. She would have no reason to use the spermicidal contraceptive which was found on her. Stern asserts that the only explanation for this discrepancy is that the fluid sample was not actually taken from Carolyn's body. Based on the disappearance of the beer glass, the lack of motive and the fact that the fluid sample was rendered meaningless, there is no direct evidence to tie Rusty to the murder; Judge Lyttle dismisses the charges. Rusty confronts Stern for bringing up the bribery file in the case. Stern admits that he and Raymond knew that Lyttle was taking bribes. Although Lyttle had offered his resignation, Raymond felt that he was a brilliant judge and deserved another chance. Lipranzer reveals the beer glass to Rusty, explaining that he never returned it to the evidence room after the case was turned over to Molto and Della Guardia. Rusty throws the glass into the river. At his home, Rusty discovers a small hatchet covered with Carolyn's blood and hair on it. As he washes the tool, Barbara admits that she murdered Carolyn, her motive being Rusty's adulterous affair. She expresses that she had left enough evidence for Rusty to know that she committed the crime, but did not anticipate him being charged with the murder. In a voice-over, Rusty explains that Carolyn's murder has been written off as unsolved, since trying two people for the same crime is "a practical impossibility" and he cannot leave his son without a mother even if she could be tried. Rusty regrets that it was his own lust that caused his wife to commit murder.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presumed_Innocent_(film)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 1990 American live-action independent film directed by Steve Barron, based on the comic book characters of the same name. It was released on March 30, 1990. The film presents the origin story of Splinter and the Turtles, the initial meeting between them, April O'Neil and Casey Jones, and their first confrontation with The Shredder and his Foot Clan. The film stars Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, and the voices of Brian Tochi, Robbie Rist, Josh Pais and Corey Feldman as the four title characters. When the New York City Police Department is unable to stop a severe crime wave caused by the Foot Clan, four mutated vigilante turtles — Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael — come forth to save the city. Under the leadership of mutated rat, Splinter, and together with their new-found allies April O'Neil and Casey Jones, they fight back and take the battle to The Shredder. The film kept very close to the dark feel of the original comics, and is a direct adaptation of the comic book storyline involving the defeat of Shredder, with several elements also taken from the 1987 TV series that was airing at the time, such as April being a news reporter, and the turtles having different-colored masks, as opposed to the uniform red masks of the comic. The film became the second-highest-grossing independent film of all time, as well as the ninth-highest-grossing film worldwide of 1990. It was the most successful film in the series until the 2014 reboot. It was followed by two sequels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in 1991 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III in 1993.

Plot


As a crime wave rises in New York City, Channel 3 news reporter April O'Neil talks about rumors of young children and teenagers being reported as the majority of the thieves, connecting it to a rumored Foot Clan, which originated in Japan. On an ordinary night, she comes across thieves stealing from a news van and is attacked. She is rescued and one of her rescuers leaves behind a sai when the police arrive to collect the tied up criminals. In the storm sewers, four anthropomorphic turtles return to their underground home and meet with their master Splinter, who advises them to remain hidden from the world and work only in the shadow. Raphael admits he lost his weapon, and when the others order pizza he leaves in disguise to see a movie. After leaving the movie, he encounters Casey Jones who tries to exact justice on a pair of muggers by beating them with sporting implements. After a brief stand off between the two, Casey takes off into the city and Raphael loses his temper. Returning home, Splinter confronts Raph about his temper. April is attacked in the subway by members of the Foot, after spouting rumors of them on television. She is knocked unconscious while trying to fend them off but is saved by Raphael, who takes her back to their home. After calming her down, Splinter explains their origins and introduces her to Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo. Unfortunately, Raph had been followed by a member of the Foot. After the turtles take April home, and spend some time over pizza, they return to find their home demolished and Splinter missing. With nowhere else to turn, they return to April's apartment. The next morning, April's supervisor Charles Pennington and his son Danny arrive; Charles chides April on her behavior with police chief Sterns and advises her to be careful, while Danny catches a glimpse of Michaelangelo, garnering his suspicions. Later, Charles confronts Danny for being arrested for stealing and Danny runs away into the subway. He escapes to a warehouse on Lairdman Island, the hideout for the teenaged thieves of the Foot. It is revealed that Splinter is there, held prisoner by The Shredder, who acts as a surrogate father to the outcast teenagers. Danny gives The Shredder his information on the Turtles. After a heated argument between Leo and Raph, Raph goes up to the roof of April's building and is attacked by dozens of Foot Clan members. The fight moves into the building, where April and the others are attacked after Raph is thrown down a skylight window. The numbers cause the floor to give way, and they continue their battle in the basement. After Foot reinforcements arrive, overwhelming the turtles, Casey appears, having seen Raph earlier on the roof and he helps even the odds. In the melee, with Raph in a coma, the building catches fire, forcing the Turtles to escape. Retreating to an abandoned farm April's family owns, April learns that Charles has fired her from the television station. Raph awakens from his coma and makes amends with Leo. The four of them train. After receiving visions from Splinter, Leonardo and the rest decide it is time to return to the city. Meanwhile, Danny encounters Splinter, whose kindness casts doubts on his decision to betray the Turtles. He goes to hide in the Turtles' den, and is there when they return. In the night, Danny slips away, followed by Casey who discovers the thieves' hideout. Danny meets with Splinter again, who tells him the story of his master who was killed by a man named Oroku Saki, whom he and Splinter realize was The Shredder himself 15 years prior. Danny grasps how insane The Shredder truly is after learning his past, but he inadvertently alerts him that the turtles have returned. The Shredder sends his men to raid the turtles' home, but the Foot are ambushed as the group has already anticipated their attack. Casey and Danny free Splinter, and after Casey defeats Shredder's second in command Tatsu, they convince the teens to follow them and teach them the error of their ways. They return to the city as the Turtles face off against Shredder, who outmatches them. The Shredder taunts the Turtles, saying he killed Splinter, causing Leo to attack Shredder. Shredder disarms Leo, threatening to impale him with his spear unless the Turtles drop their weapons. The Turtles do so, but Shredder plans on killing Leonardo anyway. Before he can do so, he is distracted by Splinter, allowing Leo to escape. Splinter then faces Shredder, revealing that he was Hamato Yoshi's pet rat who disfigured Oroku Saki after the latter killed Hamato. Vengeful, Shredder charges Splinter but he falls over the ledge of the roof after the fight. Splinter tries to spare him, but Shredder attacks, forcing the rat to let go, and he falls into a garbage truck. Casey turns on the trash compactor and crushes Shredder. The police arrive and arrest the defeated Foot Ninjas. April is reinstated by Charles, with better perks, to cover the story. Danny reunites with his father who is overjoyed to see him, and they have reconciled. Casey and April meet, and she tells him to kiss her, which he obliges, much to the cheering from the Turtles.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles_(1990_film)

Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop is an American crime comedy-drama film, released to cinemas in the United States on December 22, 1990, directed by Ivan Reitman, distributed by Universal Pictures. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective working undercover as a kindergarten teacher to apprehend the vicious drug dealer Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson) before Crisp can get to his former wife and son. While undercover, Kimble discovers his passion for teaching and considers changing his profession to become an educator. Pamela Reed plays his partner, Phoebe O'Hara, and Penelope Ann Miller plays Joyce, the teacher who becomes his love interest. The original music score was composed by Randy Edelman. The film was released in the United Kingdom on February 1, 1991, and topped the country's box office that weekend.

Plot


After years of pursuing drug lord Cullen Crisp, LAPD detective John Kimble finally has him on a murder charge after Crisp kills an informant who gives him information regarding the whereabouts of his former wife Rachel Myatt Crisp and son Cullen, Jr. Accompanied by detective and former teacher Phoebe O'Hara, Kimble goes undercover in Astoria, Oregon, to find Crisp's former wife who allegedly stole millions of dollars from Crisp before fleeing. The detectives plan to offer her immunity in exchange for testifying against Crisp in court. To find Crisp's former wife, O'Hara is to act as the substitute teacher in Cullen Jr.'s kindergarten class at Astoria Elementary School. Unfortunately, the hypoglycemic O'Hara gets a terrible case of the stomach flu and falls ill at the last moment, so Kimble takes the teacher's job. The suspicious school principal Miss Schlowski is convinced Kimble will not last long before quitting. Though overwhelmed at first, Kimble adapts to his new status, despite not having any formal teaching experience or training. Using his pet ferret as a class mascot, his police training as a model for structure of the classes, his experience as a father, and positive reinforcement, he becomes a much-admired and cherished figure to the children. In turn, Kimble begins to like his undercover job and considers changing his career. He also deals with a case of child abuse, eventually punishing Zach Sullivan's father for abusing his son and winning Schlowski's favor. She witnesses his teaching style throughout and assures him that though she does not agree with his methods, she can see that he is a good teacher. Kimble becomes fond of his student Dominic's mother Joyce Palmieri, who also works at the school. Joyce is estranged from her husband and will not speak of him. After a series of conversations with the gradually more trusting Joyce, Kimble slowly deduces that she is Rachel Crisp and that Dominic is Cullen Jr. Back in California, the witness to the informant's murder dies after using spiked cocaine provided by Crisp's mother Eleanor, closing the case because the prosecution has no further evidence. Crisp is liberated from prison and immediately travels to Astoria with his mother to search for Dominic. Once at the school, Crisp starts a fire in the school library in order to get to Dominic and holds him hostage after being discovered. Luckily, Kimble's ferret bites Crisp on the neck, allowing Dominic to run free. Crisp shoots Kimble in the leg, then Kimble fatally shoots Crisp. Eleanor also wounds Kimble in the shoulder and discovers her dead son, but is knocked unconscious with a baseball bat by an enraged O'Hara before she can shoot Kimble. Eleanor is arrested, while the unconscious Kimble is hospitalized. During Kimble's recovery, O'Hara and her chef fiancé, Henry, announce their marriage, inviting him to attend. After recovering, Kimble returns to the school, where he reunites with the kids and receives a kiss from Joyce in front of them.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindergarten_Cop