Dark Horse Picks: Movies

The best way I can describe this movie (without revealing the plot) is to say that this is a story about a man who has become two people. He has his memories of the man he was, and the man he has become. A very good performance by Val Kilmer.

Entropy has an interesting set of characters, and a different kind of story than the usual categorical movies that come out every year. You might enjoy it.

The Quiet Earth seems to go beyond (or perhaps not as far as) Science Fiction. I have a feeling this movie doesn't leave a lot of middle ground on whether you'll like it or not. Give it a try, and see if you've seen anything like it before.

Confession is an interesting movie starring Kay Francis as a former opera singer accused of murder. The majority of the story takes place in the past, as Vera (Kay Francis) tells a tragic story of her life. You should try this movie out, it may be to your liking.

A very emotional movie that deals with the bonds that carry beyond life and death. You'd be hard pressed to find another movie like this.

Richard Linklater directed this Philip K. Dick story. It features what is probably Keanu Reeves' best performance in a movie. I know he's not the best actor around, but don't let that deter you from giving this movie a honest watch.

A Howard Hawks movie about WWI flyers. Excellently acted, and visually satisfying, this movie is sometimes overlooked because of the 1938 sequel of the same name, starring Errol Flynn. This is my favorite of the two movies, and you should really give this one a watch first, before you see the 1938 version.

The story of The James and Younger gang, with the Keach brothers (James and Stacey) as the James brothers, the Carradine brothers (David, Keith, and Robert) as the Younger brothers, and Randy and Dennis Quad as the Miller brothers.

This is a rare western that doesn't bother to deal with good and evil, right and wrong, but merely tells a story about the three families during post civil war America.

Early James Cagney, and he's not playing a criminal. James Cagney plays a race car driver, who is shadowed by his younger brother, who begins to compete with him for success and fame.

Champions is a movie about a jockey who suddenly has to face a life threatening illness. John Hurt really does a good job in this movie, you should check it out.

This movie starring William Hurt is pretty strange. It's difficult to tell exactly what's going on during certain parts of the film. However, if you want something different, this is it. You might like this one, as it falls neither in horror, suspense, or science fiction. It's a little of all.

This remake of the 1953 "Invaders From Mars" has similar appeal to that of the 80's remake of "The Blob." Although far from a great movie, there are very interesting creatures, good effects, and some decent suspense as well.

Waking Life is perhaps more an exercise in artistic expression than anything else. Set around a series of conversations, and having no clear central plot, this may not be your cup of tea. However, just in case it is, you should give it a watch.

A very different kind of movie starring Tyrone Power. The movie follows Stanton Carlisle through his changing beliefs, morals, and romances. I can't tell you more without giving the story away. I suggest you watch it, and see what you think about it.

This movie stands out from many other 80's sci-fi movies, because of the time taken with character development. A story of two enemies forced to work together, this is definitely a recommended watch.

Another good performance from Val Kilmer. Also, good performances by Sam Shepard and Graham Greene. The story centers around a federal investigation of a murder on a Native American reservation.

The Prophecy stars Christopher Walken, Eric Stoltz, Elias Koteas, and Virginia Madsen. Good performances by the cast, and a decent treatment of religious and supernatural themes. Don't expect some mind-blowing treatise on God, death, and the universe. This movie, for the most part, is an action movie.

A decent movie with a slow pace, starring Guy Pearce. Pearce plays a salesman who slowly becomes obsessed with a fortune, told to him by a fortune teller. Well acted, and definitely worth a watch. Be warned, this is not a thriller or an action movie. It's a reflective kind of movie.

A movie I had heard nothing about. I sat down and watched this one with no expectations. I was really impressed with Sam Rockwell's performance, and the overall feel of the movie. This one is very well done, and I recommend you watch it.

This movie really isn't like other movies. For that reason alone you should watch it. Anthony Edwards heads up an ensemble cast of characters. I think telling you about the movie wouldn't help you to understand it. You must watch first, and ask questions later.

This may be the darkest horse of them all. 100-1 you even heard of this movie, let alone have seen it. I stumbled into watching this movie on accident. They story centers around two sick men that meet in a hospital. Things get more interesting as the story develops. Another Anthony Edwards picture ('88 was a good but weird year for Edwards) this movie also stars Timothy Dalton.

To me, Screamers traveled beyond a simple 'kill bad robots' storyline, and explored a grim future of forgotten soldiers on a distant planet. Worth a watch if you're a sci-fi fan, and looking for something a little different.

This never talked about movie has some decent action, and a non-typical role for Charlie Sheen. Having to do with aliens and UFO's, you might enjoy this film.

This movie is a full serving of madness with a side of crazy. I really liked it though, and Bill Pullman is in the right role for sure as he navigates through a minefield of magic and dark rituals.

Although not a technically good movie, you may want to give this one a watch. It has an ensemble cast with multiple storylines, and an interesting narration throughout the movie that adds a unique touch. Don't expect too much in the way of content, but pay attention to the style of movie-making.

The description for this movie is somewhat similar to the item above. However, this movie is about one night told from the perspective of multiple people. Once again, there isn't a lot content wise, but the movie does have style, and there are some entertaining sections to it. Don't expect too much, and you may get something out of it.

This Kevin Reynolds movie stars Kevin Costner, Judd Nelson, and Sam Robards. It's a story about a group of young men who have recently graduated college, trying to have one last meaningful experience together before they descend into the world of adulthood.


This is one of those movies you wish you could be in.

It wouldn't surprise me if you never heard of this one. It was a TV movie that to my knowledge aired only once. Back in the 90's, even TV movies can turn out better than you expected. This was one of those movies, starring no one famous. It was a nice suspenseful story, reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's "Lifeboat."

Local Hero is one of those movies you just don't get to hear about. It doesn't fit into the neat little categories that Hollywood likes to aim it's features toward. An interesting story about a young man sent to a remote village to seal a business deal, and an old man trying to reclaim his life. Worth a watch, if you like movies that are a little different, that aren't afraid to take time to tell a story.

The Hidden has some really good human versus alien shootouts, car chases, and strangeness in the guise of Kyle MacLachlan. Not a great movie, but a fun movie. Give it a watch, you won't be bored.

If you want a different kind of relationship story, this might be what you're looking for. One of the things that I liked about this movie was how painfully real it felt at certain times. A couple of characters are eerily similar to some of the people I used to hang out with.

It seemed like every other movie that came out in the 1980's was a fantasy movie. Some of these were quickly thrown together and made poorly. However, Krull is a pretty good effort, and worth watching if you haven't seen it. It definitely has a decent budget, and every spare cent was thrown into effects, which were done pretty well. Krull has a Cyclops, shape shifters, monsters, and a very serious looking throwing star. It also has some pretty well known actors in Alan Armstrong, Francesca Annis, Freddie Jones, Robbie Coltrane, and Liam Neeson.

Looking for long walks on shining green grass and romantic kisses? This is not that movie. Looking for human operated robots dueling for your entertainment? This is where it's at. Don't expect masterful dialogue and complex romantic nuance. This movie is robots - people in robots - fighting - credits. It's so straightforward I say give it a try.

The movie revolves around murder investigations of grisly scenes of crime. Two investigators are looking into the work of a possible serial killer. I could tell you more, but I don't want to give up the plot. It's pretty different. It's not a straight mystery, not a horror movie, it doesn't have a solid category. Often those are the movies that end up being the most interesting.

A different kind of sci-fi and romance story. It definitely feels like an 80's movie, but there are no 25 year old men and women pretending to be high school students. John Malkovich plays two roles in the movie, and does both very well.

I'm not going to lie to you though. There are absolutely no guarantees that you will like the movie. That's the thing about movies. So much about the reception of a movie has to do with the personality of the person watching it. So, watch it and see what you think.

A movie starring Paul Newman kicking ass as a cop, and gunning down drug dealers. There's a lot more to it than that, but if you want to know more, give the movie a watch. Paul Newman is not playing a shining hero in this film. It has a cynical and gritty feel to it.

Yes, another interesting Paul Newman movie. Don't be fooled by the image cover. This movie is not about kissing. It has some long quiet scenes broken up by violent action. There is an element of espionage in the plot, but rather than explain it to you, just watch the movie and see what you think. Paul Newman plays a sort of anti-hero, which he does rather well.

This is an 90's high school movie that follows the events leading up to an impending fight between a shy student and a criminally inclined new student. With a premise like that, you'd think the movie would be taking the slow train to suckville, but it's actually very expressive and creative. Casey Siemaszko is excellent as the hapless student Jerry, and Richard Tyson does a great job as the simian like Buddy Revell.

Something about the movie Prince of Darkness seems to affect me. Yes it's campy at times. Yes, there are a couple of moments that are more funny than scary. But Prince of Darkness has a few scary moments, and it was one of the only horror movies that I have watched as an adult that really bothered me and made me kind of freaked out after seeing it. Was it the melty faces? Was it the green juice? Actually, I think it was the low-res video dreams.

Ghost Story is not really a horror movie, but it's definitely a ghost story. It has Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Patricia Neal. Those are some of the best actors of their time, and they still have it even in the 80's.


What makes this movie different is the lack of cliched horror elements. There's minimal screaming, no running through hallways, but the movie has an atmosphere, and it never lets you down. If you haven't watched it before, just send an order to netflix or however you most like to rent movies. Don't look it up, forget about the ratings, just give it a shot with no distractions.