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The first movie in the Jack Ryan series is also considered one of the very best. Directed by the underrated John Mctiernen(Die Hard, Predator) and starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin this is a worthy film to put into your submarine movies collection. The Hunt for Red October has a much different feel from any of the other Jack Ryan films (to date, there have been five plus a web series). This is because John McTiernan's directorial style is substantially different than those of his successors. McTiernan is a master of escalating tension, although The Hunt for Red October doesn't show it as well as Die Hard. The movie personalizes the global crisis sufficiently for the audience to have a deeper rooting interest than in whether or not World War III breaks out. Aside from some gunplay in the third act the film is also short on action but makes up for it in relentless pacing and fine execution.

Jack Nicholson stars in this update on the werewolf theme with Michele Pfieffer in tow. Directed by Mike Nichols this mid 90s film has everything you'd expect from such a film- high budget set pieces and special effects, the raw power of the star wattage on display and a top director's heft. Some scenes stick out and Nicholson's transformation is great from a visual perspective. Wolf should not be considered a horror film. Although not multilayered or deep from any perspective the film isn't just a werewolf on a rampage episode either. An actor of Nicholson's heft adds to the proceedings and with the good cinematography, score and look Mike Nichol's Wolf rises above its monster roots. Unheard of by many, this is a good moody film with some great factors that are sadly lost in today's high tech world. Wolf is a reminder of artistic cinema- get reminded.

As preposterous wannabe Hitchcockian thrillers go, this one is adequate. After a slow start, things move along at a clip sufficient to keep most viewers interested, if not completely engaged. My level of disappointment has more to do with wasted potential than with what's on screen. The behind-the-scenes talent, from the director and screenwriters to the cinematographer, is top-notch. The protagonists are played by two of the most appealing actors of this generation. The supporting cast draws from a deep pool of accomplished British thespians. Yet, despite all it has going for it, The Tourist never escapes from the web of mediocrity that ensnares it. As pointless diversions go, it has some things going for it, but not enough for a wholehearted recommendation. Those who want Hitchcock are better with the real thing - pale substitutes like this one merely italicize how special the legendary director was.