Favourable first viewings of 2016
Movies seen for the first time this past year which I would rewatch and recommend (Rated 7 and over). Listed in order seen.
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62 titles
- DirectorSamuel FullerStarsVictoria ShawGlenn CorbettJames ShigetaTwo detectives seek a stripper's killer in the Japanese quarter of Los Angeles, but a love triangle threatens their friendship.
- DirectorJoe MayStarsKay FrancisBasil RathboneIan HunterAging down on her luck cabaret singer murders a respectable composer. On trial she slowly gives in and explains her crime. They had a complicated history.
- DirectorF. Richard JonesStarsRonald ColmanClaud AllisterLawrence GrantA bored WWI veteran helps out a young woman whose uncle is being held hostage by embezzlers.
- DirectorJoseph LoseyStarsDavid WayneHoward Da SilvaMartin GabelIn this Americanization of the 1931 German thriller, both the police and the criminal underworld stalk a mysterious serial killer who preys on little girls.
- DirectorPaul BurnfordStarsTed DonaldsonMargaret LindsayConrad NagelFearing that his recently acquired stepmother, Ann Dennis, is competing with him for his father's affections, and saddened by the death of his dog, young Danny Mitchell, in the first film of the long-running "Rusty" series, seeks consolation in the companionship of a ferocious, German-trained police dog, Rusty, brought to the U.S. by a returning World War II veteran. The stepmother, with tender understanding, eventually wins Danny over while Danny pacifies his new dog.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsTed DonaldsonTom PowersAnn DoranDanny Mitchell, feeling that he has been misunderstood (nothing new for this kid in this series) by his parents, takes his dog, Rusty, and leaves home, camping out near the trailer of veterinary Dr. Francis Xavier Ray. Gas escapes in the trailer during the night, and Rusty rescues the vet before he is overcome.
- DirectorAlan TaylorStarsChris HemsworthNatalie PortmanTom HiddlestonWhen the Dark Elves attempt to plunge the universe into darkness, Thor must embark on a perilous and personal journey that will reunite him with doctor Jane Foster.
- DirectorIda LupinoStarsSally ForrestKeefe BrasselleHugh O'BrianA dancer who has just gotten engaged to her partner and choreographer and is about to embark on a major career is devastated to learn that she has contracted polio.
- DirectorRay AshleyMorris EngelRuth OrkinStarsRichard BrewsterWinifred CushingJay WilliamsA young boy fears that he shot his older brother, who is only faking. He then runs away to Coney Island, a crowded beach area, and gets money by returning soda bottles for their deposits.
- DirectorMaurice TourneurStarsTula BelleRobin MacdougallEdwin E. ReedWith the aid and guidance of a magical fairy, two peasant children set out in search of the elusive "Blue Bird of Happiness".
- DirectorAng LeeStarsEmma ThompsonKate WinsletJames FleetRich Mr. Dashwood dies, leaving his second wife and her three daughters poor by the rules of inheritance. The two eldest daughters are the title opposites.
- DirectorSam WoodStarsJoan FontainePatric KnowlesHerbert MarshallAn Edwardian belle meets a rich bachelor, but what to do about her husband and her lover?
- DirectorBurr SteersStarsLily JamesSam RileyJack HustonFive sisters in 19th century England must cope with the pressures to marry while protecting themselves from a growing population of zombies.
- DirectorDavid ButlerRobert FloreyRaoul WalshStarsErrol FlynnAlexis SmithS.Z. SakallTough dance hall girl working for the local villain falls for a cowboy trying to clean up the town.
- DirectorAlessandro CarloniJennifer Yuh NelsonStarsJack BlackBryan CranstonDustin HoffmanContinuing his "legendary adventures of awesomeness", Po must face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to home.
- DirectorByron HowardRich MooreJared BushStarsGinnifer GoodwinJason BatemanIdris ElbaIn a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.
- DirectorLewis R. FosterStarsCharley ChaseEugenia GilbertEdith FellowsA family goes on its weekly outing to the movies, but the evening is hampered by an attempt to pass the wife's brother off as a child, a crowded theater, and the daughter's apparently contagious case of the hiccups.
- DirectorCrane WilburStarsScott BradyJeff CoreyWhit BissellTwelve inmates plan a prison break from the Colorado State Penitentiary but one of them reluctantly joins the group.
- DirectorCharles LamontStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloBoris KarloffTwo bumbling American cops hunt for the mysterious Mr. Hyde in London, England.
- DirectorOscar MicheauxStarsIris HallWalker ThompsonLawrence ChenaultRacists learn that the land a negro owns lies over a vast oil field, and threaten his life when he refuses to sell.
- DirectorFred C. NewmeyerStarsHarold LloydMildred DavisRoy BrooksA man hits the streets with a scheme to keep his fiancé from losing her job, however, things quickly go from bad to worse.
- DirectorJoss WhedonStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansMark RuffaloWhen Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it's up to Earth's mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsChris EvansRobert Downey Jr.Scarlett JohanssonPolitical involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.
- DirectorPeyton ReedStarsPaul RuddMichael DouglasCorey StollArmed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, pull off a plan that will save the world.
- DirectorWilliam NighStarsRamon NovarroJoan CrawfordErnest TorrenceConflict ensues when a young man's childhood sweetheart becomes betrothed to his older brother.
- DirectorGeorge FitzmauriceStarsMelvyn DouglasVirginia BruceWarren WilliamA woman and a man vying for a woman's affection: the usual love trio? Not quite so since the belle in question is Lorraine de Grissac, a very wealthy and alluring society woman, while one of the two rivals is none other than Arsène Lupin, the notorious jewel thief everybody thought dead, now living under the assumed name of René Farrand. As for the other suitor he is an American, a former F.B.I. sleuth turned private eye by the name of Steve Emerson. Steve not only suspects Farrand of being Lupin but when someone attempts to steal a precious emerald necklace from Lorraine's uncle, Count de Brissac, he is persuaded Lupin is the culprit. Is Emerson right or wrong? Which of the two men will win over Lorraine's heart?
- DirectorJack ConwayStarsHerbert MarshallMary BolandLionel AtwillOliver Lane is "The Solitaire Man," a renowned jewel thief who is ready to retire and marry Helen, his partner in crime and his one true love. Their plans are shattered when another member of their gang, Bascom, walks in with a stolen necklace. Helen will not marry Oliver until the necklace is returned. Oliver's attempt to return the jewels later place the whole gang under suspicion for the theft and for the murder of a Scotland Yard inspector.
- DirectorWilliam NighStarsJohn GilbertErnest TorrenceMary NolanA con man and his beautiful accomplice kidnap a manager and steal $500,000 worth of diamonds, but end up stranded in the desert without water.
- DirectorMerian C. CooperErnest B. SchoedsackStarsKruChantuiNahA snapshot of life in the jungles of Northern Siam.
- DirectorEwald André DupontStarsEdmund GwennMaureen O'SullivanLucile WatsonOn a walking tour of English cathedrals, Donald Meadows meets Hester Granthem in church. Hearing he is from that hot-bed of crime, Chicago, Hester asks Donald to help her in a robbery she has planned. Thinking it a joke, he plays along; but Hester is serious, and hearing that she plans to rob Mr. Waller, the man who has cheated her father out of thousands of pounds, Donald agrees. A robbery at a pub is arranged, but the Bishop of Broadminster, an avid mystery fan, and his sister stumble into it. Playing detective the Bishop complicates matters and each side, the Bishop, the unscrupulous Waller, the gang Hester hires, and Hester and Donald, each get the upper hand along the way.
- DirectorRay EnrightStarsJoan BlondellGlenda FarrellGuy KibbeeTwo golddiggers go fishing for millionaires in Havana.
- DirectorDon HahnStarsRoy Edward DisneyJohn LasseterMichael EisnerThe story of the Disney Renaissance, an incredibly prolific, successful and prestigious decade lasting from 1984 to 1994 that saw the fallen Walt Disney Animation Studios' unexpected progressive triumphant return to excellence.
- DirectorLewis SeilerStarsBetsy PalmerJack LordBarry AtwaterWhen the nephew and his friend of Phyllis Carter are killed in an automobile crash while under the influence of narcotics, she persuades Police Lieutenant Jim Hahan to use her as an undercover agent, despite the fact she is married and has a young son. She is trained to impersonate "Lynn Stuart", who did time for a bank hold-up, and is given a job at a drive-in restaurant where members of a narcotics gang are known to frequent. She attracts the attention of Willie Down, a mid-level boss in the gang and begins getting information from him which she passes on to the FBI. Her husband, alarmed over the health of their son gets her to promise to quit. Willie takes her to Mexico before she can inform anyone where she is going, where he and a gang henchman murder the driver and guard of a truck transporting dope and hijack the load. Phyllis/Lynn goes to the ladies room of a service station where she scribbles their destination on a mirror using lipstick hoping to be rescued.
- DirectorCecil B. DeMilleStarsWarner BaxterLupe VelezEleanor BoardmanJim Wyngate, an English aristocrat, comes to the American West under a cloud of suspicion for embezzlement actually committed by his cousin Lord Henry. In Wyoming, Wyngate runs afoul of cattle rustler Cash Hawkins by rescuing the Indian girl Naturich from Hawkins. Wyngate marries Naturich, but then learns that his cousin Lord Henry has been killed and has cleared his name before dying. As Wyngate has long loved Lady Diana, Lord Henry's wife, he is perplexed at his situation. But fate takes a hand and resolves matters as Wyngate could not have predicted.
- DirectorWilliam WitneyStarsRoy RogersTriggerJane FrazeeA gang, headed by evil Stephanie Bachelor, is slaughtering game out of season. Roy finds the freezer where the meat is kept, but baddie Roy Barcroft finds him there. A famous fight takes place in the freezer. Roy, of course, wins it.
- DirectorFrank R. StrayerStarsPenny SingletonGlenn FordAnn MillerFederal Marshall Tex Miller, and his girl-friend Belinda Pendergast are having problems with the masked bandit 'Pecos Pete.'
- DirectorGeorge PollockStarsMargaret RutherfordLionel JeffriesCharles 'Bud' TingwellAfter Miss Jane Marple is made a trustee of a merchant marine training vessel, a fellow trustee is poisoned, and ship's officers are later murdered after she comes on board.
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsKirk DouglasHenry FondaHume CronynA charming but totally ruthless criminal is sent to a remote Arizona prison. He enlists the help of his cellmates in an escape attempt with the promise of sharing his hidden loot.
- DirectorRobert Z. LeonardStarsMarion DaviesOnslow StevensJ. Farrell MacDonaldA young woman living in an Irish fishing village inherits her late grandfather's estate, but is forced to spend three years in England training to be a proper lady to collect the fortune.
- DirectorJustin LinStarsChris PineZachary QuintoKarl UrbanThe crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.
- DirectorDon SiegelStarsEli WallachRobert KeithRichard JaeckelIn San Francisco, a psychopathic gangster and his mentor retrieve heroin packages carried by unsuspecting travelers.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsEdward G. RobinsonRichard ArlenZita JohannA tuna fisherman marries a woman who doesn't love him.
- DirectorErich von StroheimStarsErich von StroheimFay WrayZasu PittsA young impoverished aristocrat falls in love with an inn-keepers daughter, but has to marry money.
- DirectorSam WoodStarsJean HarlowClark GableStuart ErwinA woman is sent to a reformatory when her con artist lover flees after killing a man during a botched blackmail scheme.
- DirectorJohn RawlinsStarsTim HoltJack HoltNan LeslieBob Morgan returns home but alienates his father by not staying at his ranch. Instead he becomes the head of the new Arizona Rangers. Matters get worse between father and son when when his father catches a man he believes to be a murderer and Bob breaks up his lynching party. When the outlaw is broken out of jail by his gang, Bob is relieved of his position. Not giving up, he now heads out alone to face the gang.
- DirectorFrank McDonaldStarsTim HoltRichard MartinMartha HyerYoung Danny leads an Army detail into a trap enabling his brother Steve and his gang to capture their load of gattling guns. Tim and Chito capture the brothers but don't find the guns. Tim takes over care of the boy hoping he will lead a new life and tell where the guns are located. Just when is appears to be working, Tim learns Danny has helped his brother escape.
- DirectorLesley SelanderStarsTim HoltRichard MartinMarjorie LordTexas Rangers Tim Holt (Tim Holt) and Chito Rafferty (Richard Martin are sent to Wilcox, Texas to investigate the raids on Hoyt Corthell (Frank Wilcox) by a band of masked raiders led by the Diablo Kid. Posing as cowhands, they are stopped and taken to the Trevitt Ranch where they meet Gale Trevitt (Marjorie Lord), her younger brother Artie (Gary Gray) and her Uncle Henry (Houseley Stevenson), father of Trig (Tom Tyler, Matt (Clayton Moore) and Luke (Jay Kirby) , who have taken Tim and Chito captive. Tim is wounded, during a holdup, by Doc Nichols (Charles Arnt) as he is about to capture one of the raiders, actually the Trevitt family led by Gale posing as the Diablo Kid. Tim and Chito eventually learn that all of the local ranchers are being victimized by Corthell, and that Gale and her family are just taking back and returning what has been stolen by the Corthell gang, working with the crooked town Marshal, Barlow (Harry Woods).
- DirectorLesley SelanderStarsTim HoltRichard MartinEdward NorrisLearning that Chito's wealthy uncle died without a will, Tim and Chito head for California. On arrival, they quickly learn that someone is out to kill Chito, and the other heir, Chito's cousin Ramon, is wanted for a murder he did not commit. Stevens is the culprit. As executor he is selling parts of the estate and needs the heirs out of the way.
- DirectorLesley SelanderStarsTim HoltRichard MartinJacqueline WhiteOut-of-work cowboys Kansas Jones and Chito Rafferty are offered jobs at pretty Dusty Willis' ranch after saving her from a beating by saloon owner Clint Burrows. Dusty's good-hearted but weak-willed brother Harry, adding to his $3000 gambling debt to Willis, reluctantly agrees to pay it off by allowing the Ringo Kid, Burrows' vicious hired gun, to rustle cattle from his sister's ranch. Kansas intervenes, deters the rustlers and persuades Harry to confess his involvement to Dusty. Kansas, sent into town by Dusty to pay off Harry's debts, suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the law, wrongly accused of murder and must rely on Dusty's belief in his innocence for his salvation.
- DirectorLesley SelanderStarsTim HoltGail DavisHugh BeaumontWhen the telegraph line is sabotaged before completion, Tim Holt and his sidekick Chito investigate.
- DirectorLesley SelanderStarsTim HoltDorothy MaloneRobert LivingstonAfter being fired by Warren, Gabe crosses the border to see Ace Kelso and they make plans to get Warren's cattle. They waylay the Cattle Inspector and replace him with their man Regan. After Regan condemns the cattle they plan to drive them across the border. But Dave Saunders is suspicious of the phony Inspector and rides off to check with the Chief Inspector.
- DirectorNorman TaurogStarsBing CrosbyFrances FarmerBob BurnsCowboy Jeff Larabee returns from the east and meets Doris Halloway, a young girl, that he regards as a vagabond, till he learns that she's the owner of the ranch where he works. He tries to win her heart, but without success, until she is endangered by gangsters.
- DirectorArchie MayoStarsGeorge RaftConstance CummingsWynne GibsonA successful ex-boxer opens a high-class speakeasy in what once was the childhood home of a formerly rich society girl.
- DirectorGeorge SeatonStarsJames GarnerEva Marie SaintRod TaylorGermans kidnap an American Major and try to convince him that World War II is over so they can get details about the Allied invasion of Europe out of him.
- DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinEdna PurvianceDave AndersonThe Little Tramp and his dog companion struggle to survive in the inner city.
- DirectorFred NibloStarsEnid BennettRamon NovarroWallace BeeryTwo young lovers escape their past lives to Paris until fate separates them.
- DirectorVictor FlemingStarsGary CooperWalter HustonMary BrianA good-natured cowboy who is romancing the new schoolmarm has a crisis of conscience when he discovers that his best friend is engaged in cattle rustling.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsEddie RedmayneKatherine WaterstonAlison SudolIn 1926, magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York during his worldwide tour to research and rescue magical creatures as something mysterious leaves trails of destruction in the city, threatening to expose the wizarding world.
- DirectorRichard FleischerStarsStephen BoydRaquel WelchEdmond O'BrienWhen a blood clot renders a scientist comatose, a submarine and its crew are shrunk and injected into his bloodstream in order to save him.
- DirectorIrwin AllenStarsWalter PidgeonJoan FontaineBarbara EdenWhen the Earth is threatened by a burning Van Allen Radiation Belt, U.S. Navy Admiral Harriman Nelson plans to shoot a nuclear missile at the Belt, using his experimental atomic submarine, the Seaview.
- DirectorYasujirô OzuStarsKinuyo TanakaJôji OkaSumiko MizukuboA gangster tries to find redemption with the inadvertent help of an innocent shop girl and his jealous girlfriend will do anything to keep him.
- DirectorDavid MillerStarsJoan CrawfordJack PalanceGloria GrahameAfter an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.