150 Movies You Should See Before You Die Read Online Free Page A

'n' roll band.
    Betcha Didn't Know
    Elaine May worked obsessively on editing the film and only turned it over to the studio after she was threatened with legal action.
    Ishtar had an estimated budget of $55 million but only made $12.7 million during its American theatrical run.
    Trivia Quiz
    What was Warren Beatty's only movie during the 1990s that wasn't a financial disaster?
    A: Dick Tracy (1990)
    B: Bugsy (1991)
    C: Love Affair (1994)
    D: Bulworth (1998)
    Answer: A. Dick Tracy had a budget of $47 million and earned almost $104 million during its American theatrical run.
SAHARA
Paramount Pictures/Bristol Bay Productions, 2005
    PRODUCERS Gus Gustawes, William J. Immerman, Matthew McConaughey, and Vicky Dee Rock (executive producers), Stephanie Austin, Howard Baldwin, Karen Baldwin, and Mace Neufeld (producers)
    WRITERS Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John C. Richards, and James V. Hart (script), Clive Cussler (novel)
    DIRECTOR Breck Eisner
    STARS Matthew McConaughey ( Dirk Pitt ), Steve Zahn ( Al Giordino ), Penélope Cruz ( Eva Rojas ), Lambert Wilson ( Yves Massarde ), and William H. Macy ( Jim Sandecker )
    Professional salvagers and adventurers (McConaughey, Zahn, and Macy) are on the trail of an American Civil War — era ironclad that vanished with millions of dollars worth of Confederate gold coins aboard. Evidence points to its final resting place deep within the wastelands of the Sahara desert.
    Why It Sucks
    Sahara could have been a turn-off-your-brain-and-enjoy-the-ride movie in the Indiana Jones mode. After all, that's the kind of novels Clive Cussler writes. Instead, the movie's saddled with a halfhearted political message (why do directors do that?). If that weren't bad enough there's the add-water-and-stir romance between McConaughey and Cruz's characters.

    Thumbs Down Rating:
    The Crappies
    The Worst Actress Award goes to … Penélope Cruz for being about as annoying and shrewish as possible. She even makes you forget how gorgeous she is.
    And the Take the Money and Run Award goes to … Author Clive Cussler, who, after selling the rights to adapt his characters to film, immediately badmouthed Sahara . Dude, it's Hollywood. What did you think they were going to do with it?
    They Really Said It!
    General Kazim : Don't worry. It's Africa. Nobody cares about Africa.
    Betcha Didn't Know
    Sahara reportedly cost $160 million to make but only made some $70 million during its theatrical run.
    Clive Cussler was paid $10 million for the rights to adapt the movie.
    Trivia Quiz
    What other movie based on a Clive Cussler novel detailed the adventures of Dirk Pitt and his associates?
    A: Dirk Pitt and Blackbeard's Treasure (1994)
    B: Raise the Titanic (1980)
    C: Hell and High Water (1954)
    D: The Deep (1977)
    Answer: B. Raise the Titanic (1980). While Clive Cussler's novels may have been bestsellers, the films based upon them have been financial disasters. ITC spent $36 million to make the film but it only made some $14 million between theatrical screenings and home video rentals.
THE SPIRIT
Odd Lot Entertainment/Lions Gate Entertainment, 2008
    PRODUCERS Michael Burns, Bill Lischak, Steven Maier, and Benjamin Melniker (executive producers), Deborah Del Prete, Gigi Pritzker, and Michael E. Uslan (producers)
    WRITERS Frank Miller (script) and Will Eisner (characters, original comic book series)
    DIRECTOR Frank Miller
    STARS Gabriel Macht ( The Spirit/Denny Colt ), Samuel L. Jackson ( The Octopus ), Eva Mendes ( Sand Saref ), Scarlett Johannson ( Dr. Silken Floss ), Louis Lombardi ( Pathos/Ethos/Logos ), Dan Lauria ( Commisioner Dolan ), Stana Katic ( Officer Morgenstern ), and Paz Vega ( Plaster of Paris )
    The mysterious protector of Central City, the Spirit (Macht) squares off against the villainous Octopus (Jackson) over the secret behind the Spirit's powers and the key to world domination. But will triumph mean defeat for the Spirit? Has his long-lost childhood sweetheart, Sand Saref (Mendes), really joined