Earth vs. the Flying Saucers(1956)***1/2Incredible tale of an alien invasion spruced up by some amazing effects by Ray Harryhausen. Film is main influence for Indepence Day 40 years later.
Edward Scissorhands(1990)***Tim Burtons vaiation on Pinochio is a warm hearted black comedy. Johnny Depp plays the young man with cutting shears for hands who's brought to live with a contemporary family. Everyone enjoys him at first until he is accused of murder. Inventive fairy tale co-stars Winona Ryder as the daughter who falls in love with the modern day Frankenstein monster. Vincent Price has a small part as the dying inventor.
The Empire Strikes Back(1980)****Second and best of George Lucas's Star Wars saga is a perfect example of big budget story telling. Film starts off with the Empire discovering the hidden rebel base on Hoth and leads to an amazing chase through an astroid belt. Meanwhile Luke trains with Master Yoda, a jedi knight. All of which leads to a dramitic conclusion in the fabulously inventive city in the clouds. Movie is a nonstop saga of good vs. evil. Possibly the best of it's kind of ever made.
Enemy From Space(1957)***1/2First rate thriller from director Val Guest about a possible alien invasion in a small town. Brian Donlevy reprises his role as Bernard Quatermass in this sequel to The Creeping Unknown.
Enemy Mine(1985)***Wolfgang Peterson directed this character driven sci-fi movie about two mortal enemies who crash land on an astroid and have to learn to get along to survive. Good effects and writing in this effective drama starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr.
Escape From L.A.(1996)**Disapointing remake of Escape From New York once again starring Kurt Russell as Sanke Plissken. Plenty of effects but lacks the dramatic edge of the original. John Carpenter directed.
Escape From New York(1981)***1/2John Carpenter's trash classic became a trendseter in the early 80's. Kurt Russell stars as renegade Snake Plisken who is recruited to recover the President who crashed inside Manhattan, now a maximum security prison.
Escpae From the Planet of the Apes(1971)***1/2Third effort in series is a superior effort from director Don Taylor. We learn that before the explosion of Earth in the last movie Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter escpaed in the repaired space craft and returned to present day Earth. Playing like the flipside of the original movie the apes try to make their case to a courtroom of humans. Excellent comedy and satire.
E.T.: the Extra Terestrial(1982)****Speilburg's tale of boy meets alien remains one of the greatest of all sci-fi movies. Henry Thomas plays Elliot, a young boy who takes in E.T. and helps him get home. The film is shot entirely from his point of view remiscent of the 1953 invasion flick Invaders From Mars. Great score from John Williams.
Event Horizon(1997)**1/2Hollywood remake of the Russian sci-fi classic Solaris is a big budgeted horror house in space with touches of Alien. Sam Neil leads of group of scientists to recover his space ship which has been "where no man has gone before". In fact it has been to Hell and back. Gory and sick with great visual effects amd a few scares.
Eve of Destruction(1991)**Gregory Hines stars in this passable film about a beutifulfemale robot who goes on a killing spree. Renee Soutendijk stars as the robot. Directed by Duncan Gibbins.
The Ewok Adventure(1984)**1/2Despite the juvinile feel of this tv movie it's quite entertaining. A family of space travelers crash land on Endor populated as you know by Ewoks. The parents are captured by huge ugly creatures and it's up to the kids and Ewoks to save them. Great effects and adventure.
Ewok: The Battle For Endor***Sequal to the Ewok Adventure is much better and stands apart as a piece of the Star Wars legacy. The exciting story details Wilford Brimley's rescue of two children from a castle of giant creatues. Directed by Jim and Ken Wheat
Excalibur(1981)****John Boorman's fantasy masterpiece of King Author and the Knight's of the Round Table. Epic tale follows Author's adventures from the time he pulls the sword from the stone and the search for the grail. Rich adaptain of the mythic tale is enhanced with great location shooting and special effects. Nicholas Clay steals the show as Merlin.
Existenz(1999)***David Croenberg's Matrix style thriller about a game called Existenz. The users plug into the game with a connection in the back of their necks. Stylish game make you wonder what's real and what's not.