The Sentinel (1977)

Michael Winner’s technique can be as subtle as a sledgehammer meeting a grapefruit, but I find a lot of his stuff watchable, nevertheless. Sentinel is technically a horror film, but it’s the kind of sinister horror that builds slowly from a foundation of regular drama, not unlike Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Exorcist (1973), two films from which it borrows heavily.
It’s the story of a female model that moves into a NY apartment complex and quickly discovers that her neighbours are an oddball bunch. Shortly after that strange things begin to happen in the night.
A lot of it failed to catch hold of me, but there are two scenes that I’ll never forget: an uninhibited Beverly D'Angelo and a very chilling finale.

3½ abandoned hopes out of 5

LITTLE BIG MAN [1970]

Director Arthur Penn's adaptation of Thomas Berger's novel Little Big Man is one of the first Western films to properly portray Native Americans and have a poor view on the U.S. Military.  

As serious and distressing as the subject matter is the film manages to fit in some great humor at all the right moments making for one of the better and more entertaining "epic" films ever produced.   Dustin Hoffman is magnificent as the pint-sized protagonist who just can't seem to catch a break and when he does it's short-lived.  It might be based on historical facts but the story itself is purely fictional so with that in mind, it's easier to not take quite as seriously as many might be fooled into.  

It's an impressive job at taken a touchy subject then blending it with humor that hasn't outdated it self to this very day.  

4 Soda Pop Kids out of 5

12 ANGRY MEN [1957]

Director Sidney Lumet made his feature film debut with the legal drama classic 12 Angry Men....and wow, what a debut it is.

An impressive cast makes their mark with a variety of distinct characters with captivating dialogue and precise direction.  In fact the whole film is set in one room so it completely relies on the dialogue and performances, which not once loses your interest.  The photography is fantastic as it slowly and subtly gets more and more claustrophobic as tempers raise.  There's not a whole lot I can say about this film that hasn't already been said.  It's simply one of those must see movies for lovers of film.

5 public avengers out of 5