At The Movies

Sands of Iwo Jima Age Rating: TV-PG Runtime: 109 minutes Studio: Republic Pictures A hard-bitten Marine sergeant trains men for war, only to lead them into one of the most brutal battles of World War II. Ratings: My Rating: 82% The Dove Foundation: Approved for All Ages IMDb: 7.0/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 100% Metacritic: 75/100 TMDb: N/A Plot Summary: Sgt. John Stryker is a tough, demanding Marine whose men resent his harsh training and cold discipline. But as they move from preparation into combat at Tarawa and then Iwo Jima, they begin to understand that his severity is meant to keep them alive. The film follows the Marines through fear, loss, sacrifice, and growing respect for Stryker, ending with the iconic raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi. Critics Review: Critics generally praise the film as a strong patriotic World War II drama, especially John Wayne’s performance as Sgt. Stryker. The battle scenes and use of real combat footage give it weight and historical texture. Some critic...

Born to the West AKA: Hell Town Runtime: 59 minutes Studio: Paramount Pictures Distributor: Paramount Pictures Country of Origin: United States Based on a Book: Born to the West by Zane Grey Franchise: Standalone Franchise Position: N/A A black-and-white Western film featuring John Wayne as Dare Rudd, a roguish cowhand who gets entangled in a cattle rustling scheme while trying to win the heart of his cousin's fiancée. Ratings: My Rating: 7/10 IMDb: 6.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes: Not Available Metacritic: Not Available TMDb: Not Available Plot Summary: Dare Rudd and his sidekick Dinkey Hooley arrive in Montana to visit Rudd's cousin, Tom Fillmore, a successful cattle rancher. Rudd falls for Tom's fiancée, Judy, and is persuaded to take a job as foreman for a cattle drive. However, he loses the herd's money in a poker game with a crooked gambler. Rudd and Tom must join forces to recover the money and thwart a cattle rustling plot led by the villainous Bart Hammond. Critics Revi...

Blue Steel Runtime: 54 minutes Studio: Monogram Pictures Country of Origin: United States Franchise: Standalone Franchise Position: N/A A U.S. Marshal goes undercover to investigate a series of robberies committed by the Polka Dot Bandit. When he is mistakenly suspected by the local sheriff, the two join forces to uncover a larger conspiracy involving a land-grabbing scheme by a wealthy businessman. Ratings: My Rating: 6.5/10 IMDb: 6.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes: Not available Metacritic: Not available TMDb: Not available Plot Summary: John Carruthers (John Wayne), an undercover U.S. Marshal, arrives in a small Western town to investigate a string of robberies attributed to the Polka Dot Bandit. When Sheriff Jake Withers (George "Gabby" Hayes) finds him at the scene of a robbery and the town's payroll is missing, he suspects Carruthers is the thief. However, the two soon discover that the true culprit is Malgrove (Edward Peil Sr.), a wealthy landowner who orchestrates the robberi...