Trying to save a kid from a group of terrorists led by Michael Kittredge (Vinnie Jones), former Navy Seal Lamont Dixon (Eddie Griffin) tries to swipe a drilling rig’s helicopter. Kittredge has other plans and has the copter swatted by the rig’s crane. All we see is the stark terror on Dixon’s face as the copter is plunging over the side and headed for the water. I still get chills thinking about it.

Director:  Anthony Hickox Writer:  Horst Freund; Steven E. de Souza Cast:
Eddie Griffin -  Lamont Dixon Vinnie Jones -  Michael Kittredge Breckin Meyer -  Jamal Soup -  Raj Shaggy -  Mace Nadine Velazquez -  Luna Hannes Jaenicke -  CEO Heller Tiny Lister -  Smiley		Warwick Grier -  Telford Vivica A. Fox -  Agent Reed Nicky Andrews -  Eric Paul Du Toit -  Smiley’s Goon Langley Kirkwood -  Agent Phillips Dean Slater -  Dean Brett Whitehead -  Uli Clyde Berning -  Clyde

Often it is something traumatic that leads one into a choice of what you’ll do for the rest of your life. You find yourself frozen in wonder at what is happening and it becomes a raison d’être in your life. For Reena Hale (Alicia Witt) it was the fire that burned down her family’s restaurant when she was 11. After the firemen put it out, she sees John Minger (Scott Bakula), an arson investigator, working the scene, trying to figure out whether the fire was an accident or intentional, and suddenly knows in her soul that this is what she wants to do and be.

Director:  David Carson Writer:  Ronni Kern; Nora Roberts Cast:
Alicia Witt -  Reena Hale Scott Bakula -  John Minger Matthew Settle -  Bo Goodnight Talia Shire -  Bianca Hale Eric Keenleyside -  Gib Hale John Reardon -  Josh Ben Ayres -  Hugh Chris Fassbender -  Joey Pastorelli Jr.		Taylor Dauphinais -  Young Reena David Brown -  Joe Pastorelli Sr. Liam Nelson -  Young Joey Pastorelli Jr. Rod Heatheringston -  Steve Chad Nobert -  Xander Hale Peter Skagen -  FBI Agent Daniela Vlaskalic -  Fran Hale Karen Johnson-Diamond -  Mrs. Pastorelli

Mysteries, whether they are in book form or on the big screen, all display similar characteristics. There are good guys who solve the crime, usually murder. There are the love interests, usually someone in a slinky dress and pumps willing to help the hero through any rough patches which arise. The suspects, usually those who have had a continuing or periodic contact with the victim, and may have crossed swords with them for some distracting but ultimately meaningless reason but for the killer. And the clues include events that might have caused the death, tangible items of interest used in the commission of the felony or the circumstances that put the suspects in the victim’s vicinity. All of this gets summarized a time or two during the mystery just so nobody gets lost and drifts away to the fridge. The Big Sleep does all of this and more. But it has one thing most mysteries don’t. No, I don’t mean the electricity between Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) and Vivian Sternwood Rutledge (Lauren Bacall). I mean the extra body. Watch it and keep track. You’ll see.

Director:  Howard Hawks Writer:  Raymond Chandler; William Faulkner; Leigh Brackett; Jules Furthman Cast:
Humphrey Bogart -  Philip Marlowe Lauren Bacall -  Vivian Sternwood Rutledge John Ridgely -  Eddie Mars Martha Vickers -  Carmen Sternwood Dorothy Malone -  Acme Bookstore proprietress Peggy Knudsen -  Mona Mars Regis Toomey -  Chief Insp. Bernie Ohls (District Attorney’s Office) Charles Waldron -  Gen. Sternwood		Charles D. Brown -  Norris (Sternwood’s butler) Bob Steele -  Canino (Mars’ henchman) Elisha Cook, Jr. -  Harry Jones Louis Jean Heydt -  Joe Brody

We are all plagued by guilt. Guilt over what we’ve done, what we could have done, what we haven’t done. How we handle it is often a measure of how we are able to cope every day. My guilt tends to be associational, that is, something triggers a memory and no matter how hard I try to assuage it, the circumstances I remember cause me to pause and wonder what can be done to eliminate it. But I’m relieved that mine is limited to stuff where I had an element of control over the situation. I wouldn’t want to be Buddy Amaral (Ben Affleck), an ad executive anticipating a one-sight stand with fellow passenger Mimi Praeger (Natasha Henstridge). He gives his airplane ticket to Greg Janello (Tony Goldwyn) who is anxious to get home to his wife Abby (Gwyneth Paltrow) and family. After the plane crashes, Buddy checks into rehab for his drinking. He goes in search of Abby and finds her now working as a struggling real estate agent. Buddy tries to buy some relief by having her as agent for his advertising agency’s new offices but he cannot bring himself to tell her the truth. Serindipitously, Mimi has a chance meeting with Abby, who discovers Buddy’s secret.

Director:  Don Roos Writer:  Don Roos Cast:
Ben Affleck -  Buddy Amaral Gwyneth Paltrow -  Abby Janello Natasha Henstridge -  Mimi Prager Edward Edwards -  Ron Wachter Jennifer Grey -  Janice Guerrero Tony Goldwyn -  Greg Janello Lisa Carpenter-Prewitt -  Carol Wilson Lisa Joyner -  T.V. Announcer		Richard Saxton -  CNN Reporter Caroline Aaron -  Donna David Dorfman -  Joey Janello Alex D. Linz -  Scott Janello Juan García -  Kevin Walters Mary Ellen Lyon -  Ellen Seitz Joe Morton -  Jim Willer Thea Mann -  Karen

After all of the good, the bad and the in-between things Dwight ‘Bucky’ Bleichert (Josh Hartnett) has done to protect the ones he loves, their secrets and those he protects, he finds solace in the arms of Kay Lake (Scarlett Johansson). There he finds a place where he can feel safe and protected from the world. Isn’t that what all of us want after a long, hard day?

Director:  Brian De Palma Writer:  Josh Friedman; James Ellroy Cast:
Josh Hartnett -  Ofcr. Dwight ‘Bucky’ Bleichert Scarlett Johansson -  Kay Lake Aaron Eckhart -  Sgt. Leland ‘Lee’ Blanchard Hilary Swank -  Madeleine Linscott Mia Kirshner -  Elizabeth Short Mike Starr -  Russ Millard Fiona Shaw -  Ramona Linscott Patrick Fischler -  Ellis Loew		James Otis -  Dolph Bleichert John Kavanagh -  Emmet Linscott Troy Evans -  Chief T. Green Anthony Russell -  Morrie Friedman Pepe Serna -  Dos Santos Angus MacInnes -  Capt. John Tierney Rachel Miner -  Martha Linscott Victor McGuire -  Bill Koenig