Carolco Pictures (USA): 12

Stargate (1994), a sci-fi action-adventure film, was directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich. In 1928, at Giza in Egypt, archaeologist Professor Paul Langford unearthed cover stones engraved with Egyptian hieroglyphs and other markings. Underneath these stones, he found a large metallic ring that served an unknown purpose. Sixty-six years later, Professor Langford’s daughter Catherine invites Egyptologist and linguist Dr. Daniel Jackson to translate the hieroglyphs. The stones are now part of a classified project overseen by Special Operations Colonel Jack O’Neil of the U.S. Air Force. With Dr. ...

Cliffhanger (1993), an American action thriller film, directed and co-produced by Renny Harlin and co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. Rangers Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Walker and his girlfriend Jessie Deighan are sent on a mission to rescue their friend Hal Tucker and his girlfriend, Sarah. Due to an injury, Hal is unable to continue the climb in the Colorado Rockies, leaving them stranded on a peak. As they attempt to save Sarah, her harness breaks, forcing Gabe to try to catch her. Despite his best efforts, Sarah tragically falls to her death. Overwhelmed ...

Director Roland Emmerich released Universal Soldier (1992), a military science-fiction action film set during the end of the Vietnam War. After receiving orders to secure a village, American soldier Luc Deveraux discovers that his squad and some villagers have been killed by his mentally unstable comrade Sgt. Andrew Scott. Scott has also taken two children hostage, prompting Deveraux to try and persuade him that the war is over. However, Scott becomes enraged and kills one of the children in front of Deveraux, then demands that he kill the other as a show of loyalty. Deveraux refuses and stops Scott from harming the ...

The film Chaplin (1992) tells the story of iconic English comedian and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin. Directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Robert Downey Jr., the movie follows an aging Chaplin as he reflects on his life in a conversation with George Hayden, a fictionalized version of his autobiography editor. Growing up in poverty-stricken Victorian London, Chaplin finds solace in the world of variety shows. When his mother Hannah loses her voice onstage, five-year-old Charlie steps in to perform instead. As ...

L.A. Story (1991), an American romantic comedy directed by Mick Jackson and starring Steve Martin, follows the life of Harris K. Telemacher, a TV weatherman in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with his stagnant relationship with social-climbing girlfriend Trudi and the perceived lack of intellectual stimulation in his job despite holding a Ph.D. in the arts and humanities, Harris longs for something more fulfilling and magical in his life. He feels disillusioned by what he views as the shallowness and superficiality of L.A., from pretentious coffee orders to strange freeway ...

The biographical film, The Doors (1991), was directed and written by Oliver Stone and Randall Jahnson. It tells the story of the influential American rock band and their impact on music and counterculture. In 1949, a young Jim Morrison and his family are driving through New Mexico when they come across a fatal car accident involving an elderly Native American. Years later, in 1965, Jim finds himself in California immersed in the Venice Beach scene. During his time at UCLA, he falls in love with Pamela Courson and meets future bandmates Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore. Together they form The Doors, with ...

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) is a science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, who also co-wrote the script with William Wisher. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic Earth of 2029, where a vicious battle rages between Skynet, an evil artificial intelligence, and the human resistance. In a desperate move, Skynet sends back an advanced liquid metal Terminator known as the T-1000 to eliminate resistance leader John Connor in his childhood. To save him, the resistance sends back a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator covered in synthetic flesh. In 1995 Los ...

The drama film Hamlet (1990), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, is an adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy. After the death of his father, the King, Hamlet returns to Denmark where he discovers that his mother Gertrude has married his uncle Claudius, who is now the new King. Both Gertrude and Claudius encourage Hamlet to marry Ophelia, but soon he is visited by the ghost of his father. The ghost reveals that he was murdered by Claudius and Gertrude, leaving Hamlet with a difficult decision between passively accepting his fate or seeking revenge, which could have tragic ...

Director Roger Spottiswoode’s comedy film, Air America (1990), follows the story of Billy Covington, a helicopter pilot whose license was suspended for violating safety regulations. Despite his rebellious nature, Billy catches the attention of a government agent who recruits him to work for Air America – an allegedly civilian company that is actually a front for CIA operations in Laos. Once there, he meets the unconventional pilots and becomes close with Gene Ryack, a seasoned pilot who uses his official flights to buy illegal weapons for personal use. Gene plans to save enough money through this job to ...

Lock Up (1989) is an American prison action film, directed by John Flynn. The story follows Frank Leone, a mechanic in Hoboken, New Jersey who is coming to the end of his sentence at Norwood – a low-security prison. Although he spends time outside the prison on furlough to fix cars, play football and see his girlfriend Melissa, Leone is suddenly taken from his cell by guards while he sleeps. This forceful transfer is orchestrated by Warden Drumgoole, as payback for an incident where Leone escaped from Drumgoole’s previous post – Treadmore Prison. In addition to this, Leone had also exposed ...

Rambo III (1988), an American action film directed by Peter MacDonald and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, sees Vietnam War veteran John Rambo reprising his role. After leaving the military, he settles in a Thai Buddhist monastery where he helps with construction work and competes in krabi-krabong matches in Bangkok, donating his winnings. However, his peaceful life is interrupted when his old friend Colonel Sam Trautman visits. Trautman explains that he needs Rambo’s help for a CIA-sponsored mission to supply the Mujahideen and other tribes fighting against the ...

The Canadian thriller film, The Silent Partner (1978), directed by Daryl Duke, follows Miles Cullen, a teller at a small bank in Toronto’s Eaton Centre. Miles discovers that his bank is going to be robbed after finding a hold up note on one of the counters. He recognizes the potential robber as a mall Santa Claus with similar handwriting on his ‘give to charity’ sign. Instead of alerting his superiors or contacting the police, Miles secretly stashes the cash from his window’s transactions in an old lunch box rather than in the bank’s till. As expected, the Santa Claus robber holds up Miles ...