The Thorn Birds (1983)

This epic mini-series covers sixty-years of the lives of the Cleary Family, their trials, loves and tragedies. It mostly centers around the youngest Meggie, the only daughter of the Cleary's in a family of males. When Aunt Mary Carson, a brash, no-nonsense tycoon hires her brother Paddy to be head stock man at Australia's Drogheda, Meggie meets and falls madly in love with Ralph De Bricassart, the handsome and ambitious priest. Even when she grows up into a stunning young woman she's still crazy about him, despite the fact that he's a priest and loves God more than she. He encourages her to go out with men and live her own life and Meggie marries young man named Luke O'Neil only to get away from Drogheda and Ralph even though but she doesn't love him. Meggie's mother Fee only has affections for her son Frank, who was fathered by a different man. The pattern of love for only one child continues through the generations; as Meggie only loves her son Dane, who is Ralph's child. While her daughter Justine who is Luke's feels left out so she chooses to avoid love and concentrate on her acting career to escape reality. One of the best and most poignant mini-series about unrequited love; Henry Mancini's musical score is hauntingly beautiful. Based on Colleen McCollough's best-selling novel. Starring Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Christopher Plummer, Barbara Stanwyck, Jean Simmons, Bryan Brown, Richard Kiley, Piper Laurie, Earl Holliman 8/10

Benny & Joon (1993)

Benny is an auto mechanic living in a small town with his mentally ill schizophrenic sister Joon. His friends want him to go out on dates and have fun, but Benny can't do anything he wants because he has to take care of his sister. He's been taking care of her ever since both their parents died in a car accident when they were kids. One night when Joon plays a poker game with Benny's buddies, she ends up losing the game and as a result has to look after a player's relative named Sam. So Benny and Joon bring Sam to their home and let him stay for a few days. Sam, who acts a lot like the silent movie comedian, Buster Keaton, quickly steals Joon's heart which Benny knows nothing about. After he does, he throws Sam out. Joon argues with him and confesses her love for Sam, but Benny doesn't like the idea one bit. When Joon has a fit when she is riding on a bus with Sam, she is put in a mental hospital and Benny has to consider what is the best way she can be cared for so this doesn't happen again. A sweet and funny movie, Johnny Depp gives a great physical comedy performance. Starring Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn, Julianne Moore, Oliver Platt, Dan Hedaya, William H. Macy 7/10

American History X (1998)

Derek Vinyard served three years in prison for killing some thugs when they try to steal his car one night. After Derek's father is killed in the line of duty, he turns into a skinhead and the leader of a violent white supremacist gang that has been committing racial crimes in Los Angeles. Danny is assigned to write a paper for his teacher about Derek and the affect the events of Derek's incarceration have made on his life, calling it American History X. After Derek gets out of prison, he realizes the mistakes he's made and changes his ways for the sake of his family. His younger brother Danny, who looks up to his older brother begins to follow in his older brother's footsteps. Derek tries to get Danny to understand that there's consequences to his actions, and tells him the reality of what prison is like (which isn't pleasant at all). Although Derek tries his best to turn his life around and prevent his brother from going down the same path as he did, tragedy is the end result. Controversial and violent, but with a powerful moral message. Edward Norton's performance is astounding and incredibly frightening. Starring Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo, Avery Brooks, Jennifer Lien, Ethan Suplee, Stacy Keach, Fairuza Balk, Elliott Gould 9/10

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

In this sequel to the 1984 film, the same terminator that tried to kill Sarah Connor comes back again. But this time in the year 1994 and is assigned to protect her and her son from the T-1000, a more sophisticated terminating machine made of liquid metal. John is now ten years old and in a foster home while Sarah is locked up in Pescadero State Hospital, a mental institution. A juvenile delinquent that has been in trouble more than once, John is shocked when he meets the terminator but remembers his mother telling him about it. When his foster parents are killed, John orders the terminator to help him bust his mother out of Pescadero. Once they do that, they prepare to fight the T-1000, getting weapons ready and transportation. But Sarah has other plans in mind; she takes off on her own mission to kill the man responsible, a computer developer called Miles Dyson so it will prevent the war from happening. However, John wants to stop her so he and the terminator go to his house before she does. They then plan to destroy all of Miles's work at the lab, including the chip that was saved from the previous terminator. A roller-coaster ride; with even more awesome special effects, this is one of the best sci-fi sequels ever made. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick, Earl Boen, Joe Morton, S. Epatha Merkerson 9/10

The Terminator (1984)

In the year 2029, a computer called Skynet is fighting against a human resistance, after having destroyed nearly all of humanity in 1997. A cyborg is sent back in time to the year 1984 to kill the mother of John Connor, the Leader of the human resistance. This cyborg doesn't have any remorse or pity or fear and will stop at nothing to kill Sarah Connor before she can have her son. But another person has been sent back in time as well, a soldier named Kyle Reese who is sent to protect her. Reese attempts to get to Sarah before the Terminator does and from there it's a race for survival to stay alive. With unbelievable stunts and special effects; this film is a thrillingly great ride to watch. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Bess Motta, Earl Boen, Bill Paxton 8/10