A Shock to the System (1990) – ★★★½

Director: Jan Egleson
Writers: Andrew Klavan (screenplay), Simon Brett (novel)
Stars: Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Swoosie Kurtz, Will Patton

The greatness of this film lies not with its story, but with the brilliant performance of Michael Caine. In my opinion, this is one of his best, and most underrated performances. A Shock to the System is not a great movie as a whole, but for the most part it is very entertaining. It is a short, well-casted, semi-thrilling movie with a brilliant ending, which is why I’ve given it a generous 3½ stars.

The Witches (1990) – ★★★★

Director: Nicolas Roeg
Writers: Roald Dahl (Book), Allan Scott (Screenplay)
Stars: Angelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher, Rowan Atkinson, Charlie Potter

Here’s a movie I’ve loved ever since I was a little boy. Having never read the novel, I had no idea what to expect when I started watching ‘The Witches.’ This movie is crazy, with a capital C! For the most part it’s a fun, frightening, and thrilling adventure. Not to mention, it has some of the best make-up effects I’ve ever seen. You can thank ‘The Muppets’ creator Jim Henson for that. It’s a story set in a world where witches exist, and their aim is to destroy children. These witches are bald, with purple eyes and square feet.