Con Air (1997): review: 7/10

Convicts take over a plane which is taking them to some other prison: they behave badly except ex-soldier Cage, who probably shouldn't have been imprisoned in the first place, and a friend of his, who has health issues.

He has a pretty wife whom he has seen and a small daughter whom he i hasn't: he is sentimental about both. Although Cage is terribly dour, he is decent. He also is capabale of extraordinary feats of courage, usually involving hitting other people: in short, he is a fine American. The others on the plane are also often given to acts of violence but seem more or less totally without any consciences whatsoever. Malkovich takes charge in his usual camp-psychopath style.

On the ground, various incompetants struggle first to locate, then to recapture the aircraft: smoothy-boy Cusak manages this eventually after a considerable number of explosions, and much shouting.

All this passes the time enjoyably enough.

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009): review- 7.5/10

Three african drug dealers are murdered in New Orleans.

Assigned to the case is the bad lieutenant who steals and takes drugs with his astonishingly pretty prostitute girlfriend.

Enjoyable, if formulaic, cop film, mainly memorable for Cage's craggy countanance.