Empedocles Enjoys High Cinematography Quiz

Answer: Con Air (1997)

Nicolas Cage played the role of Cameron Poe, an Army Ranger sergeant convicted for killing someone who tried to rape his wife. After eight years, Poe was freed on parole and boarded an airplane full of dangerous criminals. One of these, Cyrus Grissom (role by John Malkovich) had made an elaborate escape plan, and Poe was the only one on board to thwart Grissom's plans.
The movie was directed by Simon West and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

Answer: Castle in the Air (1952)

The Scottish castle was owned by the Earl of Locharne (David Tomlinson), a local noble on the verge of a bankruptcy. A government committee led by Miss Nicholson (Margaret Rutherford) and a rich heiress Mrs. Clodtfelter Dunne (Barbara Kelly) tried to buy the castle. And then the ghost Ermyntrud (played by Patricia Dainton) came to interfere with everyone's plans...

Answer: Air America (1990)

During the Vietnam War, the CIA ran a covert operation called "Air America" to provide weapons to factions sympathetic to the American cause. When former pilot Billy Covington (played by Robert Downey Jr.) joined the operation, he soon found out that his superior Gene Ryack (role by Mel Gibson) set up another lucrative business, smuggling drugs from Laos and other countries.
"Air America" was directed by Roger Spottiswoode.

Answer: Air Force One (1997)

President James Marshall (role by Harrison Ford) and his family were to fly back from Russia to their home country, when a number of Russian terrorists led by Egor Korshunov (role by Gary Oldman) took over the presidential airplane. Little did the terrorists know that the President was a former Marine...
Director of this thriller was Wolfgang Petersen.

Answer: McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965)

This movie was to be a sequel to the television series "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), but as Ernest Borgnine was not hired for the movie, it felt a bit bland. But many of the rest of the cast reprised their role: Joe Flynn as Captain Wallace Binghamton, Tim Conway as Ensign Charles Parker, Gary Vinson as quartermaster George Christopher...
In the movie "McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force", the crew dealt with a number of Russian spies. On two occasions, Ensign Parker happened to notice a Japanese action in time to advise the US Headquarters to take defensive measures.
Edward Montagne directed this comedy.

Answer: Thunder Birds: Soldiers of the Air (1942)

Preston Foster played a veteran American pilot named Steve Britt, who took a job as flight trainer at an airfield near the ranch where his girlfriend Kay Saunders (role by Gene Tierney) lived. One of Britt's pupils was Peter Stackhouse (played by John Sutton), whose flying efforts were hampered by his fear of heights. Then Peter also fell for Kay's charms...

Answer: Airport (1970)

"Airport" was one of the very first of several aerial disaster movies as were popular in the 1970s. Based upon a novel by Arthur Hailey, it assembled almost every possible safety issue with a commercial airport.
Burt Lancaster played the role of Mel Bakersfield, the general manager of an airport in Illinois during a blizzard. While he sought someone to get a stranded plane out of the way, his brother-in-law Vernon Demerest (played by Dean Martin) prepared another plane to take off for Rome. Two passengers for this flight were quite peculiar: the unemployed demolition expert D. O. Guerrero (role by Van Heflin), who decided to smuggle a bomb inside and take his life, and the habitual traveller Ada Quonsett (played by Helen Hayes), an elderly widow who enjoyed boarding planes without buying tickets for the ride...
"Airport" was nominated for ten Oscars, but only Helen Hayes won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Answer: The Air Up There (1994)

Kevin Bacon played the role of Jimmy Dolan, a college basketball coach wanting a big promotion. Jimmy was convinced he needed a new star player in his team to get what he desired, so he travelled to Kenya to find Saleh (role by Charles Gitonga Maina), a promising star. But Saleh had other priorities...
The critics didn't like the film at all, but I found rather good ratings from amateur viewers on IMDb.
This movie was directed by Paul Michael Glaser.

Answer: White Air (2007)

Riley Smith played the extreme snowboarder Alex Crow, one of the favourites for the half-pipe snowboarding events in some Xtreme Sports meeting. Although technically still one of the best, Alex had lost his drive because of some family preoccupations and some quarrels with his girlfriend Christie (role by Dominique Swain). And his competitor Jason (played by Brent le Macks) seemed in the best shape ever...

Answer: Air Bud (1997)

"Air Bud" was a sports comedy that started with the young boy Josh Framm (role by Kevin Zegers) moving to a small town in Washington. Josh befriended a stray golden retriever named Buddy and enjoyed playing basketball, much to the delight of Buddy. When Josh had secured a place in the school's basketball team, Buddy came to watch each game and was declared the team's mascot.
Then Buddy's former owner Norm Snively (played by Michael Jeter) showed up and demanded Buddy's return. The judge then in a hilarious court session let Buddy choose, and as expected Buddy preferred to stay with Josh.
At the championship's game, one of Josh' team mates had to quit playing because of a serious injury. Josh then convinced the referees to allow Buddy as fifth player on the team, and it turned out to be the decisive star - even nicknamed Michael Woof Jordan.
Charles Martin Smith directed this comedy, and Robert Vince produced it. Several sequels were made (and most of them were also produced by Robert Vince), with the dog playing American football, soccer, baseball or volleyball.