[8] Writer Alan Ormsby and director Tony Bill create a compelling coming-of-age story that avoids two of the greatest pitfalls of the genre: it doesn’t talk down to its subjects and it doesn’t wallow in sentimentality. Chris Makepeace and Adam Baldwin give fine performances as the ‘new kid’ and the ‘mysterious loaner,’ respectively. Their unlikely friendship develops believably and becomes the heart of the movie. …
[6] Intentionally bizarre and overwrought, I’m not sure what to make of this adaptation of John Irving’s novel about an extended, eccentric family that moves into a down-trodden hotel. I liked a previous Irving adaptation, The World According to Garp, much better. Garp director George Roy Hill was better able to balance the humor and sorrow than Hotel director Tony Richardson. Richardson leans so much …
[4] An American family moves into a British mansion with an old woman (Bette Davis) whose young daughter disappeared over thirty years ago. When the American family’s two daughters begin hearing and seeing things, it quickly becomes obvious that Davis’ daughter is trying to communicate with them through supernatural means. The mystery is so paper thin here, you’ll be ahead of the movie the whole …
[8] Spoiler Review! Sylvester Stallone further cemented his action super-star status with this smart, character-driven thriller about a former Green Beret suffering from post-traumatic stress who gets bullied by a small mountain-town sheriff and his deputies. When the soldier finally defends himself, the police force him into an all-out war in the misty mountainside, where his special training helps him evade the law and stay …
[8] Michael Mann (Miami Vice, Heat) brings Thomas Harris’ novel Red Dragon to the big screen, introducing movie-goers to Hannibal Lecktor for the first time. Manhunter stars William Petersen (CSI) as an FBI profiler trying to stop a serial killer dubbed ‘The Tooth Fairy’ before he kills again. To stop the mad man, Petersen’s character decides to solicit the help of another mad man — …
[5] Mutant sea creatures attack a coastal community in this schlocky flick from producer Roger Corman. It’s pretty standard, passable, monster movie fare. The requisite boobage and gore were filmed by one director, while another handled the pesky plot and character development. Like many Corman features, this one features early work from emerging talents, including makeup effects by Rob Bottin (Legend, RoboCop) and music by …
[2] German WWII soldiers killed and tossed into a French lake come back for revenge in this underwater Nazi zombie flick that is mostly famous for its generous amount of full-frontal female splendor. But it pretty much fails on all other counts: terrible makeup effects, chintzy war recreation scenes, underwater photography that was obviously shot in a YMCA pool, and a ridiculously sentimental subplot involving a …
[3] A Jew and a Christian compete in the 1924 Olympics, both running in the name of God and adversity. I’m sorry to say I just couldn’t give a shit. I couldn’t empathize with their motivations. They feel God when they run. Good for them. It would at least be nice if the two competed against one another in the third act, but they don’t. …
[3] A cannibal stalks campers while the ghosts of his two children haunt the forest in this goofy wannabe slasher flick that, despite having nature at the ready, lacks any atmosphere whatsoever. There’s a nice scene where a bad actor doesn’t realize he’s eating his own girlfriend, and the soundtrack is kinda cool in that gitchy, synthesized way, but other than that, The Forest is …
[7] In colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness has an ongoing affair with a big game hunter. On one hand, Sydney Pollacks’ Oscar-winning best picture is long and subdued. But on the other hand, it does a great job transporting you to another time and place. The wildlife, cinematography, and music score (another fine work from John Barry) will whisk you away whether you want whisked or …
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