[5] Hardware is a stylish, low-budget British sci-fi film about a man, a woman, and a deadly robot. It’s hard to shake memories of The Terminator, even though the tone of the piece is quite different. There are some interesting sexual overtones at play. Before the droid goes on the rampage, it watches the human couple (Dylan McDermott and Stacey Travis) making love. Later, when …
[8] Contact is a message-driven movie that may be too esoteric for a lot of mainstream moviegoers. It’s a character-driven drama with only a few moments of your typical blockbuster spectacle — but I applaud the movie for daring to tangle in an exploration of science vs theology. Jodie Foster gives an impassioned performance as Ellie Arroway, an astronomer (and atheist) who discovers a message …
[6] The third Evil Dead film gets a bigger budget and a more traditional plot, but the polish and structure don’t compensate for low-budget invention and madcap inspiration. Bruce Campbell is prime here, delivering a smattering of memorable lines and a few good scenes of physical comedy as a department store employee whisked back in time to 1300 AD where he must battle an army …
[6] A bunch of teenagers rally to save their music store from being taken over by a corporate chain. Empire Records takes place almost entirely inside its namesake and features an ensemble of talented young actors, including Liv Tyler, Robin Tunney, and Renee Zellweger. It’s a good cast all around, but my favorite is Ethan Embry, who exhibits a goofy charm in his asides to …
[7] A woman with amnesia begins discovering her past as a deadly assassin in this high-octane action flick from director Renny Harlin. The Long Kiss Goodnight is good hokey fun at a frantic pace. Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson are both good in an action movie, even if their chemistry leaves something to be desired. Screenwriter Shane Black’s dialogue is hit and miss, sometimes …
[8] A murdered man comes back from the dead to exact revenge on the people who killed him and his fiancee. The Crow is a dark visual delight featuring a charismatic performance from the late Brandon Lee as the title character. (Lee died in an on-set accident before the film was completed.) Stories of revenge always risk a boring second act where we’re forced to watch …
[8] A young boy who can see and hear dead people confides in a child psychologist who comes to believe the boy’s curse is a gift. The strength of The Sixth Sense lies most prominently in the scenes between Toni Collette and Haley Joel Osment. I’m hard-pressed to think of another on-screen mother/son relationship that is more realistic or affecting. Their final scene together, where they …
[6] This ambitious coming-of-age drama stuffs its short running time with a nearly incongruous overview of Ethan Canin’s novel, but at least it skims a provocative surface. The story about love and conflict between two brothers is serviced remarkably well by Nick Stahl and Jerry O’Connell (all buff and sexy after dropping his Stand by Me pounds). Sam Elliott also brings color as a self-righteous …
[8] Kathy Bates delivers a spooky Oscar-winning performance in Rob Reiner’s film based on the novel by Stephen King. Screenwriter William Goldman builds a tremendous amount of tension and suspense with barely more than two characters and one room. The payoff isn’t as interesting as the build-up, but Misery is still a fun, scary ride. James Caan is great as the victimized writer, and deserves …
[3] A detective and a rookie cop team up to find a bad guy. I know. How original. Charlie Sheen gets my nomination for least charismatic performance in a motion picture here. The word “driftwood” comes to mind. The Rookie is hokey in a bad way, probably the worst Eastwood-directed movie I’ve ever seen. The whole thing feels like a studio’s desperate attempt to come …
Copyright © 2025 | Theme by MH Themes