Mars Attacks! (1996)

Mars Attacks! (1996)

[5] Director Tim Burton (Batman, Edward Scissorhands) turns an infamous 1960s line of trading cards into a mad-cap feature film with Mars Attacks! Patterned after star-laden disaster flicks from the '70s, the film follows a large ensemble of characters in…
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

[10] Director Miloš Forman (Amadeus, The People vs Larry Flynt) adapts Ken Kesey's novel about R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a trouble-making convict who enters psychiatric care to avoid hard labor. While there, he befriends the patients -- a motley bunch…
L.A. Confidential (1997)

L.A. Confidential (1997)

[9] In 1950s Los Angeles, three police officers with very different approaches overcome their differences to collaborate on a murder case that ultimately unveils widespread corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement and the government. Guy Pearce plays the…
Batman Returns (1992)

Batman Returns (1992)

[8] Anything but 'more of the same', Tim Burton's sequel dives into the troubled psyches of its headlining trio -- Batman, Catwoman, and The Penguin.  Michael Keaton's Batman still plays second fiddle to the villains, but what fascinating villains they…
The Jewel of the Nile (1985)

The Jewel of the Nile (1985)

[3] Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito return for this lackluster sequel to 1984's terrific Romancing the Stone. The Jewel of the Nile picks up six months after the end of the first movie, with adventurous Jack (Douglas) and…
The War of the Roses (1989)

The War of the Roses (1989)

[8] Danny DeVito directs his Romancing the Stone co-stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in this supremely dark comedy about a divorcing couple who are each prepared to fight to the death over who keeps their lavish home. No one…
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

[6] There's a certain kind of movie that is really hard to review. This is one of those movies. It's a studio movie, formulaic in structure and unremarkable in substance, but entertaining in laughs and thrills and a great vehicle…
Dumbo (2019)

Dumbo (2019)

[7] Director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland) turns Disney's animated classic into a live-action film that is both a remake and a sequel. Dumbo follows the original story in broad strokes, with Danny DeVito running a down-on-its-luck traveling…
Romancing the Stone (1984)

Romancing the Stone (1984)

[9]

This is the ultimate romantic adventure, complete with a great cast, exotic locations, and measured doses of action, humor, and heart.  Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner never looked better.  They have that ephemeral “chemistry”, the kind that keeps you glued to the screen, rooting for them. The screenplay by Diane Thomas is well paced and constructed, giving plenty of breathing room to a romantic relationship that evolves naturally and believably.  Director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump) sprinkles memorable action scenes throughout the journey, including the swing across the gorge, the Bronco chase, and the waterfall.  I like the final showdown among all the adversaries, and how a certain alligator figures into the conclusion.  I’m also fond of Alan Silvestri’s score.  It may not be the traditional big orchestra type, but the contemporary/Caribbean/piano lounge feel (odd as it may be) gives the movie a distinct, appropriate sound.