Behind the Candleabra (2013)

Behind the Candleabra (2013)

[7] Michael Douglas plays Liberace for director Steven Soderbergh in this fast-paced tragi-romantic-dark comedy about the famed pianist's five-year relationship with a man forty years his senior. Matt Damon plays young Scott Thorson, the naive pretty boy who falls under…
Basic Instinct (1992)

Basic Instinct (1992)

[8] Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop, Soldier of Orange) directs this sexually super-charged Hitchcockian thriller about a San Francisco detective (Michael Douglas) investigating a seductive writer (Sharon Stone) about a murder case that plays out similar to one of her novels. As…
Wonder Boys (2000)

Wonder Boys (2000)

[10] Michael Douglas gives a career highlight performance as a fifty-year-old college professor worried about following up a sensational debut novel in this warm, character-driven comedy from Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, 8 Mile) and author Michael Chabon. I was quickly…
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.