Richard Donner

[7] Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas play rival assassins stealing each others’ contracts. When Stallone discovers the mysterious contractor has hired Banderas to take him out, he teams with a hacker and would-be target (Julianne Moore) to gain the upper hand. This cat-and-mouse thriller is surprisingly more subdued and character-oriented than you might expect from a mid-90s action movie. Stallone gives one of his best …

[7] The sequel is more of the same, but that’s not always a bad thing. There’s enough talent in front of and behind the cameras in the Lethal Weapon movies to warrant at least one or two entertaining sequels. The plot is a bit less compelling, and the love story with Patsy Kensit is haphazardly tacked on, but there’s plenty of action and fun banter …

[8] Mel Gibson and Danny Glover star in this definitive ‘buddy cop’ movie directed by Richard Donner (Superman, The Omen). What sets this apart from its imitators are the well-rounded characters created by screenwriter Shane Black, and the engaging chemistry between Gibson and Glover. Lethal Weapon is a highly polished action flick. In addition to Donner’s slick staging, the film also sports terrific night-time cinematography …

1980 Theatrical Version [7] 2006 Richard Donner Cut [7] Three space criminals clad in shiny black suits come to Earth and force Superman into a confrontation, just as he’s decided to give up his powers for a normal relationship with Lois Lane. Superman II was shot concurrently with Superman: The Movie, both under the direction of Richard Donner (The Omen, Lethal Weapon). But after Donner had …

[8] A group of kids who call themselves the Goonies rally together for one last adventure before they’re all forced by a real estate meanie to move away from their Pacific northwest coastal community. They find a map and follow it to hidden treasure, encountering criminals on the run from the law, a deformed cellar-dweller, bats, booby traps, and more. I was eleven when I …

[7] Eddie Murphy made his big screen debut opposite Nick Nolte in this action-comedy from director Walter Hill (The Warriors, Southern Comfort). Nolte plays a cop who begrudgingly seeks the help of Murphy’s character, a thief serving the last few months of his jail time. Together they try to track down a killer (Dexter‘s James Remar), and gosh darn if they don’t start to become …

[5] I thought I’d get a lot more from a dark comedy directed by Richard Donner (Superman, Lethal Weapon) and starring Bill Murray, but Scrooged is neither dark nor funny enough to leave much of a lasting impression. Murray plays a cutthroat TV executive named Frank Cross, the film’s equivalent to Ebenezer Scrooge, who makes life a living hell for everyone around him. Until of …

[7] Two lovers are bewitched by a jealous Bishop — the man (Rutger Hauer) is transformed into a wolf by night, the woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) is a hawk by day. They only see each other in human form for a fleeting second at sunrise and sunset. With the help of a pick-pocket (Matthew Broderick) and a drunken friar (Leo McKern), they journey to the Bishop’s …

[9] This was the first blockbuster superhero movie (for better and for worse) and I doubt there will ever be a better film adaptation for the Man of Steel. Under Richard Donner’s (The Omen, Lethal Weapon) direction and good taste, Superman is a winning blend of action, drama, charm, and yes, camp. The first forty minutes are emotionally powerful, more than any other comic book …