Under Suspicion
1991
Liam Neeson, Laura San Giacomo, Kenneth Cranham
A British ex-cop private detective, who with the help of his wife
arranges adulteries for the purpose of divorce evidence, is caught up
in a sinister frame-up when his wife is murdered. Lots of witty dialog
that make the film worth watching. But maybe the plot twists are just a
little bit too clever.
In the Heat of the Night
1967
Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates,
William Schallert, Lee Grant, Scott Wilson
Classic masterpiece about a Philadelphia police office who
comes to Sparta, Mississippi to visit his mother and conflicts with the
local sheriff during a murder investigation. They just don't get any
better than this. The story is simple, but the character interaction is
complex and significant, even today.
Lord of the Flies
1990
Balthazar Getty
Update of the classic story of a group of kids stranded alone
on an island and forced to fend for themselves. They end up reinventing
society in its cruelest (and most human) form. In this version the kids
are from an American military school. Excellent in all respects.
Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure
2005
Pamela Reed
Made-for-television movie about the behind-the-scenes
activities of America's all-time, number one hit tv series. The focus
on the producer-writer couple saved it from a being a totally worthless
experience.
Othello
2005
Edmond Walker, Keeley Hawkes,
Christopher Eccleston, Rachael Stirling
Modern, stylistic, Masterpiece Theater production of
Shakespeare's tragedy in which a black policeman, after his promotion
to police commissioner, falls victim to the machinations and vengeance
of his best friend. Painstakingly slow moving, but with excellent
acting.
Shadow Conspiracy
1997
Charlie Sheen, Donald Sutherland, Linda Hamilton,
Ben Gazzara, Nicholas Turturro, Sam Waterston,
Theodore Bikel, Gore Vidal, Paul Gleason
A white house cabal targets a hotshot presidential assistant
after their secret is discovered and revealed to him by a government
watchdog group. Terrible dialog ruined a perfectly ordinary plot.
Gideon
1999
Christopher Lambert, Shelley Winters, Charlton Heston,
Crystal Bernard, Carroll O'Connor, Shirley Jones,
Mike Connors, Harvey Korman,
Though too young and over the objections of the doctor in
charge, a mentally handicapped man with a big secret is admitted to a
retirement home where he sets about to charm and transform the
residents and staff. Great
Being There story idea and good acting, but perhaps a bit bogged down with conventional sentiment.
Confessions of a Hitman
( aka Fallen Angel )
1994
James Remar
Slow, moody, one-note film about hitman Bruno, who steals mob money and
a limo and driver and heads out across the desert toward Las Vegas
seeking redemption and revenge for childhood trauma.
Snow Dogs
2002
Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn, M. Emmet Walsh,
Graham Greene, Brian Doyle-Murray
A successful Miami dentist goes to Alaska upon discovering
that his real mother, whom he didn't even know existed, has died. There
he becomes involved with the small town locals, with the typical
results. Sad attempt at a formula flick.
That Darn Cat
1997
Christina Ricci, Doug E. Doug, Dean Jones, George Dzundza,
Peter Boyle, Michael McKean, Bess Armstrong
A girl and her cat help a lame FBI agent solve a kidnapping.
Better than the original, maybe. But the familiar veteran supporting
cast should have made it a whole lot better.
My Best Friend's Wedding
1997
Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, Rupert Everett,
M. Emmet Walsh, Rachel Griffiths, Paul Giamatti
A reporter with a fear of relationships travels to Chicago to
try to prevent an ex-lover from marrying what she believes to be a
young and naive, but otherwise rich-bitch heiress. Ordinary stuff, but
entertaining nonetheless.
Heathers
1989
Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty
They're an intimate clique of high school high-class airheads
who dominate social politics; she's an insightful, intelligent, but
socially lost wannabee. Following in the footsteps of his sociopath
father, he's the new guy in town who disturbs her orientation and
redirects her toward a "better" life. A cult classic.
The Little Kidnappers
1990
Charlton Heston, Charles Miller, Leo Wheatley,
Bruce Greenwood, Patricia Gage, Leah Pinsent
A few subtle characterizations and situations couched in a
conventionally structured story line about two orphans newly arrived in
Nova Scotia from Scotland who find a lost baby and, believing it to
like unto themselves, secretly keep it, thus running afoul of the law
and their cold, tough grandfather.
Home Fries
1998
Drew Barrymore, Luke Wilson, Catherine O'Hara, Jake Busey
Two brothers, the dominant one overly influenced by their
unconsciously manipulative mother, conspire to scare their philandering
stepfather to death. But complications set in when the younger brother
falls in love with a potential witness to the crime, the nine-month
pregnant mistress of their step-dad. Excellent script and some great
acting make an otherwise ordinary film better.
Black Knight
2001
Martin Lawrence, Marsha Thomason
A West Coast loser falls into a moat at a tourist trap and
ends up in Merry Olde England where, mistaken for a Moor, a messenger
from a French prince, he superimposes his 20th century values (and some
of his black heritage) onto the local population. Someone should be
beheaded for allowing this farce of a farce to be made. Lawrence,
though, is as entertaining as usual.
Leviathan
1989
Peter Weller, Richard Crenna, Amanda Pays, Daniel Stern,
Lisa Eilbacher, Ernie Hudson, Hector Elizondo, Meg Foster
Mutant creatures from the deep, or something like that, attack an underwater lab. The exotic setting (ala
Alien), the strained relations of the characters (also ala
Alien,
but not done nearly so well), and the dominant presence of Weller and
Crenna save this dog--barely. Great final pay-off scene,
though--although it could have been set up better throughout the film.
The Fly
1986
Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz
Seth Rundle, reclusive scientist, lures a woman reporter into
his lab where, after he reveals his breakthrough in teleportation,
regrets it and begins to stalk her, trying to convince her to agree to
an exclusivity deal. Of course, romance ensues; but it's not long
before it turns sour when Seth accidentally transforms himself into
Rundlefly in this odd remake of the sci-fi classic.
Random Encounter
1998
Elizabeth Berkley, Joel Wyner
An A-type businesswoman meets a man while at a meeting and
becomes involved with him, only to find herself the blackmail target of
an ex-con who is delinquent on his probation. Long, slow, boring
business background build-up; but not too bad after it gets going.
A Perfect World
1993
Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, Bradley Whitford
When a prison escapee takes a boy hostage, Texas Ranger
Eastwood, criminologist Dern, and a handful of FBI agents track him
down. The film renders a nuanced interpretation of the psychology
between the boy and his kidnapper. Good stuff, despite the fact that
much of the supporting cast is one-dimensional.
Haunted Honeymoon
1986
Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, Jonathan Pryce
A couple, radio stars, are planning to get married; but the
intended groom is experiencing psychological symptoms of unconscious
reticence. At least, that's the theory. The plot doesn't deliver on
that aspect of the story. A funny movie; but, really, it's just the
same old shtick.
Boondock Saints
1999
Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery,
Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly
Two Irish brothers set themselves up as social avengers when
they attack and kill a series of notorious mobsters. Good acting and
interesting plot and dialog. But it falls a little bit short on
content.
Shrek
2001
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow
Socially isolated ogre Shrek lives happily in a swamp until an
evil prince banishes a whole lot of fairy tale folk into it, invading
his precious privacy. So in order to reclaim his territory, he agrees
to save a princess, who is locked in a castle tower and guarded by a
dragon, so that the prince can marry her and become king. But of course
love has a different idea altogether. A bit trite, story-wise; but cute
and appealing.
Samantha: An American Girl Holiday
2004
Anna Sophia Robb, Mia Farrow
A young girl in the 1900s, happy in her country home, is sent
to live with her Uncle in NYC after he marries. There she learns about
the oppression of the lower classes and the evils that go on in an
orphanage. This could have been a socially significant film, but
instead, it opted to go the lightweight route.
Mr. Deeds
2002
Adam Sandler, Winona Ryder, Peter Gallagher, John Turturro,
Conchata Ferrell, Harve Presnell, Steve Buscemi, John McEnroe
Deeds, who runs a pizza shop in the sticks, inherits a
business worth a fortune when his uncle, whom he knew nothing of, dies.
But corporate schemers plan to buy him out and make a fortune, to the
detriment of the many employees. But despite his backward,
non-capitalistic ways, Deeds turns out to be no dummy--except maybe a
little bit re love. Same old Sandler formula, perhaps a little bit
better done here than in his previous films.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2001
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen,
Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies,
Dominic Monaghan, Christopher Lee
High-tech version of the same old thing you've experienced
before. Hobbits, wizards, dwarfs, elves, etc. on a quest with a ring of
power to save Middle Earth from an evil wizard. Buy the books. It reads
better than it watches.
Flinch
1994
Judd Nelson, Gina Gershon, Nick Mancuso
A loser and an uppity woman witness a murder while acting as
live mannequins in a store window. When the murderer discovers that
they saw him do it, he turns his attention to them. I really wanted to
like this movie. I loved the characters. It had a pretty good story and
plot. But a lot of the dialogue was terrible, the acting was
hit-and-miss, and the chemistry between the leads sucked.
Dead Heat
2002
Kiefer Sutherland, Anthony LaPaglia
A shady stepbrother talks a cop, retired on disability, into
investing in a good horse with an easily corrected breathing problem.
But mobsters, when they learn of the animal, try to get it by leaning
on the jockey, who owes them money. Even the gritty, but venerable
Sutherland couldn't save this one.
Morning Glory
1993
Christopher Reeves, Deborah Raffin
In 1941, an ex-con answers an ad for a "husband" to work a
farm for a pregnant woman with two kids whose husband has recently
died. A typical romance fantasy with a good, solid, conventional plot
and excellent acting.
Lonely Hearts
1991
Beverly D'Angelo, Eric Roberts, Joanna Cassidy
When an amorous con man rips her off, the ex-fatty who has
fallen in love with him trails him and throws in with him. Typical
Roberts' stuff. Cassidy was good playing the slightly butch private
detective.
Flirting
1990
Noah Taylor, Naomi Watts, Thandie Newton,
Nicole Kidman, Bartholomew Rose
Low key, but excellent coming-of-age film about typical
boarding school antics in Australia, with an ending that makes the good
film even better.
40 Days and 40 Nights
2002
Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Vinessa Shaw,
Mary Gross, Barry Newman, Griffin Dunne
A guy, who can't seem to get over an old love and stumbles
through a series of short relationships, decides in the true spirit of
denial and detachment that what he must do is give up sex for Lent.
It's not as hokey as it sounds, but the plot falls a little flat at the
end. I hate these kinds of movies. But this one wasn't too bad.
Undercover Blues
1993
Kathleen Turner, Dennis Quaid, Stanley Tucci, Obba Babatunde,
Fiona Shaw, Larry Miller, Tom Arnold, Park Overall, Saul Rubinek
Two government agents, married with a kid, get caught up in a
Bond-like plot while vacationing in New Orleans. This wouldn't have
worked at all as a serious action flick (if that is not a contradiction
in terms), but as a light-hearted romp, it's just all right. Some good
over-the-top character work by the supporting cast, esepcially Tucci.
Rock My World
2002
Peter O'Toole, Joan Plowright, Alicia Silverstone
Enjoyable and endearing, but insignificant culture-clash film
about a rock band that vacations at an upper class English estate that
has fallen on hard times and has resorted to taking in boarders.
A Murder of Crows
1998
Tom Berenger, Cuba Gooding Jr.,
Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Eric Stoltz
A lawyer with scruples is ingeniously framed through an
elaborate appeal to his baser nature. A literate murder mystery.
Excellent misdirection and characterization, but a fairly typical plot.
Crossroads
2004
Britney Spears, Anson Mount, Zoe Saldana,
Taryn Manning, Kim Cattrall, Dan Aykroyd
Three girls, upon graduation from high school, go on a road
trip to California, each for her own specific purpose. Bad acting and a
lame script. Even veterans Ackroid and Cattrall were busts. The only
single good thing about this movie was Britney's audition at the
end--if that's the kind of thing you're into. I'm not.
The Pact
2002
Megan Mullally, Juliet Stevenson,
Henry Czerny, Eric Lively, Bob Gunton
Two high school students who live next door to each other and
have been lifelong friends supposedly make a suicide pact (or do they?)
that goes wrong, leaving one of them alive to face the consequences,
which naturally involve the two families. Stevenson gives a solid lead
performance, but Mullally steals the film. Good drama. Good premise.
But a little bit drawn out in parts.
Mulholland Falls
1996
Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen,
Chris Penn, Treat Williams, Jennifer Connelly, Daniel Baldwin,
Andrew McCarthy, John Malkovich, Bruce Dern
A special squad of LA cops keep fifties' LA free of gangsters.
But when a girl's murder is tied to a general at The Atomic Energy
Commission and the feds become involved, their tight grip begins to
unravel. Great acting and a lot of payoffs throughout, but the plot was
rather ordinary.
Drive Me Crazy
1999
Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier, Stephen Collins
A revenge relationship between high school neighbors with
opposite social inclinations backfires when they get together to make
their ex's jealous. SOS.
For the Moment
1993
Russell Crow, Christianne Hirt, Wanda Cannon,
Scott Kraft, Peter Outerbridge, Sarah McMillan
An RAF flyer being trained in Canada during WWII falls in love
with a local farm girl. Realistic slice-of-life romance, all the better
for the excellent acting job by Crowe.
A Walk to Remember
2002
Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah
The daughter of a minister befriends a high school bad boy
(he's not so bad, really), to the chagrin of her father and the
displeasure of his elitist friends. But she has a secret, and it
changes his life. One of those movies that jerks you around by your
emotions for no other reason than to do it.
The Last Ride
(the new one)
2004
Dennis Hopper, Will Patton, Chris Carmack,
Fred Ward, Nadine Velazquez
Upon his release from jail, an ex-con sets out to set things
right with the help of his estranged son and grandson. Well done, but
somewhat vapid. Interesting but unsatisfying plot twists (i.e., they
don't pay off so well); even the final Hopper twist, which is clever
and completely consistent with the characterization, is not something
an audience wants to see happen.
The Last Ride
(the old one)
1991
Michael Hilow, Ron Ben Jarrett, Amy Newhavic, Dan Ranger, Renn Richards
An ex-con, just released from prison, hitches a ride with an
escaped mental patient, who wants to play a deadly game, and does.
Campy, low-budget movie that nevertheless holds interest when viewed on
that level. Some of the acting is so bizarre that it becomes worthy of
notice.
Chase
(aka Death Chase)
1990
William Zipp, Reggie De Morton,
Bainbridge Scott, Paul L. Smith, Paul Bruno
Another low budget movie about a deadly game, this time orchestrated
by corporate bigwigs with political ambitions. Steven Chase is an
ordinary guy who unwittingly becomes involved when the game players
accidentally kill his sister. I know I've said this before, but this is
absolutely the worst movie I've ever seen.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
2001
Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Noah Taylor
Lame fantasy/action flick about the daughter of a scientist
killed in the field who has inherited her father's estate and occult
interests. She battles creatures not of this world to save the Earth
from destruction when an alignment of the planets occurs. Terrible
stuff. Jolie is cool, though, as the uber-femme Indiana Jones clone;
and I suppose that's the whole point of the film.
Deceiver
1997
Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Michael Rooker,
Renee Zellweger, Ellen Burstyn, Rosanna Arquette
An alleged killer conducts a battle of wits with two detectives who question him about a murder. Intriguing psychological drama.
Les Randonneurs
[Fr.]
Benoit Poel Voorde, Karen Viard,
Geraldine Pailhas, Phillipe Harel, Vincent Elbaz
A group of young adults, led by a pompous, quirky guide,
interact when they take a hiking vacation in the mountains. No plot,
and not much of a story either.
Living Large
1991
Terence T.C. Carson, Lisa Arrindell, Nathaniel "Afrika" Hall,
Blanche Baker, Julia Campbell, Bernie McInerney, Loretta Devine
A black journalism student gets his big break when the current
reigning star reporter is killed on an assignment and the student, who
is at the scene, takes over. But the big time news business is not what
he expects it to be. Terrible movie all the way around, including
stereotypes that border on reverse racism.
Brokedown Palace
1999
Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman,
Jacqueline Kim, Lou Diamond Phillips
Two girls go on a vacation to Thailand and become unwittingly
involved in a drug smuggling scheme. Except for the somewhat
non-chronological frame device with its unbelievable prose, the film is
an excellent portrayal of the dangers of leaving America for parts
unknown. Kind of a
Midnight Express lite.
Joe's Apartment
1996
Jerry O'Connell, Megan Ward, Robert Vaughn
Hapless, naive, Midwestern Joe comes to New York and is mugged
several times before he even gets out of the bus station. But he
stumbles onto a great deal on an apartment, only to discover that his
co-inhabitants are tens of thousands of roaches. But they take an
immediate liking to his roach-like ways, adopt him as one of their own,
and although well intentioned, they set about to ruin his life. A good
device wasted on a stupid story. This could have been a great film
along the lines of
Naked Lunch, but it opted for conventionality instead. But it's worth watching for the music alone, which is hilarious.
Hoods
1998
Joe Mantegna, Kevin Pollak, Joe Pantoliano, Jennifer Tilly
A gangster's father, who's losing it mentally, orders a revenge killing
of a kid who belongs to a rival family. Despite the misgivings of the
gangster's son and his henchmen, they set out to carry out the order. Not
much. This movie needs to decide whether it's a comedy or a drama.
Hologram Man
1994
Joe Lara, Evan Lurie, Arabella Holzbog,
Alex Cort, Joseph Campenella, John Amos
Terrible futuristic film about an arch criminal who's
imprisoned as a hologram; but, of course, he escapes in holographic
form and sets about to wreck havoc and revenge on the city, and the
only way to stop him is for the protagonist cop to become a hologram
himself.
Bad Moon
1996
Mariel Hemingway, Michael Pare
A single mother, a lawyer, invites her brother to stay with
her when he returns with a secret from an assignment in the jungle. All
of the typical werewolf stuff, despite the lame attempt to demythify it
with character dialogue. The single-minded, simple-minded plot, awkward
acting, and poor production values make this a must-miss.
Traveller
1997
Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, Julianna Margulies
An extended family of grifters reintegrates the son of a
wayward member who was banished because he married outside the clan. A
subtle plot with excellent acting; but it's still a bit of an ordinary
movie.
Papy Fait de la Resistance
(Grandpa's Resistance)
[Fr.]
Christian Clavier, Michel Galabru, Gerard Jugnot,
Martin Lamotte, Dominique Lavanant, Jacqueline Maillan
During WWII, a theatre family must house a German general and his
staff in their French mansion. Out of a sense of patriotism, the family
consign themselves to live in the basement, despite the intended
hospitality of the general. Meanwhile, the son, a gay hairdresser,
secretly fights in the Resistance. The acting is quite humorous, but
this would have been a better film if it had been a bit more serious
and with a lot less shtick. But that is not Clavier's style, which
worked a bit better in his American film
Just Visiting.
Breaking Up
1997
Russell Crowe, Salma Hayek
Poignant, close study of a couple who can't live with each other, yet
can't live without each other either. Well-written and well acted, but
it's narrow subject matter and one-note theme make it a little bit
boring. The other end of the spectrum from an action film.
Waking Ned Devine
1998
Ian Bannen, David Kelly, Fionnula Flanagan, Susan Lynch
When Ned Devine dies after learning that he's won the lottery,
his neighbor's scheme to claim the winnings. Some good payoffs and
interesting characters.
Militia
2000
Dean Cain, Stacy Keach, Frederic Forrest, Jennifer Beals
Slightly above average crime drama about an old style American
militiaman who clashes with a new breed of the brotherhood after his
wife and son are killed in raid on his compound. Ultimately, though,
it's a lightweight film, even though Forrest's role is beefed up a bit
beyond the usual stereotype.
Thunder Point
1998
Kyle MacLachlan, Pascale Bussiére, Michael Sarrazin
An ex-spy, on "vacation" in South America with his "daughter,"
finds a lost WWII Nazi protocol in a submarine wreck. He hurries off to
London to sell it to the British, but... Enter incorrigible ex-IRA
rebel spy McLaughlin, hired by the British to find the secrets that are
hidden, fight old and new Nazis who are also after the prize, and
romance the daughter while he's at it. Actually, it sounds better than
it really is. Several serious plot flaws and an unappealing Sarrazin
(he should have remained obscure and left his younger work to speak for
him) mar a moody piece of work that should have been better than it
was.
Sketch Artist
1992
Jeff Fahey, Sean Young, Drew Barrymore
A police sketch artist is set up to take the fall for a murder
and must run around the city trying to prove himself innocent. Despite
the tricky plot, it's just an ordinary movie.
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mike Nelson
A guy imprisoned on a spaceship as a part of an evil
experiment is forced to watch bad old sci-fi flicks with two of his
three robots, who join him in the front row of the ship's theater and
make snide comments about the films. If you've seen the tv show, you've
seen the movie. Still, it worth watching.
Shooting Elizabeth
Jeff Goldblum, Mimi Rogers
When a guy observes that his wife is not only not attentive
enough, but is downright rude to him in public, he decides to kill her,
thereby avoiding a messy divorce. But the plan backfires. And so does
this movie. Sorry, Jeff. I know we're fellow hometowners and all, and
I've been following and praising your career since you left us, but I
didn't buy your character here. Not your fault. Bad script. Bad
direction, maybe.
Deadly Rivals
1993
Andrew Stevens, Celo Wise, Margot Hemingway,
Francesco Quinn, Richard Roundtree, Joe Bologna
A scientist becomes involved with a gem smuggling plot when he
agrees to help federal agents. Put enough monkeys together in a studio
and given enough time they'll end up making a movie, and it'll look
something like this.
Road Trip
2000
Seann William Scott, Breckin Meyer, DJ Qualls, Fred Ward,
Andy Dick, Rachele Blanchard, Jessica Cauffiel, Tom Green
Four guys drive 1800 miles to retrieve a sex tape mistakenly
sent to one of their girlfriends. Fairly lame, but Tom Green is his
usual weirdly entertaining self.
Open Range
2003
Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall,
Michael Jeter, Annette Benning, Diego Luna
When one of a four-man cattle outfit is severely beaten, the
boss and his buddy seek revenge. Great acting, great production, but a
bit overly long and drawn out.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
1997
Jeff Goldblum, Arliss Howard, Julianne Moore, Pete Postlethwaite,
Richard Attenborough, Vince Vaughn, Richard Schiff
The CEO of the corporation that financed the first dinosaur
park is fired for wasting the company's money on a wildlife sanctuary
for the beasts. So he assembles a team to go there. Same old stuff.
October Sky
Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern
Inspired by the space program, high schoolers in West Virginia
in the fifties dedicate themselves to their hobby of shooting off
rockets, which becomes a science project that motivates the whole town.
Good middle-of-the-road drama.
The Pilot's Wife
Christine Lahti, Campbell Scott, John Heard
It's the same old story: he has two families that he shuttles
between, which his first wife discovers after his plane crashes. This
film, however, is so well done that it rises above the typical pathos
of the others.
Primary Suspect
William Baldwin, Brigitte Bako, Lee Majors
A cop struggles to rehabilitate his reputation after events and a fellow officer conspire to set him up. Typical.
Set It Off
Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox,
John C. McGinley, Kimberly Elise, Blair Underwood
After she is fired unfairly as the result of a bank robbery, a
woman and her girlfriends' buddy-up to rob banks. Better than average
for the genre. Particularly notable is Queen Latifah playing the part
of a crime-hardened lesbian.
You Can Count On Me
2000
Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Rory Culkin
A guy returns to his hometown to visit his sister, and he stays a
while. A clever little film that proves that you don't need heavy
Hollywood action sequences and resolutions to hold an audience's
interest. Matthew Broderick is cast in a role that is quite unusual for
him. And Mark Ruffalo is his usual enigmatically psychological self. I
like the clever way they buried the title at the end.
Shopping For Fangs
1994
Radimar Jao, Jeanne Chin
A waitress with a confused sexual orientation is attracted to
and begins to hang out with a gay customer. Meanwhile, a timid
corporate underling's hair grows so fast that he believes himself to be
a werewolf. And a timid and repressed married woman eschews her
husband's advances, visits a therapist, and takes an interest in her
stalker--the waitress. A must-see. This film is in a class all by
itself.
Just Write
1997
Jeremy Piven, Sherilyn Fenn, Jobeth Williams,
Yeardley Smith, Alex Rocco, Wallace Shawn
A tour bus driver in Hollywood falls into a job as a movie
scriptwriter while courting a movie star. But his humble background
works to keep him from succeeding. Nothing earth-shattering here, but
the premise and the build-up make for a cute story.
Hanging Up
2000
Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow,
Walter Matthau, Adam Arkin, Cloris Leachman
A crotchety, ailing father (Matthau) makes life miserable for
his three daughters, especially the one who lives nearby (Ryan). Good
performances in an ordinary slice-of-life film.
Foolish
Eddie Griffin, Master P, Andrew Dice Clay
One brother works at being a comedian who is above whoring
himself to the Hollywood machine. The other brother promotes the
first's career while working for a gansta whom he fallen afoul of.
Together they prove that family is thicker than difficulties--and
plots.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law,
Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, James Rebhorn
A sociopathic schemer is hired by a wealthy father to go to
Europe to convince the wayward son to return home and become a serious
businessman. But the playboy son wishes to remain and unwittingly plays
into the sociopath's best and worst abilities, with tragic results.
Excellent drama.
Pay It Forward
2000
Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment,
Jay Mohr, Jon Bon Jovi, Angie Dickinson
A middle school teacher becomes semi-involved with a single
mother after he unwittingly motivates a student to invite an itinerate
drug-addict into their home in order to help change the world. Great
premise that falls a bit flat, despite excellent acting. The script
could have used another rewrite, maybe. Some of the lines were a bit
awkward; others didn't work at all. And the basic sub-plot that
operated outside the primary time frame didn't pay-off so well. Add to
that the downer resolution and you have a less than satisfying film.
The Mothman Prophecies
Richard Geer, Laura Linney, Will Patton, Alan Bates
A Washington Post reporter, after the death of his wife,
experiences strange occurrences when he mysteriously visits a small
town. Except for the basic premise that there are these angel-like
creatures that have existed all but unseen throughout history that
influence and/or predict catastrophic events, this is just your average
stupid sci-fi flick.
Red Corner
Richard Gere, Bai Ling, Bradley Whitford
A businessman in Beijing is framed for murder in order to edge
him out of a business deal. That's just about the entire plot in this
film, despite its attempt to establish a convoluted aura of intrigue.
But the acting is good, even if typical on Geer's part.
Blue Tiger
Virginia Madsen, Toru Nakamura, Harry Dean Stanton
Moody revenge film about a woman who goes undercover to find
her son's killer among the Yakuza. Typical stuff, but with a few
interesting twists. Stanton plays his usual character. Look for
Madsen's brother in an uncredited bit part as a gun salesman.
Skin Deep
1989
John Ritter, Vincent Gardenia
A writer, plagued by sex and alcohol addiction, is separated
from his wife and struggles to straighten up, which he eventually does.
I thought I was going to hate this movie because I thought Ritter would
play his usual milquetoast role. But I was quite surprised by his
versatility.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Catherine Hicks,
DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei,
Walter Koenig, Jane Wyatt, John Schuck, Brock Peters
The Starship Enterprise travels to present day America to
transport a pair of humpback whales back to their own time in order to
restore the species and free the planet from destruction by taskmaster
extraterrestrial environmentalists. This is my favorite of all the Star
Trek films, mostly because Hicks is in it, but also because of the
interaction between the crew and current Earthlings.