Reviews

After wrecking his car, author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) ends up immobilized and at the mercy of his "number one fan" Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). Bates is brilliant in what might be the best adaptation of a Stephen King novel ever. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes suspense, it is thoroughly enjoyable.

If you like movies with lots of shooting and blood, horrible dialog, and even worse acting, then "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" was made for you. The attempts at dark humor are not funny & the storyline is silly. This film has to be a serious contender for the worst film of 2003.

This film seems to capture all the same old tired elements of so many past action films. Smarmy desk jockey captain, grizzled veteran cop, and hot shot young rookie. Unfortunately the characters are all flat and the dialog boring. Though there is some good action in this film, it just misses the target entirely.

This is an odd little movie that I could not stop watching. Though I will not likely see it again, I would recommend seeing it once. The violence is cartoonish at best, blood splattered everywhere, but the story of a wave of suicides is enough to keep your interest. If you have a somewhat dark sense of humor you will like this film.

This film is simply not funny. From start to finish it is jerky, poorly written, and totally boring. Reese Witherspoon is so stiff and annoyingly ditzy, but not in a funny way at all. And one would never guess this was the same Sally Field who won a Best Actress Oscar. Even "Dumb and Dumberer" stands out next to this film. Do not bother with this one.

I am not a John Waters fan, but this film is great. Kathleen Turner stars as a the overly normal housewife who just happens to be a serial killer. This is a very funny, sarcastic film with a supporting cast that includes Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake & Matthew Lillard. If you are a fan of dark comedy, put this one on the top of your "must see" list.

I find this maybe the least enjoyable of all the Bond films. The script is poor and much of the acting not much better. Probably the worst thing about it is the cinematography, which simply was not good enough for a Bond film. Perhaps a product of its time, this film pales in comparison to many of the Bond films to come, lacking any real energy and focus.

This movie really disappointed me. As a fan of romantic comedies I found neither romance or comedy. The total lack of chemistry only served to highlight the limited range of both Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. The best acting in this film may well have been the brief appearance by Mike Piazza who did a great job playing a professional baseball player (even better than he does on the field). If you are looking for a really cute, funny movie to share - skip this one.

This is a fun movie. Far and away my favorite adaptation of a Stephen King novel ever. Christine is a sweet `58 Plymouth Fury with a decidedly nasty disposition. The effects are great and the acting is fine. The soundtrack is loaded with classics from the golden age of Rock & Roll. Fans of good horror/fantasy films should find this film a joy to watch !

There was very little I liked about this film. Knowing it was a Kubrick work I expected something great, but instead got a poorly acted, boring "drama" with soap opera dialog. Neither Cruise or Kidman did a good job in a story that was tenuous at best. The worst part was a score which included the most annoying piano sounds (ostensibly for suspense) that were like fingernails scratching a chalkboard. Only the cinematography stood out in this otherwise lackluster and trite piece of cinematic drivel.

Even from Vin Diesel I expected better than this. Other than a couple decent action scenes and some good music (a brief live performance by Rammstein is the film's highlight) this film is a total dud. The script had to have been written by third grade students because it was horrid. As much as I like chase scenes and the many sweet cars (the GTO being the showcase) they really did little with them. Save your time and money and skip this film.

This is a great movie, based on a true World War II escape. The set is superb, based on the actual design of Stalag Luft 3 where the escape took place. The cast is an all-star one including Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, & James Garner. It has a bit of everything you could want..humor, compassion, and even a great motorcycle chase scene. The movie is almost three hours long, so pop some popcorn, settle in, and prepare to enjoy yourself immensely.

I like this film more with each viewing. Brad Pitt & Morgan Freeman are both superb as a pair of detectives on the trail of serial killer John Doe (Kevin Spacey). The film is rich in imagery and graphic in its depiction of violence. The story is great and kept me guessing till the end. A must see work. 10/10

Having been a couch potato my entire life I love this film. John Ritter is brilliant as a television addict who gets satellite television installed by Satan's minion spike (Jeffrey Jones). 666 channels of totally warped TV in return for his soul. This film is loaded with references to classic TV and is a blast to watch.

Just watched this film again and am still amazed with how good it is after all these years. Dustin Hoffman sparkled as an autistic man. He gets so involved in the role that it does not seem like acting. The story is great and touching and Tom Cruise is more than adequate in his role. A must see, 9 out of 10.

This film is a joyous comedic romp with no low points. John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd lead an all-star cast in a musical blast which includes Scatman Crothers, Aretha Franklin, & John Lee Hooker. The car chase scenes are as good as any in film. Carrie Fisher is especially funny as the "mystery woman" out to get Jake Blues (Belushi). Invite over a bunch of friends to watch this and be prepared to laugh till it hurts!

This retelling of Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" is a good Western worth watching. Yul Brynner is excellent as the leader of seven men hired to help a small Mexican village protect itself from a bandit's gang. A lot of the cast went on to become big names including Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, & Eli Wallach. Not the greatest Western I have seen, but still a fun film to watch.

*If you get the Special Edition dvd be sure to watch the companion documentary "Guns For Hire : The Making of the Magnificent Seven", it is full of great stories about the film and its cast and history.

I tried to like the Maltese Falcon, but it simply did not do it for me. Bogart & Astor each were plastic in their roles, and the rest of the cast fared little better. The film lacked ANY character development and tried to push the pace too much to be very enjoyable. Watch it for the nostalgia of it, but do not expect a lot.

Forrest Gump is a masterpiece. Watching the remarkable life of a simple man woven through the tapestry of recent American history makes this film among my favorites. Tom Hanks is totally believable in the title role, and Robin Wright & Gary Sinise are both great. What really makes this movie stand out though is the way Forrest's life is inserted into so many historic events...George Wallace trying to stop integration in Little Rock, Vietnam protests in Washington D.C., and (my favorite) the Watergate break-in are among them. The use of digital effects in archival footage is done better than I have seen it before. A great story, filmed superbly, and filled with great acting, this is as good as it gets. 10 out of 10!

I think it is less than coincidental that Rosebud is an anagram for "bored us". From the beginning with its 12 minute plus faux newsreel screamed in an annoying voice, till its trite ending this film bored me. Though much of the cinematography was exceptional, the story, the acting, and even the makeup (check out the horrid goop plastered on his face near the end of the film) were all mediocre. If you are looking for entertaining classic cinema of the 40's, do yourself a favor, look elsewhere!

I just watched this film again for the first time in years and was reminded just why it is considered so great. Bogart & Bergman were incredible as was the entire cast, I especially love Peter Lorre's rather shortlived role in it. Everyone talks about the love story, but to me it is Rick's transformation from bitterness and apathy to the noble hero that makes Casablanca. And the music that knits the film together is superb. As time goes by this film only grows in stature, a true classic in every sense.

Incredible film which I love in so many ways. From the quirky way several seemingly disjointed stories come together, the sarcastic humor, the gratuitous (but delectable) violence, and even the soundtrack. Samuel L. Jackson & Bruce Willis are both brilliant in a film which is more than just a must watch, but a most watch over and over addition to any film collection. 10 of 10!

The concept of a criminal system that prevents crime before it happens made this film watchable. Tom Cruise did a good job in a one-dimensional role and the special effects were great, but I expected far more from Spielberg.

This is about as dark and somber a film as I have seen in some time. Halle Berry was brilliant (definitely deserving of her Oscar win), but the other roles, especially Billy Bob Thornton's, were too shallow and trite. This film was very depressing and full of rich symbolism, but fell short despite Berry's performance.