Labyrinth is a bizarre and surreal fantasy tale from writer/director Jim Henson. In the film a young girl slips into a dreamlike world and must navigate a labyrinth that confronts her with her innermost demons. Jennifer Connelly gives a strong performance and interacts seamlessly with the puppet characters. However, it's David Bowie's inspired performance as the Goblin King that's most captivating. Aside from acting, David Bowie also wrote and performed several songs for the film that are absolutely spellbinding. There are some issues with the storytelling, but the puppetry is amazing. Even with its flaws, Labyrinth is an exceptionally imaginative and creative film that's a lot of fun.
Girl, Interrupted is a compelling psychological drama based on the memoir by Susana Kaysen. After a suicide attempt a troubled young girl finds herself committed to a psychiatric hospital and must find her way back to sanity through her madness. Both Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie give brilliant, captivating performances, and are backed by a strong supporting cast that includes Brittany Murphy, Clea DuVall, and Whoopi Goldberg. Also, the directing is exceptionally well-done and enhances the psychological themes of the film. And, the soundtrack perfectly complements the tone and setting. A fascinating look at the struggles of mental illness, Girl, Interrupted is an extraordinarily powerful and moving film.
The psychological thriller The Silence of the Lambs is a well-crafted film that has become a modern classic. Based on the Thomas Harris novel, FBI trainee Clarice Starling seeks help from convicted serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in order to catch a murderer that has kidnapped a senator’s daughter. The performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster are excellent; especially Hopkins, who owns every scene he’s in. The directing is also exceptionally good and effectively builds suspense and tension throughout the film. The Silence of the Lambs delivers a smart and intense thriller with a provocative and compelling story.
Lucas continues his epically bad Star Wars prequel trilogy with Episode II – Attack of the Clones. The story kicks into high gear as the Galactic Senate takes up a bill to form an Army of the Republic. Yes, it’s that exciting. With Hayden Christensen in the lead, the acting gets even worse than it was in Episode I. But that’s not all, the CGI effects are horrendously awful too. However, Lucas does ramp up the action and dials back Jar Jar Binks to a minimal role. And despite its many, many flaws, a lot of the film is pretty entertaining in one way or another. Attack of the Clones is a poorly made film that’s painful to watch, but like any car wreck it’s hard to look away.
The original Rocky is iconic, and launched one of the most influential cinema franchises. Yet, this first installment is far subdued from what Rocky would become; delivering a smart edgy drama. It’s a quintessential populist story: down-and-out “everyman” Rocky Balboa gets a shot to go the distance with world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in the Bicentennial Super Battle fight on New Year’s Day. Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, and Burgess Meredith all give strong performances (all Academy Award nominated). And, composer Bill Conti crafts a brilliant score that carries the soul of the film. Despite a few dated pieces of ‘70s style filmmaking, Rocky holds up as an extraordinary inspirational drama.
Full of mystery and intrigue, Ronin is an intense espionage thriller. The story follows a group of mercenaries hired by a mysterious woman to retrieve a briefcase, but when one of their own betrays them the mission is thrown into chaos. Featuring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, and Sean Bean, the casting is pretty good. The directing is also well-done, and creates an atmospheric tone that brings a lot of suspense to the film. Additionally, the action sequences are quite impressive, particularly the car chases. However, there’s a level of ambiguity built into the plot that doesn’t quite work. It has some weaknesses, but overall Ronin is a dark and provocative film.
Red Dragon is an intense psychological thriller from director Brett Ratner. Based on the Thomas Harris novel, the FBI recruits retired agent Will Graham to help capture a serial killer known as the “Tooth Fairy” who has killed two families. The casting is excellent, and includes Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, and Ralph Fiennes; who all give great performances. Ratner’s directing is also superb, and does an impressive job at crafting an engaging and thrilling story. Additionally, Danny Elfman provides a powerful score that brings a lot of energy to the film. Perhaps the strongest installment in the Lecter series, Red Dragon is a dramatic and compelling film that’s full of suspense.
“Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings.” It’s A Wonderful Life is a beloved Christmas classic, but like most great films, it took some time for it to be appreciated. It has become Frank Capra’s signature film, and epitomizes his populist film style. Jimmy Stewart once again teams up with Capra and gives a career performance as the small town hero George Bailey, who in a moment of despair contemplates suicide, but a visit from an angle who shows him what the world would’ve been like without him changes his mind. The story starts in a strikingly dark place (for a Christmas film), which has the effect of making the climatic ending all the more powerful and heartwarming. While It’s A Wonderful Life has been retold many times in many ways, nothing beats the original.
Robot Chicken takes on Star Wars in this hilarious feature. Using their uniquely irreverent and clever style of humor, Robot Chicken spoofs the Star Wars universe in a series of zany animated shorts. However, there’s no overarching theme or order to the shorts. This works somewhat to the film’s advantage in that it catches you off guard and stays spontaneous, but it’s also chaotic and jarring. And yet, Robot Chicken: Star Wars is outlandishly fun and entertaining.
“It’s all in the reflexes.” Big Trouble in Little China is a hilarious action-comedy from writer/director John Carpenter. The story follows cocky, loud mouth truck driver Jack Burton as he gets entangled in a world of Chinese mysticism and dark magic while trying to help a friend rescue his kidnapped fiancée. Kurt Russell leads the cast and delivers an outstanding performance that’s incredibly fun. And Carpenter does a masterful job at slowly drawing the audience into a fantasy world and filling it with rich and colorful characters. Additionally, the score (co-written by Carpenter) is especially well done; perfectly capturing the eerie and mystical tone of the film. Mixing satire with fantasy and action, Big Trouble in Little China is an immensely fun and entertaining cult comedy.
“This time it’s war.” In this sequel to Alien, James Cameron delivers a thrilling and epic sci-fi adventure. When communication is lost with a new colony on LV-426 the military seeks the help of Ellen Ripley in combating a possible alien threat. The cast is fantastic, and includes Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, and Bill Paxton (“Game over man!”). Everything in this film is outstanding; the costumes, the special effects, the set designs, the score, the script...all working together in sync. Aliens is a brilliant, action-packed film that surpasses its predecessor.
Earth gets an extra special Christmas present when a comet brings on the zombie apocalypse in Night of the Comet. And who better than a pair of teenage high school girls to fight off the armies of darkness? It is, perhaps, the absurdity that makes this film such a beloved cult classic. Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney are perfectly cast, and do an excellent job at capturing the lighthearted comedic undertones of this campy ‘80s horror/comedy. Night of the Comet is a fun adventure with thrills, scares, and laughs. “They Came. They Shopped. They Saved the World!”
Steven Spielberg’s Hook is a colossal blunder that fails spectacularly. This re-imagining of James Barrie’s classic tale finds Peter Pan all grown-up and returning to Neverland to rescue his children from the clutches of Captain Hook. With an all-star cast that includes Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Bob Hoskins, and Julia Roberts, one would think that the film couldn’t go wrong; but somehow Spielberg found a way. The most atrocious aspect of this re-imagining is the Lost Boys; which are written as bad ‘90s caricatures. Additionally, the special effects and set designs are astoundingly poor (which seems unimaginable for a Spielberg film). John Williams delivers a wonderfully enchanting score, but it can only do so much. Yet, there are a few magical moments, and a charm to some of the characters. While it’s mildly entertaining, Hook is a complete mess that fails to live up to the spirit of Barrie’s classic.
If the best revenge is living well, then apparently Drago got the last laugh as Rocky V finds Rocky Balboa bankrupt and suffering from permanent brain damage. After going bankrupt Rocky moves back to his old neighborhood in Philly and reopens Mickey’s gym, where he meets a young fighter named Tommy Gunn and becomes his manager. This is undoubtedly the worst of the Rocky films, making a fatal error on the direction to take the series. The film attempts to return Rocky to his roots, which isn’t a bad idea in concept (and worked well in Rocky III). But after Rocky’s triumphant victory over the Russians in Rocky IV, bankrupting and crippling him just serves to alienate the fans. And then there’s Tommy Gunn, the blandest, most uninteresting of all of Rocky’s foils. Rocky V scuttles the series and is one of those few films in a franchise that’s best forgotten, to be wiped out of existence as if it never happened.
With Rocky IV the franchise fully embraces the cheesy action motif and does so brilliantly. When Soviet boxer Ivan Drago comes to America Apollo Creed challenges him to an exhibition match, but when it ends in tragedy Rocky must risk everything to avenge Creed. Dolph Lundgren gives an excellent performance as Drago; making him one on the most iconic villains of the franchise. And the slick, stylized montages (which have become a staple of the series) have never been done better. Watching the montage of Rocky and Drago training (set to “Heart’s On Fire”), it’s hard not to get fired up. Plus, the boxing scenes themselves are outstanding. Rocky verses the Russians was a natural place to take the series in the mid-80s, and Rocky IV stands as a quintessential Cold War ‘80s action film.
“What’s your favorite scary movie?” From master of horror Wes Craven, Scream is a modern horror classic that lead to a revival of the genre in the late ‘90s. The film follows a series of murders by the mysterious Ghostface Killer, who’s terrorizing the small town of Woodsboro. The story is extremely well-crafted and presents a smart mystery that’s engaging and suspenseful. It both pays homage to the landmark films of horror and satirizes them; calling out the common tropes and conventions (such as the rules for surviving a horror film). It’s also excellently cast with a number of fresh faces and rising stars, such as Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, and Drew Barrymore. Full of suspense and terror, Scream is a thrilling slasher.
The Jewel of the Nile continues the adventures of romance novelist Joan Wilder, but this time in a more contrived and stereotypical action film. While sailing around the world with Jack Colton, Joan becomes bored with writing romance novels and accepts an invitation do an article on an African dictator who's about to united the tribes of his country, but soon after arriving at his palace she discovers that things aren't as they appear. Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito all return and slip quite easily back into their characters. But, this time the story is completely formulaic and takes itself too seriously; which drains a lot of fun out of the film. While The Jewel of Nile isn't as good as its predecessor, it's still entertaining and has its moments.
From Twentieth Century-Fox comes Titanic, the first major motion picture about the Titanic disaster. The story follows a society couple that attempts to reconcile their estranged marriage on the maiden voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic. Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck both give strong performances and have tremendous screen presence. Additionally, the writing (which won an Academy Award) is quite compelling. However, the film glosses over a lot of the actual people and events of the real sinking. Yet despite the lack of historical accuracy, Titanic is an especially well-made film that’s dramatic and exciting.
Futurama’s back with an all new adventure in Bender’s Big Score. After an untimely cancellation the gang returns with this full-length feature. When a group of scam artists swindle Professor Farnsworth out of his company they discover a time-travel code on Fry’s tattoo and use Bender to go back in time to steal historical artifacts. Surprisingly, the Bender part of the story is pretty clever, with layers of time-travel and doppelgangers. And to the story’s credit, the continuity with the rest of the series is pretty solid and holds up. However, the side-plots are weak and don’t hold together very well. Still, while it’s a bit of a jumbled mess at times, Futurama: Bender’s Big Score is entertaining and delivers all of the hilarity and outrageous hijinks that fans have come to expect.
One of the best Titanic documentaries ever made, Ghosts of the Abyss delivering a rich and interactive look at the ship’s wreckage site. With new specialized equipment, James Cameron leads an expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic and goes further into the ship than ever before. Using a blend of underwater footage superimposed with live action sage footage, the film delivers a real sense of the dimensions and feel of the ship. The film also has an added sense of poignancy, given that Cameron’s expedition coincided with the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center; presenting an interesting parallel of one disaster being explored during the mist of another. Ghosts of the Abyss is a fascinating documentary and serves as a perfect companion piece to James Cameron’s 1997 epic film, revealing the facts behind the fiction.
Robot Chicken once again delivers another brilliant and hilarious compilation of Star Wars animated shorts in Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III. The shorts are themed around Emperor Palpatine, which provides plenty of material for satire, but all the main characters get their fair share of spoofing. A couple of them fall flat, however most are clever or absurd enough to bring the laughs. Its witty, irreverent humor makes Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III immensely entertaining and outrageously funny.
An outstanding spoofing of the Star Wars films, Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II is ridiculously funny. Consisting of more than a dozen animated shorts, a good variety of Star Wars characters and films get lampooned; from the main series characters like Darth Vader and Han Solo to anonymous background characters. And the comedy is extraordinarily well-written; providing a balance of Star Wars in-jokes and pop culture humor. Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II is a smart and savvy parody film that delivers non-stop laughs.
Steve Martin and Michael Caine are Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in this hilarious Frank Oz comedy. When confidence man Freddy Benson moves in on another con man’s territory the two have a competition to see which of them can con $50,000 from an American heiress first. The con jobs are outrageously funny and full of twists as the two con men try to outdo each other. Martin and Caine are hysterical together, and give outstanding performances. And, Frank Oz’s directing does an impressive job at enhancing the comedy so that the jokes hit just right. An incredibly fun and entertaining film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels delivers non-stop laughs.
The Shining is a masterpiece of horror from legendary director Stanley Kubrick. Based on a novel by Stephen King, the story follows Overlook Hotel caretaker Jack Torrance as he is driven toward madness by supernatural forces. Jack Nicholson gives a bone chilling and terrifying performance in what would become a seminal roll in his career. And, Kubrick does an amazing job directing; creating a rich, atmospheric tone that’s suspenseful and ominous. Additionally, the use of music is especially good; giving a foreboding and eerie mood to the scenes. Exceptionally well-craft, The Shining is an intense and haunting thriller that has become a classic.
He’s back....again. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is a smart, adrenaline packed film that brings the series full circle. On the eve of Judgment Day the Terminator returns to ensure the survival of John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance in the war against the machines. Nick Stahl and Claire Danes both give strong performances, but Schwarzenegger has lost the magic; he just doesn’t have the Terminator look to him anymore. The real problem however, is Kristanna Loken (who’s no Robert Patrick). Loken comes off as too robotic, and not very Terminator like. Also, some of the callbacks and attempts at lighthearted humor (homaging T2) don’t quite work. Still, the action sequences are spectacular (minus a few spots of bad CGI), and the plot’s especially well-crafted in how it brings together the whole Terminator series and rectifies the time-travel paradoxes. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is a strong sci-fi/action film with both a thrilling adventure and a compelling story.
A second rate B-horror film, New Year’s Evil has an interesting concept but goes about it rather poorly. The story follows a killer who calls into a punk rock television show on New Year’s Eve promising to kill someone every time New Year’s hits a new time zone across the country. It’s a rather frightful idea and the kill scenes are pretty intense. But it’s all undercut by the terrible performances, which are dreadfully awful. Additionally, the “punk” music is just a bunch of generic tripe (with the exception of the title song). While it has a good gimmick going for it, New Year’s Evil is full of problems that drag the film down.
When Christmas is in danger there’s only one man to turn to...Ernest P. Worrell. KnoWhutImean? Ernest Saves Christmas is a wacky family comedy that’s wildly entertaining and tremendously fun. When Santa Claus comes to Orlando to pick a replacement he teams up with jack-of-all-trades Ernest P. Worrell to help him out. Jim Varney delivers both a ton of laughs and holiday cheer, giving his best performance of the series, and has great chemistry with co-stars Noelle Parker and Douglas Seale. Additionally, there’s a playful innocence about the film that makes it all the more charming and endearing, especially for a Christmas film. Without a doubt, Ernest Saves Christmas is the best entry in the Ernest series.
Fred Claus is a fun, refreshing Christmas film thanks in part to the unique brand of comedy that Vince Vaughn brings. When Santa Claus’ estranged brother Fred gets into a bit of trouble he accepts an invitation to visit the North Pole. The casting is terrific; Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti make a great comedic pairing and deliver a ton of laughs (assisted by some excellent cameos). The story’s also quite entertaining and has a good message. A modern Christmas classic, Fred Claus is a great family film that everyone can enjoy.
Though it’s one of the most adapted literary works, Disney’s A Christmas Carol delivers a uniquely daring and bold vision that emphasizes the darker aspects of the story. Yet even with the darker take, the film stays remarkably faithful to the novel; especial in regards to the dialog. In fact, this adaption includes several aspects of Dickens’ tale that are often overlooked; such as the religious undertones. However, the animation style doesn’t really work, and is inconstant in the level of depth and detail in the art design. But despite the production shortcomings, Disney’s A Christmas Carol still manages to be an incredibly compelling and imaginative telling of Charles Dickens’ immoral classic.
“It’s the eye of the tiger...” Rocky III comes out swinging; ramping up the action and moving away from the heavy drama. On the verge of retiring as heavyweight champion Rocky takes on up-and-comer Clubber Lang and loses, prompting Apollo Creed to come out of retirement to help Rocky win the title back. While the first two films were about the “big fight,” this one has all sorts of fights, training montages, and even a wrestling match. However, this new direction doesn’t live up to the previous films. Mr. T adds some new energy as a formidable opponent for Rocky, but he’s a one dimensional villain. And, the loss of Mickey is a devastating blow; but it does allow for the series to take Apollo’s story in a new direction. Rocky III is still a great film, but it’s a different type of film from the first two.
