Archive for August, 2001

The Mexican DVD

“The Mexican” I saw in theaters was not the same movie advertised on television. The one being advertised on television looks like a typically droll Julia Roberts/Brad Pitt romantic comedy. The one in theaters is a dark comedy in which Roberts and Pitt share only a few scenes together. Read the rest of this entry »

Living Out Loud

At first glance, “Living Out Loud” is a brash and sassy comedy about the human condition. Thanks to a literate and funny screenplay by writer-turned-director Richard LaGravenese, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. Then you get in your car, go home, and it’s life as usual. Read the rest of this entry »

Alien Vs. Predator

Then there’s Alien Vs. Predator, a belated hybrid sequel that attempts to revive two flagging franchises. It fails. It’s disheartening after two Predator and four Alien films, plus numerous comic books, it all comes down to this, a flaming bag of dog poop that smells worse every time director Paul W.S. Anderson steps on it. Read the rest of this entry »

Chicken Run DVD

Something fowl is happening on the Tweedy Chicken Farm, and the hens don’t like it. Birds of a feather may flock together, but the ingenious stars of “Chicken Run” have something more daring in mind. Thanks to the pluck of one hen named Ginger, the chickens are about to stage one of the most daring escapes since Steve McQueen jumped his motorcycle over a fence in “The Great Escape.” Read the rest of this entry »

Blast from the Past

1962 was a tumultuous year, even without the Cuban missile crisis. The Cold War was in full freeze, and paranoia run rampant. Paranoia can cause people to do strange things. The thought of a Russian missile attack convinced many Americans to build bomb shelters. Read the rest of this entry »

Frequency

How refreshing to sit through a movie that so perfectly suspends disbelief you sit there with wide eyed wonderment. You know what you’re watching is totally implausible, yet it has been so skillfully executed you not only accept it, you want it to be true. Read the rest of this entry »

Thunderball

After “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” “Thunderball” is my favorite James Bond movie. Filled with spectacular stunts, outrageous action, gorgeous women and a sturdier than ever Sean Connery, “Thunderball” was everything a Bond film should be. Directed by Terence Young, “Thunderball” took Bond to new heights and depths. Read the rest of this entry »

Mouse Hunt

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nine years since writer-producer John Hughes created “Home Alone.” It’s even harder to believe that since that time, the “Home Alone” formula has become a genre all its own. Not only did the first film spawn two sequels, but numerous imitations. Read the rest of this entry »

Hellboy

I recently learned a valuable trick when it comes to reviewing comic book-based movies. So much time and effort goes into recreating the look and tone of the comic book, often at the expense of the screenplay. Celluloid Comic book pages are just as flat unless you care about the characters who inhabit them. Read the rest of this entry »

The Green Mile

Told with the assurance of a master filmmaker, “The Green Mile” emerges as one of the most absorbing, heartfelt films of the year.

A good film has the ability to take you away for a couple of hours. A great film stays with you long after the final credits have rolled. “The Green Mile” is a great film. It is filled with memorable characters and images, all perfectly realized by director Frank Darabont. Read the rest of this entry »