Filled with memorable performances and lots of heart, “Finding Forrester” is a perfect convergence of star and material. Sean Connery is absolutely splendid as the crusty Pulitzer-prize winning author William Forrester, who turned his back on society after publishing just one book. Read the rest of this entry »

“From Dusk Till Dawn,” the slam-bang action-horror from director Robert Rodriguez and writer Quentin Tarantino, is one of my favorite vampire films. The film’s combination of cutthroat action and wicked humor made it much more than just your run-of-the-mill, fangs-for-the-memory film. Read the rest of this entry »

Even though “Rushmore” is set in the present, the film has the feel of old school. Set in an elite boys academy in Texas, “Rushmore” is filled with remembrances of things gone by. The soundtrack is lined with songs from the 1960’s British Invasion, while the look and feel of the Academy, it’s students and the small town it’s located in all recall a quieter, simpler time. Read the rest of this entry »

While formulating my review of “The Patriot,” I kept replaying The Pretender’s song “It’s A Thin Line Between Love & Hate” over and over in my head. I really wanted to love this movie about how one man’s personal vendetta during the Revolutionary War inspired the South Carolina locals to rise up and defeat General Cornwallis and his troops. Read the rest of this entry »

What do you get when mix “The Godfather” (both I & II), “Casino,” “Showgirls,” “Il Postino,” “Forrest Gump,” Read the rest of this entry »

Like most rabid horror fans in Los Angeles, I caught the first showing of Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” at a midnight screening of a film festival. It was in one of those great old theaters on Wilshire Boulevard that no longer exists. Raimi had blown up his 16mm negative into a 35mm print for the occasion. He even attended the screening to field questions afterwards. Read the rest of this entry »

“A Man Apart,” the new but at least two-year-old film starring Vin Diesel, is a throwback to action-revenge thrillers like “Deathwish” and “Dirty Harry.” A story about a drug enforcement agent pushed over the edge after the murder of his wife, “A Man Apart” would be more at home playing on a drive-in movie screen, where audiences could enjoy a couple of brews and a joint to slip into the mindless action and chaos. Read the rest of this entry »