The new BATMAN AND ROBIN is one cold customer. Someone should explain the concept of "too much" to director Joel Schumacher. This film has more twists than one of Poison Ivy's man-killing vines. The production design is slick, the music dramatic, the hero, played by George Clooney, is dashing -- but the dialogue could have been written by a couple of 10 year olds. How many ways can you say "When Hell Freezes over"? This time, Batman, has to deal with a rebellious Robin played by Chris O'Donnell, an ailing Alfred, and Alfred's sweet niece, played by Alicia Silverstone, who's a motorcycle daredevil who ends up as Batgirl. The villians are the enticing Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman, and Mr. Freeze, portrayed with relish by a hammy Arnold Schwarzzeneger. All the actors honed in on the bat-signal fun, too bad the screenwriter didn't pay attention too. BATMAN AND ROBIN is rated PG-13. IMDbOther Reviews
After a brief and somewhat disconcerting flirtation with the conventional, "Fargo" creators and supreme weisenheimers Joel & Ethan Coen have returned to the fringe big time with their loosest, most gonzo film to date. A radically disheveled Jeff Bridges headlines as the Dude, a hazy bowling obsessed slacker who gets reluctantly drawn into a haywire kidnapping scheme. It's a tantalizing setup -- "The Big Sleep" with Jeff Spicoli instead of Philip Marlowe -- but the film never really runs with it, preferring instead to dance around the edges and introduce as many wacky characters (including ace performances by Coen mainstays John Goodman, John Turturro, and an underutilized Steve Buscemi) and absurd situations as it possibly can. (The awesomely goofy Gutterballs sequence gets my vote for the funniest set-piece in recent memory.) Whatever the film's flaws, you've never seen anything quite like it. IMDb | Other Reviews
BIRD CAGE brings together one of the biggest stars of the movies and one of the biggest stars from Broadway-- Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. "Bird Cage" is an American version of the hit French farce "La Cage Au Folles." Williams and Lane play a gay couple. Williams runs a popular drag show club and Lane is the headliner. Williams has a son who has come home to announce he's getting married! To a girl! After some initial resistance Williams gives his blessing. But there's a catch. The fiancee's father is a prominent politician who has made his reputation as a proponent of the moral majority. So to meet the in-laws Williams has to play it straight! The movie is a lot of fun, but so was the original-- not much has been changed. It would have been nice to see the characters updated a bit more, and the caricatures humanized more. But Nathan Lane is the standout in this ensemble, combining flamboyance and poignance in every lovely move he makes. IMDb
After seeing this movie, some will never go camping again. Many will spend sleepless nights of terror in their own homes hearing bumps and groans in the night. The low-budget indie "mockumentary" portrays three lost filmmakers -- the leader is serious-minded Heather, accompanied by cameraman Josh and a nervous soundman, Mike -- stalking a legendary witch in the Maryland woods. They disappear and only their film footage is found. Moviegoers say it is not so much the fright that leaves an impression, but a creeping psychological fear that lingers long after the film reels run out. Shot on 8mm video and 16mm black-and-white film, the shaky, amateurish camerawork of this movie make the ghastly encounters seem real. The experience did not leave me as scared as I had hoped, but it will creep up in your head and continue to itch like a sliver in the brain. Full Review | IMDb | Other Reviews
Brendan Fraser plays Adam, a guy who's completely out of step with the big-city culture he's visiting. This is a completely different role from any Fraser has played before -- this time he's fully clothed and speaks fluent, if not antiquated, English. "Blast" would have been a much more interesting movie had it devoted more time to Adam's parents re-entry into society after spending 30 years in a bomb shelter. Too bad, too, because Sissy Spacek created an interesting, funny character out of what could have been a cookie-cutter mom. By the way, why does Alicia Silverstone always look like she's in pain when she's being kissed? IMDb | Other Reviews
BLOOD AND WINE reteams "5 Easy Pieces" director Bob Raefelson and buddy Jack Nicholson in a peculiar violent tale of double-crosses, set in the steamy environs of South Florida. Nicholson is 2-bit con artist named Alex, married to a codeine-dependent Suzanne, played by Judy Davis, and he is stepfather to a surly young man, portrayed by Stephen Dorff. Alex and his girlfriend Gabby, played by Jennifer Lopez, have hooked up with a slimy limey -- Michael Caine as Victor -- for the job of a lifetime. They steal a priceless necklace, which proves to be their downfall. Nicholson is cool and sadistic, Caine is brutally hot-tempered and has emphysema, and Judy Davis plays an uncharacteristic victim. Raefelson has crafted a dark and seamy tale that will shock you and keep you guessing. BLOOD AND WINE has a spirit worth savoring. It's rated R. IMDbOther Reviews
The Coen Brothers first movie and it is excellent. Not a moral tale, this is simply a great story. The kind I like: no great moral play, no "hidden agenda" by the movie maker. They are simply telling a story. And what a story. It's reverse film noir, with the viewer knowing everything the characters don't. Unpredictable and sudden; a definite weekend night "thriller, suspense" feature presentation ... IMDb | Other Reviews
The short man with the big ears and big mouth has finally done it. For those of you who didn't make the smart choice of rushing to see this box office hit on opening night like I did, well hey, you missed out. But don't worry, you still have a chance to check it out. Martin Lawrence stars in this action/comedy as a jewelry thief who comes back for a hidden diamond only to find it in a new police department. He disguise himself as a detective and the comedy unfolds. David Chappelle is also funny as Lawrence's former sidekick. He's the type of person who just doesn't get it -- if you winked at him, he would say, "What's wrong with your eye?" "Blue Streak" is by far Lawrence's best work yet. Full Review | IMDb | Other Reviews
BOGUS is a charming movie starring Whoopie Goldberg, Gerard Depardieu and Haley Joel Osmet, recently nominated for an Oscar. Osmet plays Albert, raised by single mom Nancy Travis in the glitzy Las Vegas world of showgirls and illusionists. When mom is killed, Albert is shipped off to New Jersey to live with her foster sister Harriet, played by Whoopi. Trouble is Harriet didn't even know he existed, and isn't a natural parent. To cope Albert discovers an imaginary friend named Bogus, played by the Depardieu. Director Norman Jewison takes this movie in sweet, touching, and unpredictable directions. Although it does lay on the symbolism a bit thick at times. Any movie that gives Goldberg's expressive face 30 seconds of screen silence as she makes the decision to take in the boy, is a very special movie indeed. Bogus is rated PG. IMDbOther Reviews
Anyone who tells you this is a metaphor movie about the late 1970s and early 1980s is wrong: This is a movie about the pornography industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Those worried that it's loaded with graphic and gratuitous nudity/sex scenes shouldn't be, in fact there is very little nudity. It's packed with memorable scenes, and is a great Americana story about a young man coming of age, but I thought it was a too long. Worth seeing -- late at night when the kids are in bed -- and gets by as a weekend feature. IMDb | Other Reviews
My choice for the most purely entertaining movie of 1997, this deliriously over-the-top epic starts off running and keeps up the blistering pace for almost three hours, culminating in the best scene of the year; a marvelously tense botched drug heist that afterwards will have you breaking out in a cold sweat every time you hear a Night Ranger song on the radio. (Assuming that you don't already). The justifiably Oscar nominated Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds head up a superb cast, but the real star here is writer/director P.T. Anderson (previously responsible for the equally underrated "Hard Eight"), who somehow manages to blend the amphetamine dazzle of Scorsese with the it's-all-happening-as-we-watch quality of Robert Altman, while still keeping his own distinct voice. It's not without flaws (the subject matter alone may put off some viewers), but no other film in recent memory seems nearly as alive.
You may not have heard of "Bound," the 1996 Jennifer Tilly / Gina Gershon neo-noir, and this may be due to the fact that there is no element to its true quality that could be revealed on a video store box, a trailer, or other regular promotional avenues. Its shortcomings are obvious and surface-level, the main one being the predilections of its directors (the Wachowski brothers of "The Matrix" fame) to be overly flashy and hokey. The real value is in its script, which reverses the typical, Neanderthal sexual politics of film noir and, indeed, most Hollywood thrillers, by having women characters that are multi-dimensional, independent protagonists. As such, many of its pleasures could be out of reach unless you're a cinephile tired of conventional thrillers, plus a bit of a feminist. Still, it has a good plot, and is overall a wholly original film. IMDb | Other Reviews
Steve Martin loves to poke fun at Los Angeles. He did it in "L.A. Story," and he's at it again in "Bowfinger." This time, he's delivering a sharp jab to Hollywood's gut. Martin plays an aging, unsuccessful film producer who will do just about anything for one last shot at making a blockbuster film. The problem is, he can't get the star he wants to act in it. No matter, he'll just film the star -- played by Eddie Murphy -- going about his everyday life. What results is a witty and perceptive commentary on the sorry state of the business, from the terrible movies that are made to the self-absorbed stars who act in them. The satire is a bit slow, but the jokes are right on target and the performances very memorable. IMDb | Other Reviews
The new BATMAN AND ROBIN is one cold customer. Someone should explain the concept of "too much" to director Joel Schumacher. This film has more twists than one of Poison Ivy's man-killing vines. The production design is slick, the music dramatic, the hero, played by George Clooney, is dashing -- but the dialogue could have been written by a couple of 10 year olds. How many ways can you say "When Hell Freezes over"? This time, Batman, has to deal with a rebellious Robin played by Chris O'Donnell, an ailing Alfred, and Alfred's sweet niece, played by Alicia Silverstone, who's a motorcycle daredevil who ends up as Batgirl. The villians are the enticing Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman, and Mr. Freeze, portrayed with relish by a hammy Arnold Schwarzzeneger. All the actors honed in on the bat-signal fun, too bad the screenwriter didn't pay attention too. BATMAN AND ROBIN is rated PG-13. 
BIRD CAGE brings together one of the biggest stars of the movies and one of the biggest stars from Broadway-- Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. "Bird Cage" is an American version of the hit French farce "La Cage Au Folles." Williams and Lane play a gay couple. Williams runs a popular drag show club and Lane is the headliner. Williams has a son who has come home to announce he's getting married! To a girl! After some initial resistance Williams gives his blessing. But there's a catch. The fiancee's father is a prominent politician who has made his reputation as a proponent of the moral majority. So to meet the in-laws Williams has to play it straight! The movie is a lot of fun, but so was the original-- not much has been changed. It would have been nice to see the characters updated a bit more, and the caricatures humanized more. But Nathan Lane is the standout in this ensemble, combining flamboyance and poignance in every lovely move he makes. 
