Silence of the Lambs
(R)
Pulp Fiction (R)
Fargo (R)
Fast Times at
Ridgemont High (R)
The Game (R)
I have graded each of the movies listed using the A - F
grading system:
A:
A must rental, excellent rental, if you don't see it on the shelf ask for it.
B: Pretty good flic, good rental,
definitely look for it on the shelf.
C: Well... it was better than regular
T.V. but not by much, look for something else.
D: Please do not rent this, you
are going to feel ripped off, go to another store.
F: Do not rent, destroy the tape on
the shelf to save others, picket the store until they get rid of it.
- Recent additions
October Sky(B) - While not a great movie, if you are looking for a nice short enjoyable film, give this a whirl. Nothing spectacular, just a solid film.
Three Kings(C) - While the film techniques are pretty neat, the overall story in this flick is pretty weak. This one has a high "look at your watch" factor as well. I was quite disappointed.
True Crime(B) - Okay, this won't win any awards but it will keep your interest. Nothing truly unique but a solid rental.
Absolute Power(B) - Fun movie. Clint Eastwood does a really nice job and the story is quite interesting. I must warn you that Alan Alda is in this movie, but the movie is strong enough to survive him.
Air Force One(B) - Typical action flic that has enough action to make this a decent movie. Although there are quite a few "oh come on" moments, they don't spoil the movie.
American History X (B+) - Went into this movie with high expectations and was not disappointed. Ed Norton does a really nice and convincing job which garnered him an Oscar nomination. While the story did seem to gloss over some information that would have helped glue things together, this is a solid rental.
American Pie(B) - Okay... not the most mature movie you will ever see but a current day version of movies like Fast Time at Ridgemont High and Porkies. Want some good laughs... give this one a try.
The American President (D) - Talk about your left wing preachy movie. Nice story destroyed by left wing politics. Not that replacing it with right wing crap would have helped.
Anaconda (D) - Truly awful. Really bad special effects, really bad accent by Jon Voight, gratuitous non-nudity by Jennifer Lopez. Stay away from this one.
Antz (D) - This movie blows. It seemed more of a proof of concept than a genuine movie. My kids watched about the first ten minutes and then wandered off.
As Good As It Gets (A) - Funny, touching, lots of laughs. Nicholson won best actor, Helen Hunt won best actress, Kinnear was nominated... and they all deserved it. Cuba Gooding Jr. also does a great job. Oh... and don't forget about the dog.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (B+) - Mike Meyers... the man of a thousand faces. Plenty of laughs, good looking babes, and a good takeoff on Bond movies. Sequel due out soon.
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me(B+) - Excellent sequel. I'll sum it up this way.. if you liked the first one, you will like this one.
Barton Fink (B-) - Made by the same guys that made Fargo and Big Lebowski, both better movies than this one. While there are some interesting aspects of this movie, it is long and does tend to drag at times. Steve Buscemi as Chet is a character to be seen.
Bean (C) - Not enough yuks to carry a movie. Better to stick with the Mr. Bean shows on PBS or better yet, get ahold of his HBO special.
Beavis and Butt-head Do America (B) - This movie turned out to be better than expected. While I can handle a little of their show, I thought a whole movie my be a stretch, but it was pretty funny. You have to like B & B first but if you kinda find them funny, you will probably like this one.
The Big Lebowski(A+) - Great characters, great dialogue, great movie. From the creators of Barton Fink and Fargo, this movie has it all. John Goodman is great and should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Walter. This is a laugh out loud kinda movie.
The Blair Witch Project(B) - This is one creepy flick. The challenge is to watch this one with the lights off; something I was unable to do. Rent this one to see what all the fuss was about.
The Bone Collector(B-) - While not without problems, this flick will keep your interest. The failure to come up with a good ending keeps this one from a strong B rating. No nudity rules out any chance of anything close to an A.
Boogie Nights(C) - Critically acclaimed, this movie just kinda rolls along and along and along. This baby is quite lengthy. While there are some good lines and some good acting, there just isn't enough here to warrant a rental.
Booty Call (A) - Okay... not the most intellectual movie that I have ever seen but for some big laughs, this flick is a winner. The comedy is crude and blue but has more than a couple "pee in your pants" funny moments. Give this a try.
Bound (B) - Good flic, good dialogue, good nudity, good lesbianism. The storyline is the strong point of this movie (along with the nudity). Not a lot of pub on this movie but it's worth the rental.
Breakdown (B) - Good action and tension throughout. Not much dead time. Action packed.
Buffalo '66(B-) - To call this movie odd would be an understatement. Most of the comedy comes from the strangeness of the movie which puts this in the category of movie that you will either like or absolutely hate. Consider this a cubic zerconia in the rough, not quite a diamond but...
Caught (C-) - Maria Conchita Alonso's nipple is not even enough to save this movie. This movie clips along at a nice slow pace and has a big "look at your watch" factor. About half the way thru boredom sets in. Where's my watch ???
Chasing Amy (C-) - A disappointing followup to Clerks and Mallrats. This movie just has too much dead time in-between the funny parts. The dirty talk session at the nightspot is classic but occupies 5 minutes of the movie. Loved Clerks, liked Mallrats, disappointed with this one.
Clay Pigeons(B) - I am sucker for black comedies and this one fits the bill. While not in the same league as Fargo, you could considers this its minor league entry. Plenty of guilty laughter in this one.
Clerks (A+) - 37 ?? This movie has to be seen. It was an extremely low budget movie (the creator maxed out his credit cards to make it) but turned out to be great. Won awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Great lines, great look, Silent Bob & Jay, and a great line "37 ??".
Conrack (A+) - An oldy but a goody. You probably have never heard of this movie and may have trouble finding it. Really neat story of a white man sent down to the south to teach at an all black school. Some very funny and poignant moments. Give it a try.
Con Air (B-) - Action packed yes but had little to make it stand out against every other action movie. John Malkovic really stands out as a reason to rent this but it just needed something more.
Conspiracy Theory (B-) - Did not like this as much as others I have talked to. Jerry's jitters made me jittery. Neat story though and you will probably like it.
Contact (C+)- First half of the movie is better than the second half. Had Jodie Foster been naked during the movie, I think I could have given it a B.
Courage Under Fire (B-) - Good story with enough action packed in to earn a B-. Once again, nudity by Meg Ryan could have helped gain a solid B.
Crash (C-) - I saw the R rated version of the movie and I hear you really need to see the NC-17 version. Good nudity factor but was tamed down from the original version. Storyline is about retarded and serves only as glue for the nudity scenes.
The Crucible(B-) - Surprised that I like this movie. Thought it would be a chick flick and to a certain extent it is. Interested story and some good acting. Nudity by Winona Ryder sure could have helped this flic however.
Dark City (B+) - Visually, this movie is one of the neatest movies I have seen in quite some time. The storyline is a bit goofy but this movie is so different and the visuals so cool that you should put this one on the must see list. I must warn you though, I almost turned it off after about the first 20 minutes as I had no clue as to what the hell was going on. I am real glad I stuck with it. This movie has been compared to Metropolis for good reason.
Deconstructing Harry (B) - Like most Woody Allen movies, the first hour and fifteen minutes of this movie are pretty good and then comes the "look at your watch" factor. There are enough yuks in the movie to make it worth the rental.
Devil's Advocate (B+) - Good story, good acting, good nudity. The movies is a bit long however. I think if they could have cut it back by a about 15 minutes, it would have earned an A.
The Devil's Own (C+) - Not to be confused with Devil's Advocate, this movie is a typical action movie with Harrison Ford in it. It is decent but nothing special.
Dogma(B) - The latest in a series of movies by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats) is quite a bit heavier than his previous films. Yes, Jay and Silent Bob are back and there are plenty of laughs to last the two hour screen time. You start with a very serious religious them and throw on a thick layer of comedy and you end up with Dogma.
Dominick and Eugene (C-) - I kept waiting to see the part in this movie that would have justified making the movie and never saw it. I was reduced to hoping for some Jamie Lee Curtis nudity... Denied !! Simply a boring movie.
Double Jeopardy(B-) - Just enough to keep your interest but not a whole lot more than that. Quick nudity by Ashley Judd helped but not quite enough to give this a solid B. If it is the best the store has to offer, pick it up; otherwise, go with your other choice.
Election (B) - I like dark comedies and this one is pretty good. I don't believe you are going to pee your pants in laughter, but this has enough juckles to merit a rental.
Eraserhead (C) - Hard to watch and long. Typical David Lynch type fare but the movie is so dark and damp and ........ hard to watch and enjoy. Read some stuff online about it then decide if it interests you.
Extreme Measures(B-) - Interesting story line and good enough to keep your interest. Not bad, not great.
Eyes Wide Shut(C) - The only thing that got this stinker a C was the loads of nudity; Other than that, this is no way to spend 2 1/2 hours of your life. Trim this hog down to 100 minutes and maybe it makes it to a B; At its current length... forget it.
Face/Off (A)- Real good flick although it is a bit long. While the premise is a bit of a stretch, it does somehow. Best thing about it is to see how both Nicholas Cage and John Travolta get to work both sides of the personality profile.
Fallen (B) - Once again the premise of the movie is a bit of a reach but the tension throughout the movie and nice work by Denzel Washington make this a keeper. Another fine performance by John Goodman.
Fargo (A+) - One of my top five movies of all time, Fargo is probably the best effort by the Coen brothers. Fargo received two Oscars and a critical acclaim. Great dialog and great performances by Frances McDormand, William H Macy, and Steve Buscemi. I'm a sucker for dark comedies.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (A+) - Also one of my top movies of all time, this movie has some of the best lines ever. Sean Penn as Spicoli is a riot. Topless scenes with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Phoebe Cates only add to the quality of the flick.
Fear of a Black Hat (B+) - You probably have never heard of this movie, but it is a great rental especially if you have seen and liked This is Spinal Tap. Replace Spinal Tap with a rap band call N.W.H and you have this movie. While not quite as polished as Spinal Tap, there are plenty of gags and great parodies of the rap world.
Fierce Creatures(F) - John Cleese made sure that people did not think this was a sequel to the great movie The Fish Called Wanda. He should have made sure people did think this movie was worth renting. This movie has got to be the worst movie I have ever seen. Reassembling the cast from Fish and then producing a movie that is just plain not funny is a crime. What a disappointment !!!!!!!
The Full Monty(B) - Very funny movie if you can understand the dialogue laced with a heavy British accent. Critically acclaimed, Monty delivers the laughs throughout. It is just a shame that at times it is a real struggle to catch all the good dialogue being delivered.
The Game (A+) - I like this movie more than most people I have talked with although I have found no one who did not like it. It is rare to watch a movie that you really can't compare to any other movie you have seen but The Game is just that kind of movie. Great story, twists at every turn, and a hell of a finale. Get it... watch it.... love it !!!
Gattaca (B-) - Lot of buzz around this movie when it was released and it is in interesting story but something is missing. Maybe its the lack of Uma Thurman nude that I sense but while the movie was decent, there isn't anything about it that makes it a must.
The General's Daughter(C) - I can only assume that the book was better than the movie. While not really bad, nothing here warrants a rental. It's like food at a restaurant that doesn't make you sick but you would not order it again either.
Go (A) - This movie has everthing I look for in a film: Black comedy, wall to wall action, plenty of laughs, good nudity, interesting dialog... good film. Obvious Tarantino influence on the film maker and calling this Tarantino light is a fair assessment. If you like films such as Pulp Fiction and Fargo, give this one a try.
House of Games (A) - Here's another movie you probably have never heard of. Probably one of the best films I have ever seen in the category of "Just when you think you knew what was going on...". Interesting concepts throughout the movie and some nice acting work by Joe Montegna. A much better effort than a very similar movie by the same guy, Spanish Prisoner.
The Ice Storm(A) - May not have heard of this movie but it won some awards at the Film Festival. Funny and pitiful at the same time, full of some memorable lines. Kevin Kline's talk with his son during the drive home is a classic. Christina Ricci fans should run out and pick up a copy.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (B) - One word: Cleavage. While not as good as Scream, it has enough scaries and cleavage to be a fun watch. Add some gratuitous nudity and this movie jumps to a B+.
In & Out (C-) - Movie starts out as a very funny movie and then turns into very preachy pro-homosexual vehicle... Not that there's anything wrong with that !! Really smacks you hard as you swing from "Hey... this is pretty funny" to "Oh... give it a rest !!!".
Independence Day (B) - Will Smith helps make this a really good movie. While it does seem a bit long at times, it is a fun rental.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer(D) - Gratuitous non-nudity only mad me more mad as I watched this sequel. This stinker needed tons of nudity just to make it to a C and it sure did not have it. Oh brother did this one blow.
Jackie Brown(B) - Tarantino's follow up to Pulp Fiction does not live up to expectations, not that any movie could. It does have some of the same snappy dialogue sequences but is way too long. Another great performance by Samuel L. Jackson makes it worth the rental.
Joe's Apartment(F) - Disproving the theory that a movie can be worth renting as long as it has enough cockroaches in it.... THIS MOVIE BLOWS !!!!!! There is really no reason that this movie should have been made nor should it take up space in any video store.
Kingpin (B) - Childish ?? Yes. Award Winner ?? No. Funny ?? Yes. While the humor is this movie is quite juvenile, if you are in the mood for quite a few laughs, it is worth the rental. In the same way that many bad jokes still make you laugh, Kingpin is funny in a non-award winning kind of way. Warning: Gratuitous non-nudity by Vanessa Angel.
Kiss the Girls(B-) - When you try to make a serial killer movie, you will always be compared to Silence of the Lambs. Se7en held its own, Kiss the Girls does not. Once again, you wait the entire movie hoping to see Ashley Judd naked.... Denied !!!! It just does not work although it does outdo the T.V. show Profiler.
L.A. Confidential(A-) - Has a neat glamorous big time movie feel to it and is a pretty good story. Once again, nudity by Kim Basinger would have helped as would a few less minutes of running time. Good movie all the same.
Leaving Las Vegas (B-) - Nicholas Cage won the Oscar for his role as a guy drinking himself to death in this dark movie. The topless scene by Elisabeth Shue is nice but not good enough to have an impact on the rating here. The real problem with this movie is that it is a great actor performance in a very depressing movie. While you can admire the acting, the subject matter makes it hard to say you "liked the movie".
Living Out Loud (D) - I know, lets make a really bad version of As Good As It Gets !!! You must decide, is it to be funny or not. Either way, accomplish the goal. This movie fails on all accounts.
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (A) - Another in the series of Tarantino-like movies that does have enough to pull it off. At times the thick English accents make it hard to understand but you don't lose so much as to hurt the film. The one may be hard to find but it is worth the search.
Mad City (C) - Dustin Hoffman please quit it. Interesting story line that gets preachier by the minute. You begin to hate both the bad guys and the supposed good guys. And begin to dislike the movie as it goes on too.
Mallrats (B) - The follow up movie by the creator of Clerks, it does not quite have the same juice that Clerks did. It is sort of like Van Halen. Earlier albums had more grit and were lessed "produced" than the newer stuff. Something to be said for grit. Bigger budget, color, more reel time don't necessarily mean a better movie. Mallrats proves that. Still though, plenty of yuks, plenty of Silent Bob & Jay, and worth the rental.
The Matrix(C) - I never really figured out the story and decided to just sit back and enjoy the special effects. They were pretty good but not enough to justify the 2 hour and twenty minute film length.
Men in Black(A) - Good film. One of the few movies that you could say should have been longer. A screen time of only 98 minutes makes you want more. I guess that's why they are making a sequel now.
Metropolis (B) - Okay... not your normal rental fare here but worth looking at. This is a really old movie that has some of those special effects that seem quite lame today but were cool at the time. Like that is supposed do anthing for you... I know. But still, if you watch the film you will see where a lot of newer movies stole their ideas. For example, Dark City.
Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil (C) - Heavy "look at your watch" factor on this movie. This is apparently one of those cases where the movie did not do the book justice. Nice try but they did not pull it off. Nice try by Kevin Spacey but sorry, I don't buy him as southern gentry. Look for something else to rent.
The Negotiator(B+) - Pretty good action flick and another nice performance by Samuel L. Jackson. Kevin Spacey does a good job as a Negotiator himself. Good action, some good laughs, definitely a solid rental.
New York Stories(D) - You check the box and it indicates that packed into this one tape are mini movies by Woody Allen, Coppola, and Scorsese and you figure (like I did) this HAS to be good. You would be (as I was) WRONG !!! The only thing that saved this thing from a poorer rating was at lease some comedic value with the Woody Allen movie. Unfortunately, you gotta wait thru the other two for this microscopic payoff. Leave this one on the shelf.
October Sky(B) - While not a great movie, if you are looking for a nice short enjoyable film, give this a whirl. Nothing spectacular, just a solid film.
Office Space(C) - Gratuitous non-nudity by Jennifer Aniston really hurt this film. If you work in an office, you will find some chuckles with some Dilbert-like observations but there just is not enough here to carry the movie.
Oversexed Rugsuckers from Mars (B-) - You've never heard of it and you will probably never find it. Extremely low budget movie about... well... aliens possessing a vacuum cleaner sending it on a rampage. The movie is so bad that it works somehow. It does not take itself seriously and turns out to be a good bad b-movie.
The Peacemaker(B-) - Not a bad action flick but it could have ended a little earlier. Critical element missing: Nicole Kidman naked. Gratuitous non-nudity if you ask me. Clooney does a decent job but I'm not sure this film offers more than normal action film fare.
Pecker (C) - John Waters almost pulled off a funny movie but not quite. I had hoped that it would be quirky enough to be really funny. Quirky... yes... Funny enough to rent... no. Close but no cigar.
The People vs. Larry Flynt (B) - Good story, good acting, good nudity. The movie has enough to make it worth watching. Does obviously have a pro-Flynt bent so if you detest him, pick a different film.
A Perfect Murder(B) - Michael Douglas' follow-up to The Game. Falls short on a couple fronts. The plot scheme seems a bit of stretch at times and some key elements are easy to miss. Again, chances for good nudity are passed up. This will always cost a movie points with me.
Phantom Menace (C-) - What a bomb ! While I liked the Star Wars series, I don't view this movie thru Star Wars colored glasses. The story is a jumbled mess, the acting (other than Liam Niesen) is subpar, and if it weren't for the special fx, we'd be talking major stinker here. If you are going to use Star Wars in the title, you ask to be compared to the trilogy... and on the note... it is easily the worst of the four.
Pleasantville (B-) - The only thing this movie needed was to be about 20 minutes shorter. I have to admit I checked my watch more than once. You won't be waisting your money making this a rental, but make sure you are not already tired prior to popping it in the VCR.
Primal Fear (A) - Excellent court room drama with several twists and turns. Edward Norton got an Oscar nomination for his performance and it was well deserved. This movie has it all... good plot, twists and turns, nudity, courtroom tension and one of the better finishes of all the movies I've seen.
Private Parts(A) - Suprisingly good film and you don't really have to like Howard Stern to enjoy the movie. The love story between he and his wife seems genuine without going sappy. It also does not ruin the comedy level and actually helps to enhance it. Of course, with Howard, the movie contains enough off-color humor and nudity to score big with me. Lots of yuks and a good choice if you are looking to laugh.
Pulp Fiction(A+) - On my top five list of all time, this film has it all. The dialogue in this movie is some of the strongest in film history. Nominated for multiple Oscars, the film is packed with great performances by Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and Bruce Willis among others. Great dialogue, great action, plenty of laughs, dark as can be, ... GREAT MOVIE !! There are enough F-bombs to take the paint off the wall so those that are sensitive to rough language should stay away. Everybody else..... GO RENT IT TODAY !!!!
The Relic (D) - No. No. No. Not even if Penelope Ann Miller were naked through the entire movie should you rent this. Although, should they release an all nude version, I promise to re-review the film. The movie blows... lets leave it at that.
The Rock (A) - All the components of a great action picture here. Another fine performance by Nicholas Cage and you get what you expect from Sean Connery. Special effects, plenty of laughs, some unforgettable lines, and plenty of action make this a keeper.
Ronin (C+) - I had high hopes when I rented this flick and have to admit I was kinda disappointed. If it weren't for DeNiro this would be a solid C movie. The chase scenes are the highlight of the film but the overall plot of the movie is so-so. Is it a waste of money to rent... no. Would I tell you to go rent it... no. There must be something better.
Rounders (B) - Really good movie and if you give John Malkovich some more screen time it earns a B+. Edward Norton's performance is pretty good but he's had better. It is an interesting glamorizing of the poker world and will keep your interest through the entire 121 minutes of reel time.
Rushmore (C-) - I had high expectations for this movie but was highly disappointed. I kept saying "Okay... its getting better" only to have it get monotonous again. Leave this one on the shelf.
Saving Private Ryan (B+) - I saw this film well after it got all the hype, making it almost impossible for it to live up to expectations. A very good film however that will lose a lot on the small screen. If you want to see it, don't wait for video.
Scream (A) - While this movie has tons of gratuitous non-nudity, the babe quotient is sufficiently high and the parodies of every horror movie you've ever seen make this a must rental. All the parodies result in a lot of laughs. This along with the scare factor will make this a halloween time classic.
Scream 2 (C) - A disappointing sequel. Definite case of where they used up most of their good ideas in the original. Once again you must suffer thru a nudity fast but unlike the original, the other stuff does not make up for it this time. Stick with the original... accept no substitutes.
Se7en (A) - A disturbing movie but a classic. If Kevin Spacey had more reel time he could have gotten some more critical acclaim as he did for his role in The Usual Suspects. A very good freeky film that is quite disturbing thoughout. Looking for a tingle down the spine... get it.
Schindler's List (A+) - This movie will obviously be considered one of the best and most important movies of all time. You will be hard pressed to find a movie with a more potent contrast of the extremes of the capabilities of man. The capabilities of good juxtaposed against the capability of such extreme evils. While I believe everyone young student should be required to watch this film, I reserve my top list for movies that I can say I enjoyed. The subject matter here eliminates the joy for me, while at the same time, I can say I consider this a great movie. Hopefully you understand what seems to be contradictory points on my part.
Silence of the Lambs (A+) - My favorite movie of all times. Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture and all awards are well earned. You name it, this movie has it. Don't just rent a copy of this video, buy a copy and build a video library around it.
A Simple Plan (C) - Had high hopes going into this movie, but was highly disappointed. Almost like they tried to make a Fargo but forgot about the humor.
Six Days, Seven Nights (C) - Formula film. Nice wet t-shirt by Anne Heche only made me bitter that she is a lesbian and was not enough to save the movie. While not a terrible rental, nothing special about this one.
Sixth Sense (B) - I would have rated this film higher but unfortunately someone told me more than they should have about the movie. I would recommend seeing this movie before you hear too much about it. It will be worth your time and money.
Sleepers (B) - A disturbing but interesting movie. Courtroom drama and interesting performance by Robert DeNiro really make this a good rental. Be advised that some of the content is pretty rough when the boys are abused by the guards at the reform school.
Sleepy Hollow(C-) - While this movie has a cool look that you would expect from a Tim Burton film, it really blows. First of all, it is NOT scary. Secondly, the first decapitation was quite shocking but by the millionth one... COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW !!! Besides the overall look to this movie, there is really no reason to see this stinker. (Unless you want to see a really bad fake cardinal in a tree that reminds you of Monty Python's Dead Parrot Sketch.)
Sling Blade (A) - Another great movie with one of the best individual performances of recent note by Billy Bob Thorton. Also a very nice performance by country singer Dwight Yoakum. John Ritter also does a really nice job. I guarantee you will be doing your own imitation of Carl before the movie is out.
The Slums of Beverly Hills(C) - Okay ... Who told me to rent this loser. Even the much promised nudity by the main babes was obviously body doubles. Truly a stinker.
Snake Eyes (C) - No sir, not really worth it. They tried hard but this flick just doesn't cut it. The only thing that saved this movie for me was Nicholas Cage. Do me a favor, skip this movie and try something else.
The Spanish Prisoner (B) - Nice try but not as good as House of Games. This movie is one of those keep you guessing type of movies that unintentionally loses the viewer at times. The biggest problem is that it seems as though they ran out of film and needed to end the movie quickly. The ol' Scooby Doo ending deal.
Starship Troopers(F) - Good god this movie sucks. I don't care if it is supposed to be a takeoff on space flics, it blows anyway. The nudity almost got it a D- but not quite. Go to the library and check out the nudity in National Geographic and save the rental fee.
Stir of Echoes(C) - I'm guessing this is one of those movies that was based on a book and something got lost in the translation. It's okay but... Just nothing here to warrant a rental.
There's Something About Mary (B) - Hard to live up to all the hype that this movie got but the laughs are there. While slow at times, there are plenty of yuks to make this well worth the rental. Great lines (Beans and Franks) and plenty of memorable moments. Get it for a laugh out loud evening.
The Thin Red Line(C-) - What exactly was the point of this movie ??? What a jumbled mess this was. How this got nomintated for an Oscar... I know not.
Thomas Crown Affair(A-) - This movie has plenty to offer. Interesting story, suspense, Rene Russo provacatively dressed, Rene Russo nude, Rene Russo nude and obviously cold, and a great ending. Oh... by the way, Pierce Brosnan does a nice job too. Pick this one up at your next opportunity.
Three Kings(C) - While the film techniques are pretty neat, the overall story in this flick is pretty weak. This one has a high "look at your watch" factor as well. I was quite disappointed.
Titanic (B-) - Chick flick but decent. Nudity helps quite a bit here since a three hour chick flick is almost too much to handle. Don't rent if you and the guys are getting together but if you and the little lady are looking for something you might be able to parlay this into a little something for yourself.
True Crime(B) - Okay, this won't win any awards but it will keep your interest. Nothing truly unique but a solid rental.
The Truman Show(B-) - I was somewhat disappointed and bored with this movie. Once you get the premise and see where the movie is going, it then takes an hour to get there. This may be another example of where a movie has trouble living up to all the hype.
2 Days in the Valley (B) - Sometimes referred to as a Quentin Tarantino-light movie, this flick aint bad aint great. Does have some excellent nudity though although it ain't Teri Hatcher which is criminal. Goofy stuff abounds and delivers enough laughs to warrant a rental.
U-Turn (C) - I usually like goofy stuff in movies and Billy Bob Thorton certainly adds to the goofy factor but this flick just does not cut it. A pointless movie can still be good but this one is not. Leave it on the shelf.
Very Bad Things(D) - Should have been called Very Bad Movie. This stinker tries to be a black comedy but lacks enough comedy to compensate for gruesomeness. The trick to a black comedy is to make you laugh at stuff that you really shouldn't. This film fails at keeping the tricky balance.
A Very Brady Sequel (B-) - Not as good as the original as many of the good ideas and parodies were used up in the first movie. A trip to Hawaii leads to some good parodies of the classic episode but it just does not live up to the first movie.
Wag the Dog (C-) - What a disappointment. Can you say slooooooooooooooooow and borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring. I know the critics liked this movie but not me. Considering the concept, it should have been good. But... it's not.
Waking Ned Devine (B-) - Decent movie with a few chuckles but a typical Irish type movie. Nice little flick with nothing that really sticks out to make it a true winner.
Welcome to the Dollhouse (A) - One you probably have not heard of but another award winner at the Film Festival. Fine acting and a really "different" movie. Plenty of laughs for this dark comedy. If you can find it, check it out.
Wild Things (C+) - Pretty good story with many twists and turns. Three way sequence late in the film is the high point but not quite enough to carry the entire movie. Good acting by Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon however.
The X-Files(C) - Perhaps it is because I am not a real X-Files fan but this movie just did not do much for me. It does not offer much more than the show does except an extra hour of running time. Add some Gillian Anderson nudity and you might make a B but, lacking that, I give it a C.
Zero Effect (B) - Another of the films you probably have not heard of and may not be able to find. Pretty good low budget flick however that will keep you guessing. Short enough to keep the interest level throughout and a different enough of a story to make it worth looking for.