Reviews

"Die Hard" is a film that defined a film genre. Critics and film fans alike have looked to this film as one of the most influential films in recent years. This film literally has it all. Not only does "Die Hard" give us an incredibly charismatic hero, but also villians that the audience loves to hate, an underlying love theme, action, comedy, and special effects that were very well done. The look and feel of "Die Hard" emerged from brilliant director John McTiernan. At its core the plot seems to revolve around one cop's crusade to defend innocent civilians against terrorists. However with this film the viewer must take a step back and look deeper into the film. In this film fan's opinion "Die Hard" is based on love. John McClane's love for his estranged wife is his motivation to go on and survive. McClane, our hero is portrayed in an interesting way. McClane is an incredibly vulnerable man. He takes unfathomable amounts of punishment and continues to go right at the terrorists. The broken glass in his feet, the numerous cuts and burns and the various beatings handed to him have not deterred his fight. McClane's battle is similar to that of Rocky Balboa who competed so dramatically against Apollo Creed, because of the strength and encouragement from his woman. This love theme should not however overshadow the achievement of this film in terms of special effects, plot, and directing. McTiernan crafted an amazing picture that not only kept the audience guessing but also tells a story with characters the viewer can associate with. From the beginning of the film the audience is immediately supporting McClane. This film should be recognized not only as a an action film with great fight scenes and incredible special effects but also a story about love, determination, and the human spirit.

American Pie 2 is not only a hilarious sex comedy but it is also an example of creative film making and great writing. However "AP2" does not come close to exceeding the accomplishments of the first film. The first installment was a landmark in the comedy genre. It was an attempt at the great American sex comedy.

The second installment is not even close to being a self-contained sequel, as most of its raunchy jokes are dependent on the audience seeing the first film. Even the "new" jokes are recycled in a way, i.e. Stifler and urine, and Jim's dad walking in on him. Don't get me wrong this film is very very funny and is well worth the trip to the theater but as far as out doing the first one I have to say that it does not.

Very few sequels surpass their predecessor. "The Empire Strikes Back" and "The Godfather" are the few exceptions that come to mind. Add to that list "Terminator 2: Judgment Day".

This remarkable film not only beats the original but does not require you to have seen the first film. The plot of "T2" is self-contained. In this sequel we see John Connor (Edward Furlong) as a ten year old rebel. He lives with his foster parents because his mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton) has been committed to a mental hospital because of her claims that a terminator had come to kill her in 1984.

A terminator has been sent back to kill John. The T-1000 (Robert Patrick) which is more advanced than the original terminator, is sent back to eliminate the future leader of the human resistance. To protect John, the resistance sent back a T-800 (Schwarzenegger). The T-800 must protect John throughout the film and as John attempts to break his mother out of the institute. The T-800, Sarah, and John must now attempt to sabotage Cyberdyne Industries the company that will eventually create the technology that will lead to the computer takeover of the future.

This film is unique in many ways. Character development is a critical element to the plot. In this sequel, we see a transformed Sarah Conner. In the original, she was reliant upon Reese (Michael Biehn). In "T2" we see her as a self-reliant, mentally tough warrior. She is in peak physical condition and trained in weaponry. She along with the T-800 take on the responsibility of protecting John, despite the fact that she must overcome her initial distrust of the terminator. We also see a development of the T-800 in a sense. Throughout the film John tries to help him act more human-like.

In addition to the plot, the cast is another high point of the film. Schwarzenegger is obviously at his best, Linda Hamilton does a great job reprising her role as Sarah. The newcomer to the film is Edward Furlong, and I must say he does well for an untrained actor. He brings attitude and a sense of toughness to the character. A great supporting cast including Joe Morton, Earl Boen, and Robert Patrick as the evil and stoic T-1000 also make this film what it is. Patrick is not physically intimidating yet makes up for it with his dark demeanor. He is the perfect villain.

Special effects are truly the highlight of "T2". The computer effects as well as the stunts and makeup are highly deserving of praise. The special effects department does a great job of bringing the T-1000's "liquid metal" effect to the screen. The stunts and fight sequences between the two terminators are very well choreographed and filmed. This film is worth watching for the special effects alone.

"T2" is one of the greatest movies ever created. It combines a great cast and story with incredible special effects and stunts. This is a must see for any film fan.

It is difficult to put into words what Mel Brooks has done with this film. It is easily my favorite of all of his films, beating out the likes of "Blazing Saddles" and "History of the World". "Spaceballs" is definitely one of the best spoofs ever put together.

The one thing that I will remember about this film is that I actually sympathized with Dark Helmet, President Skroob, and the Spaceballs. It is rare that the audience will actually enjoy the success of the villians as well as the heroes.

Mel Brooks' portrayal of President Skroob is a great example of social and political satire. Skroob is the stereotypical politician--a liar, a cheat, a womanizer, and grossly incompetent. Yet most of all, these qualities make us laugh and that is Brooks' mission.

As a true "Star Wars" fan I was able to really appreciate the spoofed ideas like Lone Star, Barf, Yogurt, the conceited princess and the annoying robot. These parts were well written so as to in a way poke fun at "Star Wars".

Obviously an extraordinary cast was assembled for this film. Rick Moranis is brilliant as the evil, yet goofy Dark Helmet. He possesses the bad side of the Schwartz so he is powerful, yet he does not have any skill or leadership skills.

John Candy, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, George Wyner, and Mel Brooks himself are all very talented and create characters that the audience can really identify with. They offer a broad range of personalities that help the film develop its story.

This film is a fine example of everything a comedy should be. Mel Brooks does a great job creating a hilarious plot and characters. This is one of the funniest movies that one could ask for and I truly recommend taking a look.

"Best of the Best" is not just a great martial arts film. It is also a story that is a testament to the power of friendship and hard work. This is much more than a film about a bunch of tough guys trying to kill each other.

There is a much deeper meaning to this film. It features characters from all walks of life. The lower-middle class factory worker, a karate instructor, the egotistical cowboy, the Italian from the slums of Detroit, and the Buddhist in training all come together to work towards a common goal. In only three months, these men must develop themselves as fighters and as teammates. They must overcome their differences if they want to succeed.

The enemy in this film is the powerful Korean National Karate Team, a virtually invincible opponent. The team from the states must overcome adversity that takes many different forms in this film. Each fighter has an internal conflict that he must overcome. The coaching staff even has its problems.

James Earl Jones, Eric Roberts, and Sally Kirkland lead this great cast that turns in a tremendous performance. Being a movie about its characters each actor had to really get into his or her role. The film illustrates how each character grows as a person and as a member of a team.

As a martial arts fan I really enjoyed this film. As a true fan of film in general I feel that this was a great movie that told a dramatic story with characters that the audience could identify with.

"A team is not a team, if you don't give a damn about each other."

"Goldfinger" is without a doubt my favorite of all the Bond films.

It contains a great story and a remarkable cast to act it out. This film constantly changes its location. Different locations such as sunny Florida, the Swiss Alps, and even Fort Knox help the film to hold the audiences attention. This film does not have any dull spots. The story is constantly unfolding and if you take a trip to the bathroom you will miss something good.

The extremely talented and charming Sean Connery reprises his role as Britain's top secret agent. Connery is easily the best Bond to date. His presence contributes the portrayal of 007.

This film also involves two of the hottest Bond girls in Shirley Eaton and Honor Blackman. The Bond girls are a trademark of the Bond films and these are two of the best. They both bring a touch of danger to the screen despite ultimately falling for our hero.

Two of the most deadly villians in the history of Bond also appear in this film. Gert Frobe portrays the evil Auric Goldfinger who will stop at nothing to destroy Bond and take over the world's gold supply. His sidekick Odd Job, is easily one of the most memorable villians. He possesses raw strength (he can crush a golf ball in the palm of his hand) as well as a deadly weapon-his hat (which he could easily use to decapitate a human being).

In addition to the characters, the story is one of the most exciting ever. Nuclear destruction is the ultimate villian that Bond must defeat. This is one of the best Bond's ever. It contains a great deal of action, the always-present sexual inuendos, romance, humor and a great cast.

A must-see for any Bond fan!

"My name is Pussy Galore" "I must be dreaming."

It is most likely an extreme feeling of anger that "Traffic" did not win for Best Picture and my love for this movie that is prompting me to write this comment.

First of all this is easily the best film of the new millenium. Hands down.

Director Steven Soderbergh triumphs in this extraordinary film which features multiple stories that are all intricately woven together by their common element--drug trafficking.

Soderbergh has a great eye for this film. The camera angles and shots are some of the best I have ever seen. The writing, directing and editing are all elements of this film that are deserving of Academy Awards.

As the film progresses these stories come together to illustrate the different perspectives that the different people hold. This film offers a great contrast in points of view. We see the problem in the eyes of the newly appointed American drug czar, his addict daughter and her friends, the corrupt Mexican police, the rich drug lord and his wife, and the DEA agents pursuing them. Combined with remarkable editing and directing these stories and their characters come together to form a film that should have most definitely won the Oscar for Best Picture.

"Traffic" has one of the best casts that I have ever seen in a film. Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle, and Luis Guzman are just some of the huge names that have contributed their talent to this film. Supporting them is Miguel Ferre, Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid, Steven Bauer, and Erika Christensen. It is very rare that this much talent works together on a single film. Each of these actors turns in dramatic performances and each plays their part as well as they could have been expected to.

I truly recommend this film to any movie fan who enjoys the best that the industry has to offer in terms of plot, character development, directing, editing and cinematography.

"Rambo: First Blood Part II" gets the job done in terms of following a great film in "First Blood".

This film is not only a terrific action film, but it captures the spirit of the Cold War. The historic significance is illustrated when Trautman describes the refusal of war reparations to the Viet-Cong and their decision to keep the P.O.W.'s. This was an incredibly important issue at the time and Stallone's script portrays it as that.

Charles Napier and Martin Kove do an excellent job as the bureaucrat and the mercenary, that provide the resistance to Rambo's success.

Rambo is given a second chance to win in Vietnam. His mission is to recover photographic proof of American P.O.W.'s still being help captive. Thats right, Rambo has to take pictures. He ends up going above and beyond the call of duty. Nobody expected him to return, except Col. Trautman.

Stallone brings stage prowess and a great story to the screen, and it is a great follow-up to the original. Well worth a look.

Very rarely does a film inspire you to think about how and why we have a free and democratic society. "The Patriot" does just that. After watching this summer blockbuster I thought about all those that have given there lives against impossible odds to preserve our way of life.

Mel Gibson does a tremendous job as Benjamin Martin, a hero of the French and Indian War is forced into the Revolution in order to protect his family. Heath Ledger provides the perfect compliment to Gibson playing his ambitious son, Gabriel.

A terrific supporting cast including Chris Cooper, Tom Wilkinson, Jason Isaacs, and Tcheky Karyo also contribute to this film's ability to capture its audience in this gripping tale about the fight for our nation's freedom.

In addition to the cast and the brilliance of Roland Emmerich, the technical aspects and special effects deserve all the praise that they have received. The open-field battle scenes are incredible. The costume design department did a great job of re-creating the attire of the colonial days. Each and every detail was perfected to give the audience a true sense of what it was like to live at this time in history.

Finally I would like to give credit to John Williams for his masterful score. The music was an aspect of the film that helped to tell the story, set the mood, and draw the audience into the story.

This film is well worth any time that you put into it. The DVD also contains materials that are a perfect supplement to this great film, and I recommend that if you enjoyed the film, you pick up the DVD.

Oscar snub of the year!

"Batman" combines the dark atmosphere of Gotham City with the film-making skills of Tim Burton. He includes humor, romance and action to this film about the greatest comic book hero of all-time. An incredible cast and a powerful music score make this one of the best comic book hero films. Michael Keaton is the best of the modern big screen Batmans and for good reason. This is the first of the new wave of Batman movies and remains the best. Forget about Clooney or Kilmer, and stick with the best.

The plot of "Predator" alone would make it a great action film. Add to this Arnold Schwarzenegger probably the most recognizable face in the world along with Jesse Ventura, Carl Weathers, Sonny Landham, and Bill Duke, and you have one of the toughest cast of bas asses ever assembled.

The incredible brilliance of director John McTiernan is evident in this classic example of a film that is the true definition of the action genre. The music of Alan Silvestri only enhances this film's ability to tell a story and tell it well.

In this film, Schwarzenegger is at his best. He plays a character that is well suited for him. As he did in "Commando" he plays an extremely jacked soldier that fights to the death against impossible odds. This is what he does best.

If you love the whole tough guy, blood, guts and guns genre this is for you. A definite must see!

"Top Gun" is a gripping story about an elite group of Navy pilots who compete to be the best in the air. The pilots of Top Gun all have inflated egos and are very arrogant when it comes to the skills as pilots, and thats what I love about this film. These macho students fly together, compete with each other and in the end learn to trust each other. "Maverick" and "Iceman" learn that there are some things more important than winning. A great cast combined with Tony Scott's ability to produce blockbusters make this Bruckheimer/Simpson film one of the best ever.

Many feel that the first two installments of the "Star Wars" trilogy overshadow the final film. I beg to differ. At first glance it may seem this way however to the true "Star Wars" fan this film represents closure and a culmination of this incredible story.

The most obvious is the fall of the Empire to the Rebel Alliance. In this film we also see the death of master Yoda. To the casual observer Yoda's life ends in the first part of the film and Obi-Wan Kenobi passed away in the first film. However looking closely at Luke in this film, we can see that Yoda and Obi-Wan are manifested through his thoughts and actions.

He believes that Darth Vader can be turned back to the good side because of the good that is still inside of him. Luke pursues and exploits this conflict and in the end, the fall of the Emperor at the hands of Vader, is the final chapter in the life of Anakin Skywalker. Luke had indeed turned his father back. In this universal conflict between good and evil, the good side prevailed.

In addition to the confrontation of Vader, Luke's realization of Leia as his sister is critical. In the final duel with Vader, Luke's thoughts of his friends, the Alliance and most of all his sister, finally convince him that he must confront Vader. His initial reluctance to fight was admirable yet he knows that his sister will not be safe as long as Vader and the Emperor are alive.

"Return of the Jedi" also features Luke as a fully developed Jedi. After he defeats his father, Luke realizes his ability and therefore in the eyes of the Emperor, he must die. Meanwhile in regards to Han and Leia, we get the implication that there are feelings between both of them and they will end up together.

I seriously suggest that those who do appreciate what George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan have put together in this final chapter, take another look at it and look deeper into what is really going on. Since before I can remember I have always considered that "Empire" was my favorite of the series, however now I can honestly say that "Return of the Jedi" has taken over. It the final chapter in one of the greatest stories ever told. Luke has come full circle. He has become a Jedi Knight and Yoda and Obi-Wan continue to live and exist in Luke's actions. The fall of the Emperor and Darth Vader as well as the turning of Anakin back to the good side are the historic events that occur during this saga.

"You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister... you were right." -Anakin Skywalker

"The Great Escape" is a classic example of WWII cinema. In addition to the all-star cast, the historical significance of the film is what will capture your heart. The prisoners were ready and willing to give their lives for the Allied cause, and that is what I will always remember. Humor is something rarely seen in a war movie but director John Sturges does a great job of inserting comic relief into the film. This film is one for all ages and the story it tells acts as a model by which a person should approach life. These prisoners show us that by constantly thinking and acting on the beliefs that they hold dear, anything is possible.

This film is one of the pioneers in the genre of science-fiction. For this reason it first appears to be crude and not very well thought out, but after you start to watch it, you will be drawn into it. The plot and "special effects" will make you laugh. It looks like a real cheesy attempt at cinema but you have to realize the time in which it was produced. This was one of the first real science-fiction thrillers and it is a classic example of a film in a ground-breaking genre.

I won't argue that the acting and film-making were worthy of Oscar nominations but that is not what this film tries to do. This is film that has a well-developed plot and characters that we can see develop throughout the film. As a viewer we can easily sympathize with them. When you watch this film, if you try to ignore the minor flaws, you will enjoy it. It is supposed to be fun to see Van Damme in his second film and you are supposed to enjoy the quirkiness of the film and its ability to capture the trends of the mid-'80's. I think that this film is very underrated. Director Corey Yuen is well known for his martial arts films and this is another great effort and well worth a look.

"The Last Starfighter" is one of my favorite films. I grew up watching the fantastic tale of Alex Rogan finding his destiny on another planet. As a child I was drawn to this film by its amazing plot, but as I have grown up I have learned to appreciate the film-making and technical accomplishments of the movie. In addition to the plot there is the great cast that included Lance Guest, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O'Herlihy and Robert Preston in his final big screen appearance. What most people do not realize is that all of this films special effects were done using a Cray computer. This is the first film to ever do so. Much of the software used was written for the film production. The crew had to literally invent new technologies to create the film's effects. This in itself is a great accomplishment. Director Nick Castle who also directed "The Boy Who Could Fly" and wrote "Escape From New York" and "Hook" did a terrific job bringing Jon Betuel's story to the screen. Next to the cast, plot and special effects, was the musical score. The music, composed by Craig Safan, created the different moods of the film, whether it be action, romance or the opening credits the music helps to bring the audience into the film. I truly hope that anyone considering watching this film will give it a try. Personally it brings me back to my childhood yet makes me very appreciative of its accomplishments in film-making. This film is and always will be a classic.

"Caddyshack" is one of the greatest comedies ever produced. This film is spirited and smart and is written in the tradition of National Lampoon. Harold Ramis is one of the funniest and most intelligent film makers of our time. Add to this the writing abilities of Brian Doyle-Murray and Doug Kenney and you have creative ability that has yet to be matched. Of course there is the all-star cast reminiscent of the Second City and Saturday Night Live. Chase is hilarious without trying to be, and Bill Murray is terrific playing a part that suits him well. Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight are very talented actors and make the film what it is. A great supporting cast including Michael O'Keefe and Cindy Morgan are also a key to success. This film has it all, a great story, hilarious yet simple humor, and a cast that is one of the best ever assembled for this type of film. "Caddyshack" is an undying film that should be and will be enjoyed by generations to come. It captures the spirit of Ramis and the other film makers that defined the early to mid '80's film-making.

"Negotiator" is not only action-packed but it is a mystery and an intelligent one at that. Jackson, Spacey, Morse, Rifkin, Walsh, and Spencer are an all-star cast and each of them plays their part well. The intense conflict that lies at the heart of this film would be nothing without the duo of Jackson and Spacey. The story along with the film making make this a great film that is well worth the time you put into it.

"The Rock" combined action, adventure, comedy, romance, special effects and a great plot into one of the biggest worldwide blockbuster action films in decades. Add to the mix, Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris and a great supporting cast including John Spencer, William Forsythe and David Morse, and "The Rock" is one of the best ways to spend two hours. This film also devotes a great deal of time and effort to character development, something that most action movies neglect. This film is definitely underrated and is worth more praise than it has received.

The adaptation of this novel to the big screen is a great accomplishment. The film is not only the beginning of one of the greatest action trilogies of all-time, but it charts the developments of its characters, something rarely done by an action movie. "First Blood" is a moving story about the realities of post-Vietnam America and is very underrated as a film.

"Capricorn One" not only contains a gripping story and an all-star cast but brings the idea of a deceiving government to the screen. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat as there is never a dull moment. It is hard for the audience not to sympathize with the characters. This is a piece of nostalgia and interest in this film will definitely be rekindled.