After the critical success of “The Sweet Smell of Success,” actor-producer Burt Lancaster wanted his company to make something more commercial. He chose the submarine thriller “Run Silent, Run Deep,” based on the novel by Captain Edward L. Beach, and adapted for the screen by John Gay. Read the rest of this entry »

Fifteen years ago when “Romancing the Stone” arrived on the scene, who would have suspected that it would prove to be a launching pad for all involved. Read the rest of this entry »

Even though writer-director Andrew Niccol (“Gattaca”) isn’t a one-trick pony, his second film, “Simone,” trots around like a lame horse begging for someone to shoot it. There’s nothing worse than watching a sick animal labor towards death, unless it’s watching a film like “Simone” do the same thing. Read the rest of this entry »

Like a moth to a flame, director Mark Pellington’s supernatural thriller “The Mothman Prophecies” disintegrates in front of our very eyes. Based on the non-fiction best seller by John A. Keel , supposedly based on true events that plagued a small West Virginia town, “The Mothman Prophecies” will disappoint anyone looking for a good scare. Read the rest of this entry »

In the inevitable yet ultimately tired sequel to “Mission: Impossible,” a brilliant secret agent turncoat has stolen a deadly virus and plans to use it to hold the world hostage. Instead of the usual Swiss Bank account payment, he demands stock participation in the pharmaceutical company that has developed the antidote. Read the rest of this entry »

In Tim Burton’s “Batman,” Jack Nicholson’s character, The Joker, has been so physically deformed that he sports a perpetual grin. Good news or bad, the phony, forced grin stretches from one ear to the next. That’s how I felt watching “Along Came Polly,” a comedy that could have and should have been much funnier than it is.
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When I was a boy, long before Bruce Springsteen sang about 57 Channels (And Nothin’ On), if we wanted to see a wildlife documentary, we had to go to the theater. Walt Disney Pictures cornered the market, and except for an occasional showing on the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday night, the only way to see Charlie The Lonesome Cougar, Rascal or The Incredible Journey was at the Saturday matinee, where we would gobble down Flicks and frozen Milk Shakes. Read the rest of this entry »

By default, movies about real people usually suffer from matters of convenience. Since it’s impossible to accommodate every detail, emotion and event of someone’s life into a two-hour film, they often have to be streamlined or combined to make the final cut.
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“Silence of the Lambs” is a case study of how great a film can be when all of the elements come together. Director Jonathan Demme brought years of exploitation and mainstream experience to the film, and displayed a maturity that would elevate him to the next level as a director. Read the rest of this entry »

A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh, but a chainsaw up your noise will give you a migraine. Often imitated yet never equaled, “Casablanca” endures because of its timeless elements and classic storytelling. Fifty-five years after its release and after being named number two on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Films of all time, “Casablanca” arrives on DVD, and what a wonderful opportunity to snuggle up to an old friend. Read the rest of this entry »