Notebook Reviews

Notebook Reviews: RUSH HOUR

Brett Ratner – 1998 Rush Hour is an entertaining, but undemanding buddy cop movie from director Brett Ratner. The chemistry between Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan is present and correct and the script has enough dexterity to keep things afloat. [...]

December 2, 2023

Notebook Reviews: THE PRINCE OF EGYPT

Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner and Simon Wells – 1998 The Prince Of Egypt is an epic and entertaining animated feature with a tremendous cast of voices (Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, [...]

November 18, 2023

Notebook Reviews: TOP GUN

Tony Scott – 1986 Feel the need for speed. It’s totally preposterous and everything is style over substance, but Tony Scott‘s Top Gun is hugely captivating popcorn fare. Tom Cruise takes to the skies in this energetic aeronautical [...]

November 5, 2023

Notebook Reviews: BAD BOYS

Michael Bay – 1995. The irascible Michael Bay makes his feature-length directing debut with Bad Boys. This buddy action pic is stylish and enjoyable and Will Smith and Martin Lawrence make an engaging double act. This Simpson/Bruckheimer [...]

October 8, 2023

Notebook Reviews: THE CLIENT

Joel Schumacher – 1994. The Client is a handsomely mounted, but disappointingly routine thriller from director Joel Schumacher. This John Grisham adaptation is an improvement on the source material, but you can tell where the plot is heading. [...]

September 25, 2023

Notebook Reviews: ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES

Kevin Reynolds – 1991 Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves is an old-fashioned Hollywood swashbuckler. Kevin Costner is on fine form as the eponymous hero in this Kevin Reynolds-directed adventure and Alan Rickman chews the scenery in his iconic turn [...]

September 24, 2023

Notebook Reviews: BATMAN & ROBIN

Joel Schumacher – 1997 The film that killed the Batman franchise. Batman & Robin isn’t as bad as you’ve heard – and it’s enjoyable enough if you look at it like an updated version of the 1960s Adam West/Burt Ward [...]

March 20, 2023

Notebook Reviews: YOU’VE GOT MAIL

Nora Ephron – 1998. You’ve Got Mail is an enjoyable romantic comedy from director (and co-writer) Nora Ephron. This hit comedy is light and breezy and there’s no denying that there’s plenty of fun to be had. The film [...]

January 20, 2022

Notebook Reviews: ONE GOOD COP

Heywood Gould – 1991. Written and directed by Heywood Gould, One Good Cop is an excellent dramatic thriller which just doesn’t get the love it deserves. As always, Michael Keaton is his usual excellent self – if you want to talk [...]

November 23, 2021

Notebook Reviews: SWEET HEARTS DANCE

Robert Greenwald – 1988. Sweet Hearts Dance is a very good family drama with some very fine comedic moments woven throughout. The excellent cast – Don Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Daniels and Elizabeth Perkins – all deliver [...]

November 18, 2021

Notebook Reviews: SPACE COWBOYS

Clint Eastwood – 2000 Clint Eastwood‘s Space Cowboys plays like Armageddon for old folks – and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. This is one of Eastwood’s finest crowd-pleasers. The cast is great with Eastwood, [...]

April 21, 2021

Remembering John Frankenheimer’s REINDEER GAMES Starring Ben Affleck, Gary Sinise and Charlize Theron

Ben Affleck, Gary Sinise and Charlize Theron star in John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games (known as Deception in the UK where it went straight to DVD). Frankenheimer’s festive thriller sees a bunch crooks dressed as Santa Claus robbing a [...]

November 21, 2020

Notebook Reviews: AMERICAN GRAFFITI

George Lucas – 1973 American Graffiti might just be George Lucas’ true masterpiece. A flawless teen comedy-drama, this 1973 film has it all (great script, acting sound and direction). This realistic interpretation of youth is wonderful [...]

April 17, 2020

Notebook Reviews: CAPTAIN RON

Thom Eberhardht – 1992 Fun Ahoy! Captain Ron is a splendid little family comedy with some very fun moments. Martin Short and Kurt Russell (rocking his Snake Plissken eyepatch) make a wonderful pairing and it’s a great shame they haven’t [...]

April 16, 2020

Notebook Reviews: CHARLIE’S ANGELS

McG – 2000 McG’s Charlie’s Angels is so-so at best. This action-comedy starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu is played for the laughs rather than the thrills. It feels like the director has little faith in the [...]

April 14, 2020

Notebook Reviews: THE 6TH DAY

Roger Spottiswoode – 2000 The 6th Day is an enjoyable sci-fi flick from Tomorrow Never Dies director Roger Spottiswoode. Arnold Schwarzenegger does what he does best, in this film which has echoes of Total Recall. It has its flaws [...]

April 13, 2020

Notebook Reviews: SUNSET

Blake Edwards – 1988 Blake Edwards’ Sunset is an enjoyable comedy-thriller with a great pairing of James Garner (playing Wyatt Earp for the second time following Hour of the Gun) and Bruce Willis in the leads. Edwards’ film hits a [...]

April 12, 2020

Notebook Reviews: TRAPPED IN PARADISE

George Gallo – 1994 Trapped In Paradise is an enjoyable enough Capra-esqe festive comedy from writer-director George Gallo. Nicolas Cage gives an oddly low-key performance as one of three criminals trapped in a small town during a snow storm [...]

April 11, 2020

Notebook Reviews: CASTAWAY

Robert Zemeckis – 2001 An amazing cinematic feat, Castaway captivates throughout its entire running time. Tom Hanks is excellent in the lead, going through a gruelling transformation and commanding the screen alone for the majority of the [...]

April 10, 2020

Notebook Reviews: ED TV

Ron Howard – 1999 The always reliable Ron Howard delivers this first-rate satire, which is dressed-up as a romantic comedy in ED TV. Matthew McConaughey is excellent as the laidback everyday guy who gets his life turned into TV show. It also [...]

April 9, 2020

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