notebook review

Hugh Gran and Julia Roberts in Notting Hill

Notebook Reviews: NOTTING HILL

Roger Michell – 1999. Notting Hill is an entertaining and well put together London-centric romantic comedy. Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts make a good pairing and there’s an interesting cast of satellite characters for them to [...]

July 3, 2026

Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun

Review: Tom Cruise Flies Into The Danger Zone In TOP GUN

It’s preposterous and everything about it is style over substance, but Tony Scott‘s Top Gun is hugely entertaining popcorn fare – and it continues to rock and roll 40 years on. Tom Cruise takes to the skies in this energetic [...]

May 16, 2026

Bruce Willis pointing his finger at a young boy

Notebook Reviews: THE KID

Jon Turteltaub – 2000. It’s sentimental and a little cheesy, but if you go in with the right frame of mind, then you’ll find that Jon Turteltaub’s The Kid (aka Disney’s The Kid) is an excellent family-friendly fantasy with a superb [...]

December 30, 2024

Notebook Reviews: WONDER BOYS

Curtis Hanson – 2000. Wonder Boys is a first-rate film with an exceptional lead turn from a never better Michael Douglas. He’s assisted by some excellent support from Robert Downey Jr, Tobey Maguire and Frances McDormand. Curtis [...]

December 14, 2024

Futuristic soldier chased by a giant bug-like alien.

Notebook Reviews: STARSHIP TROOPERS

Paul Verhoeven – 1997. Starship Troopers once again sees Dutch director Paul Verhoeven return to the world of futuristic satire. This big budget sci-fi action pic delivers the spectacle, but it doesn’t quite pack the punch of RoboCop or [...]

December 1, 2024

Notebook Reviews: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

Tobe Hooper – 1974. Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a low budget and quite horrific horror pic that set the template for a plethora of other fright films. The set-up is a slow burn, but once things kick-0ff, it becomes [...]

November 3, 2024

Notebook Reviews: THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT

Rob Reiner – 1995. The American President is an excellent romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. This politically charged pic has a superb cast – Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, [...]

September 28, 2024

Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler

Notebook Reviews: PLUNKETT & MACLEANE

Jake Scott – 1999 Plunkett & Macleane is an energetic – but hugely disappointing historical buddy movie starring Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler. It sounds like a great idea, but the mix of the modern day and the 18th [...]

September 25, 2024

Notebook Reviews: THE CABLE GUY

Ben Stiller – 1996. A comedy with a dark edge, Ben Stiller‘s The Cable Guy is a solid effort but it ultimately lacks spark. Matthew Broderick is good as the hapless customer who is terrorised by Jim Carrey‘s titular Cable Guy. [...]

August 17, 2024

Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn in Message In A Bottle

Notebook Reviews: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

Luis Mandoki – 1999. Message In A Bottle is a well composed romantic-drama. The central casting of Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn and Paul Newman is a good one and this helps keep the film afloat when threatens to slip into a sea of [...]

August 10, 2024

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon 2.

Notebook Reviews: LETHAL WEAPON 2

Richard Donner – 1989. Sequels don’t get any better than Richard Donner‘s Lethal Weapon 2. This is is a first-rate action movie with a great cast on top form. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover once again bring the magic as Riggs and [...]

August 9, 2024

Notebook Reviews: ED WOOD

Tim Burton – 1994. A masterpiece. Director Tim Burton‘s biopic of Edward D. Wood Jr – the supposed worst film-maker of all time – delivers on all fronts. An excellent cast and sparkling screenplay make Ed Wood a joy to [...]

August 8, 2024

Notebook Reviews: MIDNIGHT RUN

Martin Brest – 1988. Beverly Hills Cop director Martin Brest once again tackles the action-comedy and delivers an enjoyable buddy movie with Midnight Run. George Gallo‘s screenplay hits the mark and the cast is off-the-chart great: [...]

August 2, 2024

Notebook Reviews: AS GOOD AS IT GETS

James L. Brooks – 1997. This really is As Good as It Gets. This is a first rate comedy from writer-director James L. Brooks. As Good As It Gets has wit, heart and excellent performances from a great cast – Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, [...]

July 28, 2024

Mark Pellington's Arlington Road starring Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, and Hope Davis

Notebook Reviews: ARLINGTON ROAD

Mark Pellington – 1999. Arlington Road is a first-rate conspiracy thriller from director Mark Pellington. This suburban tale of terror has a great cast – Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, and Hope Davis – all doing great [...]

July 26, 2024

Notebook Reviews: RADIO FLYER

Richard Donner – 1992. Radio Fyler is a solid, though unspectacular fantasy-drama from director Richard Donner and producer Michael Douglas. This had a troubled production and Donner was drafted in after writer David Mickey Evans had been in [...]

July 25, 2024

Kurt Russell and the cast of Robert Zemeckis' Used Cars

Notebook Reviews: USED CARS

Robert Zemeckis – 1981. Used Cars is a zany and energetic comedy from director Robert Zemeckis (it’s also produced by Bob Gale, John Milius and Steven Spielberg!). Kurt Russell is as watchable as always – showing off his [...]

July 21, 2024

Notebook Reviews: BILLY ELLIOT

Stephen Daldry. 2000. Billy Elliot is a solid comedy-drama. The acting here is good – and young Jamie Bell gives as strong performance as the title character. The music is great – especially the T-Rex tunes. This features some fine [...]

July 20, 2024

Notebook Reviews: THE SIEGE

Edward Zwick – 1998. The Siege is a so-so but unspectacular action-drama from director Ed Zwick. It’s all a little flaccid considering the combined star-power of Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington. The Siege has some fine moments, but [...]

July 16, 2024

Notebook Reviews: GO

Doug Liman – 1999 Director Doug Liman delivers an energetic and hugely effective comedic thriller with Go. Told from three perspectives (with Pulp Fiction vibes), it features a good cast (William Fichtner, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Sarah Polley, [...]

July 15, 2024

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