Reviews
The Evil Dead (1981)
The best in the series...
Original, scary, gory, funny, gross, captivating. These are just a few words used to describe one of the best horror films ever made. Made for very little money, the movie looks good and scares the hell out of me every time I watch it (From the opening scene too). See the movie, it will scare you to death while you laugh out loud.
RATING = 10 of 10
Escape from New York (1981)
Carpenter at his best.
Carpenter does it again in this futuristic movie about New York being a maximum security prison. A great supporting cast is present, as is Kurt Russell in the movie that made him a star. For its time the F/X are good, but seem dated now. The story is great and moves at a good pace. The best thing about the movie is its bleak ending. See the movie, you'll have fun...
RATING = 8 of 10
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Star Wars Saga continues...
George Lucas does it again with The Empire Strikes Back. The full cast returns for a sequel that is better than the original. The acting is great the effects are outstanding and story is wonderful. The special edition is just as good.
RATING = 10 of 10
Dune (1984)
A hidden gem of a movie...
David Lynch's version of Dune is a masterpiece. A great movie with great special effects and an even greater cast. The cast has so many well known faces and so many up and comers that it is almost impossible to count. The directing is solid and the screenplay is intricate and well paced. A great movie for any sci-fi lovers out there.
RATING = 9 of 10
Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
This is a non stop ride...
The third in a great series of action movies is the second best of the three. Irons and Jackson are great, with Jackson bringing humor to the series. The movie is funny, smart and action packed with great special effects. Comes so close to the original that there is almost no telling which is better.
RATING = 10 of 10
Dr. No (1962)
The first James Bond film...
Sean Connery immortalized James Bond in his first attempt in the first screen version of a Bond Film. Here the story is based on mystery, suspense, and characters, unlike many of the later Bond films.
The film is well acted, well directed, and well paced. It is the thirteenth best Bond film.
RATING = 8 of 10
Die Hard 2 (1990)
He's Baaack...
John Maclean is back. This time to stop terrorists at an airport. The movie is a little far fetched and the bad guy is not as good as in the first movie, but other than that Die Hard 2 is still one hell of an action packed film. An entertaining edge of your seat thrill ride with amazing stunts.
RATING = 9 of 10
Die Hard (1988)
An incredible action film...
Bruce Willis stars in one of the greatest action films ever made. The first in a series of excellent films, Die Hard is one of the most entertaining films to come from the last 20 years. Alan Rickman shines as the bad guy and effects get bigger and better as the movie goes along. This movie is a must see for any action fan.
RATING = 10 of 10
The Deer Hunter (1978)
An Epic to end all epics...
The Deer Hunter is the best movie of its year. It is one of De Niro's best and it one Walken is deserved Oscar. The movie also stars Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, and John Savage. It is directed by Micheal Cumino. It won the Oscar for best Director and best Picture.
More than 20 years later, Cumino is an awful director and John Savage is a nobody, although he was excellent in this film.
My synopsis is that Cumino fluked the brilliance of this movie. He is not the greatest director, if even that good. But this movie was so well done, it could make you change your mind. It is sad and realistic. Graphic and depressing. See the movie, it is 3 hours but will feel like 2.
RATING = 10 of 10
The Dead Zone (1983)
Walken does the King...
Christopher Walken does a masterful performance in the master of horror Stephen King's The Dead Zone. The film is directed by master of horror David Cronenberg.
Despite Cronenberg and King's connection to the film, it is not a horror movie. It has all the elements: Supernatural, Death, Psychic powers, etc..., but is more of a mystery thriller. This film is one of the best King adaptions and one of Cronenberg's best films.
RATING = 10 of 10
Dead Ringers (1988)
It's sick, It's twisted, It's Cronenberg.
David Cronenberg has done it again. Dead Ringers is a truly horrific account of twin brothers who get into a drug filled world because of a girl. The movie is truly one of the eeriest films I have ever seen.
Jeremy Irons pulls off playing twin brothers so well it's as if there are two
of him. The rest of the acting is superb as with the effects and story. One of the years best.
RATING = 10 of 10
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Robin Williams does it again.
Peter Weir directs Robin Williams in his best performance and his best movie. The story about a teacher who inspires students is one of the greatest films of its year, if not decade. The directing, writing and acting are all perfect. The music is excellent and the setting is perfect. The tears will flow by the end of this one.
RATING = 10 of 10
The Dark Half (1993)
Hutton is terrific.
Timothy Hutton is terrific as Thad Beaumont and George Stark in this Stephen King film. The movie is your traditional who-done-it slasher flick except for a sensational beginning and ending. Romero does a great job of directing and the effects are masterfully done.
RATING = 7 of 10
Creepshow 2 (1987)
Romero and King fail...
Creepshow 2 comes nowhere close to the first film. This time the budget is cheap, King doesn't write, and Romero fails at directing. It seems that the film was put together in a week. The acting is terrible too.
The film is not that bad if you can get past the bad animation and the first story about the wooden indian, a terrible, cheesy mess of a story not worthy of King or Romero. You would expect better from the two. I guess the Creepshow saga ended with this dud.
RATING = 5 of 10
Day of the Dead (1985)
Gore galore ends of the trilogy.
Part 3 of Romero's Dead trilogy is very talkative making it the worst of the three, but not bad. In fact, it is still quite entertaining and well done. It has the best effects and most gore of the three and is more disturbing then Dawn. Many people think the film is bad, see for yourself.
RATING = 8 of 10
Cujo (1983)
Cujo is as scary as a rabid dog.
At first when Cujo starts it seems that it is not going to be such a great film, but after 5 minutes your thoughts will change. Cujo is a well made, scary film that does not rely on gore for impact.
For a third of the film, the main characters are locked in a car, and terror is forced upon the audience. The characters are real and portrayed well by all. A definite must see for horror fans. RATING = 8 of 10
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
One of the greatest sequels ever.
Dawn of the Dead is amazing. It contains everything you look for in a movie. Romance, Comedy, Gore, Horror, Suspense, Mystery, etc. The acting is great, the directing even better. The only problem is the blood. It looks fake. With a great script Romero pulls of the second best movie of his career. The first is Night of the Living Dead.
RATING = 10 of 10
Creepshow (1982)
One hell of a scary movie.
George A. Romero and Stephen King have made a perfect pair for Creepshow. A tremendously scary horror film. The story is that of a comic book and has five tales. The dead returning, revenge, space, monsters, and bugs. The last one, about cockroaches is one of the scariest moments I have ever witnessed. The others are also excellent, if not so scary, except for The third, about the asteroid. It stars Stephen King and is too badly acted to be effective. RATING = 9 of 10
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Harrison Ford: A hero for all seasons.
Part 3 in the Jack Ryan series, Clear And Present Danger is a great film. It is a tad over long and a tad bit unbelievable, but it is never boring and is nicely acted by the reliable Ford. This film is not as good as Patriot Games or The Hunt For Red October, but is still a must for all action fans. RATING = 8 of 10
Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995)
Bad to The Bone
Part three in a never ending set of sequels is almost as bad as the original. The location has moved, but the acting, directing, and special effects still suck. This time you see the dolls, I mean monster. RATING = 1 of 10
Children of the Corn (1984)
As bad as they come.
Children of the Corn is based on a Stephen King novel. It has to be one of the worst of his adaptions, if not the very worst. A patheticly acted, directed and shot film. It is corny, boring, and cheap. There are no effects and no real movie skills used to bring this movie to life. I am baffled at how there are 5 sequels. RANKING = 1 of 10
Christine (1983)
Stephen King meets John Carpenter
A great author like Stephen King and a great director like John Carpenter should fit together like bread and butter, but something went wrong in the making of Christine. I am not saying the film is bad, but it is not the best. Carpenter and King have done better. The first half of the movie is excellent, but the second half is a bit repetitive and redundant.
RATING = 7 of 10
Citizen Kane (1941)
Is it the greatest?
Many people consider Citizen Kane to be the greatest film ever made. I agree that it is excellent, and for its time it was the greatest film ever. It broke barriers that were not to be broken, but today with all the technology we have and the view that society takes on films, I think that there are better movies out there. All said and done, this movie is still a powerhouse on feeling, directing, and acting. RATING = 10 of 10
Cape Fear (1991)
Psycho De Niro...
Well acted, well directed, and eerie. Cape Fear is an excellent remake from the original. Directed by Martin Scorsese, he brings a flair to the new version that was not there in the original. In this version the violence is more tense, but better for the original is dated and almost laughable. The only problem is that the end is a bit traditional with the bad guy never dying. Therefore the original gets a ranking ever so slighty above this.
RANKING = 8 of 10
Casino (1995)
A movie team to die for.
What could go wrong with a Martin Scorsese picture, with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. Casino demonstrates that with great awe. It is a very unoriginal movie, especially Pesci. The movie isn't so bad. It is entertaining, and well acted. It is marvelously directed too, but the story is so lame. We have seen it all before. RATING = 7 of 10