Producer-director Jean-Jacques Annaud has created an intimate look at the friendship between an Austrian mountain climber and the teenage 14th Dalai Lama during World War II. The film has excellent chemistry between Brad Pitt and Bhutanese actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuc. They bring to life the screenplay [..]
Gattaca (1997)
A futuristic crime drama and a look at the ethics of human genetic engineering both describe the excellent science fiction movie "Gattaca." Andrew Niccol wrote and directed this film with little waste in the storyline and plot; it was a fast-moving 106 minutes. [..]
The Jackal (1997)
Big name stars, an exciting action story, and expert direction by Michael Caton-Jones ("Rob Roy" 1995) are all atributes of "The Jackal." This complex, yet easy to follow, tale of an international search for an elusive assassin is a credit to the well written screenplay by [..]
The Full Monty (1997)
"The Full Monty" is British comedy at its worst. The putrid screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and extremely sloppy directing by Peter Cattaneo make this movie dull and unappealing. It is the story of six unemployed Englishmen in Sheffield who decide to form a male striptease act [..]
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Eon Productions produced the eighteenth James Bond movie - "Tomorrow Never Dies" - and it is as good if not better than most of its venerable 007 predecessors. Director Roger Spottiswoode ("Air America" 1990) and screenwriter Bruce Feirstein have given the old franchise a fresh look [..]
Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters (1998)
"Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters" is an interesting look at the brother & sister musical group popular in the late 1960's through the early 1980's. The documentary's director, Ron Tosches, covers their move from New Haven, Connecticut, to Downey, California, in 1963; the Richard Carpenter Trio's [..]
Leave It to Beaver (1997)
"Leave It to Beaver" is an entertaining revisit to the popular television series that ran from 1957-1963. Director Andy Cadiff and screenwriters Brain Levant and Lon Diamond pay due respect to the original, including many inside jokes and three cast members from the first "Beaver." They [..]
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
"Beverly Hills Ninja" is most definitely a Chris Farley vehicle, and a very hilarious one at that. The screenplay by Mark Feldberg and Mitchell Klebanoff fits Farley's unique slap-stick and physical comedy talents to a tee. Focused direction by Dennis Dugan ("Happy Gilmore" 1996) helps keep [..]
Dallas: War of the Ewings (1998)
Another "Dallas" reunion TV movie came out in 1998 called "Dallas: War of the Ewings." This Warner Bros. production tells the story of J. R. Ewing's attempt to regain control of Ewing Oil Co., controlled by brother Bobby Ewing and ex-wife Sue Ellen Shepard Ewing. [..]
Hard Rain (1998)
"Hard Rain" is an independently produced disaster film the tells of the trials and tribulations of people caught in the worst rainstorm in the history of the Midwestern United States. The stars are as varied as their roles: Edward Asner and Christian Slater are armored truck [..]