National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
“More of the same” perhaps was the prevailing mantra during every phase of the conception for this sequel to the 2004 hit National Treasure, as it basically covers every base touched by the first film...
Author: Vincent Leo
Rambo III (1988)
A purely propagandist return of the popular 1980s hero sees Stallone donning the tightly-bound bandana to the forehead again for another one-man rescue attempt. This time it’s a bit more personal as his former...
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Rambo: First Blood Part II is one of those films that doesn’t really have much going for it these days save for the social significance for the time in which it was released, where...
Jumanji (1995)
Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s 1981 children’s book of the same name, Jumanji, the film, fleshes out the short book to include a story about Alan Parrish (Hann-Byrd, Little Man Tate), who, as a young boy...
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Rather than calling this basically in-name-only sequel to the successful De Palma directed outing of 1996 Mission: Impossible, they really should have just called it John Woo XI. This basically is just a continuation of the...
Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)
Die Hard 2: Die Harder is already inherently pushing the limits of credibility by having the same character involved in a similar plot of battling terrorists at their point of attack. Some might view it...
Dick Tracy (1990)
Following on the heels of the ravenously successful Batman, director-star Warren Beatty (Heaven Can Wait, Bonnie and Clyde) gives us another crime-fighting detective from around the same era, full of stylish artwork, sets, and a score...
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Although the theme song, self-destruct message, and spy capers are certainly derived from the television show, those who’ve watched the long-running series regularly in the 1960s or in reruns should note that this big...
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Though set in the late 1950s, this comic fantasy concoction by the Coen Brothers (Barton Fink, Blood Simple), as well as co-screenwriter Sam Raimi (Darkman, Spider-Man 3), owes much more to the screwball comedies of the...
Mo’ Better Blues (1990)
Although generally considered one of writer-director Spike Lee’s (Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever) weaker efforts, I do have a soft spot for Mo’ Better Blues, despite agreeing with much of the criticism. Despite being all...