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...
by Vincent Leo · Published December 10, 2007 · Last modified February 21, 2019
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...
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...
Hardcore baseball (and Yankees) fan Billy Crystal directs this sentimental memento on one of the greatest races in sports history: chasing Babe Ruth’s vaunted single-season home run record. Made for HBO on a modest budget...
by Vincent Leo · Published December 1, 2007 · Last modified September 6, 2021
Wesley Snipes is cast as Nino Brown, who catapults himself from two-bit crook to drug syndicate kingpin in the late 1980s by riding the wave of crack cocaine that took the inner cities by...
Master of melancholy moods and improvisational romantic dramas, Wong Kar Wai (Ashes of Time, In the Mood for Love), brings his trademark style to his first English-language feature to mixed results. His cinematography and...
by Vincent Leo · Published November 28, 2007 · Last modified February 10, 2019
Victorian-era New Zealand is the setting for this very intriguing story of Ada McGrath (Hunter, Broadcast News), a mute woman, as well as her young daughter Flora (Paquin, A Walk on the Moon), who comes to...
by Vincent Leo · Published November 23, 2007 · Last modified February 20, 2019
Spike Lee (Clockers, He Got Game) tackles the racism issue head on once again with his provocative drama, Jungle Fever, which deals with the complications of an interracial relationship in the racially charged environs of metropolitan...
1990s / Comedy / Musical / Thriller
by Vincent Leo · Published November 13, 2007 · Last modified September 6, 2021
Despite being a hip-hop aficionado, especially during the time of its release, one would think I’d have caught Vanilla Ice’s one and only starring vehicle. Not so fast — Vanilla Ice and hip hop...
by Vincent Leo · Published November 10, 2007 · Last modified December 16, 2019
The proverbial lumps of coal (boy, isn’t this phrase becoming a trite cliché for movie critics?) called the family Christmas movie get trotted out toward the end of almost every year. For every good...
1980s / Mystery / Romance / Thriller
by Vincent Leo · Published November 9, 2007 · Last modified January 22, 2019
In San Francisco, a rich heiress and her maid are found murdered, leaving the husband everything, including the accusation for the killings. That man is Jack Forrester (Bridges, Starman), whose marriage allowed him to rise...
Reviews from film writer Vince Leo, covering all eras and genres of films from classics to the latest releases.
Film reviews from Vince Leo, from classics to new releases, since 1996.