What the makers of modern, Hollywood versions of Godzilla fail to realize is that audiences don’t enjoy the character’s movies because of the visual effects, the massive destruction, or the rational explanations of the...
Akira represents one of the most influential anime features of all time. It’s based on the 1982 manga series from Katsuhiro Otomo, who not only co-writes the adaptation, but he also directs this animated...
“Die Hard in a building” is how the film has been coyly referred to by some (my choice of title would have been, “Rock Hard“), as we have a tough hero in the titular building...
Deepwater Horizon depicts the events leading up to and during what would eventually become the worst oil spill in the history of the United States, where the titular drilling rig, the largest in the world...
San Andreas is a meat-headed special effects film through and through, basically just an excuse to deliver yet another disaster-porn epic, hoping that the titillation people feel when watching buildings crumble and things blowing up...
1990s / Action / Adventure / Thriller
by Vincent Leo · Published January 11, 2007 · Last modified January 5, 2019
Incredible sounds and special effects are the big draws in this popular popcorn movie attraction, and it’s a good thing they are worth the price of the viewing, as the in-between banter among the...
Yet another attempt during the 1970s at a disaster film (although not a purist one), Rollercoaster isn’t the worst of its genre, but it’s quite a sizable distance from being the best. What it has...
2000s / Action / Science Fiction
by Vincent Leo · Published May 31, 2004 · Last modified May 10, 2019
Some people have been calling The Day After Tomorrow a throwback to the Irwin Allen disaster films of the 1970s, but in reality, it is more of a throwback to the disaster films of the...
Hard Rain and Chain Reaction. What do these two movies have in common? Answer: they both have Morgan Freeman (Kiss the Girls, The Shawshank Redemption) as the bad guy, and star an annoying, young, lackluster protagonist. Note...
1990s / Action / Science Fiction
by Vincent Leo · Published January 10, 1999 · Last modified January 28, 2019
In the 1990s, it seems that if you’re given a budget over $100 million, the rule of thumb is to put 90% of it into special effects, while whatever paltry sum is left should...
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.
