James Mangold continues his string of choice character-driven dramas with Ford v. Ferrari (aka Le Mans ’66 in most other parts of the world). This true story had been in Hollywood for decades before being made,...
One wonders how much my enjoyment of this third installment of the Oceans series is influenced by the fact that the second, Ocean’s Twelve, had been a disappointment to most of those who loved Ocean’s Eleven. Perhaps it...
2010s / Science Fiction / Thriller
by Vincent Leo · Published March 6, 2011 · Last modified January 6, 2020
The Adjustment Bureau is the latest Hollywood adaptation of a Philip K. Dick work, this time of one of his short stories, “Adjustment Team” (one presumes the title was changed to ‘Bureau’ to make the...
Jason Bourne is back, and he’s still being chased by a faction of the CIA who have insidiously been trying to keep the details of his origin and missions under wraps for fear of...
by Vincent Leo · Published December 21, 2006 · Last modified December 14, 2019
Now here’s a movie that will surely test your movie watching mettle. Excessively lengthy, emotionally cold as ice, and thematically overambitious, The Good Shepherd will draw its share of detractors from the impatient, the confused,...
Gripping in parts, convoluted and stagnant in others, Syriana is screenwriter Steven Gaghan’s attempt to provide an insider’s peek into the varying forces at play in the continuing Middle Eastern oil and terrorism struggles, similar...
2000s / Action / Mystery / Thriller
by Vincent Leo · Published June 13, 2002 · Last modified February 12, 2021
Based on the old bestseller by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Identity might have also been a classic movie had it been made around the time it was written. However, being made in a time long after...
by Vincent Leo · Published December 8, 2001 · Last modified March 17, 2019
The amazing Steven Soderbergh is at it again, showing a mastery of a new genre with almost every film he’s made. After the Academy Award nominated films Erin Brockovich and Traffic, Soderbergh goes for a fun and...
Without a doubt, Chasing Amy ranks as Kevin Smith’s best work to date, both as a writer and director. Coming off of his ambitious but critically panned Mallrats,it’s a good thing, as it probably saved his career....
Fittingly enough, this Hitchcockian suspenser was based on a book by Patricia Highsmith, who also wrote the book a Hitchcock classic was based on, STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. Somewhat similar in themes, this one...
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.
