by Vincent Leo · Published February 23, 2008 · Last modified February 14, 2019
Director Peter Weir (The Mosquito Coast, The Truman Show), in his first American production, crafts this thriller based on subtle touches and honest characterizations to success. His film would earn 8 Academy Award nominations, including...
by Vincent Leo · Published December 14, 2007 · Last modified January 28, 2019
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...
1990s / Action / Comedy / Fantasy / Romance
by Vincent Leo · Published July 18, 2007 · Last modified August 26, 2019
Bob Hoskins plays bigoted cop Jack Moony, who spends much of his time becoming irate, eating the worst foods, chain-smoking, and swilling in booze. It eventually leads to a stroke. Moony is lucky enough...
Discussions of a sequel to Beverly Hills Cop began before its release in theaters. Nevertheless, Paramount execs took a wait-and-see approach but didn’t have to wait long, as it shattered box office records for...
Although many people associate Bullitt with the 10-minute car chase at the heart of the film, and for cementing McQueen’s (and his Ford Mustang) iconic coolness factor, it is also cited by many as the film...
I’m going to have to put a proverbial asterisk on the rating to this review, as I chose to watch a version that is significantly different than the one that many fans of writer-director-star...
1980s / Action / Comedy / Thriller
by Vincent Leo · Published March 2, 2007 · Last modified March 2, 2019
Southside Chicago detectives Ray Hughes (Hines, Wolfen) and Danny Costanzo (Crystal, The Princess Bride) are out to put away a rising-star drug lord named Julio Gonzales (Smits, Murder in Mind), who is rumored to have killed an...
The Infernal Affairs series borrows another page from the Godfather series by having the next entry serve as both a sequel and a prequel to the first chapter (the first sequel mirrors The Godfather Part II by tracing the character...
by Vincent Leo · Published February 16, 2007 · Last modified March 30, 2019
As much as I love Hong Kong action films, I must still admit that most directors tend to prefer style over substance, slow-motion shootouts over character development. This is why it comes as a...
by Vincent Leo · Published February 7, 2007 · Last modified February 12, 2019
Based on James Ellroy’s novel, LA Confidential is a modern noirish tale of how police corruption and the flourishing of organized crime go hand in hand, as well as how public decisions are dictated by public...
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.
