Almost Famous - I had never heard of this really great movie until it won Best Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes.  First of all, I must mention the soundtrack.  This film features so many great songs that its impossible to name them all.  If anything, see the movie for the music.  In this semi auto-biographical film, a boy experiences a classic "coming of age" experience by following a musical group of the 70s.  Despite the commonality of the theme, it never seems forced and as you watch William's experience you believe in them and in his actions.  The acting in the film is wonderful, with narry a poor performance to be seen.  Especially noteworth is Kate Hudson's performance as Penny Lane (why wasn't this song in the movie?).  If you want a couple of good laughs while watching a truly fulfilling movie, pick this one up.  8/10.
Added April 16, 2001.

Blade Runner - Easily one of the best science fiction films ever made, Blade Runner is a true treat. The film follows a detective, Deckard, attempting to find and kill rogue replicants in a dark, dismal future vision. Despite the age of the film, it is still visually outstanding. Not just in special effects, but in lighting as well. In an attempt to make the move seem like classic film noir, dark shadows and plenty of smoke are both used to create an amazing amount of atmosphere. The only problem with the film is that it seems to move a tad too fast. Deckard moves from replicant to replicant with ease, killing them as he goes. The only challenge he seems to face is found in with the final replicant, the leader. Overall, however, the movie is a blast to watch and it comes highly recomended, especially the DVD director's cut version. 9/10. 
Added July 20, 2000.

Castle of Cagliostro - This is a really fine movie. Made in the '70s, the film is still visually impressive. The characters are detailed and smooth and the DVD really enhances the visuals. Same goes with sound. Now, going into the movie, I had never seen a Lupin III show or movie before, so I didn't really know what to expect. I was not dissapointed however,. The plot is fast, fun, and full of really great moments. I especially like the car chase scene after Lupin enters Cagliostro. Great stuff here guys. The humor is also really great; this isn't a standard action anime. Its full of jokes that are never corney. The big problem with the film is that you don't really get to know many of the characters. I didn't even know Jigen's name until half-way through the movie. Overall, this is a great film. I recomend it to all anime fans.  8/10. 
Added August 12, 2000.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - This is the first "Kung-Fu" movie I have ever seen and I was not dissapointed in the least.  Many consider Kung Fu films to simply be about mindless fun, but this is certainly an exception to the rule.  This is a movie with heart; you truly feel for the characters and understand them.  The acting is excellent with no glaring missteps and the fight scenes are jaw dropping.  One could watch them over and over and never get bored.  There are only two problems with the movie.  One is minor - A flashback scene that is rather out of place and little too long.  With repeated viewings of the movie, however, it seems more appropriate than at first.  The second problem is the ending.  I won't give it away, but I was dissapointed how it left the audience hanging.  You cannot go wrong with this movie.  Note:  After repeated viewings I have decided to raise the rating of this film.  The faults reviewed above seem less and less faulty as you rewatch this film.  I, without doubt, think it deserves the new rating.  10/10.
Added April 15, 2001.
Updated June 13, 2001.

Dogma - This is one of the funniest movies I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. The movie recieved a lot of negative press from the Christian Coalition due to its "offensive themes," but I truly fail to see where they are coming from. Dogma is extremely pro-faith and pro-God. What it doesn't support is blind faith in something you  know nothing about. It teaches a good lesson through the constant barrage of humor. Like other Kevin Smith's movies, Dogma's strength lies in the language and conversations; you'll die laughing from what these characters will say. There isn't much more I can say about the movie other than if you haven't seen it, do so now. 9/10. 
Added July 24, 2000.

Macross Plus - This is what all anime should be like. Its high-drama mixed in with just enough action to make this one of the best anime flicks I have ever seen. Macross Plus is a 4 episode OVA available as 4 video cassettes or 2 DVDs. I highly recomend the DVDs as you get both the dubbed and subbed versions of the series. The series follows the exploits of 3 reuinited friends, explores their past, and eventually reveals their secrets. The movie grabs you from the beginning and never lets go. The animation is top notch, and you can easily see why it is compared to Top Gun so often; the arial scenes are nothing short of breath taking. The music is a central theme to the series and is appropriately excellent throughout. Lastly, the dubbed version of the series is fairly good. While I do prefer the subtitled version, you will not lose anything if you can only find the dubbed one. If you like anime at all, then you absolutely must get this OVA. 10/10. 
Added July 19, 2000.

Moulin Rouge - Wow.  I had been waiting for this film for several months and it turned out to be everything I expected and more.  Critics complain about the incredibly fast pace and the rapid transitions, but they simply increased the original style of the film.  No complaints with the pacing.  Also, this is a musical; one that is just as good as the classics.  Surpringly, both Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman have excellent voices and the soundtrack is second to none.  The original arrangements of familiar songs is both refreshing and humorous.  The plotline, while a cliche setup (forbidden love), has such an original presentation that it never seems cliche.  The various twists and turns keep it fresh as well.  Above all, the sets must be mentioned.  The scenes are simply breathtaking; it has to be seen to be believed.  Please, go see this movie with an open mind and you will find one of the most enjoyable and refrshing experiences in a long while. 10/10.
Added June 13, 2001.

The Patriot - The Patriot is Mel Gibson's latest British killing film. It follows the story of an unwilling participant in the American Revolution. His family members are slowly being killed by the war and he is out for vengence. Overall, this is more a fun movie to watch than an emotional movie, like Braveheart. It's full of action, blood, and decapitations; definatly not for the weak of stomach. The acting overall is very good, without anything so glaring that I find need to even report it. The music is excellent and truly captures the essence of the Revolutionary War. From the marching pipe and drum songs, to the high powered marches, music is a wonder to behold. The only thing I question about the film, is the historical accuracy. The British are portrayed here as brutal monsters, and I wonder how much is true and how much simply is a wrongful portrayal of important events. A last complaint is the predictability of the film. You almost always know who will get married, who will die, and how someone may die. While not as glaring as in Mission Impossible 2, the predictability takes some of the fun out of an otherwise excellent film. 6/10. 
Added July 19, 2000.

Pearl Harbor - Going into this film, I knew that hoping for another Saving Private Ryan was asking too much;  I was hoping for something a little better than Titanic however.  What I got wasomething in between.  A critic wrote that the film is one third a love story, one third the attack on Pearl Harbor, and another third on the Doolittle Raid.  This assessment is for the most part correct.  Unfortunately, the love story is cliche upon cliche and simply detracts from what the film should have been about:  Pearl Harbor.  This is the brightest part of the entire movie.  The battle is quite simply incredible.  No other word can describe it.  However, the historical innacurracies grated on my nerves.  First, FDR did not flaunt his disability, he hid it.  Second, no pilot is going to fight, give blood, and then help rescue trapped soldiers; its a physical impossibility.  Thirdly,  the Doolittle Raid was presented as the turnning point of the Pacific Theatre; it wasn't.  That was Midway.  For a budding historian, I couldn't help but get annoyed at these flaws.  However, if you don't mind sitting through an hour and a half of a mindless love triangle in order to see the glory of a wonderfully executed, if in some ways inaccurate, depiction  of our nation's entry into WWII, then please see this movie.  6/10.
Added June 5, 2001.

Scary Movie - This was a horrible dissapointment. At first the prospect of a comedy mocking the latest "horror" films would seem to be a dream come true for those of us sick of the standard conventions so often used in the genre. Instead we recieve a disgusting, often-times insulting excuse for a movie. While occasionally humorous, the jokes nearly always border on the grotesque and are vomit inducing. Furthermore, many of the films attempts at comedy do not verge on the humorous; the director seems content at simply throwing the obvious at you and hoping it will extract a laugh. No thinking here. The only really good thing about the movie is that it is short and only takes up one hour and twenty minutes of your life. See at your own risk. 3/10. 
Added July 20, 2000.

What Lies Beneath - This was a pleasant surprise. Not really a horror flick, nor a thriller, this movie features some great surprises (both through plot and horror gimmicks) and a surprisingly fresh plot. I'm not going to give a synopsis since I'll probably end up giving something away, but lets just say that the climax is a deviation from a standard Harrison Ford movie. A great sense of suspense is kept throughout the movie, which keeps it very entertaining. The only real problem is that some standard horror conventions, such as a large secluded house and events happening through a mirror, are rather over used. In all, however, the movie is a good way to spend your movie money. 6.5/10.
Added July 28, 2000.

X-Men - As a former fan of the comic series, I had been waiting for a movie based on the X-Men properties for many years. Unfortunately the quality of the comic deteriorated to the point that I refused to buy the books and gave up hope for a quality movie. Luckily, I decided to give the film a try and ended up extremely pleased. The film uses some of the more well known characters from the book such as Wolverine, Magneto, and Cyclops as well as some cameo appearances for the true X-Men fan (I'm not going to tell). Amazingly, the movie manages to keep the feel of the older books; the good vs evil struggle is still there with all the gray area that was ever present. Magneto is a good man turned bad by the events around him; he is not a pure evil entity. The acting is well done, but unfortunately nearly all the characters become over shadowed by Wolverine, the true star of the entire film. He plays the role to a hilt; he's gruff, unsociable, a loner, but he always seems to do the correct thing. The other characters, while played well (especially Magneto), recieve such little screen time that you wonder why they were even put in the film; this is what takes my rating down. The battle scenes put other super hero movies to shame. This is how it should be done. This film comes very recomended. 7/10. 
Added July 20, 2000.