[Movie Archive] [Top Ten] [Sign Guestbook] [E-mail Me] [Home]

Movie Archives (R)

For movies A-B click here For movies C-E click here
For movies F-G click here For movies H-J click here
For movies K-L click here For movies M-N click here
For movies O-Q click here For movies S click here
For movies T-V click here For movies W-Z click here

The Rainmaker
Yeah, yeah just another one of Grisham's law movies right? Right! But I have to say that this is one of the better movies. I haven't read the novel, but after watching the movie, I went straight home to read the novel. I'll give an update on what which one (the movie or book) is better. Anyways, Matt Damon stars as the fresh-out-of law school lawyer. He represents the lawyer of a poor, Memphis family whose son is on his death bed due to an insurance problem. You can guess what happens, but I think watching it is also more entertaining.
I just completed reading the novel. Surprisingly, I hated it! I truly did. Matt Damon's character turns out ot be a volatile, quick-tempered, and unstructured character. Mr. Grisham could have done a much better job developing him. But the time spent on not developing Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon's character) is spent on idle, tangent stories that do little to help the plot. Francis Ford Coppola (The Rainmaker's director) turned Grisham's good but unstructured and loquacious novel into what it should have been: a story with a solid plot, little irrelevant stories, and definite theme. I don't know where Grisham was going with his novel and it definitely did not end well. At least not in my opinion. Got comments and opinions that differ or agree? E-mail me.
GRADE: A

Rat Race
Cheesy and corny humor about a wealthy hotel owner (John Cleese) who gets a random bunch of people (Whoopi Goldberg, Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Jon Lovitz, Cuba Gooding Jr., etc.) to race each other for $2 million hidden in New Mexico. Despite the all star cast, this movie has simple humor which is nice for a change since all you see these days is vulgar, obscene stuff. The ending was kinda disappointing, but then it made me realize what a greedy lunatic I am. Just kidding...(not really).
GRADE: B

Reality Bites
Winona Ryder proves once again that she can shine in any role. In this movie, she plays Lelaina Pierce, a college graduate who searches for work, friendship, and love in this funny and inspiring movie, realistically-directed by funny man Ben Stiller (who also plays Ryder's new boyfriend in the movie). Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, and Steve Zahn also star as Ryder's friends. I recommend this to teens and adults who can relate to the 90's theme of "being yourself" and doing what you want. Er....something like that. Anyway, it's good movie!
GRADE: A

The Recruit
The Recruit is a CIA caper about a recruit (Colin Farrell) and his "mentor" (Al Pacino) and whether or not everything the recruit is doing is real or jsut a test. Pacino has type-casted himself into the mentor-turned-bad-guy role and Colin Farrell is somewhat incredulous as a top MIT graduate. (Though he is REALLY hot!) I found the premise of the movie to be somewhat diluted (a recruit for the CIA isn't sure what he's really doing? is that it?) And the movie takes an obscure turn towards the end. Add in there a romance with another recruit (Bridget Moynahan) and you've got some weird stuff. Nothing spectacular about this flick.
GRADE: C

Red Dragon
Red Dragon is the first of the Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, perfect again as the tasty doctor) and by far the most suspenseful and frightening. Having read the book, I can say that it provides exactly a good dose of what made the novel so enjoyable. Edward Norton portrays Will Graham, the FBI agent who puts Lecter away, leaves the Bureau, but repeatedly gets call back by his supervisor Crawford (Harvey Keitel). The Red Dragon is about Graham's hunt for the gruesome serial killer called The Tooth Fairy (portrayed by an equally tasty Ralph Fiennes) who murders entire families for a reason that is both psychologically fun for Lecter to tap into and frighteningly difficult to watch. The movie has its dose of light-Lecter humor as well as audience who-dunnit-participation and enough blood and guts to make the series as hard to watch as it is to digest. (Please please please, excuse all the puns.)
GRADE: A-

Remember the Titans
This movie has a LOT of heart. You will suffer with it, cheer for it, cry with it, and most likely love it. Denzel Washington is Herman Boone, the new head coach of TC Williams high school-a black man replacing a white one (Will Patton) amidst 1970s racial problems. Based on the true story of Boone, the movie is not merely winning games, but about winning the fight against racial prejudice and predispositions. It is a truly remarkable story and portrayed well on screen.
GRADE: A

The Replacements
The Replacements is a surprisingly entertaining movie about has-been football players who get a second chance at success when they are hired as replacements for the striking pros. Keanu Reeves stars (and not too poorly) as Shane Falco, a worn-out Sugar Bowl loser who is hired to lead the ailing Sentinels as quarterback. Gene Hackman is the coach, and a slew of other fun guys star (Orlando Jones, Jon Favreau, and Brooke Langton) in this predictable, but enjoyable sports movie. Great soundtrack too.
GRADE: B+

The Replacement Killers
Having been to Asia numerous times and having seen numerous Hong Kong produced action films, I have to say that these films are in their own genre. Replacement Killers is very typical of a Hong Kong action-movie, but this one is extra special because it has a western humanitarian "touch" to it. Guns and blood are the focus of these films and Replacement Killers has that. Chow Yun Fat (I've been a major fan since the late 1980s) does a good job ( but I can't say the best) in Replacement Killers. Mira Sorvina is nice, but also very typical of this movie. In short, Hong Kong action movies have an action hero, a sidekick girl, a bunch of bad guys that always outnumber the good guys by at least 50 guys to one, guns (little ones, big ones, you name them!), and some type of vehicle that gets demolished. They have all of this and it's shown in a flashy way. Replacement killers has all of this and does all of this. So it's very typical. Not extra special. Go see it if you like Hong Kong actions or if you've never seen one.
GRADE: B

Return To Me
If it weren't for a bunch of funny, old guys, this movie would be a total chick flick. I didn't expect much, so for the first 15-20 minutes of this movie my expectations were pretty much met. But then you get the know the characters better and you start to like them. David Duchovny plays Bob Rueland, an architect who loses his zoologist wife to some obscure incident. Minnie Driver plays Grace, whose necessity for a heart transplant is met when Bob's wife dies. They meet and fall for each other. But then they discover the truth (about the heart transplant and stuff). Return To Me is cute and warm, and despite being predictable, it's still a joy to watch. The old guys, Grace's grandpa & friends, will make you laugh with their childish squabbles and Irish-Italian accents. Also stars Jim Belushi, David Alan Grier, and Bonnie Hunt (Rene Zellweger's sister in Jerry Maguire and who actually directed this movie). For a romantic comedy, it's definitely romantic, and definitely funny.
GRADE: A

return to top

Return to Paradise
As slow as it is, Return to Paradise also features a talented cast, good plot, and solid ambience throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie from start to finish even though it was drab a good half of the movie. It stars Anne Heche as a lawyer named Beth whose mission is to pursuade Sheriff (Vince Vaugh) and Tony (David Conrad) to go to prison in order to save Lewis, a friend they met two years earlier in Malaysia. I don't recommend this movie to action- or comedy-loving audiences, but it is compelling enough to make you think about what you would do if you were ever in this type of situation. Also starring Jada Pinkett Smith as the reporter M.J. who will no doubt piss the hell out of you and make you hate reporters and journalists for a good while (unless of course you already despise them). In short, this movie will stir and open up your mind and emotions.
GRADE: A-

Road to Perdition
Road to Perdition is a semi-coming of age, semi-mobster flick, semi-father/son relationship movie starring Tom Hanks (the father) and Tyler Hoechlin (the son). Paul Newman also stars as Hanks' "mobster father." The movie definitely delves into interpersonal relationships in post-Depression era Chicago; and does so at its own lulling pace. The tension exists in that Hoechlin's character, unknowing his father's REAL occupation, sees Hanks kill a man. To protect him from vengeful mobsters, Hanks and Hoechlin journey through the midwest trying to solve their own mobster mystery. By no means a blockbuster in the sense that it'll entertain with blood and guts, but Road to Perdition hits the soft spots in your heart. The audience I sat with was mostly seniors; so that might give you an idea of the perception of this film. I enjoyed it, but only because it was a hot and dry day.
GRADE: B

Road Trip
This movie would have been a lot better if I : a) had not expected it to be really really funny, b) actually liked Tom Green, and c) was a boy. Road Trip is about 4 college boys on a road trip to Texas to intercept a video of one of the guys (Breckin Meyer) having sex with another girl (Amy Smart) before the guy's Texas-college girlfriend (Rachel Blanchard) sees it. The movie is sprinkled, but not splattered, with humor. It thinks that showing female frontal nudity every 10 minutes is funny. It makes fun of old people, blind people, nerdy people, fat people, etc. Don't get your hopes up, it's not THAT funny.
GRADE: C

The Rock
Awesome action! Great cast! Believeable plot! Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery are explosive! They are comical and heroic in this film about revenge against the government by means of terror. Just go see it!
GRADE: A

Rockstar
A likable but mediocre movie starring Mark Wahlberg as a fanatic fan of the rock group Steel Dragon. After he's kicked out of the band that he created as a tribute to Steel Dragon, he is fatefully recruited to fill in the shoes of the lead singer of Steel Dragon who is coincidentally kicked out too. The movie delves into the world of rock and roll, celebrity status, and the 80s. Jennifer stars as Walhberg's girlfriend who sticks to him faithfully until he cannot stand against the pressures of fame and fortune. I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, but I didn't dislike it either.
GRADE: B

Romeo Must Die
Romeo Must Die is an awesome, stylish film that delivers to expectations. About an Asian/African-American rivalry in the Oakland seas, Romeo Must Die is an adrenaline rush of action set to the tune of hip-hop. Jet Li stars as Han, the son of the Asian dominance (Henry O), while hip-hop singer turned actress, Aaliyah, stars as Trish, the daughter of the African-American dominance (Delroy Lindo). Though not a love story, the two are both stuck between the families' rivalry and a slew of deaths (including Trish's brother and Han's brother) by phantom assassins. To find out who's slaying who, the two erase color lines through their parallel situations. It's a great storyline with a great cast. Plus, Jet Li's just too cool to pass up.
GRADE: A

return to top

Ronin
Starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, and others, Ronin is simply about independent assassins (or ronins) who work together to acquire a mysterious silver case. Though the plot becomes overshadowed by accented and inflated dialogue, the only thing that kept my interest was the contents of the silver case. The elaborate and lengthy car chases made the movie exciting, but not adrenaline rushing. It would have made for a better tv movie (except for the car chases) so, I'd recommend it more for De Niro fans or anyone capable of watching a bland-action, action movie for a little over 2 hours.
GRADE: C-

Rounders
I highly do not recommend this movie to people with short attention spans or who don't like card games. This movie really seems like something concocted from a starving screenwriter/cardplayer. The dialogue contains too much "card-lingo" and it's too "in-your-face," which makes it hard to follow. The characters, well played by Matt Damon (as Michael) and John Malkovich (as "KGB," a smaller part), are overall trite and unstructured. The reason why I'm giving it a C- is because it DOES pick up toward the end of the movie and Damon and Malkovich give a nice ending performance. In short, it won't kill you (unless you're a Damon-fan) to not see this movie.
GRADE: C-

The Royal Tenenbaums
The Royal Tenenbaums is a star studded artsy film (Gene Hackman, Angelica Houston, Gwenyth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, and Ben Stiller), if even that. Written by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson (Rushmore) and directed by Wes Anderson (who also directed Rushmore), The Royal Tenenbaums is the story of a dead beat dad to a trio of geniuses who decide to set things right with the family he left 20 years ago. Not altogether dark or funny or even artsy, The Royal Tenenbaums was enjoying in that is was bizarre and strange and can be torn apart and analyzed for our own amusement.
GRADE: B+

Runaway Bride
The plot is nice: a commitment-shy bride (Julia Roberts) whose always dumping her grooms at the altar. Of course she doesn't do it on purpose....or does she? New York reporter Ike Graham (Richard Gere), recently fired due to accusations that Maggie Carpenter (Roberts) is evil and dumps her grooms for kicks, is out to prove just that. He goes to her quaint, small community of Hale ("home of the sweet peach") to figure her out. But along the way, they figure each other out. Anyways, it's cute and has it's laugh out loud moments (though there aren't as many as you might expect), but it's not enough to keep you fully entertained and enthralled. Nevertheless, it's been a long time since Roberts, Gere and director Garry Marshall have teamed up, and after watching this movie, you realize that it's going to be difficult to return to the wonderful days of Pretty Woman.
GRADE: B-

Rush Hour
Big laughs and big action, I enjoyed Rush Hour throughout. Lee (Jackie Chan) and Carter (Chris Tucker) team up to find a Chinese consul's kidnapped daughter. The movie is just really funny and delivers all and any Jackie Chan moves you'd expect. I definitely recommend as a fun weekend movie!
GRADE: B+

return to top

Rush Hour 2
Seems like this movie was created as an outlet for Jackie Chan action and Chris Tucker humor. Very well....as long as you don't take the movie too seriously and realize that the plot is pretty kaput, then you'll enjoy it. Chan and Tucker are an LAPD duo whose vacation in Hong Kong is cut short when they meet with an Asian gang teaming with a wealthy American to launder money. Zhang Ziyi also stars are a lethal member of the Asian gang. The movie is funny, but that's about it. Oh, and of course the outtakes are the best!
GRADE: B-

Rushmore
This is one weirdly hilarious movie. Max Fisher's (Jason Schwartzman) purpose in life is in attending Rushmore Academy, where he excels in extra-curricular activites, but fails in the academic and love department. When he meets Miss Cross, the new teacher, he makes every effort to win her affection. But then Mr. Blume (Bill Murray), Max's new millionaire friend, falls for Miss Cross, and the conquest begins. Rushmore is funny, strange, and different.
GRADE: B

NOTE: A grade of A is a highly recommended film for everybody.
A grade of B is a moderately recommended film for anybody.
A grade of C is generally geared toward a particular fan.
A grade of D is an unrecommended film.
A grade of F is a really bad film that is recommended for your extremely bored amusement.

This page hosted by
�� wn
Free Home Page