Steve's   Consumer
  Rating    Reports
  $0-$8       1-5       Available reviews

    $8         4        Pulp Fiction
     8 . . . . 5 . . .  Toy Story
     8         4        The Usual Suspects
     7         5        The Secret of Roan Inish
     7 . . . . 5 . . .  Forrest Gump
     7         5        Babe
     7         3        Heat
     6 . . . . 4 . . .  Outbreak
     6         2        Home for the Holidays
     6         3        Cutthroat Island
     6 . . . . - . . .  The Prophecy
     6         2        Golden Eye
     5         2        Mortal Kombat
     5 . . . . 3 . . .  Seven
     5         1        Nine Months
     4         2        Strange Days
     4 . . . . 1 . . .  Batman Forever (Batman 3)
     4         1        The Brady Bunch Movie
     4         1        Species
     4 . . . . 1 . . .  Die Hard with a Vengeance (Die Hard 3)
     4         2        Bad Boys
     4         1        Kiss of Death
     3 . . . . 2 . . .  Hackers
     3         -        Kicking and Screaming
     3         1        Waterworld
     3 . . . . 1 . . .  Congo
     2         1        Under Siege II - Dark Territory

The Reviews....

Pulp Fiction .. rating: $8

Bring a friend. See it twice. This movie has it all: a great story, good direction, a talented cast, some edge-of-the-seat anticipation, and some very uncomfortable scenes. Even the soundtrack is good. I think this movie is better as a dark comedy than as a drama. Very enjoyable.
Fun tip: We're still arguing about what's in the briefcase.
Bonus fun tip: If you put the film in chronological order, how many days would it cover?

Forrest Gump .. rating: $7

I left the theatre inspired, ready to help someone or fix something or make some useful contribution to society. A classic `feel good' movie, it lives up to all the hype. You'll be repeating lines for weeks to come.
Fun tip: The ``How many ways can you cook shrimp?'' scene is a treasure.

Bad Boys .. rating: $4

Wil Smith's big screen debut is fast paced, occasionally amusing, and unfortunately hard to believe. The movie is average, with no particular strong or weak points. The lead character's constant banter was part of the plot, but sometimes got on my nerves.
Fun tip: Look for dents in the Porsche throughout the movie.

The Secret of Roan Inish .. rating: $7

The start was kind of slow and the little girl's acting was a bit wooden, but this is simply a great story with meaningful characters. You'll wish your grandfather told stories like this. Sit back and enjoy the scenery and the accents.
Fun tip: Enjoy a pint of brew afterwards (or during, if you're renting).

Outbreak .. rating: $6

I know the idea isn't new, but this film keeps you occupied. The story is very believable, which always helps me buy into the plot. Probably one of the better action films out this summer.
Fun tip: Sneeze loudly in the audience (you'll know when).

Congo .. rating: $3

What a disappointment. The ads raised my expectations, and I was waiting to see another Jurassic Park. Wrong. The acting wasn't any better than the story, and Tim Curry (who I normally like) was simply annoying. Even the monkeys were bad.
Fun tip: Try to learn sign language as you watch.

Batman Forever .. rating: $4

Way too dimly lit for me. The story was entertaining, but too busy just like the other Batman movies. Early in the film, Val Kilmer adopted the voice and mannerisms of Michael Keaton, as if he felt he needed to convince me that he's the same character. Chris O'Donnell and Jim Carry are the real stars here.
Fun tip: Keep an eye out for the real Ed Koch

Kiss of Death .. rating: $4

Nicholas Cage stars in this movie about violence, deception and manipulation. The plot was less predictable than I expected, so it makes a decent matinee.
Fun tip: Listen for appropriate songs in the background.

Die Hard with a Vengeance .. rating: $4

This movie is admirable for its clever criminals, and some of the stunts are really fun to watch. The dialog, however, is weak. Bruce Willis is back on the force after drying out (mostly), and someone is out to make his life miserable.
Fun tip: Try not to get seasick during the close-ups.

Species .. rating: $4

Neat special effects, pathetic writing. The plot had potential, but the writers failed to take advantage of the opportunity. Every time the characters are faced with a mystery, they manage to figure it out with their first theory - very unrealistic. Of course, it kept the movie from getting too long, so maybe the writers were doing me a favor.
Fun tip: Look at the little girl's contact lenses in the opening scene.

The Brady Bunch Movie .. rating: $4

This met all of my expectations, so I liked it! The writers did a good job staying true to the original sitcom, and picked up most of the quirks that made the Brady's memorable. A good matinee.
Fun tip: Watch for the original Brady Bunch cast members.

Under Siege II - Dark Territory .. rating: $2

Almost painful to watch, its one of the few times I've considered getting my money back. That will teach me not to car-pool to the theatre. `Under Siege I' was novel, this one's just dull.
Fun tip: Figure out how Ryback knew to steal the CD-ROM.

Nine Months .. rating: $5

Hugh Grant received a lot of free publicity and I'm sure it helped the box office receipts. Tom Arnold is wonderful, but he's not the lead character. The film is entertaining, and parents should consider renting it for themselves when it hits video.
Fun tip: Read the mudflaps on the tow truck.

Babe .. rating: $7

Simply a good story. At first I was trying to figure out how they made the animals talk, but the effects were so smooth they quickly faded into the background. Great scenery and sets, just enough humor, and lots of cute details. While definitely written for children, it has plenty for adults.
Fun tip: Count the number of mice in the movie.

Waterworld .. rating: $3

This movie's most redeeming quality? It looks great on the big screen. And that's a problem because it's not worth the price of admission. The props, sets and action scenes are all big and fancy, but there is no substance like character development, believability, and so on. Its a shame - this wet Mad Max could have been much better for $160+ million.
Fun tip: Find the Tidy Bowl Man.

Mortal Kombat .. rating: $5

The martial arts are good, the sets are pure fantasy, and the music is catchy. Special effects are everywhere, which should be expected for any movie that has its roots in a video game. Although there is lots of fighting, there is only one tiny drop of blood on the film. Entertaining but simple.
Fun tip: When the three main characters leave the banquet room, watch for the flannel-shirted stagehand crossing in the background.

The Prophecy .. rating: $6

Starring Christopher Walken and Eric Stoltz, this film examines the darker side of angels and the jobs they are asked to perform. The film has tons of little details that the director doesn't linger on (bravo!) and it moves at a nice pace. Certain things could have been explained better, but those omissions led to our most lively post-cinema discussions since Pulp Fiction. If you like this one, go rent Dark Angel: The Ascent.
Fun tip: The one-liners define dark humor. See how many you can remember in four days.

The Usual Suspects .. rating: $8

This story is about five ex-cons who meet by chance and agree to pull off a job together. The real trick is to understand each character's motivation. The writing is clever and the acting is almost invisible (as it should be). This is another film that provides much to talk about, and I'd like to see it again.
Fun tip: See if you can solve the mystery before the police detective.

Seven .. rating: $5

The book (if there is one) should be excellent reading. Smart cops and a smarter villain, with a solid `who done it' plot line. Unfortunately a good script and talented actors can always be overshadowed by a director out to prove that he's an artist. Too bad. The scenes are too dark and moody, the special effects are covered up, and I thought certain scenes took way too long
(Note: This movie sets a level of 'gross' not seen since Pulp Fiction.)
Fun tip: Try to notice when the sun first comes out.

Hackers .. rating: $3

Let's face it, a movie about somebody hacking at a keyboard should be boring. And while the director made a valiant effort to portray computers and software in a visual way, he came up short. The movie is also short about 30 minutes of plot, so the pace is terribly uneven. I enjoyed the climax, but the last three minutes were unnecessary. The good news is there's no hint of a sequel.
Fun tip: Look out the restaurant window when the FBI agent gets his credit card back.

Strange Days .. rating: $4

This film started out on my ``anything related to virtual reality'' boycott list and probably should have stayed there. Its tried-and-true plot borrows from some good films and was written by a well-known action writer. But the movie just doesn't work. Some of the elaborate details are unnecessary and make this 2.5 hour movie feel longer. Even the music and nudity don't help.
Fun tip: See if you can make a dress out of pull-tabs, just like Faith's.
Guest fun tip: What's wrong with the URL at the end of the credits?

Golden Eye .. rating: $6

This is classic James Bond - guns, cars, women, villains, and just enough plot to hold it together. The action sequences are little hard to swallow, but that's part of the charm of 007. Product placement is a little more blatant than usual. You know what to expect, and this film delivers.
Fun tip: Does the water rotate the correct way when it drains out?

Home for the Holidays .. rating: $6

This movie is a pleasure to watch. Mostly light comedy about a family gathered for Thanksgiving, there are a few good moments of tension and stress mixed in. Well balanced and well paced, with lots of great interaction between the characters. This will also be good on video, because you can rewind and catch any dialog you miss while laughing.
Fun tip: How would you handle a Goat if you had one?

Toy Story .. rating: $8

Simply brilliant. John Lasseter's first full length film shows the same insight and appeal as his earlier shorts (you can borrow my copy if you'd like). The characters are engrossing, the story is fun for kids and adults, and the fact that it was all animated on computer is really quite irrelevant. I would have liked to know who did the voices ahead of time, but that's just me.
Fun tip: Stay until the end of the credits.

Kicking and Screaming .. rating: $3

This film mimics the fly-on-the-wall style of `Clerks' and `My Dinner with Andre' but without the appeal or charm. The story follows four young men who have just finished college and are unsure about their futures. There are a couple of good one-liners, but the interactions were pretty weak.
Fun tip: See if you can spot the boom mike.

Heat .. rating: $7

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino star in this clever cops-and-robbers drama. It has the look of a long (2.5 hours!), reasonably paced episode of Miami Vice (also by director Michael Mann), but it's very well done. The characters have depth (except the cop's wife), and show a lot of intelligence.
Fun tip: Are Pacino and De Niro ever on screen at the same time?

Cutthroat Island .. rating: $6

Imagine a Bond flick with a female lead and set in the 1600's. Its a fun adventure, with beautiful costumes and scenery. There's no great depth here, but it's an enjoyable film.
Fun tip: Try not to say ``aww'' when the monkey is on camera.

If you have comments, or you want me to add a link to your movie reviews, please feel free to send me mail.