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Fresno Bee

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Rating Title | Year Author Quote
C-
North (1994) John Scalzi "North" has a solid cast and some good visual gags, but it doesn't come together.
Posted Jan 24, 2026  Edit critic review
A-
The American President (1995) John Scalzi That the film directly addresses this pedantic question, yet still remains one of the most entertaining and romantic films of the year, is a sign of how accomplished this film and its makers are.
Posted Jan 22, 2026  Edit critic review
3.5/4
A Few Good Men (1992) John Scalzi It's another fine work from Reiner, who seems to operate on the dictum that if one really tries, one can make a film that is simultaneously intelligent and entertaining. After seven films, that theory hasn't failed him.
Posted Jan 07, 2026  Edit critic review
3.5/4
Hook (1991) John Scalzi Do you believe? That's the question you must ask yourself before you go to see Hook, Steven Spielberg's lush continuation of the Peter Pan story. It will make the difference between enjoying the movie and savoring it.
Posted Dec 19, 2025  Edit critic review
B
True Lies (1994) John Scalzi Unlike those films, in which comedy was mostly overblown farce, the comedy in True Lies is the most down-to-earth part of the film. It actually gives the film what little grounding it has in reality.
Posted Dec 09, 2025  Edit critic review
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) John Scalzi "Terminator 2" is [James] Cameron in full force.
Posted Dec 08, 2025  Edit critic review
A Christmas Carol (1984) Rick Sherwood This is the umpteenth version of the story, but well worth watching, thanks to the fine acting, fine direction, and an exquisite production.
Posted Dec 04, 2025  Edit critic review
The Wiz (1978) Scott Tompkins "The Wiz" is an entertaining show.
Posted Nov 17, 2025  Edit critic review
Dracula (1979) Michael McKeever It's not too bad.
Posted Oct 21, 2025  Edit critic review
Stephen King's It (1990) Lanny Larson While Reid, O'Tool and Ritter are very good, Curry is outstanding as Pennywise. This guy will haunt an adult's dreams long after "IT" is little more than a faint memory.
Posted Oct 14, 2025  Edit critic review
C+
Casper (1995) John Scalzi There's no real point to this film, other than showing off the ghosts - which might be reason enough for some people.
Posted Oct 02, 2025  Edit critic review
Hard Times (1975) Scott Tompkins Charles Bronson's "macho" style shines in this simple, sit back and enjoy movie.
Posted Sep 26, 2025  Edit critic review
B+
Boogie Nights (1997) Donald Munro Boogie Nights is far more than a sex-and-drugs skin flick. It's endowed with a big, hearty dose of the human spirit.
Posted Sep 24, 2025  Edit critic review
A-
Toy Story (1995) John Scalzi The film has a wonderful story, enough so that after the first few minutes, you forget that what you're looking at is an impressive bit of computing.
Posted Sep 09, 2025  Edit critic review
A
Requiem for a Dream (2000) Rick Bentley Director Aronofsky, whose "Pi" rattled brains, plays his visuals like an extended, clanging symphony that builds until it's almost too deafening to tolerate. But it's a stunning experience.
Posted Aug 20, 2025  Edit critic review
B-
Waterworld (1995) John Scalzi So although all of the set pieces and action work as they are supposed to, there's very little panache.
Posted Jul 28, 2025  Edit critic review
B
Babe (1995) John Scalzi "Babe" is something of a marvel in terms of special effects; the talking-animal trick is accomplished so naturally that you eventually stop paying attention to it.
Posted Jul 23, 2025  Edit critic review
Superman: The Movie (1978) John Crowe Superman may not outdraw Star Wars at the box office, but there is still a lot of enjoyment there, and it should be one of the big draws of 1979.
Posted Jul 08, 2025  Edit critic review
A-
Superman Returns (2006) Rick Bentley Singer has a great skill for balancing emotional parts of a story with big action sequences. "Superman Returns" is just as entertaining when Superman is saving an airplane or cozying up to Lois on top of the Daily Planet building.
Posted Jul 07, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Jurassic Park (1993) John Scalzi To sum up: amazing special effects, great scares, so-so plot, don't take the toddlers. On just the special effects alone, however, Jurassic Park lives up to its billing.
Posted Jul 01, 2025  Edit critic review
A
Apollo 13 (1995) John Scalzi The facility with which the film draws you in is remarkable; this is commercial filmmaking as good as it comes.
Posted Jun 25, 2025  Edit critic review
The Gold Rush (1925) Joe Fisher It is all as funny now as it was back in 1925, and the new generation will thrill to the charm and magic of the black haired little man with the shuffling shoes.
Posted Jun 24, 2025  Edit critic review
Rollerball (1975) Scott Tompkins The movie is well filmed, especially the game sequences, and the story powerful.
Posted Jun 05, 2025  Edit critic review
Night Moves (1975) Scott Tompkins The pace of the movie is easy with most of the action, except in bed, during the last half hour. This is not to say it is boring, not with the various twists and turns of the plot.
Posted May 28, 2025  Edit critic review
F
Dirty Work (1998) Donald Munro Macdonald isn't simply wooden; He's an anti-actor, purposefully snubbing the camera, and he shouts his lines as if he were ordering a shake and fries at a fast-food drive-through.
Posted May 14, 2025  Edit critic review
B
Mission: Impossible II (2000) Donald Munro [Woo] delivers a dreamy, vibrant, surging series of spectacular stunts and exquisitely choreographed mayhem that spell out a slick summer blockbuster.
Posted May 08, 2025  Edit critic review
B
Mission: Impossible (1996) Donald Munro De Palma works hard -- funky camera angles, sophisticated gadgets, a thrilling train-chase sequence -- to make the most of what is, for spies, admittedly infertile post-Cold War ground.
Posted May 06, 2025  Edit critic review
The Stepford Wives (1975) Scott Tompkins Bryan Forbes' direction is superb, but his film falls somewhat short of the super-suspense it promises.
Posted May 02, 2025  Edit critic review
Funny Lady (1975) Scott Tompkins Director Herbert Ross has allowed the songs to dominate the show at the expense of an excellent story.
Posted Apr 24, 2025  Edit critic review
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Michael McKeever This is no low-budget sequel ground out in a hurry, nor is it a simplistic clone like Rocky II. Instead, a great deal of thought has gone into the continuing development of the characters as they face new challenges.
Posted Apr 23, 2025  Edit critic review
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) Charles Wright Like the trekkers who were successful in getting their favorite show back into production, Star Wars fans will be clamoring for more movies of this type.
Posted Apr 22, 2025  Edit critic review
A
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) Donald Munro From the moment the logo first appears on the screen, to the last triumphant fanfare as the heroes come forward to receive their rebel medals, the music sweeps us along with a force of its own.
Posted Apr 22, 2025  Edit critic review
B+
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) Rick Bentley From design to execution, the creative Force is strong in this one.
Posted Apr 17, 2025  Edit critic review
B-
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) Rick Bentley Those of us old enough to remember exactly where we were when "Star Wars" was released will enjoy visiting the old characters in their younger years. Younger fans...will appreciate the full-tilt way the computer-generated action moves.
Posted Apr 16, 2025  Edit critic review
B-
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) Donald Munro ...there's a good chance you'll get so caught up in the stunning look and feel of the film...that it won't matter that the story and acting are only so-so.
Posted Apr 16, 2025  Edit critic review
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) David Hale To this viewer, the depiction of man's first expedition to Jupiter was an awe-inspiring trip, a mindstretching achievement in special effects and cinematography that captured the imagination as no motion picture has in memory.
Posted Apr 09, 2025  Edit critic review
B
A Goofy Movie (1995) John Scalzi ...[A Goofy Movie is] easily the best, most fun animated movie since "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West."
Posted Apr 01, 2025  Edit critic review
Nashville (1975) Scott Tompkins Ultimately he has come up with a film that is entertaining but has little plot. And Altman's observations about Music City USA may be hard for most Country Music fans to accept.
Posted Feb 27, 2025  Edit critic review
B
Scream 3 (2000) Donald Munro While the film is a tad long for the horror genre, the levity keeps it more than watchable. Especially amusing are cameos by Kevin Smith and Carrie Fisher.
Posted Feb 19, 2025  Edit critic review
Shampoo (1975) Scott Tompkins It is a satirical account of human disaster that is a perfect vehicle for Beatty's rediscovered talents.
Posted Feb 10, 2025  Edit critic review
B+
Tarzan (1999) Donald Munro The quality of the animation is superb, and the sweet, tender story is handled with economy and style. This is a film that knew exactly what it wanted to be, and it wasn't going to let the stuffed-toy aisle at the Disney Store dictate its storyline.
Posted Dec 20, 2024  Edit critic review
A
Mulan (1998) Donald Munro Mulan is beautiful. It soars, laughs and cries. It's as delicate as a late-blooming cherry blossom and as solid as the Great Wall of China.
Posted Dec 20, 2024  Edit critic review
B+
Hercules (1997) Donald Munro It's first and foremost a "cartoon." (A very good one.) Not that there's anything wrong with that, but Hercules doesn't match the artistic sweep and grandeur of "Hunchback."
Posted Dec 18, 2024  Edit critic review
A
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) Donald Munro Richly layered and sweeping in scope, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is at once proud and pensive.
Posted Dec 18, 2024  Edit critic review
4/4
Aladdin (1992) John Scalzi It has an ace in the hole with Robin Williams, who provides... the film's uniquely anarchic contemporary quality. Animation suits Williams like water suits a fish; it's the only visual medium that can keep up with him.
Posted Dec 16, 2024  Edit critic review
4/4
Beauty and the Beast (1991) John Scalzi It's rare enough that any movie has all the visual and plot elements in the right proportions. Beauty and the Beast, animated spectacularly, evens out beautifully. Disney can be forgiven its hubris; this movie is its best in years.
Posted Dec 16, 2024  Edit critic review
B-
Scream (1996) Donald Munro There's enough red corn syrup to satisfy the bloodhounds, and enough pinkish humor for people who'd rather laugh than scream.
Posted Oct 11, 2024  Edit critic review
3/4
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) John Scalzi Dracula is a decadently engorged, wildly chaotic and unabashedly romantic resurrection of Grand Guignol cinema. Strap yourselves in and prepare to cringe in horror. And admire the wonderful costumes while you're at it.
Posted Sep 26, 2024  Edit critic review
Apocalypse Now (1979) Michael McKeever It is a powerful picture. It is a cry.
Posted Sep 22, 2024  Edit critic review
B
Shall We Dance? (1996) Joe Baltake What's more rousing here is the notion of a life awakened -- the rewarding sight of a mediocre man blossoming and becoming confident.
Posted Sep 10, 2024  Edit critic review
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