Petersen takes what could have been a muddled motion picture and structures it perfectly, creating a strong piece of entertainment. It helps, of course, that he has a capable cast.

Weekend at Bernie's 2 is made for a certain audience -- the indiscriminate movie-goer who will see almost anything that guarantees a few laughs. Those that belong to that group will find what they're looking for in this film. Almost all the humor is macabre and repetitive, but the film manages to be sporadically funny. Nevertheless, I find it hard to believe that many people will pay $6 or $7 to see a picture that has TV sitcom production values, writing, and acting.

With Rookie of the Year, Daniel Stern has struck out.

Unless you're among those who admit to an inexplicable admiration for Shore, Son-in-Law will rate as one of the most unpleasant, grating experiences of the summer.

Much Ado about Nothing is a gem of a movie - a real find in 1993's sea of mediocrity. Branagh has successfully used a mixed cast of "names" and "unknowns" to breathe life into this lavish production, and never has Shakespeare been more warmly received. I'm not sure if "feel good" has ever been used to describe a picture based on the Bard's work, but the expression fits. This film cements Branagh's status as a great director of Shakespeare, and perhaps of film in general, as well.

Very little of what made the written version so enjoyable has been successfully translated to the screen, and what we're left with instead is an overly-long (two hours and thirty-four minutes, to be exact), pedantic thriller.

This is a dreamy, romantic fantasy whose mood falls somewhere between magic and reality.

Although ultimately a triumphant story, this biography doesn't see its subject through rose-colored glasses. It takes chances, and that's why it works.

Dennis the Menace is basically innocuous -- creatively barren but offering the kind of light, undemanding entertainment that the under-ten crowd finds so appealing. Most children will get a kick out of it, although adults roped into accompanying their offspring may find themselves yearning to escape through the nearest exit.

Last Action Hero is sporadically entertaining, but it could have been a whole lot more. Trimmed down and better edited, this film might have been a top-notch satire. As it is, however, it gets caught someplace in between action and comedy, and never really comes across as a solid example of either.

The biggest weakness of the novel is characterization, and the same flaw is fully evident in the screen adaptation.

Life with Mikey is a subpar piece of film making for which the producers' intentions are all-too- apparent. In slapping together a formula-riddled picture, they hope to cash in on the early-summer family-oriented audience (those that are questing for something to see before the re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves). Considering the creative limitations of this project, such blatant marketing is patently offensive. Those with a yen to see something for the whole family can find hundreds of better offerings on video, and fans of Michael J. Fox would do better to peruse old episodes of Family Ties. At least back then, he appeared to care about what he was doing.

The dialogue is routine, frequently punctuated by cliches, and the character-building scenes do little more than waste time.

The Long Day Closes is very much the visual equivalent of a verse or a poem: beautiful images, but no narrative.

Odd, playful, and sweet. It equates the boiling point of water for hot chocolate with the height of passion. With occasional surrealistic fantasy sequences interspersed between the commonplace goings-on of regular lives, the film weaves a subtle spell of enchantment -- until a disappointing conclusion.

Kids will probably love this film but, to be frank, most children aren't that discriminating (apologies to the few who are). There's nothing in the film that's reprehensible (although some may find the concept of a one-hundred five minute commercial for a game offensive in itself), but I find it hard to believe that many adults accompanying their youngsters will be entertained. In general, about the best recommendation I can come up with regarding this movie is to turn on the Nintendo and play a game yourself. You'll have more fun, spend less money, and it will be over a whole lot faster.

The humor is spotty, character development is so- so, and there are number of significant plot problems. There's no overriding reason why anyone would want to see Made in America unless they're a fan of Danson or Goldberg.

Menace II Society has a devastating impact. Few films possess the power to keep an audience sitting in stunned silence after the end credits begin rolling, but this is one of them.

Sliver will surely be among 1993's worst.

Despite its numerous problems, Posse remains an entertaining film. Not only does it bring an innovative perspective to the western, it tells a solid story.

Dave is proof that predictable movies with only a marginally original premise can still be tremendous fun.

Those expecting Dragon to offer a probing examination of Bruce Lee's life will be disappointed. This is not a "tell all" expose or a hard-hitting biography. Instead, it's a celebration of the first international Chinese-American movie star. As such, the film accomplishes what it set out to do while keeping its audience involved for its full running time.

A passable motion picture that features several memorable scenes. It's not a masterpiece, but neither is it a waste of time.

Tokyo Decadence will appeal to only a select few. The movie is rated NC-17 for a reason -- it doesn't pull any punches, and there's virtually nothing it won't risk putting on screen. Those who take a chance on this film may be shocked by what it offers, but, regardless of their opinion of the story, the overall experience won't soon be forgotten.

People who are addicted to romantic comedies will find something to like about this movie, with its theme of fate brining two unhappy people together. More cynical viewers will point out that nothing in this film makes enough sense to warrant such a lofty interpretation. For the most part, I agree with the latter group. The Night We Never Met is best remembered as the movie we never attended.

Indian Summer is a mish-mash of mediocre formulas. Although there are several good comedy sequences, this uneven humor is unable to camouflage the essential weakness of the storyline. The script, which relies heavily on conflict, doesn't present us with any believable characters. Reunion stories have been done so often that for one to make an impression, it needs a new angle (Peter's Friends, Kenneth Branagh's recent film, fell into the same trap). Indian Summer doesn't even attempt to strike out towards new ground. It finds a comfortable, cliche-filled groove and sits there.

Simply put, Boiling Point functions as an apt definition of cinematic mediocrity, with little to laud or despise. It's the kind of motion picture you can yawn your way through without getting overly worked up about the money you lost paying the price of admission.

The film is well-paced and expertly edited, allowing scenes to flow naturally into one another.

Once the setup is over, however, Indecent Proposal starts to fall apart, with the implausibilities and contrivances getting worse with every passing minute.

There are those who will see this as a silly fantasy, but they have either missed or chosen not to feel the magic woven by The Sandlot. Predictable as the movie is, the Field of Dreams quality is not the only thing to like about The Sandlot.

While the material forming the basis for The Crush can't make any claims of originality, there's certainly enough there to craft a decent film around. With a challenging story, a real script, and actors willing to take a few chances, The Crush could have been enjoyable. Essentially, all that would have been necessary for a success is a complete scrapping of the film that was actually produced. Even lovers of formula thrillers will find this picture hard to swallow.

I'm not convinced there was a compelling reason to remake La Femme Nikita. The original stands well on its own, and, having been made only a few years ago, it's definitely not dated. Nevertheless, mainstream American audiences hate subtitles, so this won't be the last foreign language film to receive this treatment. In terms of style and originality, Point of No Return can't compare to its inspiration, but, for a Hollywood thriller, it's more than adequate.

As common as the plot might be, the manner in which the film approaches at the subject is decidedly different. Leslie Harris brings a gritty perspective to this story that illustrates it isn't just boys who suffer in the hood.

Fire in the Sky is grim. I'm not sure why director Robert Lieberman chose to fashion his movie like this, but the result is distinctly unpleasant -- dark, gloomy settings with harshly disagreeable characters and no sign of anything remotely resembling comic relief.

Taken as a whole, Mad Dog and Glory is a disappointingly mixed bag. What's on the screen is passably diverting, but I often felt as if I was seeing only half the movie. With this intriguing premise and cast, the film should have offered more complete entertainment.

Swing Kids has a multitude of problems, the most glaring of which is its loose treatment of history and the Nazis.

Unlike most comedies, the jokes succeed more often than they fail, except perhaps during the concluding fifteen minutes, when the movie runs out of gas.

A gripping, tautly-paced action flick that outdoes most of Hollywood's similar output. This is clear evidence that film quality often has little to do with a production's budget.

Sure, the viewer who wants to see a tightly-paced thriller with gun-play and emotionally-satisfying moments won't be disappointed, but there is a little more here than simple escapism. Although it takes a number of wrong turns, Falling Down still has the power to disturb.

No matter what your opinion is of the movie, you're unlikely to be bored.

This movie has all the qualities necessary to be a crowd-pleaser: likable characters, charismatic performers, a strong, capably-executed premise, and lots of laughs.

The movie is funny, energetic, and enjoyable -- the perfect film for a night or an afternoon out, regardless of what mood you're in. While the plot and characters don't boast any special depth, there's enough freshness to hold just about anyone's interest.

Unless you're a fan of Slater or Tomei, or hopelessly addicted to sappy, ineptly-handled love stories, there's no reason whatsoever to subject yourself to this movie.

Basically, this film is stale -- as unappetizing as week-old bread. With much better fare of this sort available on video (Airplane, The Naked Gun, etc.), renting a tape will be more satisfying, not to mention cost-effective. Loaded Weapon 1 is good for a few laughs, but there's no compelling reason to spend $5+ to see such a feeble feature-length comedy.

With respect to Martin Guerre, Sommersby can genuinely be viewed as an homage -- the spirit of the original remains intact, which is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of this production.

Action fans probably won't be offended, provided they're not expecting Berenger to be America's answer to James Bond. There are occasions when Sniper shows flashes of promise, although most of these are short-lived. The film is capable of providing a one-hundred minute diversion for anyone who has nothing better to do. The potential is here for something much better, but, unfortunately, Sniper shoots itself in the foot.

Aspen Extreme is a predictable, pointless melodrama -- a kind of Top Gun in the snow. Ski enthusiasts might be tempted to see the film based on subject matter alone, but, unless they're undiscriminating about the quality of their movies, I would caution against it. Even as vicarious entertainment, Aspen Extreme is feeble.

Despite numerous faults, Damage is still a worthwhile motion picture. It presents a stark depiction of a man on the edge who is driven to act by needs he can neither understand nor control, and the pain that such an obsession can cause. There's a lot here, just not as much as there could have been.

In general, thrillers are among the easiest movies to do poorly and the hardest to do well. Body of Evidence takes the easy road, and ends up as a shambles. This is the kind of poor effort that's difficult to forgive.

Obviously not a movie for everyone, Man Bites Dog boasts graphic displays of murder and rape. There's very little of the human body -- inside or out -- that isn't shown at one time or another during the course of this movie. Nevertheless, if you do venture to see Man Bites Dog, you would have to be made out of stone to miss the visceral, sardonic impact of a highly-unusual film.

Despite being broadly classified as an "adventure", it has depth and breadth that would put many dramas to shame. Well-produced, acted, and scripted, this is a film that has to be seen to be experienced, even by those who know the entire story.

In trying to do too much, Nowhere to Run succeeds at too little. Action fans will be disappointed by the amount of talk and the lack of fights. Drama lovers (few of whom will even bother with this movie in the first place) will have a hard time swallowing plot's artificiality. In the final analysis, despite not being a terminal bore, Nowhere to Run doesn't go anywhere worth following.

It is legitimately unwatchable.

If there's anything special about the film, it's that on this occasion, the emotional realism of the characters, especially Slade, is heartwrenchingly believable.

The script is a problem. It's mundane when it should be magical.

Although The Muppet Christmas Carol doesn’t really work as an adaptation of the beloved Dickens novel or as a Muppet movie, it nevertheless works on its own terms for a niche audience. It’s the kind of high concept family film that can be carted out every Christmas season and enjoyed in the same way as “Frosty the Snowman”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, or “The Year without a Santa Claus.”

As is often the case with European films, the acting is superlative...The real standout, however, is newcomer Jaye Davidson, whose performance is, without exaggeration, stunning...Not to be missed.

This is a fun motion picture on all levels, and, while it doesn't quite measure up to the standard established by Beauty, it's still one of the year's best bets for pure entertainment.

As good as the lead actor is, he's not enough to save this picture from landing on the scrap-heap of uninspired, derivative, and grotesquely distasteful character studies. Ferrara is definitely no Martin Scorsese.

This is a beautifully-shot film, and director Robert Redford (who also provides the voice-over narration) has paid painstaking attention to detail.

Grabs you by the throat and digs its claws in deep. From the moment that the unwitting viewer tumbles into the realm of Lawrence Tierney's gang of eight, they are hopelessly trapped there until the final credits roll.

The single greatest pleasure of watching this film is seeing great actors reciting Mamet's lines. It's rumored that members of the cast came to the set on days when they weren't scheduled to film so they could watch their fellow stars perform.

Bold and stirring with impeccable production values, The Last of the Mohicans is a memorable motion picture adventure, and one of the best films of the year.

Put together on a miniscule budget, the film has all the power, drama, and tension of a big-budget Hollywood thriller.

One of Unforgiven's assets is the way it overturns conventions, taking the man who is typically the hero and making him the villain, while transforming the traditional bad guy into a sympathetic protagonist.

It casts a warm, relaxed spell that evokes feelings guaranteed to bolster sagging spirits.

Gas Food Lodging deals with issues, but its strength lies in the characters that struggle at the heart of the story. Anders has made this film far from the glitz of Hollywood and the money that comes with the limelight. Hopefully, for her next project, she'll be able to maintain the gritty quality which makes her debut such a memorable effort.

Too few motion pictures cause us to think and feel this deeply.

Alien 3 is, simply put, a mess. The writers have no idea how to tell a coherent, entertaining story. With the exception of a surprise or two, there isn't much worthwhile here.

It's a bit of a throwback and a solid family film and, at the time, represented a well-intentioned leap of faith of the sort that studios rarely take.

Anyone expecting a movie dominated by figure skating will be disappointed. The Cutting Edge concentrates on its characters, with the skating limited to a supporting role. This is not a movie for cynics, nor for those who don't occasionally like to sit back and enjoy an undemanding, "comfortable" film. For unadulterated fun, The Cutting Edge may not earn a gold medal, but it's worth at least a bronze.

Joe Eszterhas' screenplay doesn't make sense, and he doesn't bother to hide this fact. In the end, Basic Instinct teases and screws us with the same efficiency that the film's femme fatale handles the protagonist.

Gut-wrenching, brutal, and powerful, American Me is not enjoyable in the conventional sense, but nevertheless stands out as one of the year's most impressive purely dramatic offerings.

Star Trek VI is an improvement over its immediate predecessor, but it lacks the energy and thrills supplied by some of the lower-numbered sequels. The original crew of the Enterprise is apparently fated to fade away rather than going out in a proverbial "blaze of glory."

Beauty and the Beast attains a nearly-perfect mix of romance, music, invention, and animation.

Dead Again does not come across as a Hitchcock knock-off, but as a motion picture that incorporates familiar themes and approaches while maintaining its own integrity and identity. Not once during the entire production is there an obviously stolen scene or camera angle replication.

T2 features bigger, bolder, more energetic action sequences than its predecessor.

The Rocketeer may not be perfect, but it's an excellent example of how to adapt a comic book to the screen.

Chilling and creepy, and there's no denying that the most celebrated aspect of the film -- the Clarice/Hannibal connection -- could not have been accomplished with greater skill.

One of the most obvious problems with The Godfather Part III is that it covers little new territory. The plot is highly derivative of the original.

While no one is going to place Costner alongside Laurence Olivier in the acting department, he brings a likability to Dunbar that many better performers might not have been able to match.

I wouldn't go so far as to classify Jacob's Ladder as a masterpiece, but it is smart and compelling and unquestionably worth a first or second look.

With patience, care, and strict attention to detail, Scorsese has staked out an impregnable position in the history of motion pictures.

The Witches feels like a throwaway feature rather than a fully-realized fantasy adventure.

Pump Up the Volume, in addition to presenting an engaging story, has tapped into a universal truth about rebels with causes.

It's not as crisply directed, and the plot holes are easier to find, but Die Hard 2 is filled with the same sense of good-natured, wisecracking fun that infused the original.

An "intelligent" action film, because it presents the viewer with an opportunity to puzzle things out rather than sit mindlessly and watch people get blown to pieces.

Q & A is testimony to the validity of the old adage: a good story, when well told, can never be told too many times.

If there's anything disgusting or grotesque that The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover doesn't dabble in, I'm at a loss to figure out what it is. This film, a wildly exuberant, bitingly satirical examination of excess, bad taste, and great acting, is the kind of over-the-top experience that will have timid movie-goers running (not just walking) for the exits. Taboos? If director Peter Greenaway has any, you can't tell by this film.

Joe Versus the Volcano is difficult to review because some parts are fresh, inventive, and entertaining, while others are near-misses or even complete failures. On balance, however, I readily admit liking this movie, although the second half pales in comparison to the first.

This film is sometimes funny, sometimes joyful, and sometimes poignant, but it's always warm, wonderful, and satisfying. Cinema Paradiso affects us on many levels, but its strongest connection is with our memories.

Glory is, without question, one of the best movies ever made about the American Civil War.

Horror/comedies often tread too far to one side or the other of that fine line; Tremors walks it like a tightrope.

One of the great unanswered questions in Hollywood is how Chevy Chase still gets work. Although his appeal is not as incomprehensible as that of, say, Pauly Shore, it's not obvious, either; "range" is one word no one will ever use in conjunction with Chase's acting ability.

What the film does expertly is to weave together music, likable protagonists, thoroughly nasty villains, and a fun plot into a cohesive whole, with a result that is nothing short of magical.

Halloween 5 is the movie that pushed the Halloween franchise into the generic slasher film category.

While a child might be affected by the film, it takes the weight of a certain number of years to fully absorb what director Isao Takahata has put up on the screen.

Not since Dr. No has 007 been so cool and ruthless, and never has a plot been this close to realistic plausibility.