With Get Shorty, Sonnenfeld has shown that broad appeal doesn't necessarily equate with stupidity. That's a lesson Hollywood should learn.

There are several painfully awkward "dead spots" in Mallrats where nothing works -- not the dialogue, the acting, or the direction.

The "now" scenes feel much like an excuse for four high-profile actresses to lend their names to this film. At best, their presence is superfluous. Yet even had the film remained entirely in the "then" time frame, it still would have been lacking. There's just not enough originality here, no matter what year it is.

The film is so exuberant that we don't care whether we're listening to Lou Reed's off-the-cuff comments about New York, watching Mel Gorham do a sexy dance in front of a mirror, or hearing Jim Jarmusch's ramblings on the romance of the smoking culture.

Strange Days is a thriller first and a mystery second. It's big, explosive entertainment and, although not directed by Cameron, is very much in the vein we've come to expect from him. Strange Days may not be the best movie to hit screens during the Fall, but it's likely to be the brashest.

Director William Friedkin has created a stylistic picture, but this is an example of style without substance.

We've seen this story so many times that it's starting to wear thin. In many ways, Kicking and Screaming is mildly enjoyable, but all it really does is go over old ground with new characters.

Easy isn't much of an acting challenge, but Washington's mix of charm and intensity creates an appealing personae.

In the final analysis, The Curse of Michael Myers is a horrific motion picture -- just not in the way the film makers intended.

This movie is no masterpiece, but it is an electric, colorful production that roasts the media and those obsessed by it over an open flame.

While Seven lacks the cleverness of the superior "Usual Suspects," it's strong enough to hold its own against most other thrillers.

This film is like a shiny, red apple that's rotten to the core -- despite slick direction and a glossy sheen, it reeks of decay. Showgirls isn't a good drama, a good thriller, or even good pornography.

There's not a slowly-paced scene or a dull moment to be found. If nothing else, this film won't bore the average viewer. However, when Hackers has been dissected, what's uncovered beneath the flashy skin is an old-fashioned, film-by-numbers thriller.

There's nothing especially original about Unstrung Heroes, but the story is told with intelligence and sensitivity.

Ultimately, Clockers probably attempts too much, and ends up seeming overcrowded as a result.

This is a bad movie with a good sense of humor.

The real problem with Desperado, however, is that this sequel is without purpose and may be the most unnecessary follow-up since the second "Crocodile Dundee."

You don't have to be Catholic, or Irish, or even American, to "get it." Burns' language, despite originating on Long Island, is universal in appeal and meaning.

The Usual Suspects is an accomplished synthesis of noir elements and, as such, is an entertaining entry to the genre.

In the case of Dangerous Minds, we get an idealized version of inner city life, where, though problems may require more than the wave of a magic wand to remove, the solutions still seem too facile.

The most disconcerting thing about A Walk in the Clouds' tendency towards overt melodrama is that almost all of it is totally unnecessary. Minor script changes could have eliminated huge chunks of this, leaving behind an uplifting love story. Even as it is, however, there's still something special about the motion picture. I just wish the final half-hour hadn't been such a bloated disappointment.

Through a mixture of imaginative storytelling, impressive animatronics, and irresistible cuteness, Babe casts a spell over all viewers -- young, old, or somewhere in between.

Nevertheless, given Washington's presence and the promise of a virtual reality action story, Virtuosity has some appeal -- provided, of course, the viewers aren't selective.

Robert Duvall does far from his best job here. His is basically a "mail it in" performance, but, considering the script he's working from, it's no wonder. Something to Talk About is weary -- every ounce of energy and originality has long since been wrung out of this formula, and the "twist" of having the leads already married doesn't do much to spice up things. Ultimately, this "something" turns out to be nothing much at all.

The script doesn't do a great job with either the spiritual or the physical trek, but the spectacular action sequences occur with enough regularity that strong writing isn't necessary to keep Waterworld afloat.

The Net starts off strong but finishes weak, and if not for the presence of actress Sandra Bullock, who graces nearly every scene, this movie might have been a snoozer.

This movie is keen, clever, and -- most important of all -- a nonstop exercise in hilarity.

The cinematic equivalent of cotton candy: certainly not unpleasant, but not especially satisfying despite the sweet taste.