Mulan (1998) and Hercules (1997) (review)

Damn! Mulan is thisclose to being not just a brilliant animated film, but a brilliant film, period. It has a dramatic story, a heroine who kicks butt, a villain who kicks butt, a square-jawed hero with a not-so-nice side, and some of the most sweepingly gorgeous visuals since Beauty and the Beast. But Mulan is dragged down by insipid songs that feel tacked on and silly, inappropriate sidekicks and secondary characters.

Titanic (again) (review)

I’m particularly struck by one key to Titanic’s success: repeat business from teenage girls. Usually it’s the boys making testosterone-soaked action movies big hits, filling the theaters for second, third, and fourth viewings…

Titanic (review)

Titanic is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t seen it yet, stop reading this instant and run out to the multiplex. Titanic is simply a great film — and by *great,* I don’t mean *very good.* I mean *great* as in *epic and profound*…

Starship Troopers (review)

Character Assassination Paul Verhoeven is exactly the wrong man to have made Starship Troopers (starring a bunch of impossibly perfect-looking faux teenagers including Doogie Howser, plus Michael Ironside, Clancy Brown). Set in a future global Earth society that restricts citizenship to those who serve in the armed forces, Troopers follows a group of teens through … more…