Monthly Archives: December 1997

The Boxer - * * *

Posted on December 31, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Director Jim Sheridan teams up again with Daniel Day-Lewis for another Irish saga. But this one, while enjoyable, doesn’t quite live up to their prior films. Young “Danny Boy” Flynn (Daniel Day-Lewis) was a promising boxer in Belfast. His life … Continue reading →

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Oscar and Lucinda - * * 1/2*

Posted on December 26, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Gillian Armstrong directs this quirky period romance that shines with good performances, but could have been tightened up to be a bit more effective. Oscar Hopkins (Ralph Fiennes) is the timid son of a rigid puritanical father. Oscar casts his … Continue reading →

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Afterglow - * * *

Posted on December 26, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Writer-director Alan Rudolph analyzes the deteriorating marriages of two couples in Afterglow. But while he gets a couple of good performances, the end result is as detached and distant as the marriages in the film. Lucky and Phyllis Mann (Nick … Continue reading →

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Wag the Dog - * * * 1/2*

Posted on December 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Director Barry Levinson has crafted a wickedly funny political satire, that, while consistently tickling your funny bone, rings astoundingly true. The President of the United States has a problem. The election is only a few days away, and a devastating … Continue reading →

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Kundun - * * 1/2*

Posted on December 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

And here we have the second film of the year to tell the tale of the Dalai Lama. First came Seven Years in Tibet, an interesting, yet somehow uninformative view of the Dalai Lama’s live, from a decidedly Western outsider’s … Continue reading →

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The Postman - * * 1/2*

Posted on December 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Kevin Costner returns to directing with a film that, on the outset, looks like a cross between Dances With Wolves and Waterworld. That description, however, doesn’t completely fit this postapocalyptic western (based on the novel by David Brin), which is … Continue reading →

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Mr. Magoo - 1/2*

Posted on December 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

What’s there to say about Mr. Magoo? A series of short one-joke cartoons has now been expanded to an hour-and-a-half live action movie. Does anyone even expect this one to be any good? Well, if you do, you’ll be disappointed. … Continue reading →

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Jackie Brown - * * 1/2*

Posted on December 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Quentin Tarantino finally has rolled around to directing another feature film after hitting the big time with Pulp Fiction. This time around he is adapting the Elmore Leonard novel Rum Punch (with a couple of significant character changes), rechristened Jackie … Continue reading →

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An American Werewolf in Paris - *

Posted on December 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Sixteen years after the release of An American Werewolf in London, some brainiac has decided that there should be a sequel. The original was by no means perfect, but had some impressive effects, a little bit of charm, and a … Continue reading →

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Tomorrow Never Dies - * *

Posted on December 19, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

James Bond is back, but blander than usual. Tomorrow Never Dies is the series’ 18th installment, and one of the series’ more bizarre titles…though not quite as strange as The Living Daylights or the all time A View to a … Continue reading →

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