Life or Something Like It (2002)

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Edward Burns
Director: Stephen Herek
Synopsis: Uneven romantic comedy about a vain, ambitious newscaster whose seemingly perfect life is turned upside-down when a homeless prophet tells her she only has a week to live. (Fox)
Runtime: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 - sexual content, brief violence and language
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

• 2.5 of 4 by James Berardinelli
  One could easily question whether this movie is a romantic comedy with meditations on the meaning of life thrown in, or whether it's a meditation on the meaning of life with some romantic comedy interludes interjected. Given the generally lighthearted tone and avoidance of sustained moments of introspection, I would opt for the former. The latter is what Life or Something Like It would have been had it been produced for the art house crowd. more
• 1 of 4 by Roger Ebert
  Lanie dreams of going to New York to work on "AM USA," the network show. She gets her big invitation after attracting "national attention" by covering a strike and leading the workers in singing "Can't Get No Satisfaction" while she dances in front of them, during a tiny lapse in journalistic objectivity. Meanwhile, she is afraid she will die, because a mad street person named Prophet Jack has predicted the Seattle team will win, there will be a hailstorm tomorrow morning, and Lanie will die next Thursday. They win, it hails, Lanie believes she will die. more

Original Sin (2001)

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie
Director: Michael Cristofer
Synopsis: Historical romance/thriller about a young American bride who travels to Cuba with her new, wealthy husband. Once there, however, marital fidelity is the last thing on her mind. (MGM/UA)
Runtime: 112 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Erotica, Suspense

• 2 out of 4 by James Berardinelli
  Original Sin is based on the novel "Waltz Into Darkness" by Cornell Woolrich, the author of the story Hitchcock used as the basis for Rear Window. Nevertheless, in terms of general quality, it would be difficult to find two more dissimilar films. The first of Original Sin's numerous problems is a failure to generate suspense. For a movie that runs for nearly two hours (and seems a lot longer), this is deadly. There are plenty of plot twists, most of which stretch the viewer's credulity, but their presentation is so pedestrian that we don't really care. Rather than flowing naturally into the overall narrative, they seem like a desperate ploy on the part of writer/director Michael Cristofer (Body Shots) to keep the audience from losing interest or falling asleep. more
• 3 out of 4 by Roger Ebert
  T he first shot on the screen is a closeup of Angelina Jolie's lips. And what lips they are, plump and pouting and almost bruised. Eventually we tear ourselves away from the sight, and realize she's talking. She's telling the story of why she happens to be in a jail cell; these flashbacks will eventually reveal that she has been condemned to death by garroting--a nasty way to go, as the executioner turns a screw to tighten an iron collar around your neck. more

Tomb Rider (2001)

Directed by Simon West (I)
Writing credits Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Massett
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Leslie Phillips
Status: In premiere
Genre: Action / Adventure / Mystery
Official Site: www.tombraidermovie.com

• 3 out of 4 by James Berardinelli
  To date, this small genre has met with disappointing box office returns and an even less enthusiastic critical response. Only Mortal Kombat has been well enough received to rate a sequel. Other entries, such as Super Mario Brothers and Wing Commander, have earned the ire of fans and non-aficionados alike for their laughable scripts, plastic characters, and dull action sequences. The intent with Tomb Raider is to change all of that - and, if not to make the computer game-turned-motion picture respectable, at least to make it profitable. It seems likely to achieve a little of both. more
• 3 out of 5 by Nell Minow
  Something more than a video game but something less than a movie, “Tomb Raider” has some great action sequences and the ever-watchable Angelina Jolie. What it does not have is much of a plot, interesting characters, or a reason to care about the outcome. A clumsy salute to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is just a reminder of how much better that movie is. At least when you are playing the game you have points to keep you going. Here, all you have is a dreary old “cryptic letter from long-dead father” and “mean lawyer from some mysterious coven wants to take over the world by controlling time” story, and the movie sags whenever the action stops. more

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie
Director: Dominic Sena
Synopsis: When his little brother gets in over his head with the mob, a master car thief (Cage) must steal over 100 cars in this turbocharged crime thriller.
Runtime: 119 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genres: Action, Suspense

• 4 out of 10 by Scott Renshaw
  A premise ready-made for action. Nicolas Cage stars as Randall "Memphis" Raines, once the best "booster" in Southern California, now retired. He's dragged back into his old trade when his younger brother Kip (Giovanni Ribisi) screws up while attempting to follow in his footsteps, leaving nasty crime boss Raymond Calitri (Christopher Eccleston) with an attitude and a job still to be done. In order to save Kip's skin, Memphis agrees to fulfill Kip's contract: stealing 50 high-end cars. Unfortunately, the delivery date is only three days away, leaving Memphis with little time to put together his crew and scout out the job, all the while trying to avoid an old law enforcement nemesis (Delroy Lindo) who's breathing down his neck. more
• 2 out of 4 by James Berardinelli
  Car chases rarely do much for me. They're easily the most boring staple available to the action director, and it's a rare filmmaker who brings enough novelty to one to make it even moderately interesting. For Gone In 60 Seconds, a movie about car thieves that features about a half-dozen car chases, it's especially important to do something rousing, yet the approach employed by director Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) is no better than adequate. His car chases are all filmed with technical aptitude, but they don't get the blood pumping. They are routine and by-the-book, and, as a result, boring. Even the sight of Nicolas Cage driving backwards at a high speed on a crowded road isn't especially interesting or exciting. We know there's no danger. He's not going to die. Even when he performs an act of aerial derring-do that would give Evel Knievel pause, we're more likely to burst out laughing than hold our breaths. more

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Starring: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie
Director: James Mangold
Synopsis: Semi-compelling drama about misdiagnosed woman spending 18 months in '60s mental ward. Despite some decent core performances, drama-seekers likely won't find the trite observations on insanity very interesting.
Runtime: 127 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: Drama

• 5 out of 10 by Scott Renshaw
  It's time now for another chapter from Scott's Book of Cinematic Pet Peeves. Our subject today is something I refer to as Characterization Via Accusation. It's that annoying thing some films do in which characters' psychological back-story is revealed not through the actions of those characters, but through the things other characters say about them in the middle of dramatic confrontations. It's the kind of lazy writing that can wound even a film like American Beauty, as when Ricky Fitts tells Angela "you're ugly and you're boring ... and you know it." Film is a medium of showing, not telling. A script full of probing psychoanalytical dialogue is a script unable --or unwilling -- to show viewers what the characters are all about. more
• Stephanie Zacharek
  "Girl, Interrupted" is based on the bestselling memoir by Susanna Kaysen about her own institutionalization in the late '60s, but it's so jazzed up and so ornately embroidered that the book's rather delicate tale is completely muffled. Kaysen's book may have been marketed as a Sylvia Plath-style meditation on the tenuous connection between creativity and madness, but it's really more modest than that: If nothing else, it works simply as an intriguing chronicle of two years that somehow dropped out of one young girl's life, for reasons that she accepts but doesn't fully understand, not even some 25 years after the fact. more

Pushing Tin (1999)

Starring: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Angelina Jolie
Director: Mike Newell
Synopsis: Air traffic controllers compete in the skies and at home in this comedy. Pedestrian story, but vivid performances, richly detailed look at air traffic control milieu will captivate genre buffs/stars' fans. Not for those with fear of flying.
Runtime: 124 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: Comedy

• 5 out of 10 by Scott Renshaw
  There may be a great film to be made from that story, but Pushing Tin isn't it. It's set at New York TRACON, all right, focusing on a hot-shot, nerves-of-steel controller named Nick Falzone (John Cusack). Nick is the undisputed champ at taking them up and bringing them down...until Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton) comes to town. A laconic outsider who pushes the limits of "pushing tin" -- controller lingo for maximizing the use of airspace to keep flights on time -- Russell also pushes Nick's alpha-male buttons, setting off a rivalry which leads to Nick sleeping with Russell's wife Mary (Angelina Jolie), then suspecting that Russell has taken the same liberty with Nick's wife Connie (Cate Blanchett). more
• 2 out of 4 by James Berardinelli
  The movie opens with the following quote: "You land a million planes safely, then you have one little mid-air and you never hear the end of it." Cut to the busy skies above New York City, with planes passing each other as they head away from or towards the runways at Newark, JFK, or Laguardia. Then we enter the busy world of the air traffic controllers - a hive of frantic activity where dozens of men and women monitor screens and bark orders to the pilots of the 7000 flights that pass through New York's 150 square miles of airspace every day. It's a great way to begin a motion picture. Unfortunately, that's the only thing about Pushing Tin that can be considered great. more

The Bone Collector (1999)

Starring: Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie
Director: Phillip Noyce
Synopsis: Derivative serial-killer thriller about quadriplegic detective and beautiful beat cop seeking a psycho. Implausible script, oh-so-familiar concept undermine decent performances, though this may satisfy indiscriminate fans of Hollywood-style suspense.
Runtime: 118 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Drama, Suspense

• 3 out of 4 by James Berardinelli
  Movies about serial killers can easily turn exploitative, titillating viewers with graphic displays of blood and gore. The Bone Collector, which is based on the novel by Jeffery Deaver, does not belong in that category; Noyce's intention is not for us to revel in the murderer's activities, but to be repulsed by them. So, as in Seven, the deaths are presented as grotesque horrors. The camera does not flinch from showing the dead bodies, but neither does it linger over them. There's no doubt that some viewers will have difficulty coping with The Bone Collector's images; even hardened movie goers may find themselves disturbed by one or two of the killer's more inventive methods of dispatching his victims. more
• 2 out of 4 by Roger Ebert
  The movie is a peculiar experience to sit through, because the quality of the acting is so much better than the material deserves. Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie create characters we really like; there's chemistry when they're together, and they're surrounded by the good energy of supporting players like Queen Latifah, Luis Guzman and Ed O'Neill. It's sad watching them wade through one of those plots where a depraved serial killer leads everyone in a find-the-corpse version of "Where's Waldo?" more

George Wallace (1998)

Starring: Gary Sinise, Mare Winningham, Angelina Jolie
Director: John Frankenheimer
Synopsis: Biographical TV-movie stars Gary Sinise in award-winning performance as the controversial governor of Alabama. Of special interest to 1960s civil rights buffs, as well as lovers of powerful, compelling drama.
Runtime: 180 minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Drama

• no reviews available

Gia (1998)

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Faye Dunaway
Director: Michael Cristofer
Synopsis: Acclaimed, erotic made-for-cable biopic profiles rise and drug-fueled fall of early '80s supermodel Gia Carangi. Flesh-seekers may tune in expecting bisexual steaminess, but melodramatic focus will better please true-story film lovers.
Runtime: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Drama, Erotica, Gay/Lesbian

• 3 out of 4 by reel.com
  Gia is the story of the rise and fall of Gia Marie Carangi, a girl from Philadelphia who became a top model in the late '70s and early '80s. At a time when models were thin, WASP-y, and blond, Gia becomes a sensation with her dark, sultry looks and predilection for nude photo shoots. She begins a tumultuous relationship with Linda, a makeup artist with a live-in boyfriend; tries to reconcile with her mother (who abandoned Gia as a child); and quickly turns to cocaine and heroin to deal with the highs and lows of modeling. Her dependence is no secret and she nearly loses her career when she nods off in heroin-induced hazes at runway shows and photo shoots. more

Hell's Kitchen (1998)

Starring: Mekhi Phifer, Angelina Jolie
Director: Tony Cinciripini
Runtime: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: Drama

• By Earnest Hardy
  It's an awfully cliched, media-hype kind of thing to say, but Angelina Jolie is a pure movie star. With those impossibly sexy lips, stunning body and a screen-flooding presence, she drags all eyes onto her. More incredibly, though, she delivers as an actress once she's grabbed your attention. And she gives Hell's Kitchen -- an interesting misfire of a film -- a weight and center that it doesn't always deserve. more
• By Chuck Schwartz
  Movies like Hell's Kitchen are why nice film reviewers devolve into cranky, bitter, cynics who, like Al Capp's famous shmoo are followed around by their own personal rain clouds on the sunniest of days. It is how we've all developed the ability to read unlit watch faces in the dark. And, trust me, seven other critics in a row at the screening room all looked down at their watches at the same time. more

Playing by Heart (1998)

Starring: Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn
Director: Willard Carroll
Synopsis: Upbeat, episodic romantic drama about the search for love in Los Angeles. With its sharp writing, intricately woven plotlines, this should charm fans of emotionally rewarding, character-driven dramas.
Runtime: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Drama, Romance

• 5 out of 10 by Scott Renshaw
  Playing By Heart inspires the question, "how many stories do you need to tell in one film in order to cover the entire spectrum of human relationship dynamics?" Is three sufficient? Five? Ten? The answer, of course, is that it's actually a trick question; you can't possibly cover the subject of love in toto over the course of one two-hour feature. The best you can do is make the stories you do choose to tell compelling enough and insightful enough that they feel somehow more universal. more
• 3 out of 4 by James Berardinelli
  Playing by Heart is an ensemble dramatic comedy about the many faces of love: romance, longing, loss, sex, and lust. Set in modern-day L.A., the film tells six seemingly-unrelated tales about men and women finding each other, losing each other, unearthing long-buried secrets, and discovering things about themselves and others. Nothing in Playing by Heart is groundbreaking. In fact, one could argue that every one of the stories is unremarkable to the point of being trite. But the movie is consistently well-acted and features a gallery of characters so affable that it's difficult to actively dislike any of them, or, for that matter, the film as a whole. more

Playing God (1997)

Starring: David Duchovny, Timothy Hutton, Angelina Jolie
Director: Andy Wilson
Synopsis: Underworld action/thriller about drug-addicted ex-surgeon coerced into becoming mob doctor. Those weary of Tarantino-esque crime comedies should steer clear, but forgiving neo-noir fans looking for light distraction will be amused.
Runtime: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Action, Suspense, Thriller

• 4 out of 10 by Scott Renshaw read
• 2.5 out of 4 by James Berardinelli read

True Women (1997)

Starring: Dana Delany, Annabeth Gish, Angelina Jolie
Director: Karen Arthur
Synopsis: Women-centered Civil War era drama about friends facing personal and social challenges in Texas and Georgia. Sweeping, historical "chick-flick" presents oft-ignored portraits appealing most to fans of revisionist her story.
Runtime: 170 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genres: Drama, Romance, Western

• no reviews available

Foxfire (1996)

Starring: Hedy Burress, Angelina Jolie
Director: Annette Haywood-Carter
Synopsis: Polished, mainstream teen angst fantasy/drama about charismatic outsider uniting high school girls against bullies. Character development fans may be disappointed, but this is a crowdpleaser for target teen girls audience.
Runtime: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Drama, Gay/Lesbian

• 2 out of 4 by James Berardinelli read
• 2 out of 4 by Susan Stark read

Love Is All There Is (1996)

Starring: Abe Vigoda, Angelina Jolie
Directors: Joseph Bologna, Renee Taylor
Synopsis: This modern-day Romeo and Juliet story involves rival family-owned catering businesses in the Bronx.
Runtime: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: Comedy

• Box Office Magazine read
• New Jersey Online read

Mojave Moon (1996)

Starring: Danny Aiello, Anne Archer
Director: Kevin Dowling
Synopsis: Car salesman gives a young woman a ride home, in moonlight romances her coupled mother, finds a body in his trunk. Quirky characters and storyline will please off-beat comedy fans.
Runtime: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Comedy, Romance

• no reviews available

Hackers (1995)

Starring: Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie
Director: Iain Softley
Synopsis: MTV-style cyber-thriller about hackers attempting to avert an ecological disaster. Pleases genre fans who are seeking a tension-building, fast-paced film, though many computer users laugh at script's implausibility.
Runtime: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense

• 6 out of 10 by Scott Renshaw read
• 2 out of 4 by James Berardinelli read

Cyborg 2 (1993)

Starring: Elias Koteas, Angelina Jolie
Director: Michael Schroeder
Synopsis: A female cyborg implanted with a bomb attempts to escape her fate by turning on her creator.
Runtime: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Action, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

• by Paul-Michael Agapow read

Lookin' to Get Out (1982)

Starring: Jon Voight, Ann-Margret, Angelina Jolie
Director: Hal Ashby
Synopsis: Lackluster comedy about two down-on-their-luck gamblers trying to make a big Vegas win. Some decent supporting performances, but really only worth seeing if it's very late and you can't sleep.
Runtime: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Genres: Comedy, Drama

• No reviews available

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