Monthly Archives: August 1996

The Fan - *

Posted on August 16, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

The Fan is an overly blatant thriller that strikes out. Robert DeNiro is Gil Renard (another of DeNiro’s trademark psychos), a knife salesman by trade, but a fanatic baseball fan. He is especially pleased when his hometown San Francisco Giants … Continue reading →

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House Arrest - * 1/2*

Posted on August 14, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

House Arrest, although seemingly a well intentioned comedy, is overly simplistic and falls flat. Janet and Ned Beindorf (Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollak) are separating after 18 years of marriage. Their children, Grover and Stacy, are distraught and hatch … Continue reading →

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Jack - * 1/2*

Posted on August 9, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

Don’t be fooled by the ads. Jack is not a happy-go-lucky comedy. It is definately a comedy-drama, and not a very good one. Jack Powell (Robin Williams) is the first son of Karen (Diane Lane) and Brian (Brian Kerwin). Jack … Continue reading →

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Escape from L.A. - * * 1/2*

Posted on August 9, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

This sequel to Escape From New York might not be as flashy as some of this summer’s earlier action extravaganzas, but it sure packs an attitude. Sixteen years after Escape From New York, the United States has become a Fundamentalist … Continue reading →

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Emma - * * * 1/2*

Posted on August 2, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

Enjoyable romantic comedy adapted from Jane Austen’s novel. Emma Woodhouse (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a young woman who deems herself an excellent matchmaker. After marrying off her governess (Greta Scacchi), she sets her sights on Harriet Smith (Toni Collette), a girl … Continue reading →

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Matilda - * * 1/2*

Posted on August 2, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

Imaginative fantasy Matilda (Mara Wilson) is a genius born into an unappreciative family. Her father (Danny DeVito) is an unscrupulous used car salesman, with a lucrative stolen car parts business on the side. Her mother (Rhea Perlman) is a ditzy … Continue reading →

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Chain Reaction - * *

Posted on August 2, 1996 by Madeleine Williams

Director Andrew Davis, best known for the Fugitive, has crafted in Chain Reaction a Fugitive-Lite. Keanu Reeves plays Eddie Kasalivich, a genius machinist working in a experimental physics lab. He discovers the key that unlocks an amazing new energy source. … Continue reading →

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