Delirious (1991)
Mar 18, 2005Writer Trapped Inside a TV Soap Opera
Comedy in which John Candy wakes up inside the world of the tv soap opera he writes. This feels like it misses most of the possibilities inherent in its idea
Dylan Baker
Love Potion No 9 (1992)
Dec 2, 2021Scientists Devise Love Potion Comedy
Comedy based on the hit song starring a then unknown Sandra Bullock as a nerd scientist who synthesizes a Gypsy love potion
Disclosure (1994)
Mar 22, 2001Michael Crichton Adaptation/Sexual Harassment Thriller/Virtual Reality
It is telling that the only film made about workplace sexual harassment up to this point is one that painted the male as a victim. This adaptation of a Michael Crichton book came mired in controversy, although is mostly interested in being a corporate conspiracy thriller
Simply Irresistible (1999)
Apr 19, 2000Magical Realism/Magical Cooking
Very silly romantic comedy in a Magical Realist vein where Sarah Michelle Gellar gains magical cooking abilities. Like Water for Chocolate did this better.
Oxygen (1999)
Apr 26, 2001Psycho-Thriller
An abduction thriller that draws much influence from The Silence of the Lambs with Adrien Brody as a smooth criminal genius manipulating his interrogator
The Cell (2000)
Aug 18, 2000Journey Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer
The dreamscape film was given extraordinary life by Tarsem Singh in his directorial debut who transforms a fairly ordinary script with visuals and costuming that is out of this world
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Jul 5, 2004Comic-Book Superhero
Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire get it just right in the second entry in their trilogy of Spider-Man films. The writing team deliver a fantastic Soul of the Superhero script while Raimi delivers some superheroic action sequences that are about as exciting as it is possible to get (*)
Hide and Seek (2005)
Feb 22, 2005Child's Sinister Invisible Companion
A variant on the sinister child's invisible companion theme. A fine cast has been assembled but the film goes and kills itself with a lame twist ending
Fido (2006)
May 19, 2010Domesticated Zombies Comedy
Charmingly droll film that posits an alternate version of the 1950s where zombies have been domesticated. This has a perfect sense of mood and admirable deadpan playing by all involved
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
May 5, 2007Comic-Book Superhero
Last and by general opinion the least of the Sam Raimi-Tobey Maguire Spider-Man films. With three super-villains present, the plot feels as though it is bursting at the seams juggling the various origin stories and ongoing dramas, although Raimi still delivers some solid superheroic action scenes
Trick ‘R Treat (2008)
May 20, 2010Halloween Horror Anthology
Disappointing Bryan Singer produced horror anthology set around Halloween where its potential is frequently dragged down by over-emphatic direction
Elizabeth Harvest (2018)
Aug 23, 2019Cloned Woman
A novel take on the story of Bluebeard who forbids his wives to enter a room and kills them when they do. Here Bluebeard is a scientist who keeps cloning the same wife over. A sophisticated and intelligent film full of sharp and intriguing twists
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
May 11, 2019True-Life Serial Killer
Documentary-maker Joe Berlinger makes an exactingly detailed recreation of the Ted Bundy case, while Zac Efron abandons teen pin-up roles and steps into the title role with startling likeness
Dream Scenario (2023)
Jan 20, 2024Man Appears in People’s Dreams
A film in which Nicolas Cage keeps appearing in other people’s dreams. This goes from an initial wild absurdism to something that becomes bitingly satiric