Al's Top Rated Films: 1998

Brilliantly unique comedy drama from Peter Weir and Andrew Niccol set in the fictional coastal town of Seahaven Island during times reminiscent of the 1950s, and follows a man named Truman Burbank who was selected at birth and legally adopted by a television studio. From his very first heartbeat in his mother’s womb, Truman has unknowingly become the star of a reality television show named “The Truman Show”, which broadcasts worldwide 24 hours a day through a series of 5,000 cameras hidden in his home and around town. As far as Truman is concerned, he's been living a normal life in a normal town since birth. But after reaching adulthood, he slowly starts to uncover all of the lies told by the actors portraying his wife, best friend, parents, and anyone else he encounters. He dreams of escaping his monotonous life and finding his way to Fiji in the South Pacific, and also dreams of a beautiful girl named Sylvia he fell in love with in his college years, and is still devastated by their mysterious separation at the hands of the show’s producers. It all builds up to a strenuous choice Truman must make to either live his comfortable life under the microscope of the public, or to break free and discover ultimate freedom. Incredibly imaginative story all around with brilliant production design, cinematography, and casting all around. While Jim Carey is often known for his comedy roles, I feel this is his all-time best and critically greatest lead performance of his career. He tackled the dramatic parts and balanced it well with the proper level of comedy. Ed Harris also arguably delivers his best starring role as the show’s producer. Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Brian Delate, Paul Giamatti, Harry Shearer, Philip Baker Hall, Terry Camilleri, Joel McKinnon Miller, Tom Simmons, and others also have great supporting roles.

Superb and gorgeously done fantasy-driven comedy drama from Gary Ross set in the 1990s suburbs, and follows a rejected high-school geek named David who’s magically sucked into his television along with his popular and conceited sister Jennifer. They end up being transported into David’s favorite black-and-white 1950s sitcom, "Pleasantville”, and take the places of the brother and sister of the starring Parker family, Bud and Mary Sue. The only way they can get back home is to appease the demands of a mysterious TV repairman who’s responsible for their journey, and demands they play along in the show as normal cast members. As their 1990s values and lifestyles clash with their 1950s counterparts, many kids from in the show are eager to learn and grow after hearing ideas about differences in Bud and Mary Sue’s lives. When folks start opening their eyes to the possibilities of the outside world, their flesh and clothing changes to full-color as a symbol of enlightenment. That kicks off a battle between the old black-and-white thinkers in town and the new breed of “colored” folks that are stirring up their “pleasant” town. Incredible story, great dialogue, important messages, visually stunning production design and cinematography, and arguably the best use of color I’ve seen in any film. The casting was perfect. Tobey Maguire delivers my favorite lead performance of his career. He was superb. Reese Witherspoon, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, and J.T. Walsh also deliver some of their all-time best starring roles. Paul Walker, Marley Shelton, Don Knotts, Jane Kaczmarek, McNally Sagal, Dawn Cody, Maggie Lawson, Andrea Baker, Lela Ivey, Weston Blakesley, Patrick Thomas O'Brien, David Tom, and others also had great supporting roles.

Hysterical comedy from Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly and my favorite rom-com of all time. The story starts in 1985, Providence, Rhode Island, and follows a brace-faced 16-year-old high-school geek named Ted Stroehmann who miraculously scores a date for the prom with his dream girl, Mary Jensen. On the day of the prom, a hilariously unfortunate accident occurs, ruins their date, and leaves Ted completely devastated. Fast forward 13 years, and Ted is still obsessively in love with Mary, and decides to hire a private investigator to track her down. Through a crazed series of events, he finds her location and sets out to rekindle their relationship. However, Mary proves to be the woman every man wants, as Ted soon learns the private investigator he hired to find Mary immediately falls in love with her, along with his best friend, a screwy pizza boy, and NFL superstar quarterback Brett Favre. This is easily my most watched film of 1998, and I still have a massive crush on Cameron Diaz as Mary, which really speaks to how well the film was made. It’s easily my favorite lead performance of hers to date. The comedy and dialogue is superb, and every cast member delivers memorable and noteworthy performances. Like all Farrelly Brothers films, it also includes an excellent soundtrack. Ben Stiller also arguably delivers his all-time greatest lead performance. The same could be said for Matt Dillon’s hysterical starring role. Lee Evans, Chris Elliott, Lin Shaye, Jeffrey Tambor, Harland Williams, Markie Post, Keith David, Richard Tyson, W. Earl Brown, Brett Favre, Richard Jenkins

Epically fantastic war drama drama from Steven Spielberg set on June 6, 1944, during World War II, and follows the U.S. Army landing at Omaha Beach for the historic D-Day battle during the Normandy landings. We follow the 2nd Ranger Battalion led by Captain John H. Miller through the initial epic battle that puts the Allied forces on a path to victory. Miller and his men are then tasked go behind enemy lines to track down and rescue a paratrooper named Private James F. Ryan. Miller’s men struggle greatly with being taken away from battle to locate one man, and have other uncertainties about the mission while the horrors of war only get worse as their mission moves forward. This movie is worthy of being called the greatest war film of all time. The writing and dialogue is fantastic and Spielberg’s Oscar-winning direction was among his best. It also includes some of the most glorious production design of any war film, as evidenced by its Oscar wins for best cinematography, best sound, best editing, and best special effects. On top of that, the cast is arguably perfect. Tom Hanks delivers one of his all-time best lead performances. Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Giovanni Ribisi, and Jeremy Davies also deliver fantastic starring roles (some being highlights of many of their careers). Vin Diesel, Leland Orser, Paul Giamatti, Harrison Young, Kathleen Byron, Ted Danson, Dennis Farina, Joerg Stadler, Harve Presnell, Demetri Goritsas, Nathan Fillion, Anna Maguire, and many others also had great supporting roles.

This is one of my watched and beloved comedies, and also ranks as the best marijuana smokin’ inspired film of all time in my book. It also marks the beginnings of Dave Chappelle and writer Neal Brennan illustrious careers to follow. The story follows 4 lifelong spliff-smokin’ buds named Thurgood, Scarface, Brian, and Kenny. All they care about is smoking weed, munchies, and just making ends meet with their dead-end jobs. One night after getting baked on some good green, Kenny accidentally kills a diabetic police horse by feeding it too many munchies, and is sent to prison. His buddies are stuck with finding a way to raise $1 million for his bail, but it seems completely hopeless. However, when Thurgood finds out the medical lab he works for has medical marijuana, they start stealing it and making big money off the sales, until a ruthless drug kingpin named Samson Simpson gets involved in their business. I never understood why the critics slammed this film so hard. It’s downright hilarious, and includes plenty of Chappelle and Brennan’s forthcoming brand of comedy. When looked at compared to other “stoner films” of the kind, this picture delivers on all counts. Dave Chappelle delivers a fantastic lead performance. Guillermo Díaz, Jim Breuer, and Harland Williams also deliver their absolute best starring roles. Clarence Williams III, Rachel True, Laura Silverman, Laura Silverman, Tommy Chong, R.D. Reid, Rick Demas, David Mucci, Jon Stewart, Snoop Dogg, Stephen Baldwin, and others also had great supporting roles.

Powerful and superbly done crime drama from Tony Kaye set in Venice Beach, California, and follows an enraged and idealistic neo-nazi skinhead named Derek Vinyard who leads a white supremacist gang that commits racially motivated crimes throughout Los Angeles. After brutally killing two black men trying to break into his truck in the middle of the night, he's sent to prison for 3 years for voluntary manslaughter. After some time in prison, he makes a black friend named Lamont that opens his eyes to the horrifying consequences of his hateful actions, and decides to make pivotal life changes during his rehabilitation. When he gets out, he finds his younger brother Danny is heading down the same path of racism and hatred that once plagued him; with the same dangerous and bigoted friends he once ran with. Excellent story with important messages from hard-hitting perspectives. What really makes the film shine is Edward Norton’s fantastic Oscar-nominated lead performance. He was incredible throughout and arguably delivers the best role of his career. Edward Furlong also delivered one of his best starring roles. Ethan Suplee, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo, Avery Brooks, Stacy Keach, Jennifer Lien, Elliott Gould, Guy Torry, Nicholas R. Oleson, Tara Blanchard, and others also have great supporting roles.

Outstanding crime drama from Mike Hodges set in 1990s London, and follows a gifted professional croupier (the industry term for a casino-employed dealer and gaming table runner) named Jack Manfred, who once quit the line of work in hopes of becoming a writer and novelist. When his new career path doesn’t take off and he runs out of money, he’s once again propelled back into the life of a croupier. The job comes with a rigid set of rules, which includes not associating with the customers (aka punters), or having any relations with the staff. He quickly falls in love with the life of a croupier once again, and decides it would make an excellent basis for a novel. He then starts authoring a semi-biographical story about his experiences as a croupier, which finds him slipping into a life of crime to further his wealth and vitalize his novel. This is arguably the greatest film about gambling ever made, and was fantastically written and directed throughout. Much of the credit also goes to Clive Owen’s outstanding lead performance, which arguably ranks as his greatest role ever. Gina McKee, Alex Kingston, Kate Hardie, Paul Reynolds, Alexander Morton, Nicholas Ball, Nick Reding, and others also had excellent supporting roles.

Fantastic crime drama from Sam Raimi set in a rural Minnesota town during the snowiest time of the winter. The story follows an honest working-class feed store manager named Hank, who meets up with his naive and simple-minded brother Jacob, and Jacob's crude and vulgar friend Lou. They find themselves walking through the woods when they randomly stumble across a crashed airplane covered in snow. Inside they find a dead pilot being eaten by crows, and a duffle bag containing $4.4 million in cash. After arguing whether or not they should keep the money, Hank comes up with 'a simple plan' to hold on to the money until Spring, and if nobody comes looking for it, they will split the money three ways. After Hank's wife gets in on the secret, the control over the money brings out greed, mistrust, and massive tension between them all; which sets them down the path of murdering anyone who stands in their way. Fantastic story with an incredible cast. Bill Paxton delivers his all-time best lead performance in my book. Billy Bob Thornton, Bridget Fonda, and Brent Briscoe also had fantastic starring roles. Chelcie Ross, Becky Ann Baker, Gary Cole, Bob Davis, Peter Syvertsen, John Paxton, and others also had great supporting roles.

Mind-bendingly excellent comedy adventure/drama from Terry Gilliam based on Hunter S. Thompson's classic 1971 novel of the same name. The story follows deranged journalist Raoul Duke and his maniacal lawyer Dr. Gonzo under the influence of mescaline while driving through the Mojave Desert, as they make their way to Las Vegas in a convertible loaded with every psychedelic drug in the book, with the end of goal of reporting on the Mint 400 desert off-road motorcycle race just outside Las Vegas. They are seemingly out of control at the beginning of the film, which reaches insanely disturbing heights as they run through a crazy amount of weed, cocaine, acid, raw ether, amyls, mescaline, alcohol, uppers, downers, screamers, and laughers; as they trash their Las Vegas hotel room and create a mountain of chaos. Visually stunning, unique, and just a crazy psychedelic drug-induced ride from start to finish. It’s one of the most unique and entertaining films I’ve ever seen. Johnny Depp delivers one of his all-time best lead performances as Hunter S. Thompson. The same could be said for Benicio Del Toro’s fantastic starring role. Tobey Maguire, Cameron Diaz, Flea, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, and other big stars have small and interesting roles that add nicely the the madness.

Hilarious and underrated sports comedy from directing great David Zucker. The story follows two underachieving Milwaukee-based best friends and roommates named Joe Cooper and Doug Remer who’ve invented a sport that's a hybrid of baseball and basketball, that they call "BASEketball". Once is reaches substantial local popularity, wealthy businessman Ted Denslow partners up with Joe and Doug to create the National BASEketball League (NBL). Things start off great for everyone involved until the sport goes national and there is so much serious money to be made, that a greedy businessman named Baxter Cain tries to take control of the NBL and make changes to the sport that would only benefit him and the stockholders’. Fantastic story with loads of cleverly written comedy and a fantastic cast. South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker were perfect choices for the lead characters, and both deliver superb performances. It was great to see a couple of veterans like Ernest Borgnine and Robert Vaughn also delivering excellent and memorable starring roles later in their careers. Dian Bachar and Yasmine Bleeth also had great starring roles. Jenny McCarthy, Trevor Einhorn, Bob Costas, Robert Stack, Reggie Jackson, Dan Patrick, Kenny Mayne, Victoria Silvstedt, and others also had very nice supporting roles.

Hysterical sports comedy from Frank Coraci that follows a simple and socially inept water distribution engineer named Bobby Boucher (nicknamed “Waterboy” by most) who's constantly being bullied by the extremely cruel University of Louisiana Cougars football team he serves water to, and subsequently gets fired by the ruthless head coach Red Beaulieu for "distracting" his players. When he starts working as waterboy for the South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs, they discover he’s a savagely fierce tackler stemming from years of torturous angst built up by his cold-hearted peers. He shocks everyone and becomes the star of the team and league by breaking all-time sack and tackling records. Meanwhile, he also starts a romance with a local girl named Vicki Vallencourt. However, his entire future becomes threatened when the college administration finds out his high school transcripts were forged in order to get him on the team. Fantastic story with hilarious comedy all around. It’s definitely one of my favorite football films ever made. The perfectly chosen cast is really what makes this film so great. Adam Sandler delivers one of his best lead performances, and ranks as one of his greatest slapstick comedy films. Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, Fairuza Balk and Jerry Reed also delivered fantastic and very memorable starring roles. Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Blake Clark, Jonathan Loughran, Peter Dante, Clint Howard, Allen Covert, Rob Schneider, Robert Kokol, and others also had great supporting roles.

Excellent and powerful coming-of-age sports drama from Spike Lee that follows a father named Jesus Shuttlesworth who's been in prison 6 years for involuntary manslaughter after accidentally killing his wife during an argument/fight. He’s presented with an opportunity to get out early if he's able to convince his son and star basketball prospect Jesus Shuttlesworth to attend college at Big State at the request of the New York governor. As Jesus navigates these challenges in the poor area of Coney Island he’s from, everyone from his girlfriend to his coaches and family members wants a piece of his future money and success, which puts great strain on his decision. Excellent story all around with some of the finest dialogue in any Spike Lee joint. Every actor delivers heartfelt and sincere roles, and the casting is superb all around. Denzel Washington and Ray Allen both deliver superb lead performances. Rosario Dawson and Milla Jovovich also deliver complex starring roles that really elevates the film. Hill Harper, Roger Guenveur Smith, Jim Brown, Bill Nunn, Lonette McKee, Ned Beatty, Zelda Harris, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, John Turturro, Arthur J. Nascarella, Jade Scott Yorker, also had great supporting roles, along with so many real basketball stars who made an appearance.

Excellent action-packed crime drama/thriller from Tony Scott that follows a successful lawyer named Robert Clayton Dean that inadvertently comes into possession of a videotape that shows the mysterious murder of Congressman Phil Hammersley at the hands of a corrupt senior NSA agent named Thomas Reynolds. Reynolds immediately abuses all of his power and has the NSA tap into Dean's his life to start systematically destroying it as they work to track down the videotape. Tensions rise even further when a retired NSA agent named Edward Lyle who shares some links in Dean's life becomes involved in the mayhem. Great story all around with fantastic action/thrills and an outstanding cast. Will Smith and Gene Hackman both deliver a couple of their finest lead performances. Jon Voight also had an excellent starring role. Regina King, Lisa Bonet, Barry Pepper, Jack Black, Loren Dean, Scott Caan, Tom Sizemore, Jason Lee, Gabriel Byrne, Jason Robards, Philip Baker Hall, and others also had great supporting roles.

Excellent crime comedy from the Coen Brothers that follows a Los Angeles based bowler and underachieving layabout named Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski. His leisurely life consists of swilling down White Russians and hanging out with his bowling buddies Walter and Donny. But one day two debt collectors who work for for porn kingpin Jackie Treehorn break into his home after mistaking him for a different Lebowski that owes Treehorn money. They end up beating him up and urinating on his rug in the process, which finds The Dude comically working to be compensated for the rug, and subsequently strings together a crazed series of events in the process. Great story with a very clever premise and excellent casting throughout. Jeff Bridges undoubtedly delivers one of cinema’s most iconic characters as "The Dude”. He was perfect for the role and is the main reason this film is so great. John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Sam Elliott, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, Peter Stormare, Flea, Torsten Voges, Mark Pellegrino, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Dom Irrera, David Thewlis, Ben Gazzara, Jon Polito, and others also had great supporting roles.

Excellent crime drama/thriller from F. Gary Gray that follows a dedicated and skilled negotiator for the Chicago Police Department named Danny Roman, who's been wrongly accused of embezzlement and murder. In a last-ditch effort to prove his innocence, Danny takes a handful of hostages he feels has information that can help his case while he and an outside negotiator named Chris Sabian work through his questions and demands, which uncovers sensitive details of rampant police corruption in the department. Great story, excellent action, and a great cast of actors that delivers on all fronts. Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey both deliver excellent lead performances and have great chemistry together. J.T. Walsh, Paul Giamatti, Ron Rifkin, David Morse, John Spencer, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Stephen Lee, Stephen Lee, Kelsey Mulrooney, Regina Taylor, Bruce Beatty, Michael Cudlitz, and others also had great supporting roles.

Powerful and terrifically made drama from Carl Franklin that follows a successful New York magazine writer named Ellen Gulden, who has never had a good relationship with her stay-at-home mother Kate and idolizes her father George who’s a literature professor at Princeton University, and was once famous for writing a critically acclaimed novel. When Kate becomes ill with cancer, George guilt’s Ellen into dropping her entire life in New York to come live with them and take care of her sick mother. The drama starts immediately, but more so with her father, who she learns has been cheating on her mother and has a selfish, uncaring, and self-important schedule that he feels everyone should cater to. Tension continues to mount between Ellen and George as Ellen is forced to cope with the painful transition, reevaluates her loving relationship with her mom, and her blind adoration she once had for her father. Powerful real-life story with a great cast of actors that deliver the goods in every way. Renée Zellweger arguably delivers her all-time best lead performance. Meryl Streep also delivered a fantastic Oscar-nominated starring role, and William Hurt was also excellent. Tom Everett Scott, Lauren Graham, Nicky Katt, James Eckhouse, and many others also had great supporting roles.

Uniquely excellent action-packed crime thriller set in Berlin, Germany, and follows a dedicated girlfriend named Lola who gets into a major bind thanks to her criminal boyfriend Manni. After Manni misplaces a bag that contains 100,000 Deutschmarks for his crime boss, it’s up to Lola to recover the bag within 20 minutes, otherwise Mannie’s boss will kill him. Excellent story, superb action and thrills, with some truly unique cinematography, editing, and production design. The film cleverly runs through 3 possible outcomes to the story, and is a crazed ride from start to finish with great structure. It’s also a really easy watch for a non-English speaking film, if that’s a worry for some. Franka Potente delivers an iconic lead performance as Lola. She was perfect for the role. Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, Nina Petri, Armin Rohde, and others also had very nice supporting roles.

Excellent crime drama from John Dahl set in New York City, and follows a skilled poker player named Mike McDermott who aspires to win the World Series of Poker. Those dreams are quickly sidelined when he loses $30,000 to Russian crime boss and poker player named Teddy KGB. Mike decides to quit the racket and get a regular job to make ends meet. However, when is childhood buddy and former gambling partner Lester "Worm" Murphy is released from prison, Mike’s convinced to jump back into the game at the risk of his relationship and career. Excellent story all around with great dialogue and casting. It’s also one of the finest films about poker/gambling. Matt Damon and Edward Norton both deliver excellent lead performances. John Malkovich, Gretchen Mol, John Turturro, Famke Janssen, Martin Landau, Kerry O'Malley, Michael Rispoli, Tom Aldredge, Josh Mostel, Lenny Venito, Hank Jacobs, Michael Rispoli, Adam LeFevre, and others also had great supporting roles.

Excellent crime drama/mystery from Gregory Hoblit that follows a Philadelphia homicide detective named John Hobbes who helps take down a crazed serial killer named Edgar Reese, and visits him on death row before he’s set to be executed for his crimes. Soon after, Hobbes and his partner start to investigate horrific killings similar to Reese’s work, which they assume is the work of a copycat killer. Hobbes soon discovers there is a cursed fallen angel named Azazel who is able to jump into different people’s bodies with a simple touch, and proves to be the evil behind the string of brutal killings. While the story may seem a bit far-fetched, it was written well, had great action and thrills, and an excellent cast all around. It seems you can’t go wrong with Denzel Washington, and he proves it again with another excellent lead performance. John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, Embeth Davidtz, James Gandolfini, Elias Koteas, Tara Carnes, Robert Joy, Barry Shabaka Henley, and others also had great supporting roles.

Underrated comedy crime drama from Steven Soderbergh that follows a skilled bank robber named Jack Foley, his partner Buddy Bragg, and a handful of other convicts who learn that their extremely wealthy cell-mate Richard Ripley who's doing time for embezzlement, keeps a fortune worth of uncut diamonds in his Detroit home. The score could be so great, that they all break out of prison in hopes of reaching the diamonds first. As Jack is breaking out of prison, he and Buddy end up kidnapping a gorgeous US Marshal who gets in their way. After she makes her escape, she battles with an intense attraction for Jack and wants to help and protect him, while simultaneously having to take him down and do her job. Excellent story, as well as the excellent editing and movement of the story (both received Oscar nominations). The cast was incredible. George Clooney, Ving Rhames, and Jennifer Lopez all delivered some of their best lead performances. Steve Zahn, Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks, Dennis Farina, Catherine Keener, Isaiah Washington, Keith Loneker, Luis Guzmán, Paul Soileau, James Black, and Nancy Allen all had great supporting roles. Viola Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Keaton also had fun cameos.

Excellent crime drama and biography from John Boorman set in 1980s Ireland, and follows the true story of an extremely clever thief and criminal mastermind named Martin Cahill. Growing up in the slums of Dublin, he's been a thief since he was a young teen, and never considers an honest life outside of crime. As an older man, he is able to cleverly pull off elaborate heists directly under the noses of the police. In time he becomes the most wanted man in the country, and they can't pin a single crime on him. While Martin doesn't use drugs, much of his team does, which puts them in real trouble with the IRA. The film also covers his unorthodox marriage and relationship with his wife's sister, despite being a loving father. Superb story and fantastic dark comedy and drama lurking around every corner. Brendan Gleeson arguably delivers his best and most complex lead performance to date. Adrian Dunbar, Sean McGinley, Jon Voight, Eanna MacLiam, Ned Dennehy, Pat Laffan, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Angeline Ball, Eamonn Owens, Don Wycherley, and many others also had great supporting roles.

Excellent historical biography from Rob Cohen on the life of the famous jazz collective "The Rat Pack", which featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.. The film also dives fairly deep into the controversial lifestyle of President John F. Kennedy and his brother-in-law, Peter Lawford. The film takes place in the 1950s and 1960s, with Frank Sinatra's relationships with the mafia, his friendship and overwhelming support for John F. Kennedy campaign, and his time with Ava Gardner. It also follows Sammy Davis Jr. and his struggles with racism, and his controversial marriage to white woman, as well as Dean Martin's easy-going and quick-witted life as a family man. Ray Liotta gets the most screen time in the film, and he delivered one of his very best lead performances. Joe Mantegna and Don Cheadle also nailed their roles. Angus Macfadyen and William Petersen also has great starring roles. Zeljko Ivanek, Bobby Slayton, Megan Dodds, Deborah Kara Unger, Veronica Cartwright, Dan O'Herlihy, Robert Miranda, Barbara Niven, Michelle Grace, Tyrees Allen, and many others had great supporting roles.

Hilarious satirical war comedy from Richard Benjamin based on the true story of the epic $14 billion, 17-year endeavor to develop the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which were later used during the Gulf War (1990–1991). In the mid-1980s, they assign an Air Force colonel named John Burton to head-up testing for the Bradley (much to the annoyance of his commanding officer, Army Major General Partridge), which started out as an Army troop carrier/scout vehicle, and was slowly manipulated to be a killing machine in the heat of battle. He discovers it's a safety nightmare, and could be a death trap for any soldier who's inside. But the military leaders and politicians keep covering up these eye-opening tests to line their own pockets and advance themselves to higher positions in government. Clever and well-done story with excellent comedy and satire all around. Kelsey Grammer and Cary Elwes both deliver a couple of their finest lead performances. Viola Davis, John C. McGinley, Tom Wright, Clifton Powell, Richard Schiff, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Benjamin, and many others had excellent supporting roles.

Excellent drama from Maya Angelou that follows a troubled single-mother named Loretta Sinclair who has a young son and autistic daughter, struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, and lives with her disappointed mother Rosa Lynn. Rosa tirelessly works and runs their impoverished inner-city Chicago household until tensions reach a boiling point, and she decides they need to make a drastic change change if Loretta and her kids have any hope for the future. She contacts her successful brother in rural Mississippi Delta, and sends Loretta and her kids there for the summer in hopes that they will be reborn and reinvigorated with life in the country, as opposed to the bleak drug-infested life on the streets of Chicago. Powerful story with a superb cast that delivers great acting all around. Alfre Woodard delivers one of her best lead performances, and it was great to see her in such a great starring role. Al Freeman Jr. and Mary Alice also delivered a couple of their best starring roles. Wesley Snipes, Loretta Devine, Esther Rolle, Mpho Koaho, and many others also had great supporting roles.

Hilarious music-inspired comedy/romance from Frank Coraci set in Ridgefield, New Jersey, 1985, and follows a musician and singer named Robbie Hart who makes a living singing and covering all the greatest 1980s pop hits as the musical entertainment at weddings. Life seems to be going great until his fiancée and the love of his life dumps him at the alter on their wedding day, and leaves him devastated. He later meets and befriends a new waitress named Julia Sullivan at the reception hall where he works, who recruits him to plan her wedding. Through a comical handful of situations, Robbie realizes he’s in love with Julia, and must win her over before she gets married. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore prove to have great chemistry together and both deliver excellent lead performances. Great story and one of Adam Sandler’s finest comedies. The soundtrack is also also loaded with a fantastic list of 80s hits. Christine Taylor, Allen Covert, Matthew Glave, Billy Idol, Ellen Albertini Dow, Angela Featherstone, Alexis Arquette, Christina Pickles, Frank Sivero, Steve Buscemi, and many others have great supporting roles.