September 9, 1988
Talk Radio (1988) ***
Oliver Stone directed this hard-hitting film about a controversial talk radio host.
Oliver And Company (1988) ***
A little cat joins a bunch of canine thieves. A animated adaptation of Dickens' "Oliver Twist", set in contemporary New York. Songs:
"Once Upon A Time In New York" *
"Why Should I Worry ?" **
"Streets Of Gold" *
"Perfect Isn't Easy" *
"Good Company"
"Why Should I Worry ?" (reprise) *
Little Dorrit (1988) ***
A superlative adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel set in a debtor's prison. It consists of two parts, each telling the same story from a different point of view.
"Nobody's Fault" ***
"Little Dorrit's Story" ***
"Nobody's Fault" ***
"Little Dorrit's Story" ***
In The Line Of Duty 3 (1988) ***
Cynthia Khan kicks some major ass in this fine crime flick from Hong Kong. Aka "Force Of The Dragon".
High Hopes (1988) ***
Very original black comedy about snobbery and class-consciousness in Thatcher's Britain.
Hairspray (1988) ***
Ricky Lake is an obese dance contest winner in this campy comedy directed by John Waters.
The Dead Pool (1988) ***
Clint Eastwood, Liam Neeson and Jim Carrey star in the fourth sequel to "Dirty Harry" (1971).
As Tears Go By (1988) ***
The Accidental Tourist (1988) ***
Interesting film about a travel-guide writer (William Hurt) and his romance with an excentric dog-trainer (Geena Davis).
The Naked Gun (1988) ***
The first, and the best, of the farces starring Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling Lt. Frank Drebin.
Hôtel Terminus (1988) ***
Excellent documentary about Klaus Barbie, the notorious Gestapo chief in Lyon.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) ***
Excellent, and very sophisticated comedy starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine.
L'Ours (1988) ***
An orphan cub is adopted by a large kodiak bear who's chased by two hunters in the Canadian Rockies. Beautiful film, gorgeous photography.
Police Story II (1988) ***
Jackie Chan plays a disgruntled cop in this engrossing sequel to the 1985 hit.
Powaqqatsi (1988) ***
A follow-up to "Koyaanisqatsi" (1983), filmed in Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, Peru, India, Hong Kong, Israel, France, Nepal and Berlin.
Salsa (1988) ***
"Cali Pachanguero" *
"Under My Skin" *
"Good Lovin'" *
"Oye Como Va" *
"Puerto Rico" **
"I Know" **
"Spanish Harlem" **
"Margarita" **
"Chicos y Chicas" **
"Puerto Rico" (reprise) **
School On Fire (1988) ***
Tales From The Gimli Hospital (1988) ***
August 8, 1988
July 7, 1988
The Vanishing (1988) **
A heavy and depressing psychological thriller about a young man searching for his kidnapped wife. Well directed and acted, with a shocking and terrifying ending. A coproduction between Holland and France, the film was submitted by Holland for a Oscar nomination, but was rejected because the director is French. French title: "L'Homme qui voulait savoir".
Red Sorghum (1988) **
Visually stunning, but weakly plotted Chinese film about winery workers fighting against Japanese invaders.
Sur (1988) **
Modernist drama directed by radical Argentinian director Fernando Solanas. Heavy-handed and dogmatic, but visually beautiful.
June 6, 1988
May 5, 1988
April 4, 1988
Revolving Door (1988) ***
Appointments Of Dennis Jennings (1988) **
Uneven comedy about a patient trying to kill his psychiatrist (Rowan Atkinson).
The Cat Came Back (1988) ****
One Of Those Days (1988) ****
Technological Threat (1988) ***
Human workers are being replaced by robots in this amusing cartoon. An Academy Award nominee.
Pas à deux (1988) ***
A post-modernist cartoon about dancing, co-directed by Gerrit van Dijk and Monique Renault.
Academy Leader Variations (1988) ***
Innovative variations on a single theme: 8,7,6,5,4,3,2. A co-production between USA, Poland, Switzerland and China. Animators include Jane Aaron, George Griffin, Stanislaw Lenartowicz and Georges Schwizgebel.
Disconnected (1988) **
The upper half of the head jumps from one headless body to another. A simple cartoon, far less gruesome than its plot summary might suggest.
The Writer (1988) *
Paul Driessen's unique graphic style is the main asset of this narratively incoherent cartoon.
March 3, 1988
Yes Prime Minister: The Tangled Web (1988) ****
Golden Girls: Sophia's Wedding Part 1 (1988) ***
February 2, 1988
Mississippi Burning (1988) **
Controversial drama about the murder of three civil rights activists in rural Mississippi in 1964. Blacks are portrayed as passive victims; virually all white Southerners come across as vicious, racist bigots. The only heroic figures are FBI agents (Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe).
Let's Get Lost (1988) **
Visually interesting documentary about the tragic life of Chet Baker, a West Coast jazz legend.
Beetlejuice (1988) **
Wacky and bizarre horror film about two ghosts (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis). They try to scare away the new occupants of their house (Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones) by hiring an "exorcist of the living" (Michael Keaton). Tim Burton's film has a great cast, good special effects and impressive sets. Weak script and unfunny jokes are the main liabilities.
The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (1988) **
Directed by Vincent Ward. A fantasy film about a group of medieval peasants who find a tunnel that leads to a modern city.
Stand And Deliver (1988) **
High school students from East L.A. are excelling in math thanks to efforts of an idealistic teacher (Edward James Olmos). Sounds corny, but it's based on a true story.
January 1, 1988
Cannibal Woman In The Avocado Jungle Of Death (1988) *
A lame jungle adventure comedy starring Shannon Tweed and Bill Maher. It tries to ridicule feminism, but fails miserably.
Deadbeat At Dawn (1988) *
The usual mayhem from Jim Van Bebber ("The Manson Family"): gore, violence, etc.
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