May 19, 2006 - Four years ago The DaVinci Code opened. This was Ron Howard's adaptation of the mega best selling novel. Tom Hanks took on the role of Dan Brown's protagonist Robert Langdon. The film made $758 million in worldwide ticket sales. At The Movie House rating **1/2 stars
Also in 2006 was the release of Dreamworks/Paramount Pictures Over The Hedge. This all star CGI adaptation of the satirical comic strip was a big hit with an endearing set of animals for the kids and a "too much" consumerism message for the adults. At The Movie House rating **1/2 stars
May 19, 2005 - Five years ago and twenty eight years later the Star Wars saga came to a conclusion with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. The movie had massive build up in the media and Star Wars mania swept the country again. For the most part fans were not disappointed as George Lucas unfolded the origin story of the most notorious villain in the galaxy, Darth Vader. It was a gigantic hit with $849 million in worldwide tickets sales and ranks as #11 on the list of top U.S. moneymakers.
At The Movie House rating *** stars
May 19, 2000 - Ten years ago three films opened to compete for theatre goers box office dollars. Woody Allen's Small Time Crooks opened to mostly positive reviews, but this was Allen's first time in front of the camera since 1996 and he seemed to old to be playing the lovable schmuck he had been portraying for years. Disney's CGI animated Dinosaur opened for the kiddies. the film shot lush visuals in South America and then used CGI to add in extremely realistic dinosaurs, so realistic that they looked genuine and then Disney undermined the whole illusion by making them talk. Hmmm talking dinosaurs? Didn't we see that already in Land Before Time? Also opening was the comedy Road Trip. Starring MTV's Tom Green this film cost $16 million to produce and made $119 million. That's a good trip!
At The Movie House rating
Small Time Crooks *** stars
Dinosaur ** stars
Road Trip not rated by our critics
May 19, 1999 - With a media buzz that has never been equaled George Lucas returned to the Star Wars saga after a twenty two year absence and released Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I don't think any film could have lived up to the hype, but Lucas made some calculated errors that brought the film mediocre reviews. But it still made massive amounts of money.
At The Movie House rating **1/2 stars
May 19, 1995 - Fifteen years ago Bruce Willis returned to the role of John McClain in Die Hard With A Vengeance. Gone is the Christmas setting, Bonnie Bedelia and any resemblance to a coherent script. In comes Samuel Jackson and a convoluted script and fast dialog to cover major plot holes. The film was not the success fox was hoping for and it took 12 years for a fourth sequel to be made. Also released was the Billy Crystal/Debra Winger romantic comedy Forget Paris. It was forgotten.
At The Movie House rating:
Die Hard With A Vengeance ** stars
Forget Paris **stars
May 19, 1989 - Twenty One Years ago Patrick Swayze starred in the action pic Road House. This was his follow up to Dirty Dancing and the movie was sold with the tag line "The dancing's over, now the job gets dirty". And William Ragsdale returned for the lame Fright Night II.
At The Movie House rating
Road House **1/2 stars
Fright Night II *1/2 stars
May 19, 1976 - Thirty four years ago Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson teamed up for The Missouri Breaks. This was one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Nicholson was on a streak after Chinatown and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and this was Brando's follow-up to The Godfather and The Last Tango In Paris. Unfortunately the film was an utter commercial and artistic failure. Most of the blame was laid on Brando for his eccentric performance.
At The Movie House rating ** stars.
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