Reviews
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Oscar worthy performance from the venerable Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen richly deserves a statue for his brilliant portrayal of James Whale in this thought provoking film. Brendan Frasier, however, is a bit clunky in the role of lawn-boy turned confidant. Better than most of the junk that's out there, a truly original film from Bill Condon.
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Oscar worthy performance from the venerable Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen richly deserves a statue for his brilliant portrayal of James Whale in this thought provoking film. Brendan Frasier, however, is a bit clunky in the role of lawn-boy turned confidant. Better than most of the junk that's out there, a truly original film from Bill Condon.
A Simple Plan (1998)
Simply Outstanding
Sam Raimi, director of "The Evil Dead," "Darkman" and "The Quick and the Dead," strikes gold with his latest effort "A Simple Plan," which is among the very best films of 1998.
Based on the best-selling novel by former Toledoan Scott B. Smith (who also penned the screenplay), this is a harrowing tale of ordinary people who stumble into a nightmare beyond their wildest dreams.
It's an age-old question: What would you do if you found a lot of money? A lot of money, in the context of this film, is $4.4 million. The money is found in a small plane, which has crashed in a remote wildlife refuge in rural Minnesota, by brothers Hank and Jacob Mitchell (Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton) and their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe).
Assuming the money is of illegal origin, they decide to keep it. What seems to be a simple plan quickly turns into a horror story of greed, guilt and murder. The subject matter of "A Simple Plan" is not unfamiliar, but never have I seen a film that more skillfully draws us in, step by step, to the consequences of a criminal action. Good God, what a great film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lawn Dogs (1997)
One of 98's very best
Lawn Dogs left me breathless. Thank God that small, quality films like this one pop up every now and then. Two others that I'd recommend if you loved this film are "Eye of God", and "Little Boy Blue".
Psycho (1998)
New definition of the term "pointless"
If I take Tolstoy's "War and Peace", put it in a Xerox machine, and bind it, I've not really created anything, now have I? "Nuff said?
The Big Hit (1998)
A Big Flop
Not only one of the worst entries for 1998, but one of the worst films I've ever seen. Startlingly unfunny, this film is so bad that a golden turkey award would do it too much justice. Simply skip it.