David Ansen

"Chen Kaige's ravishing epic 'Farewell My Concubine' should be the movie that opens American eyes to the new wonders of Chinese cinema"  

"A summer genre movie for grown-ups, 'The Firm' helps restore faith in Hollywood professionalism."  

"[It] does its damnedest to see that the audience gets its money's worth of thrills. But for all the state-of-the-art stunt work, the movie has little personality; it's ice cream without flavor."  

"Obviously this is not everybody's cup of weird tea: you must have a taste for the esthetics of disgust. For those up to the dare, it's one clammily compelling movie."  

"It's impossible to discuss the richness of Jordan's masterfully constructed work without spoiling its deceptions and disguises (...) a very good movie indeed. It leaves one giddy."  

"A wildly uneven romantic thriller (...) If you can overlook the obvious flaws, 'The Bodyguard' has its flashy, shallow pleasures. There's some wit in Kasdan's script"  

"This $50 million spectacle must be one of the least entertaining epic films ever made"  

"Screenwriter Ted Tally does an excellent job streamlining the novel, and Demme tightens the screws with a mastery that would make any horror veteran jealous"  

"[It] demands respect, even if it's more enjoyable in concept than in execution (...) Even as you marvel at [Burton's] imagination you wish he'd found a story worthy of it."  

"The first hour of Toback's movie bounces and sparkles like a stone skipping on water. Downey is such an ingenuous con man it's impossible not to smile at his chutzpah"

"While the elements in this coming-of-age saga may seem familiar, Eszterhas brings a fresh, immigrant's-eye perspective to his tale."

"Supported by an excellent cast and very stylish cinematography, Hyams sustains the tension from start to finish, no matter how preposterous the plotting becomes"

"Field comes off best under the circumstances - she has real spirit - but Leibman, too eager to be liked, hits all the stereotypes on the head"

"It turns Western conventions on their heads not out of satirical anger but simply to charm the pants off the audience."

"A languorous, funny and lovingly detailed memory film."

"An ambitious and entertaining debut that will delight and terrify kids"

"Comedy and suspense, satire and shame are all mashed together--with breezy confidence"

"Like any reunion, Texasville is filled with awkward moments. But it's a friendly gathering -- funny, a little sad and worth the visit."

"Few films have captured so acutely the desolation of frustrated, repressed passion"

"'Arthur' is not the best comedy of the season, which is a pity because it has the best comic team"