Conspiracy Theory (1997)

This is one great movie. I'm not a huge fan of Julia Roberts, but she was great - very practical, very down-to-earth... and Mel Gibson was fantastic. That one scene where he's in the wheelchair and trying to get away had such an eerie nightmarish feel that it thoroughly freaked me out. And I did NOT see the end coming... Great build-up, great humor, great everything. 4 stars.

Cinderella 2 (2002)

Who, who, WHO agreed to make this movie? I think I am just completely against making sequels to movies so old that none of the original actors are alive. Not only did the voices sound completely different from the originals, the plot seem incredibly constrained, and the soundtrack become reduced to a pop diva sound, but they didn't even pronounce their names the same! Jacques became "Jack." Apparently becoming a princess made Cinderella much more English. 0.5 stars.

Charade (1963)

One of the greatest murder mysteries of all time. I totally did not have this figured out by the end. The humorous touches and delightful dialogue make it more than just a simple whodunnit, but that long chase scene is pretty darn cool. 4 stars.

Casablanca (1942)

This movie is truly incredible. I can't praise it enough. Just a brilliantly done movie, with amazing actors, great music, an interesting plot... Man. I love this movie. 5 stars.

1776 (1972)

Plot: The film version of the Broadway musical comedy of the same name. In the days leading up to July 4, 1776, Continental Congressmen John Adams and Benjamin Franklin coerce Thomas Jefferson into writing the Declaration of Independence as a delaying tactic as they try to persuade the American colonies to support a resolution on independence.

What a fun movie! Crammed with little-known historical facts (although at moments it's hard to tell just what is fact and what is fiction), spectacular music, and great humor, this is a spectacular musical! 4.5 stars.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

One of the greatest old comedies, I can't watch this without laughing. Just the premise is hysterical. So much of the movie rests on plot, though, I can't give anything away in this review, except . . . . you have to rent it and see it, even if you don't care for old movies. 5 stars.

Big Fat Liar (2002)

Err . . . what can I say about this movie? It had a few moments, but overall it was too ridiculous for me to really like it. Also, while it tried to present the simple moral of "Don't lie," it's doubtful whether that ever comes through clearly to the main character -- did he learn the lesson? Probably not. Will he go back to his habit of lying like crazy? Yes. 1.5 stars.