The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)

It’s all fine for the first while, but once the painted white boulder that is Marlon Brando rolls into the story the entire production goes right off the rails. He seems to want to sabotage every scene he’s in, dragging everyone, including his Mini-Me, down with the whole tropical ship.
Kilmer didn't want to be there and it shows. His performance is shockingly bad.
Dir. John Frankenheimer is the only one with anything resembling an excuse for being off, he’d no time to prepare, having come to the project half a week into shooting after the previous director was removed. Still, he appears to make little effort to turn it into anything other than a pay cheque.
I feel sorry for Thewlis, Balk and Perlman, all of whom at least made some effort despite the odds stacked against them.

1½ hybrid moments out of 5

RETURN TO OZ [1985]

You'd think getting Walt Disney to produce another Oz film would be the safest route to a colorful, happy family film.
Laughably this is not the case, with Walter Murch's bleak and oddly disturbing Return To Oz, which takes the viewer back into a worn down and decaying land, a far cry from the Technicolor world we knew from before.  Taking elements from several of  L. Frank Baum's Oz books, Return does a better job at faithfully adapting the works than the 1939 film did.  Much like The Neverending Story of the same era, this film is pure dark fantasy for the kids and isn't afraid to explore themes most kiddy films dare not venture into.  With some unsettling stop-motion effects and creepy characters, both good & bad, Return To Oz won't please viewers hoping for more dancing Munchkins,  Although anybody ready for a wonderous ride into a child-like imagination, no matter how dark, then this might be the one for you.

3½ green ornaments out of 5

AMERICAN HISTORY X [1998]

Director Tony Kaye's powerful drama American History X is the type of film that seems like it will linger with the viewer for the rest of their lives.
As disturbingly compelling as the narrative is, one can't help but notice the haunted performance played with perfection by Edward Norton.  Aided by a truly impressive cast, the film is told in a non-linear style that bounces back & forth between color and a wonderfully effective black & white.  The end result is a piece of great cinema that will probably leave the viewer stunned, deeply saddened and probably speechless for the duration of the end credits.

5 basketball courts out of 5