arto_j
07-09-2002, 10:15 AM
Coming to America (1988), John Landis - A tame Eddie Murphy -comedy with a few clever gags and cool make up, Jackson's cameo being the most memorably funny part about it.
Grade : 6/10
Do the Right Thing (1989), Spike Lee - Still Lee's best work, the events of a hot summer day in New York untangle and keep you in the edge of your seat all the way through.
Grade : 8/10
Mo' Better Blues (1990) ,Spike Lee - Probably Lee's second best effort to date, this musical drama runs a bit long and isn't as capturing as DtRT, but still worthy of a viewing, if nothing more for it's acting work.
Grade : 7/10
Jungle Fever (1991), Spike Lee - Not a failure, actually a pretty good film, but never grabs you to get you involved enough, thus leaving the viewer (me at least) feeling a bit empty. Again, great acting, though.
Grade : 6/10
Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Gene Quintano - Jackson and Emilio Estevez play the Gibson/Glover parts in this Lethal Weapon/buddy cop parody that hits more than misses. No rewatch value though, but a fun rental.
Grade : 6/10
Amos & Andrew (1993), E. Max Frye - An excellent idea and a great start for this satire are lost as the director doesn't seem to be sure which way to take his film, just missing the target, but the first half of this film is delicious.
Grade : 6/10
Jurassic Park (1993),Steven Spielberg - Jackson has a tiny role in this always memorable milestone for effects and it holds pretty well even after numerous re-watches.
Grade : 7/10
True Romance (1993), Tony Scott - Tarantino's script is the driving force in this ensemble crime-piece, with a huge load of cameos from a-list stars, like Sam Jackson...
Grade : 9/10
Pulp Fiction (1994), Quentin Tarantino - A crime classic, that will be remembered as one of the best of the 90's. Insanely influential film sprouted loads of mimics, none of which managed to reach the style and quality of this one. Also one of Sam Jackson's best performances.
Grade : 10/10
Kiss of Death (1995), Barbet Schroeder - Forgotten and underrated crime film that surprises by it's stellar performances and above average direction.
Grade : 8/10
Die Hard : With a Vengeance (1995), John McTiernan - Better than Harlin's second part in the trilogy. It's plot holes are easily forgotten as it continues to entertain with the constant action and Jackson and Willis have excellent chemistry together.
Grade : 8/10
Fluke (1995), Carlo Carlei - Not exactly Pulp Fiction, but I guess all great actors have to do voice work in adorable doggy films, right?
Grade : 7/10
The Great White Hype (1996), Reginald Hudlin- Another satire, this time more succesfull than Amos & Andrew. This boxing comedy won me over with it's original-ish touch and wonderful performances, it doesn't seem to please everyone though.
Grade : 7/10
Trees Lounge (1996) , Steve Buscemi - Buscemi's directorial debut is a solid drama with the best performance coming from him, Jackson impresses in a small role.Grade : 8/10
A Time to Kill, Joel Schumacher - A powerful courtroom drama entertains even with it's black and white perception of the world and simplified storyline, but all the actors do fabulous work to save the film from being just average.
Grade : 7/10
The Long Kiss Goodnight, Renny Harlin - A very disappointing action comedy lives only because of Sam Jackson's ability to perform well with very little. Geena Davis's ridiculous work almost sinks this one, but the script is so bad, there's nothing really for her to do.
Grade : 4/10
One Eight Seven (1997) , Kevin Reynolds - A way underrated and powerful high school drama about a teacher played magnificently by Jackson flew in under the radar, and should be seen by many more. The tension builds up all the way to the brilliant ending in something that could've gone terribly wrong in the wrong hands.
Grade : 9/10
Jackie Brown (1997) , Quentin Tarantino - Tarantino's weakest is in no way bad, and improved clearly with second viewing. None of the actors are especially great, but no bad acting occurs here. The expectations have gone lower since the premiere and it's now much more enjoyable.
Grade : 8/10
Sphere (1998), Barry Levinson -A very disappointing adaptation of a great suspensful novel falls flat and even a quite a good cast doesn't seem to know what's happening. Could've been so much better.
Grade : 5/10
The Negotiator (1998), F. Gary Gray - Two great actors play beautifully off each other saving this otherwise non original story about a desperate man who takes hostages to prove his innocense. Now, that's great entertainment.
Grade : 8/10
Deep Blue Sea (1999), Renny Harlin - Fun. Sharks go out of control and try to eat a bunch of people who are trapped in a sealed area in the middle of a storm. Don't think, just watch. It's fun.
Grade : 7/10
Shaft (2000), John Singleton - Jackson is Mister Cool, and it's proved here yet again. The stellar cast (except maybe for Busta Rhymes) can't quite push this to the level of the original, but it's in no way bad.
Grade : 7/10
Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan - Exceeding his much applauded The Sixth Sense, this is much slower and leaves the ghosts alone. Jackson portrays Mr. Glass in an awesome way, while Bruce Willis is not bad himself. The ending blew me away, supporting the story much better than that of The Sixth Sense.
Grade : 9/10
That's all that I've seen recently, that had Jackson in a somewhat significant role.
[This message has been edited by arto_j (edited 07-09-2002).]
[This message has been edited by arto_j (edited 07-09-2002).]
Grade : 6/10
Do the Right Thing (1989), Spike Lee - Still Lee's best work, the events of a hot summer day in New York untangle and keep you in the edge of your seat all the way through.
Grade : 8/10
Mo' Better Blues (1990) ,Spike Lee - Probably Lee's second best effort to date, this musical drama runs a bit long and isn't as capturing as DtRT, but still worthy of a viewing, if nothing more for it's acting work.
Grade : 7/10
Jungle Fever (1991), Spike Lee - Not a failure, actually a pretty good film, but never grabs you to get you involved enough, thus leaving the viewer (me at least) feeling a bit empty. Again, great acting, though.
Grade : 6/10
Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Gene Quintano - Jackson and Emilio Estevez play the Gibson/Glover parts in this Lethal Weapon/buddy cop parody that hits more than misses. No rewatch value though, but a fun rental.
Grade : 6/10
Amos & Andrew (1993), E. Max Frye - An excellent idea and a great start for this satire are lost as the director doesn't seem to be sure which way to take his film, just missing the target, but the first half of this film is delicious.
Grade : 6/10
Jurassic Park (1993),Steven Spielberg - Jackson has a tiny role in this always memorable milestone for effects and it holds pretty well even after numerous re-watches.
Grade : 7/10
True Romance (1993), Tony Scott - Tarantino's script is the driving force in this ensemble crime-piece, with a huge load of cameos from a-list stars, like Sam Jackson...
Grade : 9/10
Pulp Fiction (1994), Quentin Tarantino - A crime classic, that will be remembered as one of the best of the 90's. Insanely influential film sprouted loads of mimics, none of which managed to reach the style and quality of this one. Also one of Sam Jackson's best performances.
Grade : 10/10
Kiss of Death (1995), Barbet Schroeder - Forgotten and underrated crime film that surprises by it's stellar performances and above average direction.
Grade : 8/10
Die Hard : With a Vengeance (1995), John McTiernan - Better than Harlin's second part in the trilogy. It's plot holes are easily forgotten as it continues to entertain with the constant action and Jackson and Willis have excellent chemistry together.
Grade : 8/10
Fluke (1995), Carlo Carlei - Not exactly Pulp Fiction, but I guess all great actors have to do voice work in adorable doggy films, right?
Grade : 7/10
The Great White Hype (1996), Reginald Hudlin- Another satire, this time more succesfull than Amos & Andrew. This boxing comedy won me over with it's original-ish touch and wonderful performances, it doesn't seem to please everyone though.
Grade : 7/10
Trees Lounge (1996) , Steve Buscemi - Buscemi's directorial debut is a solid drama with the best performance coming from him, Jackson impresses in a small role.Grade : 8/10
A Time to Kill, Joel Schumacher - A powerful courtroom drama entertains even with it's black and white perception of the world and simplified storyline, but all the actors do fabulous work to save the film from being just average.
Grade : 7/10
The Long Kiss Goodnight, Renny Harlin - A very disappointing action comedy lives only because of Sam Jackson's ability to perform well with very little. Geena Davis's ridiculous work almost sinks this one, but the script is so bad, there's nothing really for her to do.
Grade : 4/10
One Eight Seven (1997) , Kevin Reynolds - A way underrated and powerful high school drama about a teacher played magnificently by Jackson flew in under the radar, and should be seen by many more. The tension builds up all the way to the brilliant ending in something that could've gone terribly wrong in the wrong hands.
Grade : 9/10
Jackie Brown (1997) , Quentin Tarantino - Tarantino's weakest is in no way bad, and improved clearly with second viewing. None of the actors are especially great, but no bad acting occurs here. The expectations have gone lower since the premiere and it's now much more enjoyable.
Grade : 8/10
Sphere (1998), Barry Levinson -A very disappointing adaptation of a great suspensful novel falls flat and even a quite a good cast doesn't seem to know what's happening. Could've been so much better.
Grade : 5/10
The Negotiator (1998), F. Gary Gray - Two great actors play beautifully off each other saving this otherwise non original story about a desperate man who takes hostages to prove his innocense. Now, that's great entertainment.
Grade : 8/10
Deep Blue Sea (1999), Renny Harlin - Fun. Sharks go out of control and try to eat a bunch of people who are trapped in a sealed area in the middle of a storm. Don't think, just watch. It's fun.
Grade : 7/10
Shaft (2000), John Singleton - Jackson is Mister Cool, and it's proved here yet again. The stellar cast (except maybe for Busta Rhymes) can't quite push this to the level of the original, but it's in no way bad.
Grade : 7/10
Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan - Exceeding his much applauded The Sixth Sense, this is much slower and leaves the ghosts alone. Jackson portrays Mr. Glass in an awesome way, while Bruce Willis is not bad himself. The ending blew me away, supporting the story much better than that of The Sixth Sense.
Grade : 9/10
That's all that I've seen recently, that had Jackson in a somewhat significant role.
[This message has been edited by arto_j (edited 07-09-2002).]
[This message has been edited by arto_j (edited 07-09-2002).]