KUDOS: Movies You Should RENT

...if You Want to Get Your Money’s Worth.

This list is old, but good movies are good movies, no matter how old they are.


Disclosure—(Drama)
Interesting from the first frame, with a new twist on a common situation in the world of computers and corporate America.

Starring Michael Douglas and Demi Moore.







Grand Tour: Disaster in Time—(Drama)
This is one of those Sleeper Movies that few people seem to know about, but everyone most would probably enjoy. A young widower rebuilds his life with his daughter by opening a boarding house. Odd guests turn out to be menacing time-travelers, and their presence forces the young widower to face and conquer his fears. Excellent writing, and characters you can care about.

Starring Jeff Daniels.



Speed—(Action/Adventure) Appropriate title for a non-stop thriller about a bus load of people riding a bomb set to go off if the bus drops below a certain speed. Guaranteed edge-of-your-seat action.

Starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.








Mother’s Boys—(Suspense) The prodigal mother returns, expecting her abandoned husband and children to welcome her with open arms. A chilling performance by Jamie Lee Curtis, and her best role to date.

Stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Peter Gallagher, Joanne Whalley, Vanessa Redgrave, Luke Edwards.




Powder—(Drama) Okay, perhaps it’s not the most original premise: the outcast who only wants to be left alone; the underdog who suffers and those inflicting the wounds come to realize the error of their ways, and then the outcast/ underdog rides off into the sunset. But it’s a fresher rendition of the story, and it’s messages are on several different levels, the deeper of which is fairly sobering.

Starring Sean Patrick Flannery and Mary Steenburgen.




Delores Claiborne—(Drama) A realistic portrayal of long-term abuse and the human spirit, with a dash of desperation and weakness thrown in. A triumph for Stephen King, surprisingly free of the macabre, and a testimony to King’s ability to write for a genre he all too often avoids.

Stars James Caan and Kathy Bates (who deserves an Oscar for her part).




Crimes of the Heart—(Comedy)
The proverbial star-studded cast. Richly-drawn characterizations of three Southern sisters, who each have their collection of demons to deal with. One is constantly on the verge of suicide, but comically unable to be successful at it, one is foot-loose-and-fancy-free to the point of distraction, the other is staid and neurotic. There are some very memorable comedic scenes in this one.

Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Tess Harper.

Breakdown—(Action/Drama)
As comedian Judy Tenuda would say, “It could happen!” But there’s nothing funny about this situation. A young married couple are relocating, and on their road trip, they have car trouble, and come across a trucker who offers to give the wife a ride up the road to call for help. When the husband can’t find his wife, and no one wants to cooperate, the situation goes from bad to worse. Engaging and exciting from start to finish.

Stars Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan.



AirForce One—(Drama/Suspense)
What if the President's plane was hijacked? And what if the President was a medal-winning veteran?And what if the President got to be the hero? Great scenario, tight, suspenseful writing, solid acting—and the dialogue is refreshingly light on profanity. Compare that to most movies in this category, and the list would come up short, with this one at the top.

Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson, Liesel Matthews.




A Perfect Murder—(Suspense)
Corporate mogul with a heart of stone wants his wife dead. And although she is being unfaithful, it's completely understandable. So, while the husband uses blackmail and offers big bucks to his wife's lover to kill her, and plans her demise to the last detail, as usual, nothing ever goes as planned. Based on the classic "Dial M for Murder." Plenty of twists and turns, tight writing, excellent performances and totally satisfying.

Starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow.


A League of Their Own—(Drama/Comedy)
A wonderfully entertaining and moving story of a washed-up major-leaguer who coaches a women's baseball team during World War II. With a cast that includes Tom Hanks, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell and Geena Davis , it's a quality film that stays in your memory.




Hard Rain— (Adventure)
Open the sky and let the rain flood a town, add a corrupt sheriff's office, a few thieves, and an armored truck with a newly hired guard, and you have an exciting premise that keeps you interested from first frame to last.

Stars Christian Slater, Morgan Freeman and Randy Quaid.





Michael—(Comedy)
The archangel comes down to earth and IS down-to-earth; perhaps a bit more than we could have imagined. One look at this heavenly Messenger munching corn flakes garnished with a pound of sugar, milk dripping down his chin, and you know this is going to be a different take on what angels are all about.

John Travolta, Andie MacDowell and William Hurt.





City of Angels—(Romantic Drama)
Another of the celestial-motif films, only this time, the theme is more serious. An angel falls for a mortal and has to make that age-old choice between who he is and who he wants to be. Very touching and memorable.

Stars Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan.






Bound —(Suspense)
When a lesbian ex-con crosses paths with a mobster's girlfriend, the result is a plot to steal money from the mob, and some rather intense love scenes. This is a brave movie that is darkly entertaining and plot-driven, and memorable and engaging, if you can get past Jennifer Tilly's overly-breathy delivery of every line. I think the movie would have been even better, had they cast a different actress in her role. As far as language, it's positively blue, which i wish it wasn't, but the movie itself was worth watching, even when you have to overlook the plentiful profanities.

Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly and Joe Pantoliano star.



Holy-Man— (Comedy)
Honestly, i was afraid this one would be a loser, but i was more than pleasantly surprised. An unlikely guru wreaks havoc on a failing home shopping channel, and teaches everyone a little something about spiritual maturity. Outstanding performance by Eddie Murphy, and the reliable and endearing Jeff Goldblum.





Saving Private Ryan(Drama) This one has the proverbial star-studded cast, and one cast member is now a star in his own right, but was relatively unknown in this movie--Matt Damon, who played the title character. What can i say that hasn't been said? This movie is not for the faint-of-heart, but it is a Spielberg masterpiece, and completely believable.

Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Jeremy Davies, Matt Damon, Ted Danson, Paul Giamatti, Dennis Farina.