Previous Monitor Movie Guides
Aside from one big, fat surprise, the year marched along predictably from superhero in training to Jedi in training to wizard in training. Enjoyable? Absolutely. But we're all still waiting for the big finish - for the king to return, the Jedi to succumb to the dark side, Harry to graduate from Hogwarts - and it feels as if moviegoers are still waiting for the lights to come up.
OK, so 2001 wasn't Hollywood's finest 365 days. But fantasy films flew high, led by that young wizard-in-training 'Harry Potter.' 'Shrek' and 'The Lord of the Rings' took us to other otherworldly places. 'Pearl Harbor' provided old-fashioned spectacle and romance. And small-budget and foreign films added richness to the mix.
It was a topsy-turvy, up-and-down kind of movie year. That's one thing that we can all agree on. And it's going to be a real nail-biter come Oscar-time, because it's so difficult to pick a clear winner this year. It's simply too close to call.
'Toy Story 2,' 'Stuart Little,' and 'The Green Mile' are among the favorite films this holiday season, but what about the rest of the year? Aside from reviewing almost every 1999 release, this guide is full of features like the family films, the results of our reader-favorites poll, and the surprise hits. So, sit back and enjoy our feature presentation ...
Right this way for the best seats in the house... Need a reminder whether that summer blockbuster was a hit or a miss? Should you rent that intriguing independent film that never made it to your local cineplex? Let the Monitor Mega Movie Guide give you a hand. Inside you'll find nearly every 1998 release reviewed and rated by critic David Sterritt and a staff panel.
Dinosaurs, aliens, '70s nostalgia trips, big ships, and lavish sequels were all cinematic themes of 1997. If this is news to you, it may be time to look back.
It's that time of year again. Movie critics from coast to coast are sizing up the year's entertainment, winnowing their favorites for proverbial Top Ten lists. Filmmakers and advertisers are positioning their flicks for the Oscar race. And we at the Monitor have had our eyes on the big screen, too. Last year's Annual Movie Guide was such a success we are delivering it again.