Film Reviews

Kenneth Branagh's Dead Again is a stylish, twist-laden neo-noir thriller that doubles as a Gothic romance, drawing on classic Hollywood influences while showcasing Branagh’s flair for ambitious storytelling. Combining reincarnation, murder, mistaken identity, and fate, the film straddles genres and eras, delivering a visually arresting and emotionally satisfying mystery that feels both old-fashioned and fresh.

Kenneth Branagh’s 1993 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a joyous, sun-drenched celebration of language, wit, and romance. Bursting with energy, humor, and visual splendor, the film manages to remain faithful to the Bard’s text while also making it accessible to modern audiences. It is one of the finest Shakespearean adaptations committed to film—brimming with verve, intelligently cast, and masterfully directed.

Barton Fink, the surreal and haunting 1991 film by Joel and Ethan Coen, is a genre-defying work that blends dark comedy, psychological horror, satire, and metaphysical drama into one of the brothers’ most enigmatic and compelling creations.

The Iron Giant, directed by Brad Bird in his feature film debut, is one of the most emotionally resonant and artistically accomplished animated films of the 1990s. Released in 1999 by Warner Bros., the film is a stirring blend of science fiction, Cold War-era paranoia, and heartfelt storytelling. Though it initially struggled at the box office, The Iron Giant has since earned its rightful place as a modern animated classic, beloved for its sincerity, artistry, and powerful me

Falling Down, directed by Joel Schumacher and released in 1993, is one of the most provocative and polarizing films of the 1990s. With its blend of dark satire, social commentary, and psychological drama, the film offers a disturbing yet compelling portrait of urban alienation and middle-class rage.

In the Line of Fire, directed by Wolfgang Petersen, is a gripping political thriller that combines taut suspense, character depth, and old-school star power. Released in 1993, the film is a showcase for Clint Eastwood, who delivers one of his most compelling performances of the decade, portraying a flawed yet determined Secret Service agent haunted by past failure.

Groundhog Day, directed by Harold Ramis and released in 1993, is more than just a quirky time-loop comedy—it’s a deeply philosophical and emotionally resonant film that has only grown in stature and relevance over the years. Blending romantic comedy, metaphysical inquiry, and character study, the film is a triumph of smart writing, impeccable direction, and one of Bill Murray’s finest performances.

Crude, outrageous, and defiantly hilarious, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is everything its title suggests and more. Released in 1999, this feature-length adaptation of the infamous animated TV series pushes boundaries with gleeful abandon.

Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet (1996) is a landmark in Shakespearean cinema. A four-hour epic that adapts the full, unabridged text of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy, this version is as ambitious as it is sumptuous.

Toy Story 2 is a rare sequel that not only lives up to the original—it arguably surpasses it. Released in 1999, four years after Pixar's groundbreaking Toy Story, this follow-up expands the universe with emotional depth, character development, and dazzling animation that reflects the studio's rapidly evolving capabilities. Directed once again by John Lasseter, the film proves that animated storytelling can be as poignant, witty, and sophisticated as any live-action film.

True Lies (1994) is a gleefully over-the-top action-comedy that combines the explosive spectacle of James Cameron’s blockbuster sensibilities with a playful domestic farce. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a James Bond-style super-spy with a suburban alter ego, the film is equal parts high-octane thriller and screwball comedy.

Elegant, haunting, and psychologically complex, The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) is a chilling exploration of identity, obsession, and moral ambiguity. Directed by Anthony Minghella and adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel, the film is both a sun-drenched European travelogue and a deeply unsettling psychological thriller.

Reuniting director John McTiernan with star Bruce Willis, this third entry in the franchise reinvents the formula as a gritty, high-octane urban action-thriller set across the sprawling chaos of New York City. With razor-sharp pacing, explosive set-pieces, and the electric chemistry between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, Die Hard with a Vengeance is not just a worthy sequel—it’s arguably the most ambitious film in the series.

Martin Scorsese’s 1991 remake of Cape Fear is a brooding, nightmarish psychological thriller that transforms the classic 1962 film into something more visceral, provocative, and morally complex. With powerhouse performances—especially from a terrifying Robert De Niro—and stylish, Hitchcockian direction, Scorsese reinvents the material as a gothic tale of vengeance, guilt, and family disintegration. It’s a film that simmers with menace, pushing the boundaries of suspense and m

In the Name of the Father is a powerful, emotionally charged courtroom drama and political thriller that dramatises the real-life miscarriage of justice involving the “Guildford Four.” Released in 1993 and directed by Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, The Field), the film stars Daniel Day-Lewis in one of his most impassioned performances as Gerry Conlon, a man wrongly imprisoned for an IRA bombing he did not commit.

Released in 1995, Casino marks another towering achievement in the crime genre by director Martin Scorsese. Based on the non-fiction book Casino: Love and Honour in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi (who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese), the film offers a blistering, operatic chronicle of greed, ambition, betrayal, and the slow decay of organised crime’s influence in Las Vegas.

Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, Disney’s The Lion King (1994) is a landmark in animated filmmaking—an emotionally rich, visually stunning, and musically unforgettable tale of loss, growth, and redemption.

Tim Burton’s Ed Wood is a beautifully strange and unexpectedly poignant black-and-white biopic that tells the story of Edward D. Wood Jr., the eccentric filmmaker often labelled “the worst director of all time.” Far from mocking its subject, Burton’s film is a tender, lovingly crafted tribute to artistic passion, no matter how misdirected it might be.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights is a kaleidoscopic, exhilarating, and ultimately tragic chronicle of the 1970s porn industry, told through the eyes of a naive young man who finds stardom—and later collapse—in the adult film world.

Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting is a visceral, electrifying plunge into the lives of heroin addicts in 1980s Edinburgh—a cinematic bullet train fueled by nihilism, dark comedy, and manic energy. Adapted from Irvine Welsh’s cult novel, the 1996 film is not merely about drug use; it’s about escape, identity, friendship, and the painful search for purpose in a world stripped of opportunity.