Sophie Marceau

Gibson plays Scottish hero William Wallace, a Scotsman with simple roots who finds himself thrust into a role as leader of the Scottish revolt against England in the late 13th century. After the despicable King Edward the Longshanks (Edward I) decrees that English nobles will have the right to sexual relations with all newly-wed Scottish women, the revolution is set in motion. Wallace takes up the cause, only to find himself facing incredible odds against a superior English army and fighting Scottish nobles who want to negotiate peace instead of fight. In fact, it's the nobles who turn out to be the bigger obstacle.

Continue reading: Braveheart Review

The honeymoon is over for Pierce Brosnan's incarnation of James Bond.

Just as Brosnan has begun to clearly distinguish his own bent on the character -- less loquacious than his predecessors, with an artful but well-bred smirk, quick to resort to lethal measures, yet an acute vulnerability when it comes to his bed mates -- most everything else that made the 1990s 007 renaissance such a smartly balanced mix of classic Bond and modern action has already been turned into a tired, caricature-like shadow of itself in "The World Is Not Enough."

The new, sassy and independent Miss Moneypenny (Samatha Bond) has been relegated back to desk duty and her banter reduced to a routine of spiritless double-entendres. Coming off her "Shakespeare In Love" Oscar win, Judi Dench's delightfully dour M has been laboriously humanized, given a conscience that doesn't suit her.

Continue reading: The World Is Not Enough Review

I've always seen "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as one of Shakespeare's daffier comedies -- what with the fairies and all -- so this film version, adapted by director Michael Hoffman ("One Fine Day," "Restoration"), came as something of a surprise because it takes itself so seriously.

Hoffman seems to hold the Bard's less jestful observations on amour ("The course of true love never did run smooth") in higher regard than his saucy slapstick of miscommunication.

The laughs are definitely present, but they're subdued as two pairs of young sweethearts steal away into the forest (of 19th Century Tuscany in this adaptation) trying to escape the consequences of an arranged marriage, and rush headlong and unknowingly into the domain of impishly interfering immortals.

Continue reading: A Midsummer Night's Dream Review

After wishing I could claw my eyes out through "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and now "Alex and Emma" -- the two worst romantic comedies of the year to say the very least -- if I never see another Kate Hudson movie it will be too soon.

The bland but likable young actress has made nothing but stinkers since showing early promise as a slapstick comedienne in "200 Cigarettes" and playing a hesitant bride-to-be in "Dr. T and the Women" before peaking in 2000's "Almost Famous," starring as a rock-band groupie with a heart of gold. But in 2003, she's played two insufferable, irritating-passing-as-cute romantic leads in a row, in two insufferably dopey, counter-programming chick flicks.

February's "Lose a Guy" (up against male-targeted blockbusters "Shanghai Knights" and "Daredevil") featured Hudson as a superficial magazine relationship columnist who deliberately sets out to snare a boyfriend then drive him away -- and in the process has the same effect on any viewer without a fortified tolerance for women who act nauseatingly clingy, cutesy-poo and insecure.

Continue reading: Alex & Emma Review