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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

Angels & Demons (2009)

The sequel to The Da Vinci Code is, confusingly, based off of the first book in the series, with a byproduct not common of genres sequels:

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

Captain Phillips (2013)

Captain Phillips’ biggest strength — beyond even its technical competence and almost unceasing tension — is the tightrope it walks with the Somali pirates.

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

The Polar Express (2004)

It’s one thing to be ugly. Plenty of decent movies aren’t all that great to look at.

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

Philadelphia (1993)

Philadelphia is pretty much the best-case scenario for an Oscar-bait film: A movie, beneath its preachiness, that is beautiful, lovingly-made, and deeply-felt.

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Legacy Revision Candidate Review

Radio Flyer (1992)

Rose-tinted nostalgia shouldn’t be that difficult to nail: Find a non-horrible kid actor; pipe in a soundtrack of retro jams; spin some episodic coming-of-age shenanigans with a few “that wouldn’t fly today!” twists; and bring it home with a treacly voiceover about the “good ‘ol days.” Bam! Thumbs up!

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

A League of Their Own (1992)

A League of Their Own is pretty close to the best possible version of itself: It is well-cast and well-directed. The lines are impeccably delivered. The tone is a just-right blend of cynical, smart, and sweet. It’s a big meal of comfort food even if it never quite ascends into greatness.

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

Punchline (1988)

Buried early in Tom Hanks’ filmography is a a light drama about comedians with broken personal lives.

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

Turner & Hooch (1989)

Sometimes it’s a relief to watch a movie that’s exactly what it says on the tin.

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Review Legacy Revision Candidate

Volunteers (1985)

Back before Hollywood had properly figured out the Tom Hanks everyman persona, Volunteers provided a goofy little lark where Hanks plays a totally different type of protagonist.

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Legacy Revision Candidate Review

Mazes and Monsters (1982)

Of all the moral panics from the last half century, Dungeons and Dragons is one of the most inexplicable to me.