In his review for the Washington Post, Desson Howe praised the Coens and " their inspired, absurdist taste for weird, peculiar Americana – but a sort of neo-Americana that is entirely invented – the Coens have defined and mastered their own bizarre subgenre.

In the Washington Post, Desson Howe praised Natalie Portman's performance: " As a self-described ' old soul ' who connects spiritually with Hutton ( they're both existential searchers ), she's the movie's most poignant and witty presence ".

Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle gave the film three stars, stating " These actors all create riveting snapshots of oddballs in action ," but also noting the film has a " rambling storyline ". 1 These same characteristics that were praised in positive reviews were the same ones panned in negative ones, such as Desson Howe of The Washington Post who states: " After the characters have taken up most of the movie airing their idiosyncrasies, they undergo melodramatic fates that reveal little more than Antin's recession of an imagination.

In his review for the Washington Post, Desson Howe wrote, " although this Walt Disney movie is based, inspired and even partially informed by a real event referred to as Pearl Harbor, the movie is actually based on the movies Top Gun, Titanic and Saving Private Ryan.

Washington Post critic Desson Howe gave a generally negative review of the movie, writing that it " gets bogged down in sentimentality, while its wheels spin futilely in life-solving overdrive.

Desson Howe, writing for The Washington Posts Weekend section, said that " the Klingons ' spilled blood floats in the air in eerily beautiful purplish globules ; it's space-age Sam Peckinpah.

The film opened to mixed or average reviews the Chicago Sun-Times, Variety, and Desson Howe / Thomson of the Washington Post praised the film.

In his review for the Washington Post Desson Howe wrote, " it's a triumph of technology over storytelling and the actors ' craft.

Desson Howe of The Washington Post praised the film's avoidance of cliches, noting that it is " refreshingly free of manipulative scenes involving running bath water, jagged-edge cutlery and bunnies in the saucepan ".

In his review for the Washington Post, Desson Howe wrote, " By aiming specifically – and accurately – at characters in their twenties, debuting screenwriter Helen Childress and first-time director Stiller achieve something even greater: they encapsulate an era ".

Fellow Washington Post reviewer Desson Howe queered the " perplexing fusion of cartoon and docudrama ..." In his review for Newsweek, David Ansen wrote, " His scenes have no shape, his characters are stick figures, the wit is undergraduate and his soggy set pieces of slow-motion carnage are third-rate Peckinpah imitations.

However, in his review for the Washington Post, Desson Howe wrote, " The movie, which treats you with contempt for even watching it, is a monument to its own lack of imagination.

" In his review for the Washington Post, Desson Howe wrote, " Hot Spot will never go down as timeless, neoclassic noir.

The reviewers at the Washington Post were unimpressed: Rita Kempley called the film " dumber-than-a-bowling-ball " and questioned its mass appeal ; Desson Howe noted that distributor Warner Bros. had made it a " pre-processed legend " regardless of merit.

Desson Howe, in his review for The Washington Post, wrote, " Dazed succeeds on its own terms and reflects American culture so well, it becomes part of it ".

" Washington Post columnist Desson Howe offered similar praise, writing, " It's testament to Jarecki's superbly wrought film that everyone seems to be, simultaneously, morally suspect and strikingly innocent as they relate their stories and assertions ... This is a film about the quagmire of mystery in every human soul.

" Washington Posts Desson Howe thought the film was an earnest but highly predictable effort.

Desson Howe in the Washington Post wrote: " The movie-a reunion of Carnal Knowledge alums Nicholson, director Mike Nichols and cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno-works beautifully when it's rooted in reality, when the Werewolf Thing functions as a multiple metaphor for unleashed-id sexuality and the law of the corporate jungle.

However, in his review for The Washington Post, Desson Howe wrote, " With Boyz n the Hood, Fishburne broke through to the big time.

* Desson Howe

" Desson Howe in the Washington Post wrote that " the man who, among many films, shot Rainer Werner Fassbinder's The Marriage of Maria Braun, Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, James L. Brooks's Broadcast News and Mike Nichols's Working Girl, gives human skin a peachy glow, frames a seduction scene ( involving back-caressing and parted lips ) that's the next best thing to being there and, in what amounts to the visual zenith of the movie, paints a champagne-drinking balcony scene with appropriately moonlit intoxication.

Desson Howe, in the Washington Post, complained that there was " little ' new ' in this film.

" Desson Howe called the Lieutenant " a notch nicer than Satan " in the Washington Post, and he cites Keitel's work as the film's saving grace, " It is only the strength of Keitel's performance that gives his personality human dimension.

Critic Desson Howe liked the look of the film and wrote, " Cinematographer Haskell Wexler etches the characters in dark charcoal against a misty background.

Desson Howe of The Washington Post wrote a mixed review, writing that the film is " beautifully filmed and flashily edited ", but that it " has nothing to offer.

" In his review for The Washington Post, Desson Howe gave the film a favourable review, and said of it " Put Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and James Fox together and you can expect sterling performances ," praising their work in the film.

Desson Thomson from The Washington Post fell in between, saying in a review headlined " Honey, You Could Ask For More " ( a reference to the theme song of the radio show and film ) that while the movie had its strengths, it was weaker than it should have been.

While some critics lauded the casting of Bill Murray as the voice of the title character, Garfield: The Movie met with mostly negative reviews: Manohla Dargis of the Los Angeles Times called it " soulless excuse for entertainment ", while Desson Thomson of The Washington Post said of the film " There's nothing to recommend about this film except its sheer innocuousness ".

Desson Thomson of the Washington Post described the film as " so single-minded in its reach for fantasy, it becomes the genre's evil opposite: banality.

Desson Howe of The Washington Post has said that the film is " a charming children's crusade-a rewarding journey for all ages ".

" Desson Howe wrote: " there is strong reason to watch Love Field simply for Pfeiffer.

" In addition, Desson Thomson, writing in The Washington Post, called the film a " satisfying commercial breakthrough for Coppola ," and praised the cinematography of Vittorio Storaro, as well as the ubiquitous approach for Dean Stockwell's cameo appearance as Howard Hughes.

" Desson Howe writing for The Washington Post said that " at best, the movie comes across as a competently assembled job, a wistful tribute to its former self.

Critics Rita Kempley and Desson Howe of the Washington Post also spoke positively of the film, citing the three main characters ' comical rap, the race for Peter to stop the wedding, and the relationship between Peter and Miss Lomax as the movie's most enjoyable scenes for anyone watching, although Howe also criticized the relationship between Peter and Lomax, claiming Ted Danson and Steve Guttenburg were overshadowed for the remainder of the film.

" Desson Thompson of the Washington Post was more critical ; his comment about the character's " pronounced limp " was that " Cruz ( hardly the world's greatest actress ) can't even perform without looking fake.

Desson Thomson, writing in The Washington Post, explained " Rob Reiner's similar fairytale adventure The Princess Bride ( which Willow cinematographer Adrian Biddle also shot ) managed to evoke volumes more without razzle-dazzle.

Desson Thomson of The Washington Post found contemporary homages to The Elephant Man, Brothers Grimm stories and The Ugly Duckling.

" Desson Thomson of The Washington Post enjoyed stylistic features in common with Oscar Wilde, German Expressionism, the Brothers Grimm and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

" Desson Thomson says " there is more to Fahrenheit 9 / 11 than partisan ridicule.

Doctor Who: The Television Companion ( by Howe and Walker, BBC Publishing, 1998 ) quotes a contemporary review ( from a fanzine ) that describes the dinosaur special effects thus: " After escaping they Doctor and Sarah came up against the first dinosaur and, oh dear, shades of Basil Brush!

TV Guides review notes " The fight sequences, in particular, brought a kind of realism to the genre that had never before existed ( James Wong Howe wore skates and rolled around the ring shooting the fight scenes with a hand-held camera ).

The magazine's regular features for much of its run included a News section written by Jones, an item called The Pitt of Horror by Pitt, a book review section by Howe, an Opinion column by Newman and an end-of-magazine film analysis called The Fright of Your Life ' by Rigby '.

Starbursts review sections were edited by notable writers and reviewers such as Alan Jones ( films ) and David J. Howe ( books ), and, for several years, the magazine also carried a column by the late writer John Brosnan.