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Babe the Pig: [ James Cromwell ] Pork is bad for you. Even if you're just watching it. Highly overrated. 1995.
Baby Boom: [ Diane Keaton, Sam Shepard, Harold Ramis ] See Ghostbuster Harold Ramis with a mud mask. See SNL-alum Victoria Jackson topless in a tub. Other than that, it's predictable baby antics. Would make a torturous double-feature with Three Men & A Baby. 1987.
Back to the Future: [ Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd ] The definitive '80's film experience: Michael J. Fox at peak popularity, Calvin Klein underwear, Reagan references and Huey Lewis music in spades. This is one time travel movie that doesn't make your brain hurt (which can't be said for Crispin Glover.) 1985.
Backbeat: [ Sheryl Lee, Steven Dorff, Ian Hart ] Righteous portrayal of the early days of the Beatles gets back to where they once belonged. Paul fans may be chafed by the focus on John and original bassist Stu Sutcliffe. Early sound is reproduced flawlessly for authentic soundtrack. 1994.
Backdraft: [ Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro ] Kickin' movie from Ron Howard with thin character development but major-league effects and explosive cast. Endorsed by Chicago Fire Fighters League. 1991.
Bad Girls: [ Andie MacDowell, Madeleine Stowe, Drew Barrymore ] Yawn. With a title like Bad Girls the review writes itself. 1994.
Bambi: [ Animated ] Magnificent Disney feature focuses on cute deer and all his woodland buddies. Forever changed popular opinion of venison as an entree. 1942.
Barbarella: [ Jane Fonda, John Phillip Law, David Hemmings ] Sci-fi cornball with Henry's daughter bearing it all. Based on a French comic book; that oughta tellya something. Offers occasional camp value. 1968.
Barton Fink: [ John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner ] The Coen bros at their oddest, bringing us a warped tale of writer's block. Goodman and Lerner are tremendous (and we're not just talking weight.) 1991.
Basket Case: [ Kevin Van Hentenryck, Annie Ross ] Wow! Totally original low-budget horror flick. And you can't say that very often. You just won't believe Belial...and I don't be lyin'. Spawned two sequels. 1982.
Battleship Potemkin: [ Alexander Antonov, Vladimir Barsky ] Director Sergei Eisenstein virtually invented film editing with this seminal motion picture about the Russian revolution. Good prints on video are hard to find, but, if nothing else, film buffs will be rewarded by a chance to see the incredible and often copied "Odessa Steps" sequence. 1925.
Beastmaster: [ Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts ] Hapless nonsense about a buff Dr. Doolittle and his scantily clad ex-Angel sidekick. Must be Ted Turner's favorite film (as evidenced by its perpetual presence on TBS and TNT.) 1982.
The Birds: [ Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy ] Wooden performance by Taylor and head-scratching script keep it from being perfect, but this Hitchcock effort features astonishing special effects and true frights. Eery ending tops off a humdinger of a movie. 1963.
Birdy: [ Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage ] Vietnam vets grapple with post-war scarring. Early acting virtuosity from future stars Cage and Modine, with music by Peter Gabriel. 1984.
Blood Simple: [ John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya ] The first feature from the brothers Coen is a stunning example of ballsy, bloody, low-budget movie work. The kind of flick that you just sit back and inhale. 1985.
Blue Velvet: [ Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rossellini ] Don't go trick or treating at David Lynch's house. No telling what would end up in your bag. Bobbing and weaving plot is the apple, moody visuals are the stick, and creepy Hopper performance is the caramel. Miraculously, this sickly sweet treat was a hit. 1986.
Boomerang: [ Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Robin Givens ] Murphy reinvents himself as a romantic leading man, and simultaneously energizes his career. Great supporting cast features hilarity from Eartha Kitt, Grace Jones, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and David Alan Grier. Delivered by House Party team the Hudlin brothers. 1992.

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