Movie Gazette

Reviews Featuring Eddie Murphy

I Spy
I Spy with my little eye something beginning with "D". "Distinctly average movie".

Beverly Hills Cop
The definitive Eddie Murphy movie.

Beverly Hills Cop II
Axel Foley’s charm bypass results in a follow-up that fails to capture the imagination.

Beverly Hills Cop III
A strangely-timed and ill-conceived addition to a franchise that had already had it’s day. It’s little other than a vehicle for kick-starting Eddie Murphy’s career, but doesn’t work. Thankfully, Murphy recovered to do a bit better with the likes of "The Nutty Professor", "Bowfinger" and "Shrek".

Beverly Hills Cop Collection
As a boxed set "Beverly Hills Cop Collection" isn’t up to much – the sequels are poor and only the original movie gets the adrenalin pumping. The only way to escape being left with a tainted memory of Axel Foley is to watch the first one and give the other two a wide berth – so save yourself a bit of money while you’re at it and buy "Beverly Hills Cop" on its own. It’s a classic, but it’s the only one.

The Nutty Professor
An occasionally silly but often witty remake with plenty of crude humour.

The Golden Child
Nowhere near as bad as it's regularly made out to be, and arriving at a time when Murphy was still at his peak, "The Golden Child" makes for fun, easy-going viewing.

Harlem Nights
Extremely impressively put together, but cripplingly unfunny and at times verging on offensive.

Coming To America
A charming, polished and original comedy featuring a great performance from Murphy and some memorable laughs.

Daddy Day Care
Low quality family comedy minus the laughs.

I Spy
Fairly typical lightweight Eddie Murphy fare that fails to capture the sparkle of his early work. Funny in parts, and with occasionally good action, the film makes for a reasonably entertaining diversion.

Shrek
Entertaining and at times hilarious, this is one of the best modern day animated features around.

Trading Places
A rare chance to see some of the US’s better comedy performers, each of them on top form, thrown together in one very funny and entertaining movie.

48 Hrs.
Outdated, offensive, and not remotely funny – give this one a wide berth.

Another 48 Hrs
With its unfathomable storyline, lazy script, thoroughly dislikeable characters and half-hearted performances, this is one you can definitely afford to miss.

Showtime
Why oh why do you do it, Robert?

Bowfinger
A return to the comedic glory days of Messrs Martin and Murphy – or pretty close, at least.

The Haunted Mansion
A bit like one of its ghostly inhabitants, 'The Haunted Mansion' is impressive enough to look at, but lacks any real substance or vital pulse.

Shrek 2
Not quite as good as the first one, but guaranteed to make you smile, smile, smile all the way home.

Mulan
Talking dragon or not, the sparkle’s missing from this middle-ranking Disney effort.

News Items For Eddie Murphy

Salinger letters shine light on a recluse
A collection of previously unseen letters by author JD Salinger, who died in January, go on show at a New York museum.

Lewis Hamilton profile
A profile of the 2008 world champion as he takes on Jenson Button as his new team-mate

New 3D Shrek film to open Tribeca
The new Shrek movie will open this year's Tribeca Film festival in New York, it is announced.

Transformers leads Razzie contest
The Transformers sequel and Land of the Lost are tying for nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards, which mark the worst in movies

Mel B to host dance TV show in US
Former Spice Girl Mel Brown is lined up to host a dance and weight-loss show on US TV.

News feed from BBC News
BBC News for Eddie Murphy