Joseph Ruben Archives

Dreamscape (1984)

Rating: ★★

Jul 18, 2000Psychic Dream Therapists-Assassins

The original version of Inception almost, featuring psychics entering into people's dreams and then attempts to dream assassinate the US President. Despite much promise, the idea is prosaic in its handling

Director: Joseph Ruben

Actors: Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, Max Von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, …

Category: Science Fiction

18 July 200025 January 2026 by Roog

The Stepfather (1987)

Rating: ★★★★

Nov 28, 2004Psycho Stepfather

Great psycho-thriller with Terry O'Quinn as a man determined to marry into the perfect family who then slaughters the family when they fail to meet expectations. This digs into 80s Family Values with scabrous regard

Director: Joseph Ruben

Actors: Terry O'Quinn, Shelley Hack, Jill Schoelen, Stephen Shellen

Category: Horror

28 November 200411 June 2020 by Roog

Sleeping With the Enemy (1991)

Rating: ★★★

Mar 21, 2018Abusive Husband Psycho-Thriller

Julia Roberts plays a wife fleeing from an abusive and psychopathic husband (a darkly urbane Patrick Bergin in a quite demoniac performance) in this psycho-thriller that was a considerable hit in its day. Slick and beautifully photographed, this sustains a commendable head of tension

Director: Joseph Ruben

Actors: Julia Roberts, Patrick Bergin, Kevin Anderson, Kyle Secor, …

Category: Horror

21 March 201828 March 2020 by Roog

The Good Son (1993)

Rating: ★★

Apr 8, 2001Psycho Child

A variant on the evil child psycho-thriller, this seems set up specifically to allow Macaulay Culkin, the obnoxious cute kid from Home Alone, to trash his wholesome image

Director: Joseph Ruben

Actors: Macaulay Culkin, Elijah Wood, Wendy Crewson, Daniel Hugh-Kelly, …

Category: Horror

8 April 200113 May 2021 by Roog

The Forgotten (2004)

Rating: ★★★

Nov 8, 2004Erased Memories

Julianne Moore discovers her late son has been erased from photos and people's memories eventually leading her to an explanation involving mysterious aliens

Director: Joseph Ruben

Actors: Julianne Moore, Gary Sinise, Dominic West, Alfre Woodard, …

Category: Science Fiction

8 November 200425 October 2025 by Roog