Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

When it comes to reviewing a movie like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the hardest thing to do is to keep expectations intact and not expect a film that will blow Raiders of the Lost Ark out of the water. It has no chance to beat that expectation, and the film will ultimately become a failure with that mindset. You have to look at this film as another one of the sequels, which isn't a knock at the The Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade; on the contrary, they're great films, but this is the caliber you should expect from the fourth installment of a film that hasn't seen a new addition to the franchise since 1989.

With this in mind, does the fourth Indiana Jones film succeed? The answer? An incredibly enthusiastic yes! After 19 years away, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Harrison Ford have recaptured that magic that has made the Indy trilogy so successful and added a worthy sequel that stands right in line with the two sequels. The little Indy quirks are here: the Paramount logo fading into a mountain-like object in the background, Jones's insane phobia of snakes, the flight paths on the background maps, and the numerous references to the first three films. However, and give George Lucas and Steven Spielberg a ton of credit for this, the film is not simply a tribute to the first three films, but an intriguing, fresh story that is unlike any of the other three. This isn't Rocky Balboa where we have the same general story but given a new spin on it. While some fans will be upset about the departure from the familiar, biblical territory the first ones covered, I found it to be great to see a new, original Indy flick instead of a rehashed homage to themes previously seen.

Spielberg seems to have found that pitch perfect balance between action, humor, and humanity that made Raiders so special. This isn't a flat out comedy like Last Crusade seemingly was, though there is still plenty of humorous moments in this film (surprisingly, very few jokes and gags actually fall flat). This isn't two hours of non-stop action, as the film does take its time to establish the plot, detail the archaeological quests, and let us remember why we fell in love with these characters in the first place. In fact, the scenes with Marion Ravenwood and Indy together are gold. Don't get me wrong; a lot of the action is a blast. The car chase scene in the jungle is a great piece of film-making, and the first scene with Mutt Williams and Indy leave a lasting impression. Great action doesn't have to come in newer, advanced looking CGI extravaganzas, as Spielberg proves that traditional action set pieces are still the most entertaining kind there is.

Now, about the cast. The star is aging, the sidekick is from Even Stevens, Karen Allen hasn't been in a big movie in God knows how many years, and, for some reason, people were worried about Cate Blanchett in here role. Well, let me put the concerns to rest: the entire cast is established pitch-perfect chemistry and everybody plays their parts incredibly well. Harrison Ford is, for the first time in a decade, having the time of his life and it shows in his excellent return to the famed American icon. It's no secret that he has been campaigning for this movie for years, and it shows in his strong performance. Karen Allen shares fantastic chemistry with both Shia LaBeouf and Ford, as she provides a lot of the necessary charm to the second act of the film. Blanchett uses a heavily over-the-top Russian accent, but she finds just the right note between creepy and intriguing to make her the best Indy villain since Belloq in Raiders.

The major surprise, however, is indeed Shia LaBeouf. Remember the outstanding chemistry between Sean Connery and Ford in The Last Crusade? The chemistry between LaBeouf and Ford rivals that. He does a great job in this film. The entire cast is good.

A strong story and great performances don't imply that this film isn't flawless. It isn't, but the flaws are few-and-far between and didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of the film. The first 20 minutes are somewhat slow; it takes a little while to get to Marshall College. These first twenty minute aren't necessarily boring; it is still entertaining, but it could have used probably 5 minutes of edits and pacing corrections. This is my biggest problem with the film, and once Indy returns to Marshall College, the film really kicks off and turns into the roller coaster ride that everyone has been hoping for.

So, as you can see, I dug the film. I may have even loved it (repeat viewings should ensure this). It is the Indy film that you've been waiting for since it was announced, and the creative trio have proved that, with the right care and intentions, you can bring an American icon back from the dead and still have him own the competition. This film will go down as a very strong entry into the quartet and fall somewhere in the middle of the two sequels when all is said and done. The Indy film that you've been dreading? Not even close.

Indiana Jones is back.

U2 3D

I will start by saying that I am a little biased in this review because I am a HUGE U2 fan. I have seen this band live and up close many times. They are incredible live, no band grabs a hold of an audience the way U2 does.The new 3D film comes as close as possible to showing the viewer what it FEELS like to be at U2 concert. When this film was announced, I was afraid that the film would be a hi tech 3D thrill ride, while it might be cool to look at, the band would be obscured by the 3D theatrics. I was totally wrong! The way that the effect is used take nothing away from the performance. It doesn't feel gimmicky in any way. There are a couple of moments where there are some nice animated 3D graphics but they are used sparingly, but to great effect. The important element of the film of course is the band. U2 is still as passionate as ever, and even thought some critics have turned on them for being TOO BIG, they are as relevant as ever, This band's music has always been wide eyed and bigger than life.This film captures exactly that!My only wish is that so many great songs were left out of the film. U2 is the reason to see this film, not the 3D!

We Own The Night

What a movie! It opens with a stunning, sizzling sexy Eva Mendes scene (a tease). Then a walk through the night club sets a very cool hip vibe for the film. The movie has nothing less than a STELLAR cast! Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall and the smoking hot Mendes, whom I mentioned. Already this is the makings of a must see. Drugs, sex, and parties! Phoenix role is a manager of a successful night club; you'll get an idea of Bobby Greens life. That is, one side. His family, well, they are a family of cops. Imagine how that goes over. Ha. This life has consequences, we soon see tragedy hits close to home. Well the shit hits the fan (so to speak) and Bobby Greens life starts to unravel. He pays costs he never imagined. Revenge is a bitch! And the ending is very great. The movie does drag its feet for a portion through the center. But at just that moment (before the yawn) comes a HUGE surprise and intense sequence will jolt your heart-rate back into action. The conclusion , though not surprising, is satisfying. Overall, it is very much worth watching. Check it out.

Cashback

Shear genius. But more than that this movie, shows us true love and its phenomenal power. I dare you not to gasp at the end of the film as the snow reveals...Ah, no spoilers here. You must see this film if you have ever loved and lost or ever wish to love as truly. I'm not usually the sentimental sort, but the combination of time, passion, love and art come together in this film like no other. Don't bother nit-picking continuity or the usual special-effects issues that accompany scenes where actors have to act as if they're frozen in time and try not move or blink. Instead, allow yourself to be drawn into the narrative and the story he is telling visually. The credits began to roll and I wanted so much more of his world. I'll be watching this movie over and over again

Waitress

What a thoroughly enjoyable movie! It’s a bit quirky and offbeat. Innocence bubbles throughout the film and follows the changes over a year for waitress, Jenna. She bakes pies. She sees life differently but she’s stuck. Her work ethic’s close to a monk’s. She’s lonely. She hands money over to her husband. She hides a little bit for herself to get out of town when she can. But, a pregnancy comes knocking, along with a kind married doctor, and the plan flies further south than she can control. The film’s honest to its characters, moves quickly and provides a few touching moments. One scene in particular is when she asks the jerk of a store manager if he’s happy. His response is simple and told in words that are true for him. The only drawback is the film’s handling of “serious” scenes of her controlling husband riding the edge of physical abuse. They don’t play as well given the wide-eyed tone of the rest of the movie. But then again, maybe that’s the point. The ending is also a bit too neat given the mess of circumstances that come before it. Still, it’s a sweet and pleasingly sentimental movie.

Croupier

Everything you ever wanted to know about the casino business and the people involved in it. And how it can bend and in some ways break an idealistic person like Jack Manfred who just wants to be a writer. This film has a cool feel to it with Clive Owen's portraying Jack Manfred as highly intelligent, not easily rattled, observant, but at the same time detached and emotionally cold man. Living with a girlfriend that admires him and supports him in his pursuit of becoming a writer Jack gets a job at a casino through his dad, an even more emotionally detached and cold man than himself. Having had prior experience working as a croupier in South Africa Jack quickly establishes himself as a valued member of the team. Originally looking at the job as something temporary to help support himself and appease his dad Jack finds himself having to make many ethical choices while being sucked in deeper and deeper into the shadowy world of casinos. The story is very believable and ties in nicely at the end while springing a few surprises along the way. It is one of those films that will leave you thinking about it for a little bit after putting the puzzle of events together in your head after finding out who, where, what and why. I have really enjoyed watching it and would recommend it.

Oceans 13

Ocean's 13: One Number Too Many? Ocean's Thirteen is the third installment in the blockbuster, star studded heist franchise directed by Steve Soderbergh. Starring most all of the casts from the first two films this one centers around a revenge plot against a greedy casino owner who hurts one of Ocean's crew.Acting is up to par for the series, with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Don Cheadel, Al Pacino, Elliot Gould, Bernie Mac, Scott Caan, and Ellen Barkin all putting in their usual acting efforts. Missing this time was Julia Roberts, but with such a large cast of notable names who cares if she stayed home to make babies.The film was down right simple fun ruined by complex and illogical events that stretched the believability factor just too far to compare this one on the same grounds as the previous films. Actually, I found Ocean's 11 to be an overrated showcase of movie stars and wardrobe, yet Ocean's 12 to be the same fun as this installment. Ocean's 13 is a rental that should not disappoint, but I paid theatre price for it and really I will forget the caper within a few days.

Here is one of the reasons I could not 100% enjoy Ocean's 13. They take the quirky heist situation and use methods that were too ridiculous for me to fathom them trying. For example they rent a giant tunneling machine, the same one that made the English channel or something like that. So here they are tunneling under Las Vegas to strike the bottom of a hotel and simulate an Earthquake. They do not show how they got this large tunneling machine underground without anyone noticing, they just cut right to it already being in place. Then on top of that, how did they drive such a large thing under the city of Las Vegas to the center without tearing out all of the pipes and things associated with all of the other businesses? I didn't see them hire any genius diggers or mad scientists for that matter.I had fun watching the movie, but looking back can not justify saying it is a great film by any means. If you just allow yourself to forget any logical reality and let the characters on the screen entertain you then it works, especially if you are a fan of the previous two films. However, if you are someone who cannot suspend reality too long or far when the movie is supposedly set in the "real" world, then you may have more gripes than praise for Ocean's 13.

Alpha Dog

I went into this film very weary about seeing Justin Timberlake in a film. After th film I was very impressed and would definitely see it again and again. The film basically looks at the character Jonny Truelove who is a drug dealer in California. Everything begins to unfold when a deal goes wrong and Jonny is not getting paid. With all his wits and brains working for him Jonny decides to kidnap the kid brother of the guy who owes him money. After the kidnapping occurs Truelove realizes that everything is unraveling and he is obviously losing his control. He puts the kid under the supervision of his partner/best friend Frankie(played by Justin Timberlake). Timberlake takes the kid under his wings and treats him just like he was one of the boys. The kid coming from a disgruntled home situation doesn't want to go home and really doesn't mind the fact that he has been kidnapped. He is having the time of his life with all the partyin, drugs alcohol and beautiful women he could ever want the kid is living it up. The story eventually comes to an end when Truelove decides that the kid must die and he needs his boys to do it. Everyone in Truelove's crew is accused of some form of kidnap or murder and are sentenced to jail. Truelove manages to escape and becomes the youngest man on the FBI's most wanted list he is eventually caught and is awaiting the death penalty in jail. All in all I recommend this film to everyone it is very well done and quite realistic.

Reign Over Me

Reign Over Me is by far Sandler’s best work to date from an acting standpoint. Like Jim Carrey, these dramas struggle to find an audience and in terms of box office receipts are complete failures compared to the blockbuster success the comedies are. If anything give Sandler and Reign Over Me a chance and do not just write it off like other 9/11 movies as this one is more about the effects it has had instead of the actual event.

“Reign Over Me” delivers a heartbreaking story of personal development and the pain of loss with humor, respect and dignity. The performances are subtle yet striking , leaving you with both feelings of comfort and sorrow as you are torn between feeling sorry for a man living with intense pain and wishing he would give in to society’s demands for his well-being. Sandler’s acting is Oscar-worthy to say the least, which could come as a surprise to fans of his wacky comedic roles. Overall, the film weaves an intense tapestry of emotional highs and lows, and will force you to open up your eyes to the world around you and make you realize just how precious life can be.

The supporting cast does an amazing job helping keep up appearances for the two leads. Jada Pinkett Smith has never been an actress that impressed me and throughout the film played the tough as nails wife nicely, but it is her final scene on the phone with Cheadle that really showed me something different and true. Liv Tyler is a bit out of her element as a psychiatrist, but the movie calls her on this fact and makes the miscasting, perfect casting. The many small cameos are also effective, even writer/director Mike Binder's role as Sandler's old best friend and accountant. Last but not least is the beautiful Saffron Burrows. She is a great actress and plays the love-crushed divorcée trying to put her life back together wonderfully. A role that seems comic relief at first, but ends up being an integral aspect for what is to come.

After watching this movie, you would have to say that it would be worthy of Oscar Nominations for Sandler as Best Actor, and Cheadle for Best Supporting Actor.

LOL

I wouldn't tell people "LOL" is a comedy because it's also kind of a drama about young guys who screw up their relationships in the Internet Age. There were a lot of really funny parts that were like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in that squirmy uncomfortable way and that stuff is pretty hilarious like when Joe Swanberg gets caught by his girlfriend on the phone late at night or his friend asking his girlfriend to send sexier camera-phone pictures of herself.

This movie is so true of our society today with falsified internet relationships. So many people try to use the internet as a buffer to who they really are, they want to hide, not showing their true colors. Most never realized they are chasing after a lost cause! The musical score goes perfectly with the footage. Brilliant yet subtle.

Owning Mahowny

This is the true story of the biggest Canadian bank fraud case in Toronto's history. The story is about a compulsive gambler of the worst kind named Dan Mahowny (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Mahowny has just become promoted to being a bank manager and he is very good at his job. Unfortunately, he has access to a million dollar account and dummies up paperwork to get his hands on money to keep gambling. His fiance Belinda (Minnie Driver) knows he goes to the track and bets a little but is unaware of the extent of his problem. He goes to a casino in Atlantic City to bet and the owner Victor Foss (John Hurt) quickly notices him and keeps his eye on him. Lots of questions are being asked as to who this Mahowny really is and they think he's a real high roller. They tempt him with free shows but he says no, he just wants to gamble. They try and give him free drinks and he still says no. Then Foss sends up a prostitute to his free suite and he sends her back. Foss is fascinated by Mahowny and calls him "The Ice Man". But the police have been tapping the line of Mahowny's bookie and they also are trying to figure out where he gets the money. What can you say about Hoffmans performance? In my book Phillip Seymour Hoffman should have been a candidate for an Oscar nomination. Hoffman plays Mahowny exactly the way an obsessive person would. Hoffman rarely even looks at whoever he is communicating with. He seems to be annoyed that he has to stop gambling and talk to people. His whole existence is to gamble. Hoffman throws himself into the role and their is no compassion aimed at his character. Your not suppose to root for him but Hoffman is so compelling to watch that your fascinated by the attention that he has accumulated at the casinos. Hoffman is at the top of his form and even when you see Mahowny at work its just an excuse to try and get more money for his real existence. To gamble. Driver is a terrific actress but aside from some scenes when she confronts her fiance about his problem she seems to be in a role that screamed to be rewritten. Two scenes stick out with Driver, the first is a very symbolic shot of her in Las Vegas looking for Mahowny. She is coming down the escalator to find her fiance. But on the other side of her the escalator has a newly wedded couple on their way up! I thought this symbolized her fate if she continues to have a relationship with him. The other scene is when she finds Mahowny at the poker table and a security guard is about to drag her away for annoying the players. Mahowny barely notices her and its here that Belinda realizes the extent of his problem. Hurt is also good as the fascinated Victor Foss. His character has seen a lot of gamblers with problems before but Mahowny seems to be the king of all of them and its something that he's never seen before, at least not on such an extreme level. While the film is structured adequately, its the performance by Hoffman that really raises this film up a few levels. It's a definite must see.

XX/XY

This film is a breath of fresh air. It is about actual people having believable conversations and making plausible choices. Instead of a glossed over view of love, this movie actually goes into detail and shows both the causes and effects of entering a relationship. It portrays love as something that has an unclear beginning and end, even as something that never really ends at all. This is so refreshing after so many movies where, after love is confessed, the credits roll and happily ever after is the only available option. These characters are often happy in love, but also confused, frightened, desperate, and unsure.

Mark Ruffalo as a guy with, let's call it, "emotional problems." The story focuses on Ruffalo and a three-way relationship he had with two women in his college days. Eventually, his relationship with the two ladies becomes complicated with "feelings" and "emotions" and stuff and falls all apart. Years later, he runs into the one of his old sex-buddies--the one he was closer to--and eventually the three of them becomes friends again. Sort of. Everyone is in separate relationships by this time, so the idea of jump-starting old feelings and relationships becomes complicated. Well, then, of course, all kinds of craziness ensues--and I'll leave that up to you to see for yourself.

Angelo

Irreversible

Film can be a powerful medium and here it uses these extremes to take us to a part of our world and our nature that not everyone wants to see. I had a long think after watching this film and tried to imagine what the outcome would have been like if it had not been told in the unconventional style that it was. I thought "would it not have made the rape scene more powerful and affecting if we had been allowed to know the character and maybe not just see her as some stranger. the conclusion i eventually reached was no mostly because i imagine this as being done in the style of a newspaper article, maybe you hear something of a woman being raped on the news and then you pick up a newspaper and read about her life or how many children she has who have been affected. Presenting it this way at the start you wonder why he wants revenge and then you have all the evidence for it laid out in front of you. This rape scene was hard to stomach purely because of the fixed camera and no cuts, it feel more like the rapist was filming his crime for his own gratification, I felt a huge stir of sadness and sympathy for this woman even though i knew nothing of her, I also felt anger at the man who appears in the distance and just walks away. when the camera did move it was a dizzying unnatural movement that moves in for a close up and should make any decent moral soul turn away in disgust. all too often rape like murder is presented in a stylised shortened way with angles and editing but this is a raw honest portrayal of what I imagine a woman goes through and makes you feel the way it does due to its brutality and length.


This film will leave you disorientated, shaken and maybe a little bit sick. It is most certainly not entertainment, but an experience and like all experiences we can learn from it.

The Legend of 1900

The Legend of 1900 is an epic story of a man who lives his entire life within a ship, but also a story about music, hope, friendship, passion, and despair, and about the fear of facing the unknown.

The story takes place mostly on board of The Virginian, a luxurious ocean-steamer used to take Italian immigrants to New York, and is told through the memories of a trumpet player who is the main character's best friend.

On the first day of 1900, while carefully searching the first class after anything of value, Danny (Bill Nunn), an employee of the ship, finds a newborn baby in a box on the piano. He keeps the boy secretly hidden, and calls him `Danny Boodman TD Lemon Nineteen Hundred', 1900 for short. Eight years later, after Danny's, death, the boy finds the piano and plays incredibly well, much to everyone's amazement, becoming the pianist of the ship.

Several years later Max (Pruitt Taylor Vince) joins the ship's orchestra. On his first night there is a storm and he becomes terribly seasick. 1900 (Tim Roth in a great performance) approaches him and invites him to sit by his side at the piano while he plays. As the waves rock the ship and the piano slides around the ball room, 1900 doesn't even seem to notice and continues to play. They end up crashing into a glass wall and into the Captain's cabin. This is on of the best scenes of the movie, and the beginning of a strong friendship.

Once, while playing the Tarantella for the Italian immigrants, someone spots the Statue of Liberty and they all run to see, leaving 1900 alone. More than once does Max try to convince him to get out of the ship and feel the new experience, but 1900 seems to fear the unknown, and stays inside.

Nineteen Hundred shows an amazing skill in the piano, being able to play any kind of music. His music truly comes from his heart, considering that he has never learnt how to play. While playing in a ball, 1900 suddenly changes the rhythm of the music, according to his impressions on each passenger. He appears to understand everyone's soul.

His fame quickly spreads, and even the father of Jazz, a proud man called Jelly Roll Morton (Clarence Williams III), goes on board to challenge him on the piano. 1900 does not take the challenge seriously at first, but after a while he finally plays with passion, so brilliantly that everyone listens in absolute silence, almost paralyzed, and even the Jazz whiz becomes astonished. It is Max's best scene, as he (who has bet a whole year's salary on his friend 1900) goes from despair to ecstasy.

Because of 1900's refusal in leaving the ship, a recording is planned to take place there. As he plays, he notices a young woman observing him. Inspired by her youth and beauty, he composes the sweetest song ever made, but when told of the success and fame he will surely achieve, 1900 fears the possibility of leaving the ship and decides to keep the record from the world.

Finding himself in love, 1900 becomes determined to offer the record to the girl who inspired it, but fails as she disembarks, leaving him behind. After a long period of loneliness, 1900 announces his decision of leaving the ship, surprising the whole crew, but changes his mind and returns before even touching the ground.

Years pass by. Max leaves the ship and they lose contact. Several years later Max goes into a second hand music store to sell his old trumpet and runs into 1900's record. He becomes aware of the ship's fate: it is ready to be blown up. Max narrates 1900's story as an attempt to save him, for he has no doubt of him still being on the ship. He is finally allowed to search inside The Virginian, and finds his lonely friend there, but is unable to convince him to leave the condemned ship.

The last dialogue is very touching. 1900 tells Max the reason why he never set forth to leave the ship. Opposing the piano, which is a concrete element with a definite size, the land is never-ending. 1900 is afraid of the abstract, of whatever he cannot control. While on the ship there are few options, on the streets there are infinite possibilities, and 1900 finds this insane. Land is a ship too big for him to control. He finally states that, as he doesn't exist to the world, the world will not exist for him. Deeply sad, Max leaves the ship without his friend.

1900 is portrayed by Tim Roth, who fits so well in the character that it is impossible to imagine someone else in his place. 1900 is an enigmatic pianist whose world is the ship where he has always lived. He has a natural and extraordinary talent for music, but is refrained from leaving the ship by an unconscious fear of exploring new horizons. We learn about 1900's legend from his best friend Max, a chubby trumpet player who refuses to accept his reluctance to step in dry land. He constantly brings up the subject, but does not succeed in changing 1900's mind.

The sets and costumes reveal a meticulous reproduction of the beginning of the twentieth century. The music is delightful, and without a doubt the highlight of the movie. The sound effects are perfect, particularly the wind and the waves, sounding like a real ship. The direction also contributed for the great quality of the film: the scenes are harmoniously presented, and it is almost possible to imagine ourselves as one of the immigrants as they see the Statue of Liberty for the first time. In fact, the first scene is a masterpiece, setting the mood for the rest of the movie.

The Legend of 1900 has certainly surpassed my expectations, turning to be an interesting and captivating movie, for what I truly recommend it.

Wings (1927)

This the first movie to win best picture in the Oscars. Wings is a rather overlooked film. It's often thought of as extremely dated, but that seems a silly notion after you've seen it. Wings actually stands as one of the best films made about WWI - the amount of detail that went into the production is astounding. And we see a certain liquid that we wouldn't see again until the 1960s: blood. Not to glorify violence (which the film can probably be accused of doing without any argument coming from this sector), but the level of realism is greatly improved by characters who actually bleed when they get shot. The film is very graphic in the details of the violence of war. The dogfights depicted in the film are remarkable and exciting. At first, the human story seems a little trite. Two men, David and Jack, are in love with the same woman (played by frequent Harold Lloyd co-star Jobyna Ralston). She, however, only loves David, unbeknownst to Jack. Meanwhile, Mary Preston (played by "It" girl Clara Bow) is deeply in love with Jack. David and Jack struggle with the love triangle while they go to war, but are forced into a loving friendship through constant companionship in the air. Mary eventually goes to France to help the soldiers, working as a driver. You can't know how gorgeous Bow is when she's dressed in her uniform. As the film progresses, these characters become fully fleshed and their story is downright powerful by the time Wings ends. There are several scenes that should be remembered as well as any of the silent cinema's other famous moments. Early in the film, David and Jobyna Ralston are on a swing together. The camera actually follows them swinging through an ingenious and absolutely seemless use back projection. When Jack goes on leave in Paris, there is a great shot in a night club where the camera moves forward on tracks and goes between several couples (and through their tables) on its way to a very drunk Jack. There are also a ton of much subtler cinematic miracles happening throughout the film. Do catch this one someday. It's well worth your time.

Angelo

Pirates of the Carribean - Dead Man's Chest

Let me start off by saying how much I loved the first Pirates of the Carribean movie. I enjoyed it. It's not on my list of favorite movies of all time, but I still enjoyed it. Johnny Depp was brilliant, the story was fun, it was immensely entertaining, even Orlando Bloom didn't annoy me as much as he usually does.

It was nowhere near as good as the first movie and relied far too much on special effects and "gross out" moments. Disney made the mistake that studios often make when they have an extreme success with an action movie: they assumed it was the special effects that people liked, not the story or the characters. Where was Captain Jack? The movie was TWO AND A HALF hours long. You think they could have put him in it more, but no. His character was also rather one-dimensional in this film, having hardly any scruples for abandoning his friends and such. The plot was contrived and just plain dumb. Half the time I had no earthly idea what was going on. In fact, I kept poking my wife in the arm and asking, "Wait...what's happening?"

And don't get me started on the villain. He was a freaking OCTOPUS. All the CGI they used for the various undead things looked so cheesy. They weren't frightening in the least. What about Davy Jones's motive? Why did he want Captain Jack's soul so much? I was utterly confused.

Finally, what was UP with the whole romance between Elizabeth and Jack? What about Will? I know any woman in her right mind probably WOULD choose Johnny Depp over Orlando Bloom any day, but this makes the romance between Elizabeth and Will in the first movie pretty pointless. And their romance was most of the PLOT in the first movie.

So, basically, I hated this movie. It wasn't offensively bad, though.

Secretary

The subject matter of this film is not for everyone, and it may take a while for the younger generation to grasp a great deal of it, but if you want to see a young actress display her craft, this is the film to watch.

The film can grab you on several levels, and in my view, a few fall flat. But what is most riveting is the character of Maggie that goes from 'mouse' to 'dominant' thanks to a very unconnected boss played by the wonderful James Spader.

This is just my view: but the way I saw this was that Maggie had a nervous breakdown and was put into a treatment center that didn't treat her. Her family was as dysfunctional as they come (Alcoholic and abusive dad, nervous mom, overachieving beautiful sister who marries an unemployed loser...), and most importantly, Maggie was lost in all of this. Maggie was non-existent in her family. When you're like that, she did what she thought she could do to GAIN attention and that was to hurt herself -- by cutting herself, burning herself.

Maggie gets out of the treatment facility only to come home and be faced with everything that put her in there in the first place. But she takes a community college class in typing and goes out in the world. She lands a job with the strangest boss you can imagine.

What makes this film interesting is that this job and boss becomes the BEST treatment for HER. Maggie finds an inner voice and herself within this strange relationship. No matter how Maggie tries to "fit in" with the normal route (She does acquire a boyfriend, and they kinda plan marriage), it's this secretary and boss arrangement that IS Maggie's destiny..as well as her boss's.

To be honest, this is also a look into 'dominance' and 'submissive' play in a relationship that transcends the bedroom -- it shows in the daily boss/secretary working relationship which by all accounts is taboo. That's another factor of this movie that keeps your interest on some level -- and that level is all dependent upon how open your mind can be.

But enough about that, the wonderful thing about this film is Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance and James Spader's performance. Excellent on both accounts, they make this so-so story watchable.

Good Night and Good Luck

Let me start by saying this was a briskly paced, well acted serious movie which does a superb job in showing the events following Edward Murrow's decision to take on the red scare crusade being led by Senator McCarthy. David Straithairn does a fantastic job in portraying the stoic, courageous, and fiercely independent Edward Murrow.

The problem with the film is it too narrowly focuses on these events. It never makes clear why living in America in this time period was so wrought with fear over communist infiltration and how a man like McCarthy was able to gain such a stranglehold on the American people. As seen here our only understanding of the fear and power his committee hearings held is in the CBS owner growling, "This could be bring down my whole company" and CBS lawyers interviewing Murrow's news team for communist ties.

It is a great failing of this film that it seems so perfectly logical for Murrow to bring McCarthy down. One never appreciates the great amount of courage Murrow had to muster to take McCarthy on and that is truly a shame. A young audience member who watches this film will not come away understanding how out of control the fear of communism had become in this county and the civil liberties that were being violated for hundreds of "alleged" communist sympathizers.

A History of Violence - R

This is such a disgrace for a great actor like Viggo to be seen in. To start this movie seemed interesting, the story seemed to escalate and only at the very end did I realize that it was all mis-leading you to think there is a climax.

Why this movie sucks: Sex Scenes: I still don't understand the reason the 2 very graphic sex scenes were in this movie, I am certainly all for sex scenes when there's a point. I didn't see a point to either of them in this movie, people literally laughed when a very violent fighting scene turned into a STAIRS sex fest.

Characters: Possibly this movies biggest flaw. Viggo's character has so little depth it was laughable, there was very little history given on his Johnny and there was no reasoning given for why he changed who he was, or how, or anything about his past really. You didn't even know him, yet the movie was supposed to make you feel for him? Then Johnny's brother comes into the picture, and he wants to kill Johnny because of what... Johnny made it hard for the brother to get into goods with some mob people? We also know nothing about him, and all he has to do is ask and Johnny just drives up to Philly with no more reason then, because. His character should have KNOWN what his brother was like and predicted it. None of this made sense to me, It all seemed so empty.

Violence: I do NOT have a problem with violence in movies, I think a lot of times violence makes a movie have lot more impact (IE: Kill Bill, Four Brothers) but in this movie all the violence happened just so it would happen. There was no suspense, AT ALL. It just happens then its over, it was very boring, and very graphic.

Walk the Line - PG 13

Last year we had a movie about the life of Ray Charles. It came out and was quite popular and went o­n to win many awards. Whether those were given because of the quality of the film or because Ray Charles had died recently is up for discussion, but the film won them nonetheless. This year we have the same situation with Walk the Line, a film about the life of Johnny Cash, who also recently died, and you can already feel the award buzz that surrounded it.

Walk the Line starts with Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) getting ready to go back o­nstage for an encore during his Folsom Prison gig. He is staring at a circular saw and reflecting o­n his past. He remembers his older brother dying when he was still young, and his abusive father blaming him for it. Cash proceeds to remember the rest of his childhood and his service in the Air Force and how it helped him write songs that had meaning. Through his memories, Cash tells us the story of how he became a rock star and eventually found his true love.


In a movie like this depends heavily upon the performances of its cast. Joaquin Phoenix plays Cash perfectly and has been mentioned quite a bit in regards to a Best Actor nomination. Reese Witherspoon also has a bunch of buzz surrounding her performance as Cash’s love interest June Carter. Most people who see the film will have some familiarity with Cash and Carter, and the actors performances of them should please.

Last year Ray was nominated for Best Picture. It certainly was not o­ne of the five best films of last year, maybe o­ne of the best 25. Walk the Line is no different. Both films are entertaining and have a good story, but there have been many other films which have been much better.


The problem with Walk the Line is that the story is so clichéd. We’ve seen this story before with most films about the rise of someone famous. The main character often has a troubled childhood and problems with women and drugs. This leads to the character finding what is needed to conquer said problems which leads to the characters redemption. Walk the Line follows this formula exactly and the reason it follows the formula so well is because the story is true.


This presents another problem with Walk the Line, you cannot blame anyone for the story being clichéd. If there were no troubled childhood or alcohol problems then there would be no movie. Nobody would go to a film about a famous person who was born in the middle class and stayed clean all his life just to get a break and become famous. There is no conflict in that story.


Walk the Line does what it can with its story and does a good job at making the film entertaining and the end product is well worth checking out. The performances are spot o­n and the film is shot beautifully. Is the film o­ne of the best of the year? Of course not. Should it be showered with awards come awards season? Oh hell no, and if they do come, they’ll be for the recently deceased Johnny Cash and not the movie. What this film is, is an entertaining look at the life of a music legend, worthy of a recommendation.

Thumbsucker - R

In this wonderful indie film, Justin (Lou Taylor Pucci), an unhappy teenager in a dysfunctional family, comes to the conclusion that he should kick the comforting habit he has of sucking his thumb. Maybe the habit could be the root of all his problems. He consults his new-age dentist, Perry (Keanu Reeves), who tries to hypnotize Justin into kicking his habit, but it doesn't do the trick. Perry then prescribes Ritalin to Justin. Justin's domineering yet distant father, Mike (Vincent D'Onofrio), and his loving yet daydreaming mother, Audrey (Tilda Swinton), are strangers in their own family. They don't know what to do with their son, so they agree, after hesitation, that Ritalin might be the solution. And at first, it seems to do the trick. Justin gets interested in school and joins the debate team, led by Mr. Geary (Vince Vaughn), who is Justin's greatest (and obsessed) fan. Justin wins numerous trophies, accolades, etc., but as his success increases the strength of his ego, his life becomes dissatisfying once again. Is it because he is no longer sucking his thumb? Were things better when he had his thumb to go to in times of need? Should he kick the Ritalin and go back to his thumb? Thumbsucker is an intriguing film dealing with the complexities of family and the problems of finding out who you are. With amazing performances across the board, the darkly comic tale strikes a note of originality that bests most mainstream films today. The characters are so fine-crafted and nuanced, and the story is so original (yet not over-the-top) that it's hard to stop watching. At the film's close, I found myself sad because not only had I met a group of characters that felt real and alive to me, but I had grown to care about them like they were my own dysfunctional family.

Angelo

5X2 - R

It's a love story told backwards. About an average mid-thirties couple and their marriage. It starts with their divorce and moves down to the moment they fell in love.

It was superb, seeing this told backwards. Seeing how severed relationships can become, how they'll eventually grow into something malignant, no matter how people are doing their best, no matter how much they love each other.

And how people are so complex, that they never fall into what you expect of them, how lives are never neat as you want them to, feelings aren't something you can control, behaviours sometimes go unexplained, that sometimes people are simply that. Strange, odd, just people.

There's several examples of this throughout this film. After they get their divorce settled, they check into a hotel to have sex. And she ends up not wanting. And he ends up raping her. And, as she's leaving, he asks her if they should give it another go.

Of how, when they entertain his gay brother and his young, slutty boyfriend, the husband admits to have engaged in an orgy, with both men and women, while his wife encouraged and watched him, but never joined.

When she has their baby, how he's not up to visiting her in the hospital, and just stands outside, smoking, not being able to visit or talk to her, making up excuses for bad traffic and afterwards, while he stays in the car at night, suddenly calling her to tell her he loves her.

Or when, in their wedding night, the husband falls asleep and the wife goes outside and meets a stranger, with whom she has sex, returning to her room in the morning, holding her husband and telling him how much she loves him, while he didn't even notice she was gone all night, their wedding night. Just before seeing how much in love they seemed to be in their wedding ceremony, how lustful even, how smitten for one another, how truly happy.

Strange how people are, how people react, what people do, with no proper explanation, other than the fact that they are just people, leading their ordinary lives the best they can, and how somehow, even themselves can't understand what they're doing, why they do it, as if there's a deep, hidden side to them that makes them be what they are and not what they're supposed to be.

Wedding Crashers - R

Wedding Crashers is a fun comedy that works simply because the filmmakers know what to do with what they've got. The great humor of Wedding Crashers is not found in the cleverness of its script or the creativity of its story, but rather in its lead actors. Had anyone but Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn been the leads, this movie would have tanked. They are both famous for that congenial charisma that so many people find humorous – the type that makes them come off as the fun buddies that we all wish we could call up on a Friday night. Director David Dobkin must know this, because he gives Wilson and Vaughn plenty of scenes to show off the qualities that have made them two of America's funniest and most likable stars.

To fulfill the perfect cast, Rachel McAdams and Christopher Walken fill in the necessary roles. McAdams again reminds us why she has become so popular in the past year, glowing with her vibrant smile and charm that interact perfectly with every character on screen, especially Wilson's. Christopher Walken, among his many extraordinary traits, is famous for his dry, sarcastic sense of humor – revealed through his one of a kind voice. He gets a chance not only to earn some laughs in a way that only he can do, but also to play the role of the amiable father figure with the great advice.

Make no mistake, though – underneath this film's main selling point of a couple of funny guys going around and crashing weddings to sleep with girls (an idea that is just about concluded within the first 15 minutes) – is a sappy, conventional chick flick. I use that term carefully though, because Wedding Crashers never actually falls victim to the typical stereotypes of your average chick flick. It avoids them because of its great cast and the chemistry they all share on screen – which can appeal to just about anyone who enjoys a good laugh. It conceals the fact that the script is probably one of the worst excuses for a comedy within the past year. What's great is that we never have to look that far – because the characters all seem to be enjoying themselves too much, and they make the film just as enjoyable to watch.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - R

Where to start? Pretentious? Another Hollywood movie trying to be European in its flavor? An incoherent plot with no real direction? Yes, the above is all true. But somehow it works, and I'm not quite sure why.

The cast of Life Aquatic is stellar to say the least. A brilliant turn by Murray who is just a dead-cert in everything he touches; Owen Wilson proving that he isn't just a comedy slash action hero and supporting names such as Cate Blanchet, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, Angelica Huston and Willem Defoe. This is a movie that has no lack of star power.

The Life Aquatic is an eclectic movie by design, that follows Oceanographer Steve Zissou (Murray) on his personal and professional revenge mission to hunt the fabled Jaguar Shark that took his friend during the filming of a documentary. Kingston Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson) is a Kentucky Co-pilot that may be Zissou's son or might not be, who joins Zissou and his crew on the mission to kill the shark and make a documentary that will receive critical acclaim; something that is a 12 year memory for Team Zissou.

As I watched the movie I couldn't pin it. I couldn't decide quite if what I was watching was rubbish or great. There were points when I almost felt like I was wasting my time and points where I was enjoying the incoherent ride this story basically is, quite a bit. This movie isn't a straight comedy, thats for sure. I didn't laugh out loud once, I smiled on more than one occasion but this isn't a movie that will have you reeling with laughter. That said, Murray plays his role very well and is very funny, if not laugh out loud so.

I also have to compliment this movie with a great soundtrack and bringing me to the attention of Seu Jorges who is an incredible talent who literally goes through the entire movie performing David Bowie songs in Portuguese. This guy is quite, quite brilliant and his performance of Queen Bitch during the credits was just sheer quality. OK, I'm a huge Bowie fan but this guy is great.

The Life Aquatic is just one of those movies. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was a brilliant movie because it wasn't, really. What it is despite the opening comments is "refreshing". And yes, it's entertaining. This is a film that I doubt many will be apathetic about. You're either going to go for it or despise it.

Angelo

Malena - R

A very touching movie about a boy's first love, and first loves never end. Renato is a boy in Sicily, Italy. Around the time of World War II he was 12 and a half years old, struggling to become a man and get recognition from his peers. He fell in love with Malena, a very fascinating woman, at first sight. But alas, she was married. And all he could do was to follow her wherever she went; and fantasizing about her.

News came that Malena's husband died in the war, and thus leaving her a widow. Now she had to face the world alone, and the world is not easy for a pretty widow. The men in town lusted after her, and the women was jealous of her beauty. At last she had to leave her town wounded and alone. But Renato gathered his courage and helped her; though anonymously.

This movie ended with a surprise, and a nice surprise at that. Not necessarily a happy ending, but not a sad ending either. More like a real ending, although this is not a real story. Director Giuseppe Tornatore combined the view of destroyed Sicily with wonderful shore panorama, and the result is gorgeous. This film will leave you contemplating about human nature, that is, two of the seven deadly sins: Lust and Envy.

Angelo

Flightplan - PG 13

Jodie Foster is an aeronautical engineer based in Berlin. She lives there with her husband and daughter, and when he dies from an apparent suicide leap from the roof of their apartment house, she is left to bring his body back to the US, accompanied by their daughter. The build up of suspense is quite good at the beginning of the film, the airline delay, having the horrible experience that she may have lost the daughter in the airport, boarding, then the de-icing of the plane, all little touches to get the viewer on edge. Once they're airborne, they switch seats to get a row to themselves and sleep. Waking up three hours later, Jodie finds her daughter missing. Ever more frantic, she searches the plane, finally getting the captain involved, but things start to come a little undone for her when the crew tell her there's no record of her daughter on the manifest. It's let out that her husband has recently died, she's on anti-depressants, and possibly she's imagining the whole thing about being with her daughter. I won't tell any more, but the spoilers are many: As someone else said, why was the girl allowed on a plane without a boarding pass going through the machine for the passenger manifest? Why steal the girl in the first place? What was the point? How did they reach into Foster's pocket and steal the daughter's boarding pass without her waking up? Why have real explosive involved anyway, if the intent was merely extortion, fake stuff would have done the job just as well. Was the air-marshall real or was he a fake, if fake, how did he get credentials that fooled the airline? Are we seriously to believe that they'd kill Foster's husband just so they could plant explosives in his casket? And if they did, why choose an aeronautical engineer's spouse - someone who knows the plane inside out - why not choose Janet Schmo and her husband Joe?

I came out of the movie calling "bullshit".

Angelo

The Beautiful Country - R

While we are engaged in yet another intrusive ill-advised war, the time is right for the release of a story that reminds us of the lingering malignant consequences of the equally intrusive war in Vietnam. For those who falsely believe that a war is over with the signing of a declaration and the evacuation of troops this magnificently poignant film will be an eye opener. And for those who are aware of the broken families and bitter scars of war marking those who fought on both sides, the story will find a different response - one of memory of pain, regret, and wonder at the tale of just one survivor.

Binh (Damien Nguyen) is a half-breed, his mother a Vietnamese and his father an American soldier, and as such is has no country: he doesn't belong and lives as an outcast. His struggle for life leads to his departing his village in Vietnam for Saigon where he reconnects with his estranged mother Mai (Thi Kim Xuan Chau), and his very young half brother Tam (Dang Quoc Thinh Tran), who works as a servant in an abusive wealthy Vietnamese household. The reunion is touching and Binh joins his mother on the staff as a servant. An unfortunate accident occurs forcing Binh to flee to America, his young brother Tam accompanying him at Mai's insistence: Mai sees America as the beautiful country where her sons will find their father in Houston, Texas and have a new life.

The bulk of the film is the treacherous journey of Binh and Tam along with Ling (Ling Bai), a Chinese girl who befriends them. They survive a detention camp in Malaysia, a doomed boat trip, and a long journey aboard a filthy human trafficking ship whose Captain Oh (Tim Roth) monitors their survival (except for Tam who succumbs to fever) and ultimately releases them into the waters along New York. Binh and Ling survive in Chinatown in New York in the most menial of jobs, again surviving abuse in the land of promise. Eventually Binh travels to Texas for a reunion with his biological father (Nick Nolte) and even that reunion is marked by the permanent scars the war has left on the survivors.

Through all of the incomprehensible hardships Binh is marked with a spirit of survival that pays homage to the human soul's ability to sustain life through hope. The message is powerful and for once is not cosmetically altered by the writers or the director or the fine cast. Damien Nguyen and Ling Bai are outstanding and the cameo roles are all superb. This is an epic film, not a pretty one, but a film about the pity of war, one that pleads the case against war in simply recalling the disastrous after effects that many choose to forget. And it is a story of the triumph of the human spirit. If we are to ever understand the pity of war and the inhumanity of war, we must be aware of the consequence.

Broken Flowers - R

This is one of those movies where I found it to help greatly to re-watch the first scene. Before we see anything, we hear the sounds of an old-fashioned typewriter, we later find out was the typing of a letter to the lead character, Don Johnston (Bill Murray). Then we follow the pink letter without return address being mailed, judging from the coat sleeve and gloves probably a female, picked up by the postman, trucked to the distribution center, then flown by jet to New York state where Johnston lives. Then, we see a mail carrier walk up to this beautiful, expensive house with two expensive cars in the driveway, and deposit the mail, including the pink envelope, into his door mail slot. Johnson, a life-long Don Juan, has made his considerable wealth in "computers" and now apparently is retired to a very boring life, and his current girlfriend is leaving. he exhibits a very high degree of apathy.

The pink letter, unsigned, is the catalyst for the whole movie. The letter states that Johnston has a son by a woman he had a relationship with 20 years ago, and this enterprising young man has decided to find out who is father is. His neighbor and friend Winston (Jeffrey Wright), an amateur sleuth, thinks Johnston should not stand by idly, waiting for someone to show up. Instead he has Johnston make a list of all the flames he had 20 years earlier, Winston finds out where they live, and plans an itinerary for him to show up and find out which one might have the son.

Even though Johnston appears apathetic about everything around him, this notion of having a son sparks an interest in his otherwise very dull life. Even though he absolutely tells Winston he will not do this, he sets out on his trek.

So, the movie is about former Don Juan, Don Johnston, trying to contact his old girlfriends and deal with the inevitable surprises along the way. The movie is rated "R" for only one reason, a short scene 38 minutes into the DVD where cute Lolita (20 year old Alexis Dziena) walks into the living room stark naked while talking on the phone, while Johnston waits for her mother, his former girlfriend Laura (Sharon Stone).

SPOILERS. As Johnston finally finds his way home, with a black eye from an angry husband, he sees this young man in his town, traveling, and begins to think it may be his son looking for him. He explains that he is not a cop, and not gay, just wants to offer to buy him something to eat. Which he does. But when Johnston begins to talk of him possibly being his son, the boy runs away. Johnston never finds out if the letter was a hoax of not, but is energized with the thought that he may have a son somewhere, now that he is older and tired of being a Don Juan.

2046 - R

I'll be honest, the main reason I watched 2046 was the actresses. Ziyi Zhang and Faye Wong in particular, though Tony Leung is also very good. I have to say that watching those actresses (and Tony Leung) was the only really enjoyable aspect about it.

2046 is a movie about a man who's trying to recover from having lost his One True Love. Despite finding other women, some of whom are hopelessly in love with him, he can't return their love because he's only living for the woman he once lost. So essentially, he's just going through the motions, pretending to have meaningful relationships but in fact being over and done with true love. Not a very happy or constructive situation, you'll agree. To me it was all a bit pointless. It was a long, slow-moving film, with only a few points of real interest (seeing Faye Wong as an android with inhumanly perfect skin was interesting). It wasn't any kind of sci-fi movie, either, for the few sci-fi elements were simply metaphors for something else.

The point of the movie has something to do with timing; that true love only occurs at the right time and place, which is difficult and very accidental to find oneself in. While this may be a good and meritable point, in my opinion it doesn't have to be that way. People can be more open to each other, so that everything doesn't have to depend on happenstance. Philosophically, I remain unimpressed with this movie, and cannot declare myself in agreement with its statements.

Still, it was clearly a well-produced, honest and highly emotional piece of movie-making, with amazing performances by especially Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang, the latter of which has a more adult and mature role here than anything else I've seen her in.

A solid and substantial piece of work, but nothing I can imagine sitting through a second time.

Havoc - Unrated

Watching this movie, the first thing that came to mind was, "Wow, these kids sure are fake." In many initial reviews, this movie was derided as being a joke. It was either hearing about the various nude scenes of Anne Hathaway or a bunch of white kids trying to act black, and doing it poorly.

I said that that "fake" was the first thing that came to mind, because we are immediately presented with this group of rich white kids acting like they are black. However, it is being mistaken by some reviewers that these actors are doing a bad job. What we are really seeing is truly how superficial that these kids are. They are fake, in every sense of the word, and that is the whole point of the movie. Don't try and act like something you aren't because there are consequences.

I say this is a social commentary, not perfectly executed, but still fairly well done nonetheless. It does truly present many aspects of youth behavior nowadays that most people don't really look at. We are given a true side to high school, where there are fake people everywhere, underage and illegal activity is happening, and its all going on without parents there to see. This movie takes the comedy out of the teenage life that has been prevalent in movies over the past 8 years or so such as American Pie and other similar styled teen comedies and turns it to a sort of opposite view. Now I am not by any means saying that this movie is a guiding light which everyone should see. In fact, I don't know if this movie is for everyone, because of the issues it presents. Some people, especially parents, would undoubtedly have problems coming to terms that the behavior seen in this movie happens. Now it doesn't happen everywhere, or in every school, but I'm pretty sure that you know what I mean.

I think this movie, is backed up by pretty well performed acting done by the majority of its cast. Anne Hathaway, who many doubted had the range to tackle such a role, seemed very natural in the part. I don't mean that negatively, and I actually give her credit for really becoming the character. The rest of the cast does a good job, but it is her performance that truly helps you understand most of the underlying message of the movie.

I know that some will not see in this movie what I saw, but to each their own. I do hope that people see this movie and don't criticize it solely on what they think is bad acting. It has a much deeper theme than that, and I think that the more people understand that, the more people will realize this is a pretty good movie.

amores perros - R

This Mexican movie was surprisingly good. I confess the sin of prejudice concerning Mexican cinema, this being maybe the second Mexican film I have ever seen, but here my sins are punished. This is the work of a director of big talent. Hopefully, he will not be spoiled by the success.

Three different stories in today's Mexico mix with very few common elements. The characters belong to different social categories, and nothing connects them at first sight, excepting the feeling of un-happiness, and - yes - dogs. Dogs play an important role in all three stories. One more warning - there is a lot of cruelty including dog fights - this film is certainly not for sensitive animal lovers.

Directing is excellent, the stories are human and complex and despite their melodramatic or sometimes tragic outcome, they still leave you with a shade of hope - maybe because the humanity that the author uses to create his characters. There are so many memorable scenes, that I would commit another sin to pick any and describe it here - just rent, or go to watch this movie in the theater - it is worth all 150 or so minutes you will spend.

Batman Begins

Batman Begins is a well told story of the origin of Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale). It covers a lot of the same ground as Michael Keaton's original Batman, but goes much further in depth in many factors of his creation. It goes into great detail about subjects such as how he got his costume, what exactly it is. Same goes with the Batmobile. We also find out why he chose to be bat-like.

One of the more interesting aspects here is how it shows Bruce's father, Thomas Wayne (Linus Roache), and how he molded Bruce's life and instilled good judgment within him, a point which is misunderstood about him by most people he comes in contact with. Thomas, too, teaches Bruce valuable lesson, such as "We fall so we can learn to pick ourselves up". This is pretty close to the theme of the movie or motto Bruce Wayne lives by. The resemblance of the father & son is pretty good, too.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the training Bruce Wayne endured becoming "invincible". Bruce is trained by Ducard (Liam Neeson) in many ways like a ninja (The concept of Batman IS similar to a ninja). He is taught many valuable lessons in this temple and is shown no mercy. Eventually, we even see his first real enemy as a superhero/vigilante.

Although I am not positive as to how true to the comic book this movie is, I am sure it took a few liberties, as did Spider-Man. Most of the small examples I have noticed are for the better and make for a good story. The Batmobile is more believable as an expensive armored vehicle that the military would not spend the money on than a juiced up Corvette (or whatever that was). Same with the Batsuit.

Katie Holmes is excellent as Rachel Dawes, a D.A. who is not afraid to go after the big villains in court. Also worthy of mentioning is Michael Caine as Alfred the butler. I do not believe they could have found a better man for that role, although I could not get the image of Caine as Austin Powers' dad out of my head when he was on screen.

Finally, in my opinion, Christian Bale makes a much better Batman than the three recent previous ones in Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney. Something about him makes Batman darker and more mysterious. Hopefully, DC Comics and movies have learned from their mistakes and we will not have to worry about Batman picking up a sidekick in this newest installment of the Batman series

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is great film and I would recommend it for anyone. Somehow Tim Burton is back on track with his excellent direction of this film so close to the book. Roal Dahl should be proud. Johnny Depp as always is excellent and play a great Wily Wonka. The original is brilliant but I find the second one to be far more what Charlie and The chocolate factory should be. Gene Wilder will always be Willy Wonka Just as Micheal Keaton will always be Batman. But this film has to be one of the most fun and well put together of this year. If you haven't seen it go see it and don't expect the original. Johnny Depp is great the film is cast better and seems to flow a lot better than the first movie.

Crash - R

People are born with good hearts, but they grow up and learn prejudices. "Crash" is a movie that brings out bigotry and racial stereotypes. The movie is set in Los Angeles, a city with a cultural mix of every nationality. The story begins when several people are involved in a multi-car accident. From that point, we are taken back to the day before the crash, seeing the lives of several characters, and the problems each encounters during that day. An LAPD cop (Matt Dillon) is trying to get medical help for his father, but he is having problems with a black HMO clerk who won't give his father permission to see another doctor. He in turn takes out his frustration on a black couple during a traffic stop. A socialite (Sandra Bullock) and District Attorney (Brandon Fraser) are carjacked at gunpoint by two black teenagers. Sandra takes out her anger on a Mexican locksmith who is changing the door locks to their home. Later that night, the locksmith is again robbed of his dignity by a Persian store-owner. Many of the characters switch from being bad-person-to-hero in ways that may surprise you.

This is one movie you must see for yourself, but you can't go to the movie thinking that you will escape life for 2 hours. "Crash" forces the viewer to confront racism in the real world. You may take a look at yourself and examine your own preconceptions about race, and see if you are prejudiced. The depth of the performances by all the actors was brilliant.

Sideways - R

There's no doubt that Paul Giamatti is one of the finest actors around, and here he is teamed up with Thomas Haden Church, another great actor, together they form Miles and Jack. Miles got divorced two years ago, he's trying to get his book published and he knows wine like his own pocket. Jack on the other hand is getting married within a week, doesn't know much about wine although he loves the taste. These two guys sets off down California's "wine-side" and soon they get to know each other, and life, better...

SIDEWAYS being a comedy and drifting elegantly into drama sometimes is without doubt one of 2004's most enjoying, cool and entertaining movies. It's so not Hollywood, but in the same time it doesn't take things to a new level, it's a very simple movie. Though SIDEWAYS' big hidden treasure possibly lies just there, it's so simple that you don't have to worry about much while watching it, just enjoy it. Here goes the Miles' character into great loops; being depressed and a bit worried about a lot of things, he tries making his buddy Jack realize that he is actually getting married, while Haden Church's character doesn't see the serious in much of it.

So SIDEWAYS is elegant, it's smooth and it looks great; especially when we surf around in beautiful vineyards or whatever happens, it looks both realistic but elegant. It's a movie about life generally, all the way, no big things happening here except we get to know a couple of guys who really wants more out of life than just don't living it. Either's when it's serious drama, it's love in the picture or the pure fun of it (scenes when they get in trouble with golfers, tries making a fake-accident, getting wallet back...), SIDEWAYS works in ways that everybody should learn and enjoy.

The Godfather Part 2

Okay, here's the scenario: You've just written and directed one of the most popular movies of its time. You win three Oscars including the Best Picture Oscar. Your film is being hailed as ground breaking and will probably be on a lot of top 100 movies lists in years to come. How in the hell do you make a sequel to that?

At least that's what would be going through my mind if I had been Francis Ford Coppola coming off the heals of The Godfather. But somehow, he actually managed to achieve one of the most astounding events in cinematic history. He made a sequel to his masterpiece which was considered better than its predecessor! Godfather Part 2 also won twice as many Oscars and is unquestionably the best sequel in the history of film!

It really is amazing that when a film, especially a sequel, is this popular, we tend to forget just how brilliant a film like this is. It is a flawless character study of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino)while comparing him to his father Vito (Robert De Niro, replacing Brando in a performance that won him his first Oscar) in the early days of the Corleone crime family. It is an amazing contrast and the film is full of stellar performances, a hauntingly subtle soundtrack, great characters, fantastic stories and a haunting conclusion. The Godfather Part 2 is worthy of all of its acclaim and is definitely better than the original.

Before Sunset - R

I loved this film, as I loved the first one, possibly more. More because the characters are much more 'real' here. They grew up like we all did, they went through sorrow, disappointment, they learnt a lot, and still, for many things, they are the same people they were 9 years ago, because they still dream and they're still looking for their perfect love, that love they let go 9 years before. It's what Jesse says at some point - nobody really ever change. Being of the same age group of the characters, I could identify a lot with what they say and feel. Which means that Hawke and Delpy did a great job, both acting and writing this film. It's subtle, delicate, and it needs to be listened to very attentively, not to miss one word of the great, deep dialogue. Well done to all of them. And, it's so true, the only problem with this film is that it ends.

Sex Y Lucia - R

This is a film not just with lots of steaming hot sex; it's more than that!!! It's such a contradicted film; everything in this film has double meanings, and hidden messages. So while seeing this movie, please do not be deceived by your own eyes and ears; instead, try to find the hidden messages that this film wants to tell you!!

For instance, this film sure has more sex scenes than other films have (of course, except those porn movies). However, to me what this film wants to say is not just to have more pleasurable sex but to look out and take good care of your desires!! This film illustrates lots of examples why and here I came up with 3 of them.

1. A beautiful, unforgettable, careless sex with Lorenzo, Elena became pregnant and fascinated by that sex she once had. She wanted to leave the man she's with now and what's more, she wanted to find her child's father even though her child's father is a total mystery to her, no name, no address, not to mention what her child's father did for a living. She has completely no clues. Trying to find her dreamed man, the fate bought her to Madrid where she lost her precious daughter.

2. While Lorezo, the father, and Belen, the babysitter, were aroused by their desires and attempting to have sex, Luna, the daughter, was attacked by a fierce dog and found dead. How ironic, Luna was created by the sex and destroyed also by the sex.

3. The sex between Belen's mother and Antonio or let's say the desire between Belen and Antonio made the relationship among Belen and her mother and Antonio became tense and unpredictable. And which leaded the mother and daughter disappeared and Antonio himself went far far away and disguised himself in a little island where Luna was formed.

This film is also a film for females. Look into this film real seriously, you may find that actually it's a film about females, about their fantasies, about their capabilities, and about their desires to sex. Thus it's not surprising to find no male jerking off scene but a female one!!!

Besides the sex theme, Sex and Lucia has more to offer. This film is a story within several stories. A writer writes his/her life or people around them, so does Lorezo. His novel is interweaved with his own life story which not only made himself but also the moviegoers confused, and bewildered. And because of this factor, everything is possible and workable in this film. For example, if you don't like the life you have now, you can get into the imagining hole to start all over again as the writer, Lorezo suggested. And that is what this film did at the end, which made this film an always happening and might also be a happy one if you want.

This is such a good film with good-looking actors, beautiful actresses, good acting, splendid scenes, wonderful music, adventurous themes, creative imagination, interesting plot and many many more!!! Really what's more can you ask in a film!!!!

9/11

It's pointless to try and "review" this film. It is merely a montage of horrendous footage you never saw on any of the networks. It is terrifying, harrowing, and inspiring all at once. It's also impossible to watch without getting a lump in your throat. It takes the viewer back to that despicable day and reminds us of the feeling of powerlessness we all felt. Most important, it reminds us of the resolve we all felt as Americans in those first few weeks after the attacks. Parents should buy it and show it to their children when they are old enough to handle it. There couldn't be a more terrifying glimpse of history unfolding if a film had been shot inside the USS Arizona as it was sinking at Pearl Harbor.

The Devil's Advocate - R

The Devil's Advocate' is not your ordinary courtroom drama movie. It is outstanding in such many ways. I have seen this movie approximately 20 times, and none of the luster has worn off. Keanu Reeves, and especially Al Pacino, give us performances we'll never forget. And Charlize Theron - Of course she's very beautiful, her acting is terrific. Al Pacino is at his best with a convincing portrayal as the devil in disguise. The ending of the movie had more twists and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco. Pacino is masterful and his in-your-face analysis of power-hungry achievers makes you wonder if this is fiction or reality. The special effects are incomparable. A must see and keeper.

Before Sunrise - R

Before Sunrise is the sort of movie that is very rarely made. The entire film is based on the conversations of two characters, who meet accidentally and gradually begin to like each other. There are no supporting actors of any sort. Apart from cameos and extras, the entire film is just two people walking the streets of Vienna and getting to know one another. This is perhaps the films greatest strength, its ability to keep you draw into what is just the regular conversation of two people. There are no special effects or the typical hollywood style soundtrack.

It's one of the best love story movies, I have ever seen. So real and simple, yet so deep and touching. there are no words to describe it. just beautiful. This is a terrific film. We need more movies like this; but maybe what makes the movie so special is that we have too few movies like this; I guess that is why I enjoy it so much.

The actors are well matched and it is refreshing not to see a 60 yr old actor romancing a 30 yr old women.

Y tu mama tambien - R

This is quite possibly the best movie I've seen in the past year. An excellent movie on every level, but mostly because it makes you think by taking you through a story that seems to be one thing but is really many, many other things under the surface. Superb acting of the three leads, you'll enjoy this movie on so many wonderful levels if you listen and watch with an open heart and mind. I was blown away. Many life lessons here presented with an originality that you won't see in any American film.

What makes Y Tu Mama Tambien a GREAT film? The story. Two older teens embark on a spur of the moment road trip with a sexy older lady, that turns into a story about social differences, life, love, and the true meaning of life.

The Godfather - R

Every Thanksgiving the WHOLE family was sitting at the table, eating, drinking. There is always a family member flipping thru channels after football, and you get to the USA network or AMC and The Godfather's on. It's safe to say that every person in that house that day saw The Godfather a hundred times and the comments were, "My God, I've seen that so many times..." and within ten minutes everyone was in the living room, holding dishes in their hand, eating standing up, watching this movie that everyone knew inside out, everyone quoting from the movie as the actor's spoke, and so on. Trivia facts shared, general info on the movie, and EVERYONE glued to the picture. THAT is the sign of a great movie. If a movie can hold this kind of hypnotic magic, even after all these years, it has succeeded in the art of story-telling. Perhaps no other movie has this attraction like Godfather I. So, don't feel silly if you are seeing this movie for the tenth time (Or the hundredth time). It's always a winner.