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!!!!