Slumdog Millionaire Review
RATING: (4 STARS) There was little doubt going into the 2009 Academy Awards what film was going to win Best Picture. Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire†had captured the hearts of the critics, the guilds, and the public—and understandably. The film is the ultimate underdog story and is capable of giving joy to just about anyone. […]
Milk Review
RATING: (4 STARS) When “Milk†came out, Proposition 8 had just passed in California, outlawing gay marriage. It was a sad time among gay-rights supporters, and then a film like this comes along about the assassination of one of its heroes to remind us all that as far as we’ve come, we still have a […]
Doubt Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “Doubt†is a film of uncommon depth and intelligence, and it tackles some very interesting philosophical issues. What is certainty? How much doubt is necessary to prevent oneself from doing something hurtful? And what in the world is it going to take to get Meryl Streep another damn Oscar? She seems to […]
Happy-Go-Lucky Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “Happy-Go-Lucky” is one of the best pure character studies in recent memory. This is essentially a film with no plot–not a flimsy plot; I mean no plot to speak of. Director Mike Leigh just throws this wacky individual at us and asks us to care about her. And thanks to the brilliant […]
Salt Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Meet Evelyn Salt. She’s rough. She’s tough. She can kick anyone’s ass. She has no qualms about killing. She’s the star of her very own action film, the appropriately named “Salt.†And as it turns out, it’s one of the best films of the summer. It doesn’t measure up to the originality […]
Frost/Nixon Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) In my review of All the President’s Men, I said I think I’m inclined to love pretty much any film about Nixon and the Watergate scandal. It’s a larger-than-life moment in American history that’s ripe for dramatization. Such is what happened with Ron Howard’s “Frost/Nixon,†an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning play […]
Secrets and Lies Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “Secrets and Lies. We all have pain. Why can’t we share our pain?†asks one character in Mike Leigh’s beloved 1996 drama “Secrets and Lies.†It’s a heartbreaking film about mistakes and cover-ups and one family’s search for peace. It’s the kind of film that lures you in without you realizing it, […]
Tell No One Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “Tell No One†is an uncommonly thoughtful and emotional thriller. The plot provides enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat, but the film’s real strength lies in our ability to feel the characters’ pain. Guillaume Canet’s story of a husband on the run from the police […]
Iron Man Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) I remember when I first heard that Robert Downey Jr. would be playing the title character in Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man.†The project itself just sounded like another superhero movie (a genre I thought was growing tired), but the casting choice was inspired. It was shortly after I discovered “Kiss Kiss, Bang […]
Green Zone Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “Green Zone†is a rare hybrid of political thriller and full on actioner. The film, which is very loosely based on the nonfiction book “Imperial Life in the Emerald City,†mixes facts with fiction to tell a compelling story of the lies and misinformation surrounding the supposed WMDs in Iraq. Director Paul […]
Inception Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The hype had been building up for months, years even—ever since “The Dark Knight†blew people’s minds in 2008. With the keys to the kingdom, just what was Christopher Nolan capable of? “Inception†answers that question—he’s capable of creating an absolutely wild world in which anything is possible and everything is believable. […]
The White Ribbon Review
RATING: (3 STARS) “The White Ribbon” is the kind of film I wish filmmakers tried to do more often. I don’t care that it’s not perfect. I don’t even care (that much) that it moves at a snail’s pace. I don’t care because it’s artistic and it doesn’t pander. Director Michael Haneke tells his story […]
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
The problem I usually have with documentaries is that, while I find them enlightening, I rarely connect to them on an emotional level. My intellect is stimulated, but I don’t usually feel anything. The last documentary that made me feel anything was “Sicko.” “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” succeeds in the same way. Here’s […]
Knight and Day Review
RATING: (2 STARS) Well, summer blockbusters this year are improving, albeit at a snail’s pace. The best thing I can say about “Knight and Day†is that it’s a step above most of what I’ve seen this summer. Coming fresh off the heels of The A-Team, it was good. But judged objectively, this is just […]
A Single Man Review
RATING: (3 STARS) “A Single Man†is a very interesting, relatively plotless character study about a man with no reason to live. It’s told in a unique manor, and it features some great acting, a moving score, and some beautiful set designs and costumes. So why only three stars? Well, the first ninety minutes of […]
The Last Station Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) “The Last Station†sounded like it would be a fascinating experience. It tells the story of the final years of one of the greatest writers in history—Leo Tolstoy—while examining whether one can believe in an ideology while not following it religiously. It’s a relevant subject, and with Oscar-nominated performances from Helen Mirren […]
