2010: The Year We Make Contact Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) It was with great trepidation that I sat down to watch “2010: The Year We Make Contact.†It’s the sequel to my all-time favorite film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, but it’s generally regarded as a massive step back in quality from its predecessor. The argument essentially boils down to director Peter Hyams […]
The Ten Best Performances of 2008
This wasn’t an incredible year for performances. There were undoubtedly some great ones, but when I sat down to compile my list of the greatest, I was surprised by how few sure things there were. As with most years, there were more great roles for men than there were for women. The supporting actress category […]
Murder on the Orient Express Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Sidney Lumet has been directing exceptional films for over 50 years. With masterpieces like “12 Angry Men†(1957) and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) on his resume, there are many candidates for his greatest film. For me, one of his best has to be 1974’s “Murder on the Orient Express.†[…]
Sin Nombre Review
RATING: (3 STARS) “Sin Nombre,†the debut feature from director Cary Fukunaga, comes along at a time when its subject (immigration) has become a heated political issue. Shockingly, the film is pretty apolitical. It has some things to say, but these points are more related to gangs and violence in general. What the film has […]
The A-Team Review
RATING: (1.5 STARS) In some ways, director Joe Carnahan’s “The A-Team†is a harmless summer flick—mindless and fitfully entertaining. In other ways, it represents the worst kind of cinema—wholly unoriginal, bland, and immediately forgettable. I think if I waited another day or two to write this review, I wouldn’t be able to. That’s how soon […]
Memento Review
RATING: (4 STARS) It was the film that introduced us all to Christopher Nolan. But “Memento†is more noteworthy than that. It’s a sensational story of a damaged man and his backward quest for revenge. The film does so many things right, but its premise and style are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. “Memento†[…]
Kill Bill Review
RATING: (4 STARS) I’m choosing to write about both volumes of Quentin Tarantino’s epic samurai revenge saga “Kill Bill†in one article because they are so inextricably linked. More so than even “The Lord of the Rings†trilogy, these two films feel as if they should be one. For the longest time, I refused to […]
Toy Story 3 Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Rarely does a film come out at the absolute perfect time, but “Toy Story 3†is such a film. I’d argue this film isn’t made for kids—it’s made for those of us, like me, who grew up with the “Toy Story†characters. We watched as kids and went home wishing we could […]
Chéri Review
RATING: (2 STARS) I remember first hearing about Cheri shortly after the Oscar ceremony in 2009. It was time for everyone’s year-in-advance predictions, and at the top of many Best Actress lists was Michelle Pfeiffer. And for good reason. She’s a well-respected actress who has never won an Oscar, and she was being directed in […]
Training Day Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Training Day is a rare beast—a cop movie that’s about more than a clichéd crime and investigation. This film, a very personal one for director Antoine Fuqua, raises questions about the meaning of justice, the point of it, and the lengths one will go to in order to ensure it. And it’s […]
French Connection II Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) I immediately fell in love with The French Connection after seeing it for the first time. I found it gritty and exciting, as well as a brilliant and influential character study. I actually didn’t even know there was a sequel. It’s so rarely mentioned that it completely slipped under my radar. But […]
Aliens Review
RATING: (4 STARS) James Cameron’s sequel to the Ridley Scott sci-fi/horror classic Alien is a whole different kind of film than its predecessor. Instead of focusing on the scares, this film ratchets up the action 100 percent. After a lengthy exposition, the film kicks it into gear and never lets up. I was left breathless […]
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Review
RATING: (2 STARS) This review will likely sound a lot more positive than the star rating indicates. That’s because I actually kind of begrudgingly enjoyed it—but in a “that was so bad, it’s good†sort of way. If you take it as a comedy, the film is moderately funny (although the scenes that are supposed […]
Mystic River Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Mystic River vs. Million Dollar Baby. It’s a debate I’ve had over and over again (with myself, pathetically). Most would agree that Clint Eastwood has undergone some kind of renaissance in recent years. Did it peak with the esteemed director’s 2004 Best Picture winner? Or has it been downhill since the 2003 […]
The Invention of Lying Review
RATING: (3 STARS) I remember watching “Ghost Town†in 2008 and thinking, “Is this really the best Ricky Gervais could do?†Granted, he wasn’t responsible for the material, but I don’t think there are many people funnier than the man who created the original “The Office,†and his major film debut was just so ordinary. […]
Appaloosa Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The western is one of my favorite genres of film. They take you to a time that’s alien to us—a time when laws and morals were different, almost incomprehensible to what we know today. It’s also a time that’s been captured many times on film, but not so much recently. Every year, […]
