Erin Brockovich Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) I don’t really understand the whole “Julia Roberts is America’s sweetheart†thing. Sure, Pretty Woman is great fun, but she spent most of the ‘90s doing average (or in many cases, below average) romantic comedies. For some reason, people ate it up, and by 2000, she was one of the biggest movie […]
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was reportedly more than halfway completed when its star, Heath Ledger, suddenly passed away. Instead of scrapping the film, director Terry Gilliam decided to push on and fill in the blanks of Ledger’s performance with CGI, makeup, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. The rewrites that […]
The Dark Knight Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The sequel to the excellent “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight” is only the best superhero movie of all time. And the contest isn’t even close. Director Christopher Nolan creates such a dark world, it’s hard to believe this is the same character as played by George Clooney (remember the bat-nipples?). For something […]
Rachel Getting Married Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “Rachel Getting Married†is a marvel of modern cinema. Perhaps more than any other film I’ve seen, this one draws you to its characters and makes you feel like part of the family. And while this isn’t necessarily a family you want to join, it’s astounding how much director Jonathan Demme makes […]
WALL-E Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Besides being one of my favorite animated films of all time, Pixar’s “WALL-E†also holds the distinction of being one of the best love stories in years. This sublime motion picture has it all—action, humor, emotion, great writing, beautiful animation, and a handful of scenes I’ll never forget. It’s just a joy […]
Gladiator Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) I don’t think the hate heaped on “Gladiator†for winning Best Picture is fair. Was it the best film of 2000? Absolutely not (the best film of the year was Requiem for a Dream, while the best nominated film was probably “Traffic). I think “Gladiator†is everything it should be—entertaining, exhilarating, and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
