A.I. Artificial Intelligence Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The origins of A.I. are well-known. The story was the brainchild of Stanley Kubrick, but he refused to make it into a film until technology was advanced enough to do it justice. He died before ever getting the chance to make the film. Enter Steven Spielberg, who was entranced by Kubrick’s story. […]
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead Review
RATING: (4 STARS) With one of the darkest plots of any movie I’ve seen this decade, “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead†floors you from the first scene to the last. This is really intense and powerful stuff that is extremely well written, directed, and acted. Andy (Hoffman) and his brother Hank (Ethan Hawke) are […]
Quantum of Solace Review
RATING: (3 STARS) When James Bond returned in 2006’s “Casino Royale,†the franchise was given new life. The film was a smashing success both critically and financially. Daniel Craig had made everyone forget about Pierce Brosnan. So production began almost immediately on a sequel. And in 2008, with the highest of expectations, “Quantum of Solace†[…]
Angels and Demons Review
RATING: (1 STAR) I think I might be one of roughly fifty people in the world who hasn’t read any of Dan Brown’s mega-best-selling Robert Langdon books. I tried to read “The DaVinci Code,†but I couldn’t get into it. That being said, I actually kind of enjoyed “The DaVinci Code,†the generally reviled big […]
Monsters, Inc. Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “Monsters Inc.†doesn’t often come up in discussions of the best Pixar films. So I had never made it a point to see it. But with the announcement of a sequel (coming in 2012), I thought it was time to take a look at the only Pixar film I haven’t seen, and […]
Whatever Works Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Perhaps a more apt title for Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works†would have simply been “Whatever,†because that’s exactly what I felt about the film when it finished. It was whatever. I didn’t dislike it, but almost nothing about it was original, and while it was clever in parts, it didn’t measure up […]
Pirate Radio Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Sometimes, a film doesn’t have to be deep or thought-provoking for me to really enjoy it. Despite the fact that most of my positive reviews are of dark, depressing stuff, I’m still a fun guy. I enjoy a good comedy every now and again. That’s exactly what “Pirate Radio†is – a […]
The Men Who Stare at Goats Review
RATING: (2 STARS) The opening of “The Men Who Stare at Goats†tells the viewer “more of this is true than you would believe.†But it’s definitely not more entertaining than I believed. With a cast that features George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Spacey, how could you go wrong? Well, this film […]
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Review
RATING: (3 STARS) I’m not at all familiar with Abel Ferrera’s 1992 cult classic “Bad Lieutenant,†other than the fact that Werner Herzog re-imagined it into 2009’s “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.†The former film starred Harvey Keitel as a dirty cop capable who didn’t give a damn about law and order. The […]
There Will Be Blood Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The first time I saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood,†I thought film was kind of a mess. A sprawling, epic, random mess, but a thought-provoking, impeccably made, sensationally acted mess. The direction, music, and cinematography are all over the place, as is the main character who’s a bundle of […]
Far from Heaven Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Todd Haynes’ “Far From Heaven†transports us to a time that is often lampooned in film (1950s suburbia), but rarely taken seriously. It confronts some difficult social issues (racism, sexism, homophobia), while also finding time to develop some involving, non-manipulative melodrama. It’s also visually stunning and features one of the finest performances […]
In the Bedroom Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “In the Bedroom†is an incredibly thoughtful story about grief, how people cope with it differently, and how these differences drive people apart. This was Todd Field’s directorial debut, and it set the independent film world on fire in 2001. It does a marvelous job of drawing us into the world of […]
Blindness Review
RATING: (1 STAR) I recently noted in my review of “Mutiny on the Bounty” that when films play without subtlety, it can either work or fall on its face. “Mutiny on the Bounty” worked. The time period and setting all appropriated themselves to the way in which director Frank Lloyd elected to tell his story: […]
Everybody’s Fine Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Sometimes movies seem better than they are because they exceed your expectations. The inverse is also true; I’ve given films worse grades than they deserve because they disappointed me (“Juno†is a good example of this). “Everybody’s Fine†is an example of the former. I had heard OK things about the film, […]
Capitalism: A Love Story
Your thoughts on “Capitalism: A Love Story,†Michael Moore’s latest left-wing “docu-ganda,†likely depend on which side of the political aisle you find yourself on. Liberals will eat it up. Conservatives will decry his free-markets-are-evil message. While I certainly lean more toward the former in terms of political views, I didn’t find myself as enthralled […]
2012 Review
RATING: (1.5 STARS) “2012” is an epic disaster, both in subject and quality. This film throws everything at you but the kitchen sink: collapsing buildings, volcanic national parks, and entire continents underwater. Almost all of it falls flat. The plot is ridiculous. The special effects are pretty cheesy. And the dialogue is cringe-inducing. Yet, there’s […]
