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, […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 Godfather Review
RATING: (4 STARS) If I’m being honest, the first time I watched it, I didn’t want to love “The Godfather.” It’s so cliché. I wanted to buck the trend. I wanted to write a searing piece about this overrated “masterpiece†that everyone loves so much. But I can’t. It’s too damn good. Seriously, this film […]
The Apartment Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “The Apartment†is the kind of film that reminds me why I love movies. Even when the quality of new films reaches an all-time low, I’m not discouraged. I know there are plenty of brilliant pieces of cinema like this Billy Wilder classic to bring me out of the movie doldrums and […]
Million Dollar Baby Review
RATING: (4 STARS) It was supposed to be the year of Martin Scorsese. The Aviator had all the makings of an Oscar darling—it was a biopic with great acting, direction, and technical features. But all of a sudden, at the end of December, a little film called “Million Dollar Baby†gets released and knocks just […]
The Shawshank Redemption Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) It’s the highest rated film of all-time on IMDb, but is “The Shawshank Redemption†worthy of that title? Well, no. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film by any stretch of the imagination. It’s a powerful look at the prison system and raises questions regarding what it means to be guilty […]
Inglourious Basterds Review
RATING: (4 STARS) You know something, Quentin Tarantino. I think this just might be your masterpiece. Inglourious Basterds is a truly audacious film from one of my all-time favorite directors. Not many filmmakers can rewrite history, but Tarantino does and succeeds with flying colors. The film, a fusion of war films and spaghetti westerns, has […]
The French Connection Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Possibly the defining film in the gritty urban cop genre, “The French Connection†astonishes with its amazing direction, writing, and performance from Gene Hackman. The film grips you from beginning to end with its realistic portrayal of 1970s New York and its wild man lead character, Jimmy “Popeye†Doyle. It represents one […]
Kramer vs. Kramer Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) “Kramer vs. Kramer†stars Dustin Hoffman, one of the greatest actors of his generation, and Meryl Streep, probably the greatest actress ever. Both actors won Academy Awards. Robert Benton won two Academy Awards (for directing and writing the picture), and the film won the big award back in 1979, Best Picture. With […]
The Graduate Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The reason realism is such a sought after trait in movies is because having realistic characters and realistic scenarios is the key to bringing the audience in and allowing them to relate to what’s on screen. Being able to relate heightens one’s emotional and intellectual connection to a film. Mike Nichols’ classic […]
Annie Hall Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “Annie Hall†was the beginning of Woody Allen as most know him. It marked the beginning of a career transition that moved him from pure comedy to the realistic romantic dramedy – the genre he’s most closely associated with. Part of the reason he is so well-known for it is because of […]
All the President’s Men Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) We all know the story. President Richard M. Nixon and “all of his men†conspired to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel, operated a secret slush fund within the White House, and obstructed justice during the investigation. Alan J. Pakula’s “All the President’s Men†is 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 […]
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 […]
