Netflix Customer Reviews

Hobson's Choice

What a continuous surprise this movie was! First off, David Lean's set direction and photography are in super-lush black and white with the crispest of details and fantastic depths-of-field. The next large surprise is the amazing clowning ability of Charles Laughton, reminding us again of how talented and courageous he was as an artist. Then, who knew John Mills could be so authentically a working-man, so beautifully simple-minded and heart-warming? The final surprise comes at the end, when we realize just how warmed our hearts have actually been as the lump of joy jumps into our throats. But the biggest surprise of all, to me, is the film's gentle, admiring, and loving treatment of a character who is a thoroughly bossy woman � one who has business smarts, math acumen, and ambition too, no less! This highly respectful and sentimental approach to an openly domineering woman is very much missing in American movies from all eras. All of the performances are glorious � particularly that of Brenda de Banzie as Maggie, whose force of will sets the movie in motion, and John Mills, her perfect and perfectly lovable partner. HOBSON'S CHOICE was apparently designed as something of a French farce and has more than a bit of vaudeville to it, but it became a classic because of the deeper stuff it has in spades -- intelligent writing, sympathy for human frailty, and balls-to-the-wall acting. Bravo!

Shameless: Season 1

SHAMELESS drives like a jackhammer deep down under your skin, and rivals anything ever shown on television in terms of sheer energy, passion, shock, and humanism. It's also hilarious, incredibly vulgar, sexy, honest, and lovely. It's all about the ongoing adventures of the Gallagher clan in the slums of Manchester, England. Led by a reprobate father, Frank, and managed by Fiona, the elder daughter, this family is a crazy, unified force, an army of well-formed individuals (1 father + 6 children + 1 boyfriend + 2 neighbors + 1 mother + 1 girlfriend and counting ...), who are ferociously dedicated to being themselves by any means possible in a soul-crushing world of poverty and hopelessness, and doing it with fearsome loyalty and maximum fun. The actors in this addictive series all but jump off the screen, each as uniquely beautiful as their character is fiercely drawn. The writing brings huge laughter and some awe and horror (don't try this at home, people!), and a dreadful need in the viewer for more. When my husband and I neared the end of Season I (2004), we panicked at the realization that there are no other seasons available in the US, although the award-winning series is still being produced in England. A little research revealed that ShowSlime has brokered a deal with the series' creators to make an American version starring William H. Macy. Presumably, only Season 1 is available (to whet our appetites), because they don't want competition from the real thing hanging around when they roll out the new series in December. These two Americans, however, will accept no substitutes. For the first time (wish us luck, mates), we'll be downloading all the other seasons of SHAMELESS from online websites. Cheers! (10/18/09)

Lymelife

It was the 1970s and something was wrong. The times they'd been a'changin' for years, and most of middle America was left wondering what was still right, what was not working, where was that prescription, and what was that sound? This is a beautiful and carefully-crafted exploration of a mood that we can barely recall, precisely because it was so ill-defined. What better metaphor than Lyme disease, a malady with crazy, all-over-the-map symptoms caused by ticks from Bambi and his friends? I loved this movie -- although my husband found its lack of tight focus to be off-putting, even aggravating. But, indeed, the apparent unevenness -- without precise rhythms, sharp transitions, causes, results, or outcomes -- much less roles, behaviors, or loyalties -- is the very point of this excellent ensemble piece. If the direction had been taut and more predictable, then brothers Derek and Steven Martini would, at best, have lost a valuable opportunity to underscore the central malaise of their story. LYMELIFE is an often hilarious, often unsettling, and always precisely written tale of two families whose intertwined lies and shams and coping mechanisms are unraveling at the same time, leading some of the characters to form surer bonds in the whole hellacious process, and losing others for whom the truth is no longer a lifeline. Note: the performances of Rory Culkin, Alec Baldwin, and Timothy Hutton are worth three times the price of admission (10/11/09)

What Just Happened?

We enjoyed WHAT JUST HAPPENED? far more than we expected to, given the reviews we've seen since we first added it to our queue. I have to say, from the outset, that I've never seen Robert De Niro handle a comedic role so deftly, and his spot-on performance is much of the reason we liked the movie so much. Directed by Barry Levinson, it was razor-sharp, acerbic, and street-wise, and somehow managed, in true Levinson fashion, to have a sweet nougat layer underneath. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? takes place over two critical weeks in the life of a no-longer-A-list producer (De Niro), whose job is a high-wire juggling act managing the likes of a bottom-line-obsessed studio head (Keener), a drugged-out artist (Wincott), a histrionic action star (Willis), a hyper-neurotic agent(Turturro), and various soul-free up-and-coming blood-suckers, hangers-on, and wannabes. Ben (the producer shoring up and placating all these borderline personalities) desperately needs a support system of his own as he swims with the meta-sharks, but his ex-wives don't trust him, his friends aren't capable of caring, and his oldest daughter (Stewart) is herself in danger of being swallowed up by the backwash of show-business drek. And it's all very hilarious. And the soundtrack is infectious and the pace is engaging, and it has a cast that Ben would absolutely die for. Admittedly, towards the end, the focus falters a bit and the movie becomes neither a comedy nor a character study, but -- hey, I'm still chuckling a day later and that's gotta be worth 4 stars (9/27/09).

The Tracey Fragments

My son and I were very impressed by THE TRACEY FRAGMENTS, and even more, we were very moved by it. The story is simple and bleak -- it's about a teenage girl (wondrously portrayed by Ellen Page) who is on a terrifying journey to find her little brother, who was in her charge when he disappeared. Tracey has led a miserable life, persecuted by abusive and neglectful parents and vicious classmates who smell a victim like sharks smell blood. This is a hard and painful tale that is made more immediate and resonant by the director's choice of using fragmented screens almost entirely throughout the film. Even if you hate a split-screen, the technique as used here is so smart and heartfelt, that it successfully exposes both her own fragmentation as she is buffeted by cruel and heartbreaking events and, at the same time, gives the viewer a much wider sense of her thoughts and perceptions, using symbols and sounds simultaneously with dreams, fantasies, memories, and real-events. It's a lot of movie, with a great soundtrack and a whole lot to say about modern throw-away children, and it's all crammed into 77 minutes. It's also a fascinating way to tell an inside-out story.

Weeds: Season 4

Norman Mailer said: "The horror of the Twentieth Century was the size of each new event, and the paucity of its reverberation." WEEDS is starting to make me think along those lines. This past week, my husband and I have been watching the entire series on DVD, and therefore have seen a compression of its down-seeking journey. First season, I found myself annoyed by Nancy's sleepwalking non-reactions to the sequence of events that started out quirky, then became heavier, and scarier, until finally, in the fourth season, there are almost no laughs left and all that remains is open-mouthed, lurid fascination and disgust as Nancy runs ever more willingly to the abyss. Remembering Mailer's quote, I wonder if that isn't the subversive literary "meaning" of WEEDS. If so, then maybe it's the "Candide" of the 21st Century. Captivated, we hate it and we can't wait until Season Five is out on DVD (9/23/09).

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring

Experiencing this masterwork (SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER AND SPRING) changes your brain wave patterns. In fact, I felt that yummy taste in my mouth that happens sometimes in an alpha state (during meditation and periods of near-sleep) while I watched, entranced, in another world. That in itself was super-pleasurable and spiritually refreshing. What helps create this meditative awareness is the exquisite photography of the paradise of a setting (a one-monk monastery floating in a lake surrounded by forested mountains). Also contributing are the air/earthy music, the sounds of the lake, and the story's perfectly rhythmical shape and movement. At its heart is the tale of a monk and his young prot�g�, told within the frame of the renewing cycle of four seasons. The story embodies lessons about the absolutely indelible nature of responsibility and the consequences of an imbalanced life. Within that framework, the lessons explored by Master and Little Acolyte involve relationships with other beings -- human and non-human -- and the daily adherence to mindful ritual. The Buddhist precepts that inform this tale are understood by even the Western heart, and, as exotic elements of another culture, provide puzzles that are engaging to the intellect. For instance: what do those 2 unattached doors mean, one inside the tiny monastery and the other at the point of the forest where the monk's well-illustrated rowboat always arrives onshore? Are these revered, free-standing, arbitrary-seeming doors a symbol of established pathways to be acknowledged and followed, even in the midst of infinite choices? Loved it. Will buy it. Will watch it regularly (9/21/09).

Clockwatchers

Watching CLOCKWATCHERS is too much like being there, replete with the tiny paycheck. It's the story of one woman's furlough as a temp trapped in corporationland. Like her, we suffer through the torturous Muzak, the dehumanizing paperwork, the amoral priorities, and the humiliating scramble at the bottom that is the life of temp workers -- and without the reward of new insights, fresh perspective, catharsis, resolution, or laughter. The performances of the lead actresses -- most particularly that of Lisa Kudrow, who rose well above the movie's stereotype-ridden writing and lifeless direction -- were the only things that kept me watching, and the only reason I gave it 3 stars (9/19/09).

A Walk to Beautiful

A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL is a gorgeous documentary about an Ethiopian hospital's efforts to relieve a hideous problem found mostly in the country's remote rural populations. Obstetric fistulas are incurred by young women who are too small to deliver babies without having holes torn in their birth canals from prolonged labor. In addition to suffering the agony and the inevitable stillbirths, these ruined young women are left with an injury that renders them completely incontinent. Cursed and smelly, they become social outcasts who are abandoned, sick and depressed, to die alone outside their homes. A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL, an award-winning documentary from 2007, follows a number of lovely Ethiopian women through a life-saving journey that begins with days of walking just to reach the nearest road, where they ride ragged buses that carry them to the city, where they find surgical relief and reassuring companionship at the Hospital for Fistulas, a place which is run by earthbound angels. The movie's cinematography and direction and music and naturalism are spell-binding and impressive and any socio-political message is almost lost in all the beauty and hopefulness. But maybe the message becomes more compelling when the viewer finds it quietly in the movie's aftermath. Obstetric fistulas, called by one of the doctors a modern-day leprosy, are a condition caused by the stunted growth of women forced too early into severe toil and sustained by insufficient calories, as well as by the rapacious practice of pre-adolescent marriage. Since this is a story about miracles, told with little outrage and no finger-pointing, we are left to ponder the relationships of art and economics and the enormous possibility of social change (9/06/09).

He Knew He Was Right

The BBC production of Anthony Trollope's HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT is a charming trip into another time and place, made very enjoyable by lavish attention to detail and fine acting performances (especially that of Laura Fraser as Emily). As the title suggests, the story is a lesson on the dangers of arrogance and mistrust. It is also, surprisingly, a gentle 19th century polemic on women's rights and the confusion that arises when battling expectations (the husband's of obedience, and the wife's of equality) collide. Although the unhappy couple's struggle is the prominent story in the piece, there are also delightful surrounding vignettes that provide other pleasures and frequent laughter. Not as terrific or complex as the Masterpiece Theatre productions of Dickens or as gripping and epic as The Forsyte Saga (and the one-episode second disc was a serious let-down!!!), HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT was engrossing for most of the journey, and entertained us for several evenings (9/2/09).

Adventureland

Remember 1987? ADVENTURELAND sure does! Every detail of the time-setting is perfect, with wonderfully accurate interiors, cars, slang, music, and clothes. This is a tale of a brand-new college graduate (Brennan, played by Jesse Eisenberg of "The Squid and the Whale"), who is forced by family misfortune to work the summer of '87 as a carnie. Written and directed by Greg Mottola ("Superbad"), the movie is reportedly semi-autobiographical, and it clearly reflects a loving hand. To the extent that it is authentic in its look and feel, and its dialogue is fresh and carefully crafted, this is a movie that could have been that generation's "The Graduate," or even its "Marty." It's unfortunate that it tries too hard to be funny (and fails so badly that we almost stopped watching after 20 minutes), and ends up becoming formulaic despite its careful realism. If ADVENTURELAND had been as consistently honest as its parts, it would have earned 5 big stars from me. But I did enjoy a lot of it, and give kudos in particular to Kristen Stewart, who, as Brennan's friend Em, gave as believable a portrait of a young American Gen-Xer as I'm ever likely to see. (9/1/09)

Jackie Brown: Collector's Series

"You can't trust Melanie. But you can trust Melanie to be Melanie." I can't tell you how many dozens of times I've recalled those lines or how many times the observation has been employable (replacing "Melanie" with relevant name-of-the-moment). These useful and unforgettable lines are spoken by Samuel Jackson to Robert DeNiro about Bridget Fonda, and they're from JACKIE BROWN, one of my favorite movies in a life filled with movies (and far and away my favorite Tarantino). Another memorable line is spoken by the yummy-licious, heart-filled Robert Forster to sexy-as-hell Pam Grier, who plays Jackie, the middle-aged, clever, and barely-employable life-long stewardess at the heart of this complex crime caper. The line is said in Jackie's kitchen, and it's "Nothin' wrong with that..." and you must see this movie to learn why it's so very satisfying. With music and chemistry that rock for days, hilarious moments (Chris Tucker), surprising supporting turns by Michael Keaton and Lisa Gay Hamilton, and brilliant, break-neck writing and direction, JACKIE BROWN says "BOO-yah!" to one and all -- but especially, perhaps, to us smart and sexy women of a certain age. (8/23/09)

Trouble in Paradise

After this exhilarating movie treat was over, my son and I broke into applause from our seats in the living room. TROUBLE IN PARADISE, directed by Ernst Lubitsch in 1932, is a clever crime caper that revolves around a deliciously wicked love triangle comprised of the charming Herbert Marshall, the adorable Miriam Hopkins, and the truly exquisite Kay Francis. Interplay among the characters is electrical and surprising. And the writing, most important of the brilliant elements of this movie, is sophisticated and a huge amount of fun. Prepare to be amazed by its pre-code sensibilities, which removed it and then kept it out of U.S. distribution from 1935 until 1968!! (8/18/09)

Little Dorrit

Another Masterpiece Theatre production of a Dickens page-turner, LITTLE DORRIT was the focus of several days' viewing excitement for me and my husband. All of the elements (sets, costumes, cityscapes; the direction, the music, the gloriously quirky and timeless characters) created satisfying and delightful fun, and we couldn't wait for our nightly dose of Dorrit. After the complex story had ended, however, it seemed as though the telling had been rushed, and, in some cases, events and backgrounds inadequately explained. This wasn't enough to spoil the fun, but it made the conclusion not quite as satisfying as the viewing had been ("process over product," I guess). And there was a distracting deus ex machina moment that really doesn't suit modern expectations, and allowances had to be made for the tastes of the times. But absolutely all of the acting was lively and engaging -- especially that of Claire Foy as Amy -- and the dialogue, of course, never sounded a false note, nor one that wasn't a Dickens of a good time! (8/15/09)

Tomorrow

TOMORROW, filmed in 1971, was based on an off-Broadway play titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow." Maybe if it had kept that title, it wouldn't have got so lost in obscurity. I mean, how's this for credentials for a film you never heard of? It's based on a short story by William Faulkner, its screenplay was written by Horton Foote, and its lead was played by a young, transcendent Robert Duvall. The story -- which illustrates loneliness, love, and loyalty -- is about a shy and isolated Mississippi farmer's son, for whom speech is so infrequent that you can almost feel the struggle of his pipes when he talks. In his one and only attempt to leave his father's farm, he meets a woman who is loquacious, lost, and very pregnant and she herself has wandered away from a limiting home. We watch as their bonded fate unfolds and then resonates decades later. This movie is beautifully constructed and filmed in highly-lit black and white, which evokes the stark beauty of hard times in very hard farmlands. And Robert Duvall simply sets a new standard of character development that provides insight and delight every minute. He is true and he is lovely. This would have easily been a 5-star movie for me except for the mismatch of his leading lady, who is too old for the part and affects a stagy presence and inauthentic, inconsistent accent. She may have created the role on the stage, but she was ruinously wrong for the movie. Nonetheless, TOMORROW is a very good picture-poem that deserves to be seen for Duvall's amazing performance (8/10/09).

Inland Empire

David Lynch continues to explore the ideas of multi-dimensional universes, non-linear atemporal dream-like mental events, and the makeup of personal realities in this tour de force that presents an increasing level of challenge for even his most faithful fans (like me). However, if you see the entire trip as the reintegration of a young Polish mother's nervous breakdown following the death of her child, then it all makes a Lynchian kind of sense. Or at least to me. Or does it? In any case, a truly mesmerizing journey I intend to take again.

The Corner

The main action of THE CORNER takes place in the darkest corners of human despair -- the shooting galleries, basements, abandoned buildings, and sleepless bedrooms of real people who have fallen into drug addiction. Since junk is the reason for all other activity in their lives, it's the overwhelming presence in this 6-hour miniseries. This is not the kind of story that pretends that there is easy redemption through the exercise of virtue (although there are indeed heroes here, and leavening moments of humor and love). The tragedy of THE CORNER is far too huge for fairy-tale solutions, and far too real. We are informed repeatedly that the events depicted are true and took place around a specific Baltimore street corner in 1993, and, at the end, the surviving main characters' real sources are interviewed by director Charles S. Dutton. Because David Simon is one of the writers, and because at least 7 of the actors later showed up in roles on THE WIRE, it's inevitable to make comparisons between this first effort and the meta-brilliant HBO series. But, like its theme, this story is quieter, sloppier, lonelier, and sadder. Special kudos go to Khandi Alexander (who TORE UP the joint as the central character) and Sean Nelson, whom I've loved since he first burst forth in FRESH. But props go out all around THE CORNER: the actors, words, situations, and characters get directly into your bloodstream.(8/9/09)

Shane

SHANE is a deeply satisfying experience and came as a complete surprise for its emotional sophistication. People in this tiny settlement scattered over miles are attentive and careful with one another, and know one another well and kindly. They have lately banded together in defense of escalating harassment from the ranchers who are accustomed to running their herds through unfenced land, and the conflict is exacerbated by the fact that "the law" is three days away. Along comes Shane, golden and quiet and burdened by a past, and he's moved to stay to help the Starret family because of their compassion toward him. There is so much understood but unsaid in this drama of distances and intimacy, and so much is said perfectly with few words. We learn both sides of the conflict: how the ranchers feel they've been robbed of hard-earned territory, and how, as Starret says of the chief rancher, "He only wants to grow beef. I want to grow a family." And now there are clearly understood passions that exist only in gazes just as threatening to the Starrets' safety. The story is seen through the eyes of Joey, the Starret child who idolizes his family's new champion, despite his mother's warning not to "like Shane too much. He'll be gone one day. And you'll be upset." When Shane does leave the town -- much improved because of his actions, but now too full of shame and a different kind of boundary dispute, Joey cries out "Shane! Come back!" and then calls "Good-bye, Shane" and we know that all is right again for the Starrets, only forever sadder. There is amazing award-winning cinematography, ennobling and underscoring the settlers' isolation, and some really fine acting...once you overlook an inability to make the tiny Alan Ladd convincing in his fist-fight scenes with the rancher's gang. But he was utterly believable against Jack Palance's hired gun in the climactic shoot-out. He HAD to be faster than evil-bound Wilson, and you believe, like Joey, that he is magic.

Encounters at the End of the World

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD is so much more than a documentary. It's an exploration itself of the phenomenon of exploration. We meet Antarctica and the full-time dreamers/part-time workers whose travels and urges have led them to study it. We meet the biologist who has devised a plausible explanation for why humans first left the sea that connects directly with our nightmares. We hear the sounds that seals make to each other under the sea ice that resonate with the sounds of our futuristic fiction. We meet veterans of personal adventures and backgrounds that, each one of them, would make a fascinating documentary. We meet the scientific/manufacturing site of McMurdo and the exploding volcano of Erebus. We engage in a sense of pure awe and terror as we follow the ocean divers under the frozen ceiling and as we observe some basic every-day on-ice training. We watch as a neutrino-detecting balloon is filled for its journey outside the nuisance of electromagnetic particles (and then struggle to understand "neutrinos" from a scientist who, in his effort to explain what there are no words for, expresses his belief that god resides therein). And we watch a penguin, who, despite certain death, heads straight for the mountains for reasons of his own -- and, because of Herzog's vision, we understand. The photography (especially in blessed blu-ray) is heart-stopping, and the music is evocative of awe. But the prevailing artist here is Herzog, who has created a mega-vivid and personal homage to the spirit of discovery and the fragility of systems. This is so much more than special. Tune in. (7/20/09)

Johnny Got His Gun

I remember when JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN was released in 1971. It was a highly controversial movie, believed to be too weird and daring for popular consumption. I didn't see it. I didn't know anyone who did. I don't think it showed in my town's theaters. Almost 40 years later, it has finally been released on DVD. It is very powerful and very dated, in the best possible way. If you want to know what creative people were thinking in 1971, this is it in a bombshell. It's the story of a soldier in WWI (played by Timothy Bottoms) who slowly learns that he has been blown into dismemberment and stripped of sight, smell, sound, and speech. As he tries to come to terms with this, we are shown his inner world of dreams and memories, interspersed with black-and-white third-person scenes of his doctors and nurses, and, as he becomes increasingly agitated, with scenes of his sedative-induced hallucinations. To make sense of it, Johnny has to reconcile himself with the things that ultimately betrayed him in his short life: failed myths of patriotism, love, spirituality. He arduously tries to anchor himself in reality by determining *when* he is, and *time* is a major theme of this viewing experience, both within and outside of the story itself. Johnny, like all humans, is hard-wired to the concept of time; and this movie is specifically dated and, to our shame, timeless. There are many indelible scenes: some involving Donald Sutherland as the most likable Jesus ever, others featuring Jason Robards as his bitter and deluded father. In particular, there is one unforgettable scene starring Diane Varsi as Johnny's devoted nurse who administers an act of such generosity and compassion that it evokes both blushing and awe. While this film is famously dedicated to outrage against war, it is equally angry at medicine, religion, ignorance, and demagoguery. Finally, it makes me want to say a reverent, and long overdue, "far out!" (7/7/09)

Brothers

BROTHERS is the second movie from Danish director, Susanne Bier. Her first was AFTER THE WEDDING, which has become a recent fave. Both films have the same blanketing, caressing love for their characters and employ what may be the director's signature of brilliant attention to close-ups, details, and externalized thoughts through images. BROTHERS is a gripping story of intimacy, longing, choices, and terrible sacrifice. It's also a powerful story of damages that can only ever be adapted to and never undone. The acting was wonderful -- especially by the two little girls, who were never less than perfect and heart-breaking. But the first thing that jumped out at me in this tale of the critical importance of brotherhood in all matters of humanity was the dialogue. Yes, I thought; this is how people talk, in real 2-way intersections of surprising reactions. Such believable and intelligent dialogue draws us in and keeps us listening. However, there were two flaws that prevented me from giving the movie 5 stars -- one was a "retcon" (retroactive continuity) that was pivotal in the plausibility of the plot, and the other was (maybe) just a quibble on my part. I felt that the lead actress was too pretty for the role. It was distracting and off-putting. Her acting and the excellent writing were sufficient to establish the character's inner beauty, and extra prettiness had the effect of undermining the role by making her seem less probable in an otherwise all-too-believable story. (7/04/09)

Big Bad Love

BIG BAD LOVE is gonna getcha, if you'll give it half a chance. This is a tremendously effective, quirky and daring labor of love that reaches far inside your mind and heart with surprising sights, and words, and sounds. Based on several short stories by Mississippi's Larry Brown, it's the story of a man who is equal parts writer, unrecovered war vet, drunk, scholar, friend, husband, son, and father. Leon Barlow is played -- and directed -- by Arliss Howard who is funny and frustrating as the erudite messed-up Leon. Debra Winger (Howard's real-life wife) plays Leon's wife, Marilyn, to the highest possible degree of luminous, lived-in perfection. Also wonderful are Angie Dickenson (Leon's socialite mother), Paul Le Mat (his closest friend bonded forever to him by war) and Roseanne Arquette. I don't remember watching a movie a second time within several hours of the first time, not just to catch some of the missed clues to Leon's internal story-telling, but to relish the whole thing again. I immediately bought both the DVD and the soundtrack for my husband -- an aspiring writer himself -- who declared it the best movie he'd seen in years. Brimming with love for the South, for the hearts of humans, and for fantastic music, this is a special experience indeed. Thank you, folks at Ntflx, for bringing it to my attention. (6/21/09).

Nothing But the Truth

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH was anything but truthful. The subject matter (first amendment v. homeland security) deserves much better treatment than this, and I watched it all the way through only out of a sense of respect for the purported issues. While I did enjoy some of the acting (Matt Dillon, Alan Alda, and the man who played the judge), I found most of the writing was stilted and smirk-worthy. Neither of the lead actresses (Kate Beckinsale and Vera Farmiga) was believable and the ostensible theme of national politics took on too much of a "chick-flick" treatment, painting a woman's dilemma where there should have been an American one. The two central characters appeared as little more than bulimic Barbie dolls with flat affect, complete with glamorous, demanding, and dangerous careers that were naturally scheduled around their kids' soccer moments -- while their husbands were either absent, treacherous, or ineffectual. In fact, all the men in this drama were absent, treacherous, or ineffectual. I was pretty disgusted by what I was guessing was either an act of pandering to a female audience or a deliberate deflection of attention from the real issue of privacy rights. But then, at the very last moment, came a twist ending which might actually have been intended to call into question the stoic, earth-mother, wonder-woman slant of the preceding story. This surprise ending helped me grant a tentative 3 stars to a disappointing movie. (6/20/09)

Action: The Complete Series

There are laughs in ACTION that leave you gasping and weepy. It was a travesty when it aired -- wayyyy ahead of its time -- and never could have ever been seen in a million million years -- but it was somehow even more shocking when it was canceled. I remember it had been miraculously renewed (or even rescued) by Fox and we couldn't believe our good fortune -- and then it was canceled again (mid-season?) Anyway, it was like someone had opened a window and then slammed it shut, making the room impossibly darker than before. This hilarious flash of light starred Jay Mohr, Ileana Douglas (oh, especially Ileana Douglas!), and Buddy Hackett saying lines you can only imagine must have delighted him to his rascally core. But the real star was the viciously wise and funny writing. Do you think we could have some more, please? (6/20/09)

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD was one of the best movies to come out in a very good movie year (2007). In addition to a captivating plot and an unusual story-telling device (telling the tale from the players' points of view and time lines), it has a very rare and surprising quality of visceral realness. These brothers (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke) really *feel* like brothers -- to say nothing of feeling like real, recognizable people. Albert Finney, who plays the brothers' father, is also masterful, and elevates the heist movie to a dramatic new level when he comes to understand the havoc he has spawned. This is an extraordinary, gripping tale about people so vivid you can taste them, and about choices made and responsibility taken. After watching it on two different occasions, I bought a copy to have on hand. It ain't pretty, but it sure is good.

The Singing Detective

THE SINGING DETECTIVE is the putting-together of a private puzzle of a damaged man who desperately wants to find either recovery or permanent relief. Michael Gambon plays Philip E. Marlow, a pulp-fiction author who, while bedridden with a puzzling and horrible disease, is engaged in writing a novel in his head. The story that tells his story tells itself with almost no exposition. It is only through Philip's diversions, fantasies, childhood memories, hallucinations, and interactions with the people in his environment that we come to understand the sometimes simultaneous levels of his latest detective story, as our hero -- victim, crooner, author, avenger, paranoiac, villain -- tells himself -- and is told by -- his latest and most important tale. Really wonderful performances, a brilliant idea with terrific dialogue, and brave directorial choices sweep us into a fascinating collaboration. This is a fun and involving and sometimes frustrating process, so people: be warned. Rent both discs at once! It's too tricky and full of odd-shaped puzzle pieces to leave on the table and come back to later.

The Straight Story

THE STRAIGHT STORY was directed by David Lynch. This is important to know when it comes to evaluating just how straight the story is. The film is based on a true account of one man's eventful odyssey by lawn mower, motivated by a need to reconcile with his estranged brother before it's too late. Lurking just below the narrative, however, are hints of something not-quite-said in the linear account of Mr. Straight's trip -- something that deepens our understanding of his past and the real reason for his extraordinary, redemptive pilgrimage. Outstanding direction, with evocative visual composition and visceral clues, beautiful music, brilliant vistas, humane perceptions, and varied moods and atmospheres throughout combine with some of the best acting I've seen. It was Richard Farnsworth's last movie -- filmed while he was dying, in fact -- and his performance is compelling and poetic. All the actors in the cast -- especially Harry Dean Stanton and Sissy Spacek -- are excellent. This is another movie that I bought immediately to share with my son. Spellbinding and inspirational.

Scenes from a Marriage: Miniseries Version

This review is for Disc 1 of SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE: MINISERIES VERSION. While it was always enjoyable, I probably won't be renting Disc II. This film was a very accessible Bergman (no symbolism here, folks!) and had a few terrific moments. But it fell short for me because of two weaknesses. First, it was a pas de deux, and as such, the actor who played the husband was virtually invisible in the radiance of Liv Ullmann. Therefore, his character's issues became lopsidedly less important. Second, the current drama being aired on HBO, IN TREATMENT, is so incredibly much more engaging and enlightening and complex that it overshadows Bergman's earlier attempt to explore psychological crises exclusively through dialogue. This was unfortunate timing; I happen to be in thrall at the moment to IN TREATMENT, and there's no room for prototypes.

Frozen River

Based on the recommendation of my boss (who used to teach film at USC), I watched FROZEN RIVER tonight, and it knocked the wind out of my sails and made my stomach hurt from cathartic emotions. This is the story of a woman (abandoned by her husband whose response to poverty was to become a degenerate gambler), and her two sons, one 5 and one 15, and her struggle to pay overdue bills and keep her children safe in an unforgiving landscape of frozen rivers, black ice, and human trafficking across the border into Canada. Anyone who's ever been a single mother will recognize that fear that never, ever goes away and stays right under the surface of every moment of your life, and will be particularly affected by the heroism and sacrifice at the heart of this story. The first movie written and directed by Courtney Hunt, it is highly skillful and elegant story-telling, without an extra moment or useless camera shot or swelling violins substituting for honest emotions that come instead out of a sense of immediacy. The whole experience was so vivid, in fact, that my husband became bone-cold after watching and turned on his space heater - in Los Angeles in late May! Sad, yet inspiring, FROZEN RIVER is also a tight and terrifying action story, but what remains after the crisis is resolved (as best as it could be) is a humbled appreciation for struggle, love, and choices.

The Reader

Okay, at the risk of ticking off most of my Netfriends, I have to register my disappointment with THE READER. I expected to be blown away by powerful emotions. But I never got swept up enough to not notice that the whole was smaller than the sum of its parts. And the parts themselves were un-integrated and uneven. There was one defining moment when the law professor (played by Bruno Ganz of WINGS OF DESIRE) seemed to sum up the movie's central idea of legal and moral relativity (paraphrasing that the past is another country), but the rest of the movie operated lethargically and half-heartedly well below the level of his lecture. If the picture had been a) shorter (trimmed of at least a half hour) or b) tighter (fewer lazy, lingering close-ups and slow scans of scenery) *and* denser with events and dialogue, the message might have been better attached to the movie instead of hovering well above it. Among the parts I couldn't help but notice since I wasn't swept away, was Ralph Fiennes and his inability to attempt a German accent and I wondered why he was chosen for the role. Yes, he does do "guilt" real well, but he was far less affecting than (and bore no resemblance to) David Kross, who played him as a youth. The 3 stars I gave this movie were for good intentions and the depth of Kate's performance.

Burn After Reading

I enjoyed BURN AFTER READING a bit more than I expected. The only things that kept this from being in the (bottom rung of the) same league as RAISING ARIZONA and HUCKSUCKER PROXY were the performances of the actors in two unfortunately pivotal comic roles: Brad Pitt as Chad and Frances McDormand as Linda. They were too unsubtle by half, which had the effect of creating a disconnect with the viewer. They should have taken their leads from George Clooney, Richard Jenkins, Tilda Swinton, and John Malkovich, who all played it much straighter, letting the funny lines and crazy circumstances guide the action and provide the laughs. Nevertheless, I found myself happily diverted by the movie's twists and turns and its complicated story line, as well as by the swift and tight execution.

State of Play

What an absolutely absorbing story! We thoroughly enjoyed the pacing, acting (especially Bill Nighy in the role of the brilliant, seasoned, sardonic editor), dialogue, and plotting of the British TV series, STATE OF PLAY. I wish it could have gone on longer, with more time with Polly Walker (Attia from ROME) and the delicious James McAvoy. One word of advice to potential viewers: rent both discs at once. It's a story packed with so much information that it's easy to get a little lost if there's too much time between viewings.

Dark Matter

I've worked in academia for 15 years, and my husband's favorite hobby is cosmology, so we were pretty excited to see DARK MATTER after reading its N**fl*x description. And Meryl Streep plays a wealthy philanthropist -- a member of the generous few who are so important to my line of work! I felt particularly connected to the setting and settled down for a good time. But that tiny connection was not enough. It's worth noting here that Henry Kissinger reportedly said that the reason university politics are so vicious is precisely because the stakes are so small. This movie's stakes are even smaller. What could have been a rarely-seen but commonplace drama played out behind ivy-covered laboratory walls (a young Chinese genius ruthlessly thwarted by his jealous professors) became a typical revenge tale with ridiculously pure protagonists and one-dimensional villains. And it didn't even try to explain the Golden Boy's "aha" moment when he observed the bubbling surface of a liquid. Were we supposed to know what clues it held concerning the origins of the universe, when even my rocket-scientist hubby couldn't explain it to me? So, for different reasons, we both hated this movie. I gave it 2 stars only because we watched it all the way through (basic requirement for 2 stars), and, in defense of that decision, it had been only mildly annoying up until the end, when it exploded in rude, nonsensical violence. Maybe if my expectations hadn't been so high, I might have judged it more fairly within its own context, whatever that is, but it hardly matters in my authoritarian little world of Non-academic Movie-ology, where the Big Bang theory rarely involves a .45 automatic.

Milk

Now we're getting somewhere! After 40 years of waiting, MILK has finally provided me with a film recreation of La Epoca that has the ring of truth to it. The movie was so visually authentic that my heart raced with memories. And, except for a couple of dialogue gaffes (nobody said "over the top" back then, guys), it brilliantly captured both the deep seriousness and extraordinary exuberance of the day. I was there then, young and deadly earnest and incredibly, stupidly dewy-eyed and reckless and committed to changing the world with each thought and action, and MILK remembers it well and respectfully. Thank you, Gus Van Sant. As for Sean Penn's performance, it was a simple miracle.

An Autumn Afternoon

AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON was as beautiful as the best painting that has ever moved you, and as quiet. The movie, like a painting, is patience itself, as it unfolds a story of loss and sacrifice and the inevitability of change. It's about the loss of a daughter, the loss of an idol, the loss of a war, the loss of purpose, the loss of youth. Yet the protagonist clearly sees himself as a fortunate man, and the many devotions and considerations displayed among friends and family members are testimonials to permanency and gratitude. This is my second Ozu movie, and I was expecting the same immediacy (you are THERE! THEN!) that I experienced before with the 1956 EARLY SPRING. I wasn't disappointed. The earlier one seems to be more about the awkward change from militarism to a factory-based culture, with ancient, fundamental values getting lost in the shift; while this 1962 piece is about the personal (as well as national) transition to a more self-evaluative stage of life, marked by acceptance, generosity, and tolerance of one another's errors. Your eyes -- and your heart -- will be delighted.

Fuse

The word that first came to my mind after viewing FUSE (and exhaling emotionally) was "balanced." This was a brilliantly BALANCED movie that juggled comedy, tragedy, suspense, reflection, cynicism, sentimentality, and politics on all levels. The title does the same thing; "fuse" as in the thing that sets off an explosion, and "fuse" as in uniting opposites into one. The music was wonderful, as were the settings and direction; but the acting had as much to do with elevating this political tragicomedy into something more moving and universal. I've been recommending FUSE to everyone. It's much more than your typical Bosnian tragicomedy feel-good movie-of-the-year.

Monty Python's Life of Brian

I just watched LIFE OF BRIAN in blu-ray AND with subtitles, which enhanced the movie every bit as much as the improved picture and sound. Yes, it's uneven and longish, but it nevertheless earns 5 stars for hilarity and audacity -- even (and even especially) today. In many ways, it's still the most authentic available depiction of the 1960s as I knew them, and the fact that it stands alone is a wonderment and a puzzlement to me. Now if I could just stop singing "Al-ways look on the bright si-ide of life ...whee hoo, wheehoowheehoo, WHEE hoo," maybe I could make some sense out of all we surely must have learned by now since this movie was made

The Fall

THE FALL is, as others have accurately raved, spectacularly beautiful, especially in blu-ray. But the deep-down and transcendent heart of this movie is a tribute to the importance of story-telling in providing life-defining collaboration between teller and listener (equally responsible in the act of creation) and the critical importance in life of The Fall -- yes, as in pratfall. I bought this for my new blu-ray collection, because there's not another movie like it.

A Passage to India

I was happy to find this available on Blu-Ray, since I had positive memories of it from years ago. I don't know whether it was because this was my second viewing, or because so much time has passed and my perceptions have changed, or because the extra-clarity of Blu-Ray allowed for a new and different reading, but the thrust of this film wasn't so much this time about the racial and class differences in the story, as it was about dangerously mishandled and neurotic sexual repression. As ever, PASSAGE TO INDIA was a haunting movie with great sense of place and some fine acting. However, Sir Alec Guinness was so bad that I deducted half a star.

A Room with a View: Special Edition

We just got a Panasonic Blu-Ray Home Theatre and this was our inaugural Blu-Ray rental. I was so happy to see it was available -- A ROOM WITH A VIEW has been one of my faves for decades now. I was not disappointed. The picture was almost 3-dimensional -- Florence, flowers, interiors, faces absolutely shimmered. And the music! OMG! I felt a song-like lightness in my spirit that lasted until the day after next. Maggie Smith ruthlessly stole every scene, of course, and Daniel Day Lewis' snide, self-important character somehow ends up breaking your heart. What a beauty.

Slipstream

My son enjoys movies that get as many one-star ratings as five-star ratings, and says he looks first for examples of these polarizing films when looking for something new. As it turns out, SLIPSTREAM, a similarly controversial selection, supports the wisdom of this approach. My husband and I rented it because we liked the premise of a writer whose characters have become blurred with "reality" -- but this movie is much, much more than that. It was extremely well-paced, packed with ideas and events and clues and characters (and wonderful actors) that all take place in the "slipstream," and it completely absorbed our attention the whole meshugenah story. Challenging, yes, and enthralling, and funny, and brilliantly insightful, it entertained on several levels. Hopkins has much to say in this piece, and there's much to mine from the concept of "slipstream." P.S. My husband wants me to add kudos for Hopkins' virtuosity (as writer, actor, and director -- and he even did the excellent music!), and reminded me to mention that, despite the leaps in time and story, the continuity of the film was absolutely maintained. It's definitely a movie worth watching more than once, not so much to "figure it out," but for the sheer pleasure of the ride.

Persepolis

PERSEPOLIS is far more affecting than I expected it to be, and its images stayed with me for several days as I theorized how it managed to get so deep into my psyche. There's something very powerful about animation that transcends the everyday and the barely noticeable. Add to that the universality of black-and-white (the symbology of dreams), and scenes that might have been relatively banal in live-action, living-color become immediate, vivid, and personal. The story of PERSEPOLIS is a history of a particular family in modern-day Iran, but it is such an honest and captivating work of art that it reflects dilemmas and themes that run through all cultures, and touches on crises as universal as womanhood, foolish romantic choices, and personal loyalty on several fronts. I immediately bought a couple of copies: one to give away and one for me, as much from a sense of preserving a treasure, as the anticipation of experiencing it again.

Cranford

What's not to love? Dame Judi, historical realism, uproarious humor, compassion, humanity, wonderful writing, and a heart left overbrimming with happiness? Yes. I still get a swelling of joy when I think of CRANFORD, and only wish it could have been a longer tale.

The Savages

I was gratified by THE SAVAGES' adult, wise, uncompromising reality. The scenes that had the most power were the ones where the situations were the most banal and the most humiliating in their utter powerlessness. I was floored by Philip Seymour Hoffman's depth and skill. But I was less impressed by Laura Linney, whom I usually love, because I don't think she herself understood the character as much as she should have, particularly since this story was written and directed by a woman, and Linney's is the central character. Writer/director Tamara Jenkins also authored SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS, another incisive examination of "family." I'd like to see more movies like these that dig deeper into families and their accidental politics -- the fabrics of our identities, origins, strengths, curses, and surviving selves. Granted, SAVAGES wasn't as comic as SLUMS, but it dug deeper. And also granted, the ending seemed a tiny bit patronizing and tacked-on. Granted, too, the movie cut so close to the bone that I can't say it was always a happy ride. But it was more real than anything I've seen on the subject, and humane and ultimately empowering. After letting it settle and percolate for a few days, I upgraded it from 4 to 4 1/2 stars, because of how much thought it left behind.

The Crowd

THE CROWD reaches understandings, back and forth, between spots separated by 8 full decades, illustrating what modern life was like in 1928 and how timeless those insights are in modern 2008. I was surprised at the contemporary sophistication of Vidor's eyes and thoughts, particularly concerning the struggle between individual consciousness (and its alienating but motivating egoism) versus a joy in community (and acceptance of the individual's limitations). It was thrilling to see such apparently realistic sets and settings, as well as Vidor's futuristic stylizations, which are frequently pure visual poetry. Plus, the story of the benighted protagonist was heartrending in its modesty and universality, with very few off-putting melodramatic flourishes. So, yo, fellas. This moving picture is really cool, and it was swell!

3-Iron

3-IRON presents a reviewer with a strange dilemma. If I review it in the way it spoke to me, it could provide too much of a spoiler, because the end leaves the rest of the movie with a chance of a surprising and very different interpretation. (Even worse, I could write a review that misleads the viewer into seeing it in a way that might be peculiar only to me)! So, what I do feel free to discuss is how badly the synopses have already misled potential viewers -- including me, who almost didn't watch it, because who needs another "study in impermanence and despair"? But thanks to Alex de Large, a NetFriend who recommended it, I gave it a chance. As it turns out, I found the synopses to be wrong on even the most superficial level -- to me, this wasn't even the story of a man who visits empty vacation homes. As my interpretation would have it, 3-IRON is a humane and tender allegory that illustrates a very interior tale of growth and acceptance. But in any interpretation, it's a lyrical and often funny story, wise about dreams, relationships, expectations, and compromise. A constant visual joy, it's a study in gorgeousness!

River's Edge

I last saw RIVER'S EDGE -- the story of a group of teenagers who variously under-react to a murder in their ranks -- when it became available on video in the late 80s. It was a different movie to me then. This time it was clear that the film is an indictment, not just of the "younger generation," but of the preceding one (mine) and its role in the appalling loss of morality, conviction, and sense of humanity that followed in the wake of America's first lost war. This message is quite a bitter pill to swallow, and made all the more effective because of the film's verisimilitude. Almost every moment is real and unflinching. Reliving it is a disturbing, sobering, haunting experience -- but the movie ends with the hint of a solution when Keanu Reeve's character acts out of a strengthened moral center, assuming responsibility for another human being. Hardly a feel-good movie, but a masterwork of personal vision.

Bleak House

BLEAK HOUSE is a great time. We thoroughly enjoyed the production and felt like kids watching a Saturday matinee movie serial. Kudos to the direction, the terrific actors, and, most of all, the writer. It's good to know that Dickens still enthralls.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Sometimes a movie gets right inside you, directly, without reflection or judgment. THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY is one of those rare movies, simply magnificent, and one of the best attempts I've ever seen to define and illustrate human consciousness. In addition, the experience of watching this amazing man's story was excruciatingly emotional, yet left me proud of those feelings, beyond catharsis, ennobled by the hero's humanity, and grateful to everyone involved in telling his story.

Starting Out in the Evening

There's an eloquent moment in STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING that epitomizes the enormous, frustrating chasm between youth and old age, and that slap across the table has an impact that's both surprising and perfect. Although the rest of the movie trudges a bit, the acting is fantastic (especially Lili Taylor as a self-respecting middle-aged neurotic), and the writing itself has frequent rewards. Great meditation on pride and expectations and accomplishments and the tantalizing possibilities for starting out, even in the evening.

War Dance

WAR DANCE is entrancing, entertaining, educational, empathetic, enlightening, and exuberant. If you're looking to go somewhere far, far outside your living room and are hoping for hope and longing for inspiration, then pop this DVD into your player. Brace yourself, especially for the horrors many of these children have endured, but savor the salvation, and join in the dance!

Flight of the Innocent

Recommended to me by our favorite movie-rental company -- at five stars! -- FLIGHT OF THE INNOCENT was a big miss. Starting with the opening scenes of brutal violence and corny orchestral music, it did nothing but disappoint. What it did well (the cinematography of Italian settings), wasn't important enough to overcome the defects of writing and story, and the overwhelming handicap of hammy, ham-fisted melodramatic direction. Not my cup of tea

The Kite Runner

Within this depiction of life in tumultuous Afghanistan, THE KITE RUNNER tells the fable of a boy who grows up to achieve redemption and a measure of justice. The experience of this story is seamlessly engaging, and very satisfying to the soul. Also satisfying are the young actors' performances, the cinematography of the town of Kabul both before and after the Taliban, and the delightful, exciting kite-flying sequences. Most satisfying of all is the feeling of having discovered a universal humanity after a glimpse into an alien culture. I was so moved by THE KITE RUNNER that I overcame my own lethargy, and went straight to Wikipedia to learn more about the Hazara, and, while I was at it, a bit more about the history of the region.

To Live

Thoroughly absorbing, TO LIVE tells the story of a Chinese family whose country is in turmoil, moving from an old order in which members of the underclass literally piggyback decadent gamblers back to their opulent houses, to a new order in which an exhausted child is destroyed through a competition to contribute melted metal to the Glorious Revolution. Through it all, the central family suffers, loves, loses, laughs, ages, plays, cowers, and endures. I was impressed by the even-handed depiction of life both before and after the political shift (despite the fact that the movie and film-maker were banned for two years in China), and I was moved by the universal themes of family and loyalty and endurance. The deepest message is uttered when the character played by Gong Li tells their life-long friend, who has accidentally killed a cherished member of their family with his long-coveted truck, now owes them a life. In a lesser -- or Hollywood -- movie, that would have been meant to be taken quite literally, and I waited to see how the debt would be paid. I was surprised and inspired to realize that, in this deeply humane and quietly lyrical movie, it meant that he owed them -- and all of us -- a GOOD life. Highly recommended, haunting epic history.

Gone Baby Gone

Amy Ryan was the best thing about GONE BABY GONE. She was every bit as believable in the role of a selfish slattern as she was as McNulty's main squeeze in THE WIRE, and the movie sparkled whenever she was on camera. All the other performances were fine, and the story was a good one and it was organized nicely. My three-star rating is due to the amateurish direction, which was clumsy, jerky, dull, and just plain stupid in at least one part (did Affleck really think *anyone* believed that obvious bait-and-switch plot device I won't name so as not to spoil it for others?) Big mistake, easily avoided.

No Country for Old Men

I've been told by people whom I trust that I need to see this again. With so many undiscovered movies and so little time to see them, I don't think I'll be putting a second viewing of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN high on my list of things to do. I was greatly disappointed by this movie, which was incessantly and meaninglessly violent, devoid of the Coens' customary humor or a character to care about, and, yes, tedious. I suppose the "point" of it was spoken in Tommy Lee Jones' explanation for his impending retirement: "I am outmatched." If this statement reflected the movie's semi-ironic comment on escalating senselessness, then I guess I get it. But I hardly needed it. Sorry, fellow fans; despite great writing and worthy acting, I feel this was the Coens' DEPARTED -- misplaced recognition for an overhyped effort

Across the Universe

Based upon pure enjoyment, I'd rate ACROSS THE UNIVERSE higher than I did. After all, it was fun and tuneful and pretty to watch. However, as an authentic former hippie/radical, I cringed throughout an awful lot of it and just can't give the movie a pass. The look was right (props to the set designers), but the writing was all wrong. "You look wicked bad"? Please. I'm still waiting for somebody to tell my story -- lunatic optimism, rampant paranoia, unparalleled camaraderie, warts, head lice, and all.

The Secret Life of Words

I was so amazed by the beauty and power of THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS that I had trouble breathing when it was over from frequently forgetting to exhale after gasping. This was an intelligent and amazing movie, and the best I've seen so far as a member of this movie-rental service that prefers to remain nameless in members' reviews. The cinematography, the story, the acting, the writing, the music were all surprising and exceptional. What I don't understand is why I had never heard of it before. What I wish is that I could give it seven stars. As it is, I've already bought two copies of the movie -- one for my son, one for my shelf.

The King of Kong

THE KING OF KONG is an engaging, enjoyable trip into the world of competitive players of old-fashioned video games, complete with an appealing underdog hero and a smarmy cheater of a villain. As a matter of fact, when I look back on the documentary and I think about the tournament and all the brouhaha around it, I swear I can hear the sound effects of Super Mario happening in my head, accompanying the real-life, real-time obsessive geek-fest. Score!

Babel

BABEL tells the story of a family in serious crisis that takes place over three countries and far-flung cultures. As such, the movie highlights various economic disparities and their resultant injustices, but it mainly emphasizes the sheer tragedies that result from failed communications (suggested by the title, referring to the biblical tale of the Tower of Babel). Brilliantly accomplished, the cinematography was fantastic, the acting excellent, the writing complex and challenging, and the pace was nicely varied without losing any excitement in the process. And the excitement? I almost left the room a couple of times because the experience was so horrifically harrowing. And it lingers for weeks.

Lust, Caution

A long, lush, brilliantly acted, many-leveled story that takes place in 1942 Japanese-occupied Shanghai, LUST, CAUTION tells a political tale that has deep echoes in other realms of human existence -- most importantly love, duty, passion, loyalty, and the all-too-powerful fatal desire to see life much simpler than it is. Along with meticulous sets and stunning direction, Ang Lee provides us with many wise observations on humanity, and none of them are cliched. BTW: Tony Leung rules.

Donnie Darko

Has anyone ever seen this and come up with a coherent explanation that satisfies all the questions raised by the movie's elements of paranoid schizophrenia, time-travel, sacrifice, betrayal, mysticism, revenge, Mother Death, and God? Hardly matters, does it? DONNIE DARKO is a wonderful experience, designed for multiple viewings. It is enthralling, personal, inventive, eurhythmic, unique, and surprisingly very, very moving. At the end, I think, one of the paramount thoughts expressed in the film is from Donnie's psychiatrist (yes, that is indeed KATHERINE ROSS!) and that is that ultimately we must choose between world-ending chaos (Self + Frank the Rabbit) and the people whose lives we've touched. His sweet pretty face by turns expressing fear, loss, gratitude, love, and a pretty amazing amount of malice, Jake Gyllenhaal was really terrific.

In the Shadow of the Moon

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON is an excellent documentary of the Apollo moon voyages, and an archival masterpiece marred only by the absence of Neil Armstrong and too few identifiers of the astronauts being interviewed. The previously unseen footage was so beautiful that I had to remind myself frequently that I was looking at ACTUAL FILM, and not computer-generated special effects. Since this movie was also an accurate re-creation of the hope, excitement, and optimism of the age, I found myself making bitter comparisons with today's cynical administration. Does anybody else besides me even remember that George Bush promised to take us to Mars?

Away from Her

This was a story about what we lose -- and what we keep -- at the end of life. Yes, it was unrealistic about Alzheimer's, but it wasn't ABOUT Alzheimer's. And it was unrealistic about the unbelievably excellent health care that these admittedly wealthy people received. But that too was beside the point. AWAY FROM HER was a story about grudges, and guilts, and regret, and commitment, and sacrifice, and about a love that transcends them all. As an essay on end-of-life issues, it was extremely powerful and deeply disturbing to my sleep.

In the Valley of Elah

IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH was a clear demonstration of a truism I developed for myself years ago, and that is that if a movie stays in my head the next day, it was a Good Movie, whether or not I enjoyed it at the time of viewing. This movie sobered me, gave me nightmares, and just wouldn't quit. As a viewing experience, it felt a bit manipulated and I was annoyed by its snail's pace, although it was a wonderful platform for Tommy Lee Jones, and the scenes he shared with Charlize Theron were powerful and touching, especially the ones that took place in her home with her son. But the real power of the film -- which is showing the effects on real people of a viciously stupid war -- unfolds over time. I'm not likely to forget it.

Romance & Cigarettes

Thank you, NF, for recommending this movie to me! Since I don�t like to read full reviews before I�ve seen a film, ROMANCE & CIGARETTES unrolled as a total surprise to me, literally one of a kind, and almost impossible to review in terms of other movies. Wonderful acting by a spectacular cast, smart writing, and passionate direction all serve a special vision that is humane, mature, goofy, and deep. There are moments in this movie that, even while surrounded by glorious campiness, ring as true as anything I�ve ever seen on film. More a musical than not, (more a comedy than not, more a tragedy than not), the film is surprisingly saturated with song and dance -- which supports the main theme of examining all the emotional sensations and physical feelings that make romantic love such a powerful personal experience. After all, isn�t music the primary way we try to talk about love? PS: I�d also add that Kate Winslet has never looked this soft and lovely and that she alone is worth the watch.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

How did this sequel to a great movie come up so dumb? Blanchett was lovely and always watchable, the sets were jaw-dropping, the costumes and hairstyles were elaborate and beautiful � hey, wait a minute � didn�t I recently write the same things about MARIE ANTOINETTE? The difference here is in tone and intent: this mess actually means to be Grand! Important! Historic! or so the hyper-choral music would have us believe. And it did tell a story that reached far outside the queen�s court, but the pedestrian (high school level) writing couldn�t accomplish the special effect of making history plausible.

3:10 to Yuma

3:10 TO YUMA was a cool, well-stocked, western fable updated with modern graphic violence. I loved the old lonesome-cowboy music and the classic visuals and the sophisticated, complex interplay between the protagonists. I've loved Christian Bale since THE MACHINIST and Russell Crow was great fun as the black-hatted rascal of a bad guy. But most of all I enjoyed Ben Foster, who as Crow's really scary sidekick, was damn near unrecognizable as the same guy who played Russell the art student in SIX FEET UNDER! DAY-um! Only one thing kept me from giving this movie five stars, and that was the interminable climactic fight scene that had me dropping off to sleep -- despite and maybe because of its undifferentiated background noise. I woke up only when silence and dialogue interrupted the bedlam.

Brick

I just saw MALTESE FALCON for the umpteenth time yesterday, one day before I watched BRICK. So the references to Bogie's film jumped out at me -- like the "long-short, long-short" signal, and calling the treacherous female partner "angel" while explaining how he set her up for justice. But rather than distracting from the complex story, these shout-outs added greatly to the mood of nouveau noir, as well as to the over-the-top goofiness of a high-drama 1940s-style story placed on top of a modern high school setting, where the vicious drug lord holds court in his mommy's basement and "the bulls" are headed by the school's vice principle. Exhilarating, creative, and delicious fun with snappy, almost silly but earnest dialog rife with CLOCKWORK ORANGE-style slang, great music and tons of shadows and surprises and brutality and rhythms all perfectly ominous, large emotions, heroic principles -- and Gorgeous Joe "the Chameleon" Gordon-Leavitt? Yeah, boy! Pure bliss! PS: Use captions; the language comes in fast and strange.

Once

ONCE was a completely charming, natural story of two lonely people who reach out to each other and share a love. The ending was absolutely perfect, except for my own sense of loss because the enchanting experience was over. Good music, great cinematography, wonderful and relaxed acting, and sensitive, thoughtful writing.

Eastern Promises

EASTERN PROMISES was gripping from the very first shocking scene. The best thing about this movie was the fast-paced, perfectly timed, gorgeous direction. Tied for second place were the fight choreography, a clever story cleverly told, and the incredible acting performances from Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, and, especially, Armin Mueller-Stahl. Caveat: not for the very squeamish.

Two Women

First of all, I'd never seen Sophia Loren in her own language before she got Hollywoodized to death. In TWO WOMEN, she was captivating, bold, awkward, impulsive, self-possessed, loving, and real. It was a performance that well deserved the Oscar it was awarded, but was Loren ever seen in such a performance again? (This reminds me of Marlene Dietrich in Germany's BLUE ANGEL, who bore almost no resemblance to the Marlene Dietrich Hollywood invented. It would seem that women in other countries, who burned up their home screens with unique beauty and power, were often imported to Hollywood, slimmed down, glammed up, homogenized, and ruined.) Anyway, TWO WOMEN told a story of displaced people surviving in World War II Italy that was fascinating and unforgettable. I won't hesitate to watch it again.

Marie Antoinette

The glorious, mouth-watering opulence began to pall after half an hour, and became repetitive and a bit mind-numbing. If Coppola's point was to illustrate the extravagant selfishness of pre-revolutionary twittery, she did that in the first scene of Marie Antoinette in the bath getting her toes done. If she intended to draw comparisons with today's myopic self-indulgence, her '80s music and modern slang were not sufficient to make the case. If she meant to flesh out the historical figures of the young queen and king of France, she failed to make them likable or believable. Three stars for the fabulousness, but it didn't substitute for a good script.

2 Days in Paris

I laughed several times, but I couldn't connect with the couple enough to make it really fun. Maybe it was because Goldberg's character was so repellent and we were forced to see Paris through his narrow, jaundiced, rheumy eyes. Julie Delpy sparkled, however, and I hope she gets more opportunities to write and direct for a long time to come. She is even more charming and interesting as she matures.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

This luxurious movie was a fascinating, gorgeous story of hero worship and all its consequences, with terrific performances by Affleck, Pitt, Delahunt, et al. and lovely accompanying music. But it was wayyyyyy too long, by at least 40 percent in the part preceding the assassination, and the dialog was frequently anachronistic, which detracted from the otherwise painstaking authenticity of sets and costumes. Still, the experience was enjoyable (until it got so drawn-out I was checking the clock) and quite memorable. I love a movie that lingers the next day.

Superbad

Hmmm maybe "Idiocracy" wasn't so far off the mark after all -- this stupid, gross movie was hugely popular??? Maybe it was aimed at a mean-spirited segment of a younger audience, but it left me cold, especially the nasty Seth character. Because I really enjoyed "Knocked Up," I looked forward to watching another movie by these guys. This wasn't it. (PS: I added a star out of affection for Michael Cera.)

After the Wedding

"After the Wedding" is a lush, gorgeous, graceful Danish story of good and well-intentioned people, and it surprises at almost every turn. Serious American movies never dare to be this neatly wrapped up, and rarely concern themselves with the lives of decent folk who struggle with huge feelings of loss, responsibility, love, disappointment, and optimism. The cinematography is luscious and the detailed direction close up and natural, noticing things that are normally noticed in intimate situations The four main characters are each heroic in their own way, and beautiful, lovingly expressed even through the handicap of subtitles. It's hard to pick a favorite here, but Helene may become a permanent fixture in my personal pantheon of role models. And the story is so quietly and subtly revealed that I'm sure it will be a different but equally satisfying experience to watch again.

Talk to Me

This movie really did talk to me. I was a young white radical from the Virginia suburbs when this story took place, so it was a great pleasure to go back to the music, hopefulness, idealism, freshness, and chaos of those creative times. This is a fairly predictable tale of the rise and fall of a radio star (beautifully inhabited by Don Cheadle), but it is also the story of good friends with similar longings and mismatched ambitions. The best part of the film is its snapshot of a pivotal moment in America's history -- the assassination of Martin Luther King. The depiction of that event and how it expressed itself in "P-Town" was a deeply moving tribute to the man and a vivid reminder of our collective spiritual loss.

Knocked Up

Well, I'm astonished. This was a wonderful surprise -- an intelligent, tender, hysterically funny, way smarter than it had to be movie that kept surprising in many tiny ways. There were small parts, but no stereotypes; frank language but nothing self-consciously scatological. People worked on solving conflicts, internal and inter-personal, and often expressed real heart-felt feelings as well as cracking wisely. The pacing was a bit erratic, but didn't detract from the ride. I'm grateful to the TV critic whose name I don't remember who included it in his Top Ten '07 list, and I agree with the member on these pages who suggested that it might be a classic.

The Fountain

Sorry, guys. This was nothing at all like a science fiction story about time-traveling. It was a meditation on grief, and it was gorgeous and difficult, encompassing all the stages thereof, up to and exceeding acceptance. I wish I'd seen it in a theater to more fully feel Aronofsky's Road to Awe.

Little Children

Somebody arrest that man! Jackie Earle Haley stole the HELL out of this movie! But even before he knocked my socks off with his tragic and moving portrayal, I'd become engaged with the film in spite of a stilted start with unrealistic dialog between not-credible female characters. It's worth sticking with, however, because of the intelligence behind the titular theme, the poetic symmetry, and great performances.

Black Book

Don't let the implied middle-of-the-road nature of a three-star review fool you. There was nothing middle-of-the-road about this movie. I just didn't know how else to express the pleasure, incredulity, and contempt this movie evoked. Beautifully filmed, paced just right, thrill-a-minute story-telling combined with truly stupid plot devices, lurid violence, exploitation of historical suffering for prurient purposes, and a gratuitous nude dowsing with a bucket of excrement. I started out enjoying the ride, and ended up pretty disgusted. Naughty "Perils of Pauline" made from "Shoah" material. Ugh. And wow. And wha'?

The Namesake

Pure beauty. An homage to the courage and decency of immigrants who dream of a new life and, full of faith and prepared by hard work, follow their bliss. Highlights include the insightful cinematography with its eloquent contrasts between crazy, colorful Calcutta and snowy, industrial Boston; the acting of the principles; their amazing faces; the music OMG, the music! Director Mira Nair ends her film with a scene depicting Ashima's return to a girlhood study of classical Indian music, and the final note of her song vibrated ecstatically in my head. All by itself, this final note is worth the price of admission.

La Vie en Rose

It was too long and laden with unnecessary scenes while still managing to leave important gaps in the narrative but Marion Cotillard's acting in the role of Edith Piaf transcended the movie's flaws and elevated it to a five-star experience. I honestly never saw anything like it. And then, when I researched the actress, I was even more astounded by her actual appearance -- which is very far from Piaf-like. Her performance was simply an amazing, unforgettable tour-de-force.

The Lookout

Enjoyable in every respect, this film succeeded equally well as a thriller, a portrait, and a parable. Gordon-Leavitt was believable in another difficult role, and Matthew Goode was wonderful as one of the worst bad guys ever. Also praiseworthy was Isla Fisher in the role of Luvlee; the smart, small scene between her and Jeff Daniels� blind Lewis was especially well-written and well-performed, vividly real. I also loved the sets and settings, the music, and Deputy Donuts. The whole movie was exciting, insightful, rewarding, and highly recommended. A modern classic.

Mysterious Skin

I considered giving this movie five stars, but, to be this difficult to watch, it should have been closer to perfect. Several of the characters were cartoonish -- e.g., Neil's trashy mom and the alien-besotted farm girl -- and, in the same pattern of two-dimensional caricatures, a few pivotal portrayals needed a touch more humanity in order to be truly villainous (most importantly, Coach). But maybe I should have been grateful for the flaws that sometimes distracted me from this harrowing and profoundly affecting experience. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt was awe-inspiring, giving a completely fearless performance that was a non-stop wonder to behold. It was critical to the story for the viewers to be charmed by the wounded, manipulative Neil, and thanks to the mesmerizing Gordon-Leavitt, there are many scenes that are now permanently a part of my sadder-but-wiser head.

Antonia

Nothing deep, nothing particularly insightful -- just fantastic music, really great-looking people, and totally engrossing environments. You are absolutely there in the beautiful slums of Sao Paolo, where the brilliant colors and crumbling hillside ruins are the setting for so much passion, music, hope, drama, and joy in the lives of four aspiring singers from the poorest part of the city. This is a girl-power movie that transcends girls, and reaches out to everyone who loves music and believes in things like friendship, fairness, fierceness, and freedom. Yeah, I loved it. I'll probably watch it again.

What the #$*! Do We Know!?

This was the first DVD I ever threw out, forcefully hurling it into the kitchen garbage can. It's a cleverly marketed piece of cult advertising, which, by itself wouldn't have earned it a forceful hurling, but combined with its lack of anything like facts or explanations or originality of so-called insights, doomed it to the bottom of the bag with coffee grounds and fishbones. Sorry to do that to our landfill but I wanted to make absolutely sure nobody else got swindled the way I had been.

Sweeney Todd

Wonderful, wonderful! Powerful, sweeping, and beautiful adaptation of one of my favorite pieces of theater. I was most impressed with Ms. Helena Bonham Carter, who re-interpreted Mrs. Lovett as a sad and truly desperate woman, rather than the twisted comic relief that Ms. Lansbury so entertainingly embodied. I absolutely loved Bonham Carter's acting and especially her pitch-perfect singing voice and I couldn't take my eyes off her face when she was on the screen. She and Depp made a great team, as did Depp and Rickman and Depp and the young man who played Anthony, singing my favorite odd and bloody duet. The movie's cinematography was literally breathtaking, and the music was by far and away the best element of the show -- and that is totally appropriate. Kudos to all involved. It took courage and dedication to make big bad Sweeney into an intimate film, and I intend to reward their efforts by seeing it again in the Cineplex as well as buying it on DVD.

Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?

Knowing the outcome of the subject's political contest did not affect the pleasure of watching this documentary in the slightest. First of all, it was moving and heartening to see somewhere in this country an example of grass roots idealism, commitment, and organization. Second of all, it was so well-made as to be genuinely gripping. Third of all, I wanted to vote for Jeff Smith! and I still do!

La Sierra

One hundred percent engaging, this is a documentary that frustrates every bit as much as it enthralls. As one of the older citizens of La Sierra, a small town on a Medellin hillside, said to the gringo-held camera early in the film, "We are in the hands of kids with guns." These are kids, in fact, who have been waging war with neighboring kids for decades, with little in the way of ideology and much in the way of machismo posturing. One of the most intimate and fascinating documentaries I've ever seen.

The Last King of Scotland

Well acted, by both Whitaker and McAvoy as well as all the supporting players, and beautifully, lovingly filmed. But there wasn't the sense of authenticity that would have made this film much better than a bloodier, sexier made-for-TV movie.

Stranger than Fiction

I enjoyed much of this movie -- especially Ms. Gyllenhaal, as usual -- and appreciated its heart and humor. But the places it could have gone! The issues it could have explored! The richness of thought it could have developed about time and consciousness and authorship! All its possibilities were just too big for the fluff it became, and I was left feeling robbed and a little talked-down-to.

Mostly Martha

What saved this pleasant, rather predictable tale from being a classy made-for-TV movie were the charm and talents of its lead players, especially Martina Gedeck (Christa-Maria in "The Lives of Others") and Maxime Foersta, the child actress who played Martha's niece. Gedeck was astonishingly beautiful yet approachable and awkward (not an easy feat!) and fully sympathetic in the role of a woman wrapped a little too tightly in her own pursuit of perfection.

The Science of Sleep

While it was a mentally and visually enchanting film, it wasn't as involving as it should have been. Maybe it was too much, too deliberately fanciful and crafted -- but the director's fingerprints showed all over the windowpane and distracted from the story and especially from the artist's message or vision. I think this highly experimental movie was the depiction of the dreams of a boy troubled by the recent death of his father and the unintegrated feelings of guilt and regret and loss and fear of both being alone and being intimate. Mr. Bernal was fantastic and vivid as the dreamer. The movie was a great departure and a creative treat; I just would have liked to be more emotionally engaged even at the risk of losing some intellectual appreciation.

Letters from Iwo Jima

I don't get war. I especially don't get wars played with rules and codes of honor like "do the right because it's right" and debating whether it's nobler to survive to kill more people or to kill oneself. But this movie explores those issues -- and more -- in a way that makes the absurdities fascinating and vivid if never solved. Beautifully filmed and staged, reverent and immediate. Exquisite story-telling. And, if I may be a bit snarky, it more than makes up for that POS "Million Dollar Baby." Many kudos to Mr. Eastwood.

Fracture

If Hopkins' overacted, hammy character had watched a few "Law and Order" reruns, he wouldn't have made those stupid mistakes in committing his allegedly "brilliant" crime. Loud and looming music also contributed to the schlock level of this pretty and almost-entertaining thriller.

In the Mood for Love

This was like watching really, really gorgeous paint dry. On really lovely surfaces, to be sure, but not my cup of tea.

The Queen

Thoughtful essay on the way-overdue change from royalty to something approaching populism in Merry Olde England. Very well-done but I had two objections: 1) Tony Blair's character was far too goofy and lower-class to be believable, despite the actor's uncanny physical resemblance, and 2) it's almost too early to view this event as key in a large historical development. It seems too tiny and inconsequential at this point to care very much about it. Also, objection number 3: while Mirren's acting was convincingly restrained and heartbreakingly duty-bound, I can't see why she was honored over Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal." On the other hand, I was VERY impressed by the cinematography and settings, especially of all things Royal. I was surprised by how drab and small the Queen's home surroundings were (except for the vast lands), until I realized that they were ancient and unchanging -- and that was much of the point, wasn't it?

Happy Endings

Can Maggie Gillenhall be any more appealing? Her scenes with -- of all people -- Tom Arnold were natural and lovely. This is a well-designed, insightful story that was well told with humor and affection and it was engaging from start to finish.

Volver

Very estrogenic, funny, humane, and compassionate -- to say nothing of visually fantastic -- it was a treat to see Penelope Cruz in her own element. How Pedro Almodovar must love women! How delightful to watch a movie in which the men are exotic and strange and the women competent and communal. Add to that some elements of magical realism, and you've got a really good time at the movies!