The Two Mrs. Carrolls

THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS (1947) - Dec. 20, 2006
About a painter who remarries after his first wife dies suspiciously; after a while his second wife begins to suspect that something isn't quite right. Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck were both really good. I particularly liked the scene where Stanwyck first realizes that something is wrong, and discovers Bogart's most recent painting. The film was well directed, and featured some nicely moody cinematography (which seemed to get moodier as the film progressed). ***

It's a Wonderful World

IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD (1939) - Dec. 17, 2006
Another winner in the "lots of stuff happening in a short amount of time" genre, this was an enjoyable film about a private eye, on the run from the cops, trying to figure out who framed his client for murder. He meets a woman on the way, and of course they bicker a lot while falling in love. It's not the freshest story (even for 1939) but it was well made, and of course Jimmy Stewart and Claudette Colbert were both quite good as the couple. ***

Valley of the Kings

VALLEY OF THE KINGS (1954) - Dec. 16, 2006
About an archaeologist who, along with a woman he winds up falling in love with, seeks out a tomb in Egypt that will confirm a story from the Bible. There's quite a bit here that clearly inspired Spielberg when he made Raiders of the Lost Ark (there's even a character named Sallah, which could be a coincidence though I doubt it). It's hard not to compare this to that movie, and obviously it's not nearly as good, but it was still entertaining throughout and contained some good set-pieces (a carriage-chase through the busy streets of Egypt was a highlight). ***

Grand Central Murder

GRAND CENTRAL MURDER (1942) - Dec. 13, 2006
An essentially entertaining though pretty much forgettable film starring Van Heflin. About the murder of an actress, and the gathering of suspects that follows. Much of the film is told in flashback as the various suspects tell their stories. The film was reasonably well made and featured a good performance from Heflin. Thank you, Turner Classic Movies! **1/2

The Killing

THE KILLING (1956) - Dec. 9, 2006
Though not quite as excellent as some of his later masterpieces, this was still an exceptionally good film by Stanley Kubrick. About the planning and execution of a robbery at a race track, this was a really well made and entertaining film. Kubrick's direction was, of course, top notch, and the film featured some really striking high-contrast black and white cinematography. The non-linear narrative worked quite well, and is especially impressive considering when it was made. The performances were also really good; there are few people who can play tough guys as well as Sterling Hayden. ***1/2

Die Hard 2

DIE HARD 2 (1990) - Dec. 8, 2006 (Fourth Viewing? Fifth?)
Why can't they make action movies this good anymore? What's the deal? What's so difficult about it? Though the first one remains the superior film (it would be pretty hard to top that one) this was still a really good sequel. Featuring some really well made and violent action sequences, and a really good performance from Bruce Willis, this is definitely a classic of the action genre. ***1/2

The Pursuit of Happyness

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (2006) - Dec. 7, 2006
Will Smith gives a really good performance in this otherwise well made but unremarkable film about a man struggling to raise his son and make ends meet while working as an unpaid intern at a stock brokerage. There's nothing wrong with the film, there's just nothing terribly memorable about it (aside from Smith's surprising performance). **1/2

Blood Diamond

BLOOD DIAMOND (2006) - Dec. 4, 2006
About a man who is separated from his family and forced to sift for diamonds, and who subsequently finds a giant diamond and hides it. He's then convinced by a diamond smuggler to dig it up and sell it. The bulk of the movie basically consists of the two men traveling across the country in an attempt to retrieve the diamond, and the many obstacles they encounter on the way. The main problem here is that the movie is seriously overlong, and feels that way for almost the entire running-time of the film. Several scenes feel either too long, or entirely superfluous. It also tends to be a bit on the preachy side (we get it, they've got it bad over there). It's well made and well acted (Djimon Hounsou gives a particularly impressive performance), but yeah, too long and too preachy. **1/2

Superman Returns

SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006) - Dec. 3, 2006 (Second Viewing)
This was a really good superhero movie. It's definitely a very long film, but it didn't really seem overlong this time around... at least not by much. A lot of stuff happens, but I can't really think of anything major that could be cut out. The performances were all really good, particularly Kevin Spacey (as good as Gene Hackman was in the original, he can't touch Spacey, who is absolutely perfect as Lex Luthor). This is a really good looking film; the direction and cinematography are top-notch. There's enough action to keep things moving but not so much that it becomes overwhelming. Good stuff. ***1/2

The Secret Life of Words

THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS (2005) - Dec. 2, 2006
A slow-paced but never boring film about a factory worker who spends her vacation (forced on her by her boss) working as a nurse, caring for a burn victim on an oil rig. She is shy and doesn't talk much, but a friendship slowly forms between them. Sarah Polley and Tim Robbins both gave really excellent performances as the nurse and the burn victim, respectively. Basically a character study, the film works because the performances are so good, and because it's very well made. ***