Raiders of the Lost Ark

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) - May 14, 2008 (Fifth or Sixth Viewing)
Wow! It's easy to forget what an amazing director Steven Spielberg was in his prime, but this is a pretty stunning reminder; I think this is very close to being a perfect film. Certainly, it is a perfect summer blockbuster, and the absolute antithesis to the type of garbage we tend to see these days. Spielberg's direction is almost ridiculously good, with the more dramatic stuff faring just as well as the action (and there isn't a hand-held camera in sight, which would be almost unheard of in a contemporary action film, and which proves beautifully that that hand-held/shaky-cam is absolutely not needed to craft an exciting action scene). Then there's the performances -- there's a reason Indiana Jones is such an iconic character; Harrison Ford's performance has just the right amount of charm, gravitas, and badassery. The other actors are just as good. John William's score (which has to be one of the most recognizable scores of all time) is as effective as it is memorable. Man, what a great film this was. I remembered it being excellent but it was even better than I had remembered. ****

Alone

ALONE (2007) - May 10, 2008
Though not quite as good as the directors' previous effort, Shutter (it lacks the sustained tension of that film, though this was more of a drama/horror hybrid), this was still a well made and enjoyable film. About a woman who finds herself haunted by visions of her Siamese twin, who died when they were separated (a procedure which was done at her behest). Though the twin essentially appears as the now-standard long-haired girl of Asian horror, her appearances are brief enough that this doesn't feel like yet another Ring knockoff. ***

Sleepless in Seattle

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE (1993) - May 7, 2008 (Second Viewing)
A decent romantic comedy about a guy who goes on the radio talking about how he misses his dead wife, and a woman who hears this and falls in love. Though it is written by Nora Ephron, who also wrote the superior When Harry Met Sally, it lacks much of the wit and charm of that film, coming off as far more conventional. It also doesn't help that Ephron's direction is mediocre, and relies far too much on music to underscore every single emotion in the film. Of course, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are at their charming best here, which definitely helps, though the fact that they barely even meet until the last few minutes of the film makes it somewhat tough to really be rooting for their relationship. **1/2

Speed Racer

SPEED RACER (2008) - May 4, 2008
An odd follow-up to the Matrix Trilogy from the Wachowski Brothers, this was an interesting if not entirely successful adaptation of the popular Japanese cartoon. The Wachowskis' direction is aggressively stylish (this is quite possibly the most colourful film in the history of cinema), and for a while it works. But at 129 minutes the film is ridiculously overlong, and by the end the film's bombastic sensory assault gets wearisome. It's surprisingly well acted and it's definitely exciting in parts, but it's just far, far too long. **1/2

Iron Man

IRON MAN (2008) - May 3, 2008
A better-than-average, though flawed, superhero film. For one thing, the film is too long; there's much more setup here than is really needed (the whole first hour probably could have been condensed into 15 minutes). Jon Favreau's direction is very good, if somewhat bland. The film never feels too action-heavy, though it does feel a bit action-light in the first hour (in fact, the first time Tony Stark gets into his real Iron Man suit and dispatches some bad guys, it suddenly occurred to me that, yes, I am watching a superhero movie -- something I had pretty much forgotten up to that point. I guess that's either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view). Robert Downey Jr. was just as good as everyone has been saying, though I'm not sure if the film itself was quite up to his level. Certainly, it's nowhere near the ultimate superhero film everyone seems to be proclaiming it to be. ***

When Harry Met Sally

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989) - Apr. 29, 2008
An above-average romantic comedy about a couple who, over the course of a bit more than a decade, run into each other a few times and then proceed to become good friends and fall in love. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are both very good as the couple, and have definite chemistry together. The film is quite well written, though it is mostly plotless and feels a bit meandering at times. Still, it is a good film and justifiably a classic in the genre. ***

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY (2008) - Apr. 26
An enjoyable follow-up. Like the first one, it's mostly episodic, and like the first one, some of the bits work better than others. But it's pretty much always entertaining, and a decent enough entry in the "lots of stuff happening in a short amount of time" genre. ***

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008) - Apr. 25, 2008
A pretty routine romantic comedy elevated by some really funny performances, and some laugh-out-loud funny moments. Jason Segel proves that he definitely has what it takes to be a leading man. Like pretty much all Judd Apatow productions, it feels slightly overlong, but not nearly as much as some of his other films. ***

Baby Mama

BABY MAMA (2008) - Apr. 23, 2008
Basically entertaining up to a certain point, and... that's all I wrote when I first watched this film, and now it's about a month later and I've pretty much completely forgotten it. I think that tells you all you need to know. **

The Palm Beach Story

THE PALM BEACH STORY (1942) - Apr. 20, 2008 (Second Viewing)
A classic romantic comedy. Both Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea are perfect in their roles, and Preston Sturges' writing and direction are superb. Romantic comedies of this caliber almost never get made anymore, and I'm really not sure why. ***1/2

The Forbidden Kingdom

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (2008) - Apr. 19, 2008
About a kid from Boston who travels back in time and finds himself on a mission in China, with help from Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Rob Minkoff's workmanlike direction suits the material fine but tends to be a bit bland (though all things considered, that's that's not really something to complain about too much in an action film these days -- it could have been so much worse). The characters never really become people we care about too much, so it slows down a bit between the fight scenes. The fight scenes are good though, particularly the inevitable fight between Chan and Li. **1/2

Walk Hard

WALK HARD (2007) - Apr. 14 (Second Viewing)
I quite enjoyed this. John C. Reilly's hilarious performance goes a long way to making this as good as it is; Jake Kasdan's direction is also quite good, and his script with Judd Apatow is good as well. ***

The Ruins

THE RUINS (2008) - Apr. 13
A satisfyingly violent adaptation of Scott Smith's novel. I wasn't sure if the whole notion of killer vines would work on film (it could have looked pretty silly), but they pulled it off fairly well. It's definitely not as good as the book, but it's entertaining and well made, for the most part. ***

Street Kings

STREET KINGS (2008) - Apr. 11
Featuring Keanu Reeves as a cop so grizzled he takes his gun with him into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and drinks vodka out of little airplane bottles, this was a cheesy film -- but it was the best kind of cheesy. It was a really enjoyable cop thriller about a gritty cop trying to solve the murder of his ex-partner. It's pretty predictable all the way through and hard to take too seriously, but it was very entertaining and featured some really good performances, including a scenery-chewing turn by Forest Whitaker. ***

Bruiser

BRUISER (2000) - Apr. 10
Blech. I think Romero should stick to films with zombies in them. Though this had a decent enough premise -- a put-upon working schlub snaps and gets revenge on those who have wronged him -- it almost immediately strikes all the wrong notes and by time the end credits have rolled, it's become a ridiculous mess. Romero takes a good premise and completely squanders it; he attempts to make the film some sort of fantasy, but fails miserably. And WHAT IS THE DEAL with the scene in which the protagonist puts a beer bottle in a tennis ball launching machine while one of his enemies is practicing his swing? You expect the beer bottle to launch out and nail the guy in the head, or something -- anything -- but there's absolutely no payoff. Why would they even set something like that up if they're not going to do anything with it? It's an insult to the audience. *1/2

Three Kings

THREE KINGS (1999) - Apr. 8, 2008 (Third or Fourth Viewing)
Yeah! Though I remembered this being really good, it was perhaps even better than I remembered. First and foremost is David O. Russell's direction, which is truly impressive. Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography is equally good; this is a very good looking film. The film works really well both in its dramatic and comedic moments, and all the performances are quite good. Good stuff. ****

The Seven-Ups

THE SEVEN-UPS (1973) - Apr. 5, 2008
Roy Scheider is quite good in this film about a group of cops investigating a string of kidnappings. The film was expectedly slow-paced, and somewhat hard to follow at times, but it was well made and never boring. Plus, it featured what had to be one of the best car chases I've ever seen. It was almost ten minutes long, and it was awesome; most contemporary directors (Michael Bay, Paul Greengrass, etc.) could learn a thing or two from this film. The ominous score by Don Ellis was also a highlight. ***

Mr. Baseball

MR. BASEBALL (1992) - Apr. 2, 2008 (Second Viewing)
A somewhat cheesy but enjoyable film about an aging baseball player who's forced to play in Japan after his team trades him. The whole thing plays out exactly like you'd think it would, but it's well made and features an expectedly charismatic lead performance from Tom Selleck. ***

2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) - Apr. 1, 2008 (Third or Fourth Viewing +1)
WOW. I knew that this was a masterpiece and one of the greatest films ever made, but nothing could have prepared me for the awesomeness of seeing this on the big screen (other than the removal of the intermission, which kind of sucked). This is a monumentally great film, and seeing it in a movie theatre was amazingly hypnotic. I don't think any director ever has or ever will be able to so perfectly match visuals with sound; this is a mind-bogglingly well directed film. Stanley Kubrick is the master of cinema, and I highly doubt any director will ever be able to surpass him (though PT is actually getting scarily close). ****

[REC]

[REC] (2007) - Mar. 31, 2008
About a reporter who, along with her cameraman, ends up getting stuck in an apartment building with a rapidly growing population of zombies (the running kind, not the slow lumbering kind). The Blair Witch-style handheld direction is a bit annoying at first, but it actually does work quite well -- the film is gripping and suspenseful, particularly towards the end. I wish I could have seen this on the big screen; it would have been a perfect Midnight Madness film. Oh well. ***1/2

Intermission

INTERMISSION (2003) - Mar. 30, 2008
Though this wasn't quite as good as John Crowley and Mark O'Rowe's most recent effort, the stunning Boy A, it was still a very enjoyable film about a bunch of characters in the Dublin area. And despite the surfeit of characters, the film does a very good job developing all of them and making them people we care about (unlike something like Stop-Loss, which had less characters and more time to work with and still failed to make us care about any of them). ***1/2

Stop-Loss

STOP-LOSS (2008) - Mar. 29, 2008
A well acted but otherwise mediocre film about a soldier who comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq, only to find that he has been stop-lossed and must return for another tour. Meandering and overlong, the film was heavy-handed and featured some surprisingly bland/inept direction from Kimberly Peirce. The performances were quite good, though, particularly Ryan Phillippe in the main role. **

Nez Rouge

NEZ ROUGE (2003) - Mar. 27, 2008
A poorly-directed but essentially entertaining romantic comedy that seriously overstays its welcome (why is it so hard for a lot of directors to wrap their minds around the simple fact that romantic comedies over 90 minutes rarely work?). About a woman who befriends a notoriously tough critic in order to get revenge over a bad review, the film is more enjoyable in its first half, before it becomes a fairly standard romantic comedy. The performances were fine for the most part, though the chemestry between the two leads was questionable. And the bizarre twist at the end, in which it's revealed that one of the main characters is actually Santa Claus, seems like it belongs in another movie. **

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (2008) - Mar. 26, 2008
Featuring very good performances all around, this was an enjoyable romantic comedy set in 1930s London. Frances McDormand is quite good in the main role, as are the supporting cast (Ciarán Hinds in particular is really good as her would-be suitor). ***

21

21 (2008) - Mar. 24, 2008
What happened? Adapted from a fairly decent book, this was a bad, bad film. Filled to the brim with paper-thin characters -- none of whom seem authentic in the least -- the movie wasn't interesting, and worse, it was boring. The screenplay was a mixed bag of all the cheesiest cliches you can imagine, and Robert Luketic's aggressively bland direction ensured that the film was never interesting to look at (pretty much the polar opposite of the last film I watched, Police Beat). None of the actors make any kind of impression, even the usually reliable Laurence Fishburne and Kevin Spacey (who are both completely wasted here). Boo-urns. *1/2

Police Beat

POLICE BEAT (2005) - Mar. 23, 2008
An oddly hypnotic film about a Rookie cop in Seattle. The film contains absolutely no plot -- it follows the cop over the course of a few days, with occasional narration in an African language about his girlfriend, who is away on a camping trip with another guy. It sounds bizarre, and it is, but it really works. Despite its complete plotlessness the film is absolutely never boring; the 81 minute running time probably helps, as does the beautiful direction and cinematography, which assure that the film is always interesting just to look at. ***1/2

The Bank Job

THE BANK JOB (2008) - Mar. 18, 2008
A stylish and enjoyable film about a group of small-time criminals who are recruited to rob the vault of a bank in London in the 1970s. Jason Statham is quite good in the main role, and the film is entertaining throughout, though there's probably a bit more going on here than I'd like (the overly busy plot deals with the London underground, secret photographs, blackmail, and double, triple and quadruple-crosses -- among other things). I would have probably preferred less of that other stuff and more heisting. Oh well, it was still a good film. ***

Doomsday

DOOMSDAY (2008) - Mar. 15, 2008
Though it definitely isn't as good as Neil Marshall's previous effort, The Descent, that's hardly even a slight against it, as that film would have been next to impossible to top. The film owes a large debt to stuff like Escape from New York and (I assume) Mad Max, but it never feels like a mere ripoff of any of those films. Marshall wears his influences on his sleeve, but he definitely goes his own way with them. This is a really enjoyable, fun film, and though it has its flaws, it's still one of the better and more memorable action films I've seen in a while. ***1/2

Semi-Pro

SEMI-PRO (2008) - Mar. 13, 2008
How will Ferrell can be so funny on SNL, and so flagrantly un-funny on the big screen is one of life's great mysteries. Though there are a few chuckles here and there, the film is mostly laugh-free and worse, it's boring and doesn't really feature any characters worth rooting for. It's also badly directed and murkily shot (in fact this has to be one of the ugliest looking films I've seen in a long time). *1/2

Devil in a Blue Dress

DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (1995) - Mar. 9, 2008
A noirish thriller about a man who's hired to find a missing woman, and who winds up getting mixed up in all kinds of shenanigans. It definitely reminded me of films like the Big Sleep (complete with a somewhat hard-to-follow plot). Denzel Washington was, of course, very good, and the film also featured a memorable supporting role from Don Cheadle. ***

Larceny, Inc.

LARCENY, INC. (1942) - Mar. 8, 2008
An enjoyable film about a criminal who gets released from prison and, having a hard time going straight, starts planning his next heist. Edward G. Robinson gives a charismatic lead performance, and the film is quite enjoyable throughout. ***

Terror on a Train

TERROR ON A TRAIN (1953) - Feb. 29, 2008
An essentially entertaining film about the efforts to find and diffuse a bomb on board a train that's transporting dozens of highly explosive mines. The film contains some nicely moody black and white cinematography, and is well acted, though even at 72 minutes it feels padded-out and overlong. **1/2

Awake

AWAKE (2007) - Feb. 28, 2008
Another sad example of a film which is completely spoiled by its own trailer. This was a basically decent, though somewhat mediocre film about a young millionaire who undergoes open-heart surgery only to find himself conscious during the procedure. It was entertaining enough (for the most part), and featured a refreshingly brief running time of under ninety minutes, but it probably would have been a bit more enjoyable if every twist hadn't been spelled out in the trailer. Oh well. **1/2

Vantage Point

VANTAGE POINT (2008) - Feb. 20, 2008
About an assassination attempt on the President told from several different points of view, this film featured a second half which was much better than the first. The first half, in which the action is constantly being rewound (literally rewound) so that the story can be told from a different point of view, feels a bit more gimmicky than anything else. The film becomes much more involving when it abandons this and becomes more conventional. The film's other big problem is Pete Travis' direction, which is mediocre, for the most part. Most of the action scenes suffer from the usual quick-cut/shaky-cam laziness, though there is a lengthy car chase towards the end which is surprisingly exciting. The film also feels like it was clearly watered-down for a PG-13 rating, which is unfortunate. The performances are all quite good, though Matthew Fox is less-than-convincing when he tries to speak Spanish. (Also: I've heard this film described as being Rashomon-like. Anyone who still compares it to Rashomon after seeing it deserves to be punched in the nose). **1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) - Feb 16, 2008 (Fifth Viewing)
This is a great, great film. I've seen it five times now and I still feel like I should see it again. Good stuff. ****

Definitely, Maybe

DEFINITELY, MAYBE (2008) - Feb. 13, 2008
Sort of like How I Met Your Mother: the movie, this is about a father who tells his daughter the story of how he met her mother, only without telling her which woman in the story turns out to be her mom. The director definitely gets props for trying something a bit different in a well-worn genre, though the film is otherwise entirely conventional (not that that's necessarily a bad thing). The film does overstay its welcome a bit (no romantic comedy should be over 90 minutes -- no exceptions!), and it is a bit disheartening to see an actor as good as Derek Luke relegated to playing the sassy black friend, but this is generally an enjoyable film. **1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) - Feb. 11, 2008 (Fourth Viewing)
I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP! ****

In Bruges

IN BRUGES (2008) - Feb. 8, 2008
A really well made film about a couple of hitmen who go to Bruges to hide out after a job goes bad. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson were both really good as the two hitmen, and made each of their characters people who we really come to care about. The film does a really good job mixing drama and comedy, and features some surprisingly funny parts mixed in with dramatic moments, without it ever feeling incongruous or forced. I also liked how the film takes its time at the beginning setting up the characters, which just makes it all the more effective once the plot stuff starts kicking in. And then there's Ralph Fiennes, who is perfect as the two hitmen's somewhat psychopathic boss, and who steals absolutely every scene he's in. ****

The Hulk

THE HULK (2003) - Feb. 6, 2008
Hmmm... I guess there's a reason that this flopped. It's clearly too long, and worse, the whole father/son dynamic between Eric Bana and Nick Nolte just doesn't work (and takes up the bulk of the film). It's too silly. Eric Bana does the best he can do with the material, and Jennifer Connelly somehow manages to pull off a performance that is far better than the film deserves. But Nick Nolte is just way too over-the-top. **

The Great Debaters

THE GREAT DEBATERS (2007) - Feb. 2, 2008
About a black debating team in the 1930s and the many obstacles they face, this was mostly entertaining, if somewhat overlong and a bit ham-fisted. It's elevated by some excellent performances -- Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker are as good as ever, and all the members of the debating team are quite good as well. ***

Rambo

RAMBO (2008) - Jan. 29, 2008
A fitting conclusion to the Rambo series (assuming that this really is the last one). About Rambo, very grizzled and working as some kind of snake-wrangler, who must rescue a group of missionaries in Burma. Stalone does a good job showing what this character would be like in his 50s, and (as the director) updating the film's style for modern audiences while still making it feel like a Rambo film. It's entertaining throughout, and then there's the film's spectacularly violent climax, which has to be one of the better things I've seen in a while. ***

Rambo III

RAMBO III (1988) - Jan. 28, 2008
Like the second one, this is a full-out over-the-top '80s action film -- this one finds Rambo helping Afghan rebels fight the Russians in order to rescue his mentor. Though the action isn't quite as satisfying as the action from the second one (the action here is a bit explosion-heavy), this was still basically entertaining. Plus, it featured one of the better bad guy deaths I've seen in a while (Rambo pulls the pin off a grenade attached to a guy's vest, then pushes him down a pit with a rope tied around his neck, his neck snaps, and then the grenade blows him up. Good stuff.) **1/2

Rambo: First Blood Part II

RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II (1985) - Jan. 27, 2008
An enjoyable sequel. Rambo is in full '80s-action mode here; all traces of the conflicted, somewhat mentally imbalanced soldier from the first one are gone, replaced with a much more straightforward action hero. It's good, but definitely in a different way than the first one -- by the end of the film it has become even more over-the-top than Commando, with Rambo taking on an entire army, first on foot then in a helicopter. It's silly, but fun. ***

First Blood

FIRST BLOOD (1982) - Jan. 26, 2008
About a Vietnam vet who gets himself arrested, goes crazy, breaks out of jail and then wages war on the local police force from the forest, this was a pretty good film. It's probably at its best at the beginning, before it becomes Rambo versus a bunch of inept cops in the forest (not that that stuff was bad, but it starts to drag a bit in the middle), but it was short, and pretty much enjoyable throughout. ***

Cloverfield

CLOVERFIELD (2008) - Jan. 23, 2008
Maybe it's because my expectations were lowered considerably after hearing about how shaky the camerawork is in this film, but I actually really enjoyed this. Perhaps it's the lack of quick cuts, but I found that the action -- even at its very shakiest -- was never as disorienting or hard to follow as something like 28 Weeks Later or the Paul Greengrass Bourne movies. In fact, the faux home-video style was actually really effective in drawing the viewer in, and some of the action sequences were amazingly visceral. The characters could have been better, but they were probably good enough considering how short the film is and how much stuff happens (I think they managed to strike a fairly good balance between developing the characters just enough so that you care about them, and maintaining a fast/exciting pace throughout). ***1/2

The Wrestler

THE WRESTLER (2008) - Jan. 23, 2009 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this was just as good as I remember it being. ****

The Bucket List

THE BUCKET LIST (2007) - Jan. 11, 2008
About a couple of guys who find out that they're dying and set out to achieve their dreams before they kick the bucket, this was pretty much just as cheesy and manipulative as you'd think it would be. What saves it are two very engaging lead performances from Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, who have great chemistry together and ensure that the film is always watchable, even in the cheesier stretches. **1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) - Jan. 10, 2008 (Third Viewing)
PT Anderson is scary talented. And I think I've seen this film enough times to rank it with the rest of his films:

1. Punch-Drunk Love
2. Magnolia
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Boogie Nights
5. Hard Eight

But honestly, they're all so super close, I could switch any of those around and still be happy with the list. ****

The Best and Worst of 2007

THE BEST AND WORST OF 2007

THE BEST:
10. We Own the Night
9. Ratatouille
8. Michael Clayton
7. Gone Baby Gone
6. Vacancy
5. No Country for Old Men
4. Black Book
3. Persepolis
2. The Darjeeling Limited
1. There Will be Blood

THE WORST:
10. The Hitcher
9. Hannibal Rising
8. The Kingdom
7. Transformers
6. Lions for Lambs
5. 300
4. 28 Weeks Later
3. License to Wed
2. Sicko
1. Redacted

The Asphalt Jungle

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) - Jan. 8, 2008 (Second Viewing)
A superlative heist film. Features some really eye-popping black and white cinematography, and expectedly stellar direction from John Huston. It's definitely one of the better looking films I've seen in a while. And of course few people can play a tough-guy better than Sterling Hayden. The film feels a tad overlong, but that's a minor complaint. ***1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2008) - Jan. 7, 2008 (Second Viewing)
I need to see this again. This is an almost indescribably amazing film, filled with so many great scenes and moments. I honestly can't think of a single complaint; the direction, the cinematography, the score, the performances... all superb. I'm not sure if this is my favourite PT Anderson film, which just shows how scary talented he is (this film clinches it -- he is right up there with Kubrick). ****

No Country for Old Men

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) - Jan. 5, 2008 (Second Viewing)
Though the movie is just as slow as I remember it being, there's so much good stuff here that it doesn't really matter. The Coens are certainly in peak form here, and I think that this may be their best looking film. And of course there is Javier Bardem, who I would have previously said gave the most memorable performance of the year, but, well... Daniel Day Lewis. Still, good stuff. ***1/2

Charlie Wilson's War

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (2007) - Jan. 3, 2008
It probably wasn't such a good idea to watch this immediately after watching There Will Be Blood. This was a cute film -- fluffy almost to the point of floating away -- and it was certainly entertaining enough. But I couldn't help but think about Blood throughout pretty much the entire film. It is nice to see Tom Hanks back in peak form here -- it's good to know that Tom Hanks is still the most charming man in Hollywood, and that the Da Vinci Code was just some weird misstep. I should probably see this again at some point when I haven't just watched one of the most magnificent and stunning films I've seen in a long time (it's sort of like trying to follow Watchmen with an Archie comic). **1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) - Jan. 3, 2008
Wow! Wow. This was an astounding film, from the extended, dialogue-free sequence that opens the film, to the absolutely jaw-dropping finale (which has to rank among the best and most memorable endings of all time). There are so many great moments in this film I can't even begin to list them all. I think that this film has confirmed it: Paul Thomas Anderson is the greatest director working today, and yes -- maybe even the greatest director ever. It might be a bit soon for that pronouncement, but if he makes a few more films of this caliber then it is a done deal. And as awesome as Anderson's work is, he is matched in awesomeness by Daniel Day Lewis' performance, which is shockingly, astoundingly good. Wow! That's all I can really say. I need to see this again. ****

Every Girl Should be Married

EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED (1948) - Jan. 2, 2008
A very enjoyable though at times ridiculous romantic comedy starring Cary Grant and Betsy Drake. The plot, involving Drake's character bumping into Grant and immediately deciding that she must marry him (and subsequently stalking him to learn everything down to his choice of underwear), was silly and more than a little contrived. But Grant was as charming as ever, and the film was essentially entertaining throughout. **1/2

Sweeney Todd

SWEENEY TODD (2007) - Dec. 19, 2007
Though featuring expectedly handsome visuals (there is no mistaking this for anything but a Tim Burton film) and some better-than-average performances, the film is undone by its meandering staginess, and its ridiculous overabundance of not-particularly-memorable songs, many of which do absolutely nothing to advance the plot and feel more like filler than anything else. Wow, that was a long sentence, but I think it covered everything. Disappointing. **

I Am Legend

I AM LEGEND (2007) - Dec. 18, 2007
Anchored by an impressive performance from Will Smith, for the first hour or so this is a very good film. About the lone survivor of a disease that either kills or turns people into bloodthirsty vampires, the film is very compelling just on a visual level -- the film's deserted New York looks great. And for a while, when the film is just about Will Smith's character and his day-to-day life in this deserted wasteland, it really works. But then the action kicks in, and the director takes the disastrous route of making the vampires entirely CGI, and they just do not look convincing at all. There's never really any moment where they seem like a real threat, because they're just so fake looking. And the last act is pretty much nothing but action with the vampires, so... yeah. It's a bit of a disaster. It's too bad, because the first half is very good. ***

Killer of Sheep

KILLER OF SHEEP (1977) - Dec. 14, 2007
Man. I haven't seen a film this slow-paced in quite a while. It has a sort of Italian neorealist vibe, only... even slower. There are no real characters, the direction isn't that great, and there are very long scenes in which almost nothing happens. It's engaging for a while as a interesting slice-of-life in a poor black neighbourhood, but by the end it has seriously overstayed its welcome. **

Atonement

ATONEMENT (2007) - Dec. 12, 2007
A very well directed and well acted film about the fallout after a young girl lies about a rape. This was a really visually impressive film (and includes one of the more impressive Steadicam shots I've seen in a while), and the performances were definitely worthy of the Oscar nominations they will no doubt receive (James McAvoy in particular proves that there's a reason that he's getting so much work). Though at two hours and ten minutes the film is overlong (the whole film feels like it could use some trimming, but it's the bloated first act that really overstays its welcome). ***

Walk Hard

WALK HARD (2007) - Dec. 10, 2007
An enjoyable spoof of musical biopics, about Dewey Cox, a Johnny Cash-like singer, and his rise to fame (and the requisite fall). Though it wasn't always laugh-out-loud funny, it was always entertaining, and there were some very funny moments (such as Cox's habit of angrily ripping out sinks, and his frequent barging in on a bandmate as he does drugs -- "you don't want this!"). ***

Gong Tau

GONG TAU (2007) - Dec. 7, 2007
An unpleasant and mostly boring horror film revolving around a man who finds himself embroiled in the world of black magic after his baby is killed (and quite graphically, I might add), and his wife is cursed, seemingly by a black magician. The problem with the film is that none of the characters are particularly well developed, and the whole thing just gets more and more ridiculous as it goes along (at one point the characters get cursed with something called "flying head" black magic -- "flying head", in this case, being quite literal). *

Enchanted

ENCHANTED (2007) - Dec. 5, 2007
A delightful romantic comedy about a classic Disney heroine who finds herself in modern-day New York -- wackiness ensues. Though not quite as good as the similarly themed fish-out-of-water romantic comedy Kate & Leopold, it was still very enjoyable. Amy Adams was pretty much perfect as a Disney character brought into the real world, and Patrick Dempsey was suitably charming in the main role. ***

Rififi

RIFIFI (1955) - Nov. 30, 2007 (Second Viewing)
A classic heist film -- features a twenty minute heist scene which is almost silent (there's no dialogue or score), and which is probably the best twenty minutes in any movie ever. It's riveting and absolutely fascinating to watch. The rest of the film is also quite excellent, featuring some stellar direction by Jules Dassin, and a really phenomenal lead performance from Jean Servais. ****

Barton Fink

BARTON FINK (1991) - Nov. 27, 2007
This was easily the Coen brothers' most flat-out strange film -- about a writer who moves to Hollywood as a screenwriter and promptly gets writer's block, this gets more and more bizarre as it progresses. It's very well made, and features a really impressive performance from John Turturro. This seems like the type of movie David Lynch wishes he could make; it's got a similarly odd vibe, but it never feels like weirdness for weirdness' sake. I've been thinking about it a lot since I watched it, so I think a repeat viewing is definitely necessary. ***1/2

The Mist

THE MIST (2007) - Nov. 24, 2007
About a sinister mist that rolls into a small town, trapping a bunch of people in a supermarket and bringing with it an assortment of strange monsters, this was a sporadically very well made horror film. It begins and ends very strongly, and there are some fairly tense scenes peppered throughout. The main problem is that the film is very talky, and the dialogue is sometimes somewhat iffy. There's also a whole subplot involving an ultra-religious nutjob (effectively played by Marcia Gay Harden) which is ridiculously over-the-top, and -- unless you have a very pessimistic view of humanity -- almost completely implausible. Frank Darabont's direction was quite good, though, and Thomas Jane proves yet again that he has what it takes to be a leading man in Hollywood. **1/2

The TV Set

THE TV SET (2006) - Nov. 17, 2007
A really enjoyable and oddly depressing film about a writer who tries to make a TV show for a major network, and the many compromises he has to make along the way. It was well written and well directed, David Duchovny was expectedly good as the writer, Ioan Gruffudd was surprisingly not terrible, and Sigourney Weaver was quite effective as a horrifyingly clueless executive (it's a bit scary to think that people like her actually exist out there). ***1/2

Invisible Target

INVISIBLE TARGET (2007) - Nov. 16, 2007
Though I certainly wouldn't put it in the same league with the scary-awesome Flash Point, this was a sporadically effective action film about a group of cops trying to take down some jewel thieves. Or something like that, I dunno -- one of the film's problems is that the plot, involving double crosses and way more plot threads than it needs, is almost ludicrously convoluted. All I really want is to see people getting kicked in the head, I don't need all this back-story and setup. Aside from that, the action is generally pretty good, though it's a bit more over-the-top and wirey than I'd like. But there are some good fights here, and I was never completely bored. **1/2

Futurama: Bender's Big Score!

FUTURAMA: BENDER'S BIG SCORE! (2007) - Nov. 15, 2007
Futurama is back, and it's just as glorious as I would have hoped. No... more glorious. This film manages to take everything that was great about Futurama -- the characters, the humour, the interesting sci-fi plots -- and crams it into a very entertaining hour and a half film. Good stuff. ***1/2

Beowulf

BEOWULF (2007) - Nov. 14, 2007
About a warrior who comes to a town to fight the monster that has been plaguing them, this was sporadically very engaging, but a failure for the most part. A couple of the action scenes, at the beginning and then the end of the movie, were very well done and quite exciting. But for the most part the film falls flat. It isn't really about anything, and aside from Beowulf himself (and a memorable character played by John Malkovich) none of the characters were very well developed or interesting. The movie just sort of goes from one random scene to the next. Then there's the animation. It works quite well whenever there's action on the screen, but once the characters actually start talking it completely falls apart. The technology has seemingly not improved at all since the Polar Express, as all the characters still have that off-putting, creepily zombie-like pallor. They look all wrong, and worse, they can't even properly convey a full range of emotions -- there are times where the voice work is very good, but it's clear that the limitations of this technology simply can't keep up with them. They're stiff. It's like the voice of Marlon Brando being superimposed onto Josh Hartnett's face (though in defense of Hartnett, even he is able to convey more emotion than these plasticy people-impostors). Blech. **

P2

P2 (2007) - Nov. 10, 2007
A simple and surprisingly effective thriller about a young woman who gets trapped in an empty parking garage and finds herself being terrorized by a psychotic security guard. The film wastes no time setting everything up, and does a good job keeping a fairly consistent level of tension throughout. It's well directed, and the cinematography gives the parking lot a nicely ominous look. There's nothing particularly fresh here, but the movie takes a familiar story and executes it quite admirably. I don't think Wes Bentley is ever really fully convincing as the villain, but that's a minor complaint. ***1/2

Blade Runner

BLADE RUNNER (1982) - Nov. 9, 2007 (Fourth or Fifth viewing)
Wow. This is pretty much a masterpiece, and getting to see it, restored and looking pristine on the big screen, was amazing. For one thing, this has to be one of the best looking movies ever made -- Ridley Scott's direction is pitch-perfect (the whole future noir look is a stroke of genius), and the look of the futuristic city is absolutely stunning. The special effects are also really impressive; this film looks a lot more convincing than most contemporary movies, despite being 25 years old. The plot, involving a private investigator who has to take down errant androids, is almost secondary to the visuals and the atmosphere, but it still manages to make an impact. We never learn all that much about the central character, but we get snippets here and there, and he certainly becomes a compelling character. There are also some really great moments, such as the final cat-and-mouse chase between Harrison Ford's character and Rutger Hauer's, culminating in what has to be one of the greatest scenes in the history of cinema. There's no doubt about it, this is an absolute classic. ****

Lions for Lambs

LIONS FOR LAMBS (2007) - Nov. 5, 2007
Less a movie and more a ham-fisted screed, this had to be one of the preachiest movies I've seen in a long time. I'm talking Michael Moore levels of preachiness. There wasn't a single character here who felt authentic, or who wasn't there to put across some point of view. Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote this year's equally mediocre The Kingdom, is quickly shaping up to be a really terrible writer, and has absolutely no idea how to create characters who are interesting or seem real in the slightest. The film is reasonably well directed and very well acted, but it's all pretty much moot, as there is only the vaguest pretense here that this is anything but a blatant political statement. **

American Gangster

AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007) - Oct. 31, 2007
Denzel Washington is awesome as usual in this otherwise underwhelming and way overlong crime drama about a drug kingpin and the gritty cop trying to take him down. One of the film's main problems is that Washington's character is far more interesting than Russell Crowe's, and they probably get an equal amount of screentime -- and this being a two hour and forty minute movie, that's a lot of time. Though Washington is clearly the standout, all the performances are quite good. Another problem with the film is that the direction is surprisingly bland; it's hard to believe that it's directed by the same man who made Blade Runner, which is probably one of the most visually stunning movies ever made. The scene in which Crowe and Washington finally confront each other was pretty much electrifying, and I was always entertained, but this was still pretty disappointing. **1/2

The Darjeeling Limited

THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007) - Oct. 31, 2007 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this was pretty awesome. Compelling characters, eye-popping direction, humour, warmth -- what more can you ask for. If I had to rank Wes Anderson's films I would do so as follows:

1. The Life Aquatic
2. Rushmore
3. The Royal Tenenbaums
4. The Darjeeling Limited
5. Bottle Rocket

Darjeeling may be towards the end of that list, but that's only because Wes Anderson is awesome. These are all four star movies (except maybe Bottle Rocket -- I've only seen it once and I need to see it again). ****

Saw IV

SAW IV (2007) - Oct. 26, 2007
Though the Saw films have been getting progressively worse, this is the first one that's outright bad. It probably doesn't help that aside from Tobin Bell's Jigsaw, there isn't a single decent character in the bunch -- they're all underdeveloped and uninteresting, and a couple of them look pretty similar, making things even more confusing than they have to be. Then there's the film's plot, which gets more and more convoluted as it goes along, and by the end... so, that guy on the chair was in on it all along? Is he the new Jigsaw? Why? I don't get it. Did the projectionist miss a reel, or what? Plus, Darren Lynn Bousman's direction is as mediocre as ever, and the whole film has a really flat, unpleasant look to it. Even the sequences with Jigsaw's traps weren't that great; they were starting to get old two movies ago, and now they've definitely lost whatever impact they might have once had. Boo-urns. *1/2

Gone Baby Gone

GONE BABY GONE (2007) - Oct. 24, 2007
I guess Ben Affleck has been on the wrong side of the camera all along. This was a surprisingly good movie about a private investigator who's called in when a little girl is kidnapped. Affleck's direction is actually quite good, and the film is entertaining throughout. The film is also filled with some really good actors and they're all at the top of their game. Casey Affleck, in particular, gives a really impressive performance; he was excellent in the Assassination of Jesse James, and he may just be even better here. ***1/2

A Clockwork Orange

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971) - Oct. 23, 2007 (Fourth or Fifth Viewing)
This is it. From the indescribably awesome opening shot to the equally awesome closing shot, this is as good as it gets. Stanley Kubrick is at his best here, and every shot is pretty much perfect. The use of music is perfect, as is, well... pretty much everything else. This is easily one of the best films of all time. ****

30 Days of Night

30 DAYS OF NIGHT (2007) - Oct. 20, 2007
A violently effective horror film about a group of vampires who descend on a small Alaskan town (which happens to have no sunlight for a full thirty days). It was entertaining and well directed, though it can't quite top David Slade's previous film, Hard Candy, which -- even on a much smaller scale -- managed to have an almost consistent level of tension which this film wasn't quite able to maintain. ***

The Last King of Scotland

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006) - Oct. 19, 2007
An entertaining film about a young Scottish doctor who goes to Uganda and winds up becoming Idi Amin's personal physician. Forest Whitaker was deserving of all the accolades he received for his performance, and James McAvoy held his own and actually managed to give a performance that was just as good as the doctor. ***

Things we Lost in the Fire

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE (2007) - Oct. 17, 2007
A well acted (particularly Bencio Del Toro, who is probably one of the best and most intense actors working in Hollywood today) and well made film about how a man's death affects his wife and his best friend, a recovering heroin addict. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but the egregiously slow pace keep me at a consistent arm's length. **1/2

The Darjeeling Limited

THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007) - Oct. 17, 2007
Awesomeness. Pure awesomeness. If there were any doubt remaining that Wes Anderson is one of the greatest living filmmakers, this movie completely squashes it. I don't think anyone else has his knack for consistently, eye-poppingly good visuals and well-drawn, compelling characters. Wow. ****

Michael Clayton

MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) - Oct. 12, 2007
Featuring a really strong performance from George Clooney (as well as equally good performances from people like Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton) this was a well made drama about a fixer who gets embroiled in shenanigans involving a crazy lawyer and a massive lawsuit. First time director Tony Gilroy does a really good job keeping the film compelling, even during the more baffling stretches (the film takes its time giving out all the pertinent information, which actually works really well). ***1/2

We Own the Night

WE OWN THE NIGHT (2007) - Oct. 10, 2007
Wow! I guess I need to watch the Yards again. Though I remember that movie as being interminably slow, if this film is any indication then James Gray is a much better director than I gave him credit for. Gray, who obviously has more than a passing affection for crime movies of the '70s, takes his time telling this story, but it's absolutely never boring, and riveting in parts (including one of the most thrilling car chases of recent memory, and a really fantastic scene in which a drug deal goes horribly wrong). This is definitely a character-driven film, so it helps that the performances are uniformly excellent. Joaquin Phoenix, in particular, gives a really stunning performance that's probably his best ever. Maybe it helps that I went into this film with very low expectations, but I liked it quite a lot. ***1/2

Flash Point

FLASH POINT (2007) - Oct. 6, 2007 (Second Viewing)
There's probably less action in this film than I remembered. The first hour or so, though punctuated with a few brief scenes of action, is basically just setting everything up. This stuff is all pretty mediocre -- it passes the time, but there's certainly nothing all that good about it. But then when the action does kick in (no pun intended)... Wow. Donnie Yen proves that he can stage and perform action with the best of them, and Wilson Yip's direction does exactly what it should do (it makes the action exciting without calling attention to itself). I cannot possibly say enough good things about the final action scene, which pretty much defines the word "awesome". ***1/2

The Kingdom

THE KINGDOM (2007) - Oct. 5, 2007
About a group of FBI agents who go to Saudi Arabia to investigate the bombing of an American compound, this was a mediocre film. The main problem here is Peter Berg's awful direction; he takes a page from Paul Greengrass' book and shoots the film with an annoyingly jittery camera, going into overdrive during the action scenes and making them almost completely incoherent and unwatchable. Aside from that, the majority of the film isn't particularly compelling, with the stock characters investigating the explosion (sort of -- they spend days there and yet all they seem to find out is that the bad guys used ball bearings in their explosives, and that the evil mastermind may or may not have missing fingers). The whole thing would be passably mediocre -- but then there's Berg's annoying direction, which always keeps you at arm's length, reminding you at all times that you're watching a movie and making it pretty much impossible to get wrapped up in the story. **

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007) - Oct. 3, 2007
To say that this film takes its time would be a huge understatement; it's two hours and forty minutes and it feels it, with a lot of long scenes in which not all that much happens. And yet there's something about it which keeps it from crossing the line from slow into boring. Roger Deakins' impressive cinematography probably helps -- this is certainly a very handsomely made movie. The performances are also a stand-out -- Casey Affleck is eye-opening as the somewhat odd Robert Ford, and Brad Pitt was just as good as Jesse James. ***

Bug

BUG (2006) - SEPT. 25, 2007
Oh, the humanity. This started out decently enough -- though its origins as a play couldn't be more obvious (both in the confined setting and the artificial theatricality of the dialogue), for the first half or so this was a basically enjoyable look at the blossoming relationship between two damaged characters. But then the movie just starts getting more and more silly and over-the-top, and by the end anything even remotely resembling authenticity goes out the window. The same can be said of the performances, particularly Ashley Judd; by the end of the film her whole performance essentially consists of screaming and babbling incoherently. The film also stops being even remotely entertaining at around the half-way point, so it becomes harder and harder to sit through. Blech. *1/2

Eastern Promises

EASTERN PROMISES (2007) - Sept. 22, 2007
David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen are on a roll. After the above-average A History of Violence, this is another very good film from the pair. Mortensen, sporting an absolutely convincing Russian accent, gives one of his better performances as a mysterious driver for the Russian mob. The other performances are equally good, and the film is quite well directed. Good stuff. ***1/2

Shoot 'Em Up

SHOOT 'EM UP (2007) - Sept. 21, 2007
A way over-the-top action film about a British tough-guy who takes it upon himself to protect a baby from a legion of assassins, lead by a sinister Paul Giamatti. The film is cartoonish and overblown, and features almost no down-time between action sequences. It's never all that great, though for a while it's engaging enough -- but then it starts to wear out its welcome. It doesn't help that while the action is competently done, there's nothing really special about it (it's actually kind of bland once you get past how ridiculously over-the-top it is). Clive Owen was good (though I still don't know if I buy his American accent), though Paul Giamatti was definitely the highlight. **

Sukiyaki Western Django

SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
Another almost indescribably bizarre film from Takashi Miike. A western about two competing gangs who converge on a small town due to its proximity to some kind of gold mine. There were a few good moments here, but they were completely lost amongst all the weirdness and the superfluous interludes. *1/2

L'Ora di Punta

L'ORA DI PUNTA (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
It's been about a couple of weeks since I saw this film, and I've already pretty much forgotten the whole thing. That tells you how good it is. The main problem with it (from what I remember) is that the main character is a sleazeball and a jerk; the film seems to be trying to give him a Michael Corleone-esque downfall, but since he starts out as a jerk, the fact that he's a slightly bigger jerk by the time the end credits roll doesn't quite make the impact that I'm sure the director would like it to. Aside from that it was reasonably well made and well acted, but it was slow and not particularly interesting. **

The Visitor

THE VISITOR (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
This started out really really well, and ended really really badly. About a college professor whose life is changed when he goes to New York and finds a young couple living in his apartment. For the first forty-five minutes or so I was loving this film. Richard Jenkins gives a perfect performance in the main role, and the characters become people we really care about. It's really well directed and well written, and the whole thing just works. But then, in an embarrassingly cheesy scene that seems to come from another movie (the first of many), the main character's friend gets arrested after a misunderstanding in a subway station. It's all downhill from there. The film goes from a wonderfully understated character study to a ham-fisted Message Movie. It's clear that the director has some very strong opinions on the way immigrants are treated in post-9/11 America, and he pretty much spends the rest of the film cramming them down the viewers' throats in the absolute least subtle way possible. It's never boring I suppose, but it's a definite shame because it could have been a great movie. **1/2

Nocturna

NOCTURNA (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
An enjoyable if somewhat slight cartoon about a young boy who, over the course of a long night, tries to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of a disappearing star. It's very fantastic and Miyazaki-esque, though even at 80 minutes it drags in parts. It's really well animated, though, and is almost always compelling just on a visual level. ***

Romulus, My Father

ROMULUS, MY FATHER (2007) - Sept. 14, 2007
Umm... Well, I was tired, what can I say? Within minutes of starting this film, the tiredness hit me like a punch to the face, and as much as I tried to fight it I was asleep within the first twenty minutes. I was pretty much asleep on and off for the rest of the film, which seemed well acted but really slow. I would like to see it again at some point, hopefully when I'm a little less tired. NO RATING

Flash Point

FLASH POINT (2007) - Sept. 14, 2007
Wow! After the terrible SPL, the most I was expecting out of this film was one or two good action scenes. But man! Everything about this movie was about a trillion times better than SPL. The plot, involving a gritty cop and his undercover partner trying to take down a group of thugs, was pretty cheesy, but it was like Serpico compared to SPL. It at least -- and this is all you really need in a movie like this -- kept things moving between the action scenes. And unlike SPL, the movie managed to have a fairly decent action scene every fifteen minutes or so. And pretty much all of the action was really exciting, and really well done. And then -- oh man -- there was the last action scene. Sweet Jesus. It was, quite literally, one of the best things I've ever seen in my entire life. It was amazingly exciting, and brutal, and gritty, and it just keeps going, and every time you think that both characters have certainly had enough, it goes on even longer. It was awesome. It was better than awesome. It was certainly one of the best action scenes I've ever seen. I just... wow. That's all I can really say about that scene. ***1/2

Boy A

BOY A (2007) - Sept. 14, 2007 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this is definitely my favourite movie of the festival so far, and I really doubt that anything I see tomorrow will be able to top it. It's just so well made, and well directed, and well written, and well acted. Peter Mullan is really good, but it's Andrew Garfield who really knocks it out of the park in the main role. It's a really impressive performance, and I think we'll certainly be seeing more of him in the future. There's just so many things I really like about this movie, from the strong performances to the way it unfolds to the powerful ending. ****

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (2007) - Sept. 13, 2007
About a magazine editor who had some kind of stroke and subsequently suffered a rare form of paralysis which left him unable to do anything but blink with his left eye, this was a reasonably well made film, but I can't say that I found it particularly entertaining. There were some things I liked about the film -- the opening series of POV shots did a good job establishing the grim claustrophobia of the character's new post-stroke world, and there were a few effective scenes (the scene towards the end, where the main character has his stroke while in the car with his son, was powerful and a definite standout), but for the most part I found this film oddly unengaging. It doesn't help that the movie is visually unappealing, thanks (I can only assume) to Janusz Kaminski. Here he takes all the stylistic quirks that have given Spielburg's films over the last decade or so their distinctive look, and multiplies them tenfold -- the film has a muggy, washed out look and an unappealing colour palette. It's pretty ugly looking, for the most part. And while the protagonist's plight is interesting for the first little while, it soon becomes clear that he just isn't a very interesting character. Maybe it would have been more effective if it were shorter, but after the hundredth time listening to the man's assistant recite the alphabet in order of use, I was tired of it. **

Blood Brothers

BLOOD BROTHERS (2007) - Sept. 13, 2007
There's pretty much nothing fresh about this film, which features the exploits of three best friends from a small town who find themselves moving up the ranks for a local mob boss after moving to Shanghai. It all unfolds pretty much exactly as you'd expect it would, and it's a bit more melodramatic than it should be, but it's stylishly directed and mostly entertaining throughout. If nothing else, it's worth it if only for the spectacularly violent finale, which almost reminded me of the ending of Commando. **1/2

Paranoid Park

PARANOID PARK (2007) - Sept. 13, 2007
After the moribund Last Days, which looked great but moved at a snail's pace, Paranoid Park proves to be a very pleasant surprise. Shot in the same style as Gus Van Sant's last three films but easily the most plot-heavy (well, it has a plot, which automatically makes it more plot-heavy than the last three), this was about a young teen involved in the accidental murder of a security guard. I don't think anyone is going to be calling this film fast-paced, but like Gerry and Elephant (it's better than the former but not quite as good as the latter) it has an odd, hypnotic appeal which keeps it absolutely entertaining throughout. The film is told in a somewhat non-linear fashion, which keeps things mysterious and definitely works, and features the same flowing camera movements and dream-like tone that have characterized Van Sant's last few films. Good stuff. ***1/2

Redacted

REDACTED (2007) - Sept. 12, 2007
If Brian De Palma wasn't personally present at the screening I attended, I would have seriously questioned whether he even directed this film at all. This movie goes wrong on so many different levels I'm not even sure I can list them all. For one thing, it is directed with absolutely none of De Palma's usual style. The whole thing is meant to have a documentary-like feel, with most of the footage supposed to be shot by one of the characters. But De Palma is clearly the wrong man for this type of style, as the whole thing looks unappealing and artificial. The dialogue ranges from clunky to laughable (a lot of it was supposedly improvised, which isn't surprising), and the characters are all broadly-drawn and two-dimensional. Perhaps if the actors had been good they could have elevated the material, but they were all quite terrible. Then there are the little things, like the supposed clips from a French documentary which seem very out of place, and the fact that most scenes are bridged by intentionally amateurish looking transitions (such as a page wipe and similar effects). There is a very (very very) heavy-handed anti-war message here, and I suspect that if people embrace this film it will be more for the message than the actual content (I can only assume that the best director prize at Venice had something to do with this, because this is inarguably a bad-looking film). I thought that the Black Dahlia was the nadir of De Palma's career, but boy was I wrong. Stick to the riffs on Hitchcock, De Palma. *1/2