Easy A

EASY A (2010) - Apr. 16, 2011
A surprisingly enjoyable film about a girl in high school who finds things quickly spiraling out of control after she starts spreading rumors that she's been doing it.  Featuring solid direction from Will Gluck (who also made another pleasant surprise, Fired Up) and a charming lead performance from Emma Stone, the film was breezy and quite enjoyable throughout.  The movie name-drops John Hughes at one point, and though this wasn't quite on his level, it's definitely an enjoyable film about teenagers that never feels like it's pandering, something at which Hughes was obviously the master.  ***

Scre4m

SCRE4M (2011) - Apr. 15, 2011
Not quite as good as the first two, but a clear step up from part three, this was an enjoyable sequel that finds Sidney -- now an author -- returning home and quickly finding herself embroiled in even more ghostface-related shenanigans (apparently, something like 50% of the people Sidney knows are actually psychopathic murderers).  After the let-down of part three, this film features another memorable opening scene, this time featuring the kind of self-referential winking at the audience that Scream has become known for with a film within a film within a film.  The movie does a much better job than part three of introducing new characters who don't feel completely generic, and also feels decidedly R-rated.  It's not a great film by any strech of the imagination, but for a horror movie with the number 4 in the title, it's definitely better than it really has any right to be.  ***

Scream 3

SCREAM 3 (2000) - Apr. 14, 2011
Meh.  After the surprisingly enjoyable Scream 2, this was actually a pretty significant step down.  Pretty much everything here is inferior to the first two: the opening is ho-hum and far from memorable, all the new characters are super bland, the uneventful midsection drags pretty significantly, and even the violence feels curiously watered-down, as if they were originally going for a PG-13 and only decided to go for the R at the last minute.  The film does improve a bit towards the end, and it's always basically entertaining, but after the above-average first two films, it's a pretty big disappointment.  **1/2

Scream 2

SCREAM 2 (1997) - Apr. 14, 2011 (Second Viewing)
Though this wasn't quite on the level of the original, this was a really effective sequel that was actually pretty close to the first one in quality.  Opening with a really effective and memorable sequence in a movie theatre (which still kind of pales in comparison to Scream's opening scene), the film follows Sidney and her cronies as they get into ghostface-related shenanigans at university.  The film has a number of effective set-pieces (including a really memorable one involving an unconscious ghostface in a car) and manages to introduce some decent new characters.  ***1/2

Source Code

SOURCE CODE (2011) - Apr. 13, 2011
About a soldier who is continually placed in the body of a man who died in a train explosion in an effort to figure out who was responsible for the bombing, this was another above-average sci-fi film from Duncan Jones.  Though the film definitely has more mainstream sensibilities than the more cerebral Moon, I think it's probably just as good.  It definitely takes its Quantum Leap-esque premise and does some interesting and exciting things with it.  The ending is a bit problematic, but aside from that this is a well acted, well made film.  ***1/2

Hanna

HANNA (2011) - Apr. 8, 2011
About a teenage girl, raised in seclusion by her father to be an efficient assassin, who is let loose in the world with the ultimate goal of killing the woman who killed her mother.  Though the premise would lead you to believe that this is a straightforward action film, the movie is actually pretty unique and has a very distinctive sense of style.  Joe Wright's stylish direction, along with the quirky script and the Chemical Brothers' effective and memorable score, creates a world that feels refreshingly unique.  There are also some great action set-pieces here, including one that unfolds in a glorious unbroken De Palma-esque steadicam shot.  Saoirse Ronan is quite good in the title role, creating a character who we definitely come to care about.  This film is pretty much the polar opposite of the gritty realism that seems to be de rigueur in the action genre these days; the film has a really stylized, quirky, almost fairy tale-esque vibe that never feels smug or like it's trying too hard.  It's rare to watch a big studio film and feel like you're watching something fresh, something that's actually trying to do something a bit different.  This feels that way.  ***1/2

Hot Fuzz

HOT FUZZ (2007) - Apr. 7, 2011 (Second Viewing)
This was actually quite a bit better than I remembered it being -- and I remembered it being pretty damn good.  Frequently laugh-out-loud funny and featuring some expectedly great performances from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, this was extremely enjoyable all the way through.  Basically, it's impossible to go wrong with the Pegg/Frost/Wright combo.  ****

Everybody's Fine

EVERYBODY'S FINE (2009) - Apr. 6, 2011
A completely middle-of-the-road but nevertheless solid drama about a father who decides to travel across the country to visit each of his kids one by one.  Featuring expectedly solid performances from Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell as the kids, and a rare not-phoning-it-in performance from Robert De Niro.  I was actually really surprised by how good De Niro was here, considering the quality of his work over the last decade or so.  There's a scene towards the end where he finds out the fate of one of his children that's pretty heartbreaking.  Even in the quieter moments, he manages to take this emotionally buttoned-up character and inject him with a lot of depth and subtlety.  ***

Wish Upon a Star

WISH UPON A STAR (1996) - Apr. 5, 2011
About a couple of sisters who wind up switching bodies when one of them wishes that she could have the other one's life, this was a completely routine but surprisingly enjoyable Disney Channel film.  The film goes everywhere you think it will, but it's engagingly acted (including a young, surprisingly charming Katherine Heigl -- a far cry from her grating performance in last year's Killers) and entertaining throughout.  ***

Defendor

DEFENDOR (2009) - Apr. 4, 2011
Meh.  Well acted (both Woody Harrelson and Kat Dennings give above-average performances) but kind of dull, the film provided a slightly more real take on the "real guy becomes a superhero" subgenre, but seriously drags around the middle.  Harrelson's character, a mentally disabled, self-styled superhero, was definitely interesting, but the villains were kind of flat and the film itself just wasn't that good (the movie was at its best when it focused on the relationship between Harrelson and Dennings).  Also, John Rowley's low-rent score did much more harm than good.  **

Point Break

POINT BREAK (1991) - Apr. 3, 2011
An enjoyable action movie about a young FBI agent who goes undercover in the LA surfing scene to try to catch a group of professional bank robbers.  Though the film probably has more surfing action than actual action, it works.  It probably helps that Kathryn Bigelow does just as good of a job with the surfing stuff as with the action stuff (which is stellar, including a classic foot chase that ends with a moment that has been made unintentionally hilarious thanks to Hot Fuzz).  Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze are both quite good, as is the supporting cast (including a memorable John C. McGinley as the angry captain).  ***

Insidious

INSIDIOUS (2011) - Apr. 2, 2011
Easily James Wan's best film since Saw (and really, his only good film since Saw), this was an effective and kind of terrifying film about a young couple who must contend with some supernatural shenanigans in their home.  Despite a kind of similar premise to the two Paranormal Activity films (and the presence of Oren Peli as a producer), Insidious manages to feel fairly different from those movies with an over-the-top sensibility that is more Drag Me To Hell than Paranormal Activity.  The effective score and in-your-face sound design does a really great job of helping the film build and maintain tension.  All in all this was just a really fun, really well made haunted house movie.  ***1/2

The Lincoln Lawyer

THE LINCOLN LAWYER (2011) - Apr. 1, 2011
About a street-smart lawyer who finds himself involved in a case where everything is not as it seems, this was a by-the-numbers legal thriller elevated by solid direction (a little shakier than I would like, but solid nonetheless) and some above-average performances -- particularly a really engaging turn by Matthew McConaughey.  It's kind of delightful (and increasingly rare) to see a straight-forward thriller that isn't aimed towards teenagers.  This is the type of film we saw quite a bit of up until about a decade ago, and I'm really not sure why they went away.  Another bonus of films like this: lots of room for interesting character actors, like Bryan Cranston, Bob Gunton and William H. Macy.  ***

13 Going on 30

13 GOING ON 30 (2004) - Mar. 30, 2011
A cute film about a 13 year old who, after making a wish that comes true, wakes up as her 30 year old self and finds that her life isn't quite what she imagined it would be.  Slight, but well made and quite enjoyable.  ***

Sin Nombre

SIN NOMBRE (2009) - Mar. 29, 2011
A really well made film about a young girl traveling through Mexico with the goal of getting to her family in the States; meanwhile, a young member of a tough Mexican gang finds himself on the run when he kills his gang leader.  Featuring some really impressive direction from Cary Fukunaga, who eschews the type of gritty, documentary-style visuals you might expect from a story like this in favour of something much more cinematic.  Fukunaga does a really great job of creating characters who seem real and who become people who we come to care about.  There's also something kind of fascinating about seeing the way that this Mexican gang operates.  The film is quite tense in parts and very enjoyable all the way through.  ***1/2

Identity

IDENTITY (2003) - Mar. 28, 2011
An enjoyable thriller about a group of characters who find themselves at the mercy of a killer when they're all trapped in a motel together during an intense rainstorm.  Though it wasn't anything particularly special, it was a solid enough thriller with a neat twist that I didn't really see coming.  ***

Mildred Pierce (1945)

MILDRED PIERCE (1945) - Mar. 27, 2011
The film starts with a literal bang as we see a character get shot; it’s a pretty great way to start the movie, and a guarantee that it has your attention right from the get-go. From there, Mildred Pierce’s story unfolds in flashback — and there is a fair amount of story to be told. I can see how a six part miniseries was made from this material, as quite a lot happens in this movie (and I can only imagine that quite a bit more had to be cut from James M. Cain’s novel). That’s not to say that the film feels rushed or disjointed; it definitely doesn’t. The film was directed by Michael Curtiz, who was prolific, putting it mildly, with a stunning 173 films to his credit (according to his IMDb page, at least). He also directed another film that I’ve already watched for this blog, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and I’m sure I’ll be talking about at least a couple more (including Casablanca, a film widely regarded as one of the best of all time). Curtiz was never known as a flashy director, but he was no visual slouch, either. Pierce is frequently classified as a film noir, which seems like a bit of an odd categorization (aside from the murder-mystery framing device, the film has little in common with typical film noir), though there are definitely some noirish stylistic flourishes here. It’s a good looking film. The movie also moves at a really fast pace — sometimes it’s a little too easy to get distracted when you’re watching a movie at home, but this one had my undivided attention from the memorable opening right to its closing moments.  Mildred Pierce is quite melodramatic — and that’s not a bad thing. Melodrama is frequently derided as being a lesser form of storytelling: mere soap opera, not worthy of serious consideration. And certainly, bad melodrama is painful to watch. But if done right (as it is here), the heightened emotions of melodrama can be quite compelling. And of course, I have to mention the performances, particularly Joan Crawford — Crawford deservedly won an Oscar for this film, which revitalized her flagging career. This is a role that could have easily been overplayed, but Crawford really nails it. There’s a great depth to her character, and I think a lot of the credit for how well the film works must go to Crawford.  ***1/2

Paul

PAUL (2011) - Mar. 27, 2011
Though not quite on the same level as the previous two Simon Pegg / Nick Frost collaborations, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, I don't think this was aiming quite as high.  That's not a slight on this film; Paul is perfectly content to be a laid-back road movie (with an action-heavy third act), rather than the more involved genre deconstructions of Dead and Fuzz, and on that level it suceeds quite admirably.  I really, really enjoyed this movie.  It helps that Pegg and Frost have amazing chemistry -- I think at this point they're inching their way onto the list of all-time great movie duos.  In fact, I think the opening 15 minutes or so, before they actually meet Paul and the plot starts kicking in, may have been the best part of the film.  I certainly enjoyed all the alien road trip shenanigans, but Pegg and Frost are so great together I would have been perfectly happy if the whole thing had just been a plotless ride across the country.  ***1/2

Hobo With a Shotgun

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (2011) - Mar. 26, 2011
An enjoyably over-the-top '70s/'80s grindhouse homage about the eponymous Hobo (played memorably by the great Rutger Hauer) who finds himself in a town overrun by crime and at the mercy of a vicious murderer.  Director Jason Eisner does a great job of making the film look like something that could have been made a few decades ago, and though the film is perhaps not quite as awesome as I hoped it would be (it drags in parts) it is quite enjoyable and sporadically pretty funny.  ***

Battle: Los Angeles

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES (2011) - Mar. 25, 2011
I should have known that the guy behind the absolutely worthless Texas Chainsaw prequel (not to mention Darkness Falls, another terrible horror film) couldn't possibly have a good -- or even just decent -- movie in him.  About a group of generic soldiers who find themselves right in the middle in an alien invasion in L.A., this film confirms without a doubt that Jonathan Liebesman has absolutely no business being anywhere near a camera.  That he still has a career after his string of absolutely awful films is a puzzlement, to say the least.  And they're giving him another big movie -- Wrath of the Titans.  I don't get it.  Filmed with a drab, drained-of-all-colour visual style (even the pre-invasion stuff), the film pretty much never looks good.  Worse, Liebesman films everything -- from action to dialogue -- in tight close-ups with the shakiest camera imaginable.  You can basically follow what's going on, but the overactive editing style combined with the shaky camerawork and Liebesman's complete lack of finesse as a director makes for some completely unengaging action set-pieces.  And the film is essentially ALL action.  We get about ten minutes at the beginning to establish the bland, generic soldiers and then it's pretty much non-stop action until the credits roll.  I was sort of going with it for a while, but the terrible action combined with the complete lack of characters worth caring about completely wore me down.  I was exceptionally bored by the end of the film, and very much ready for it to be over.  Boo-urns.  *1/2

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (1985) - Mar. 24, 2011 (Umpteenth Viewing)
Good times.  I'm happy to see that this movie has held up splendidly, as I absolutely loved it as a kid and was afraid it wouldn't be quite as good as I remembered.  This is Tim Burton's first movie, and he puts in some of his best work here -- the film is eminently watchable, and quite stylish without being overbearing.  It's also really funny, and very enjoyable throughout.  Pee-wee himself proves to be a very likable protagonist, and the supporting characters are all quite memorable.  Special mention must also go to Danny Elfman, whose almost ridiculously memorable score is a clear highlight (and probably one of my favourite scores ever).  ****

Hachi: A Dog's Tale

HACHI: A DOG'S TALE (2009) - Mar. 23, 2011
A well made tearjerker based on the true story of the dog on Japan whose owner died, and who spent the rest of his life waiting for him at a train station.  It's a little cheesy, but it's well acted (particularly Richard Gere -- that guy doesn't act enough) and generally well made.  And of course, seeing poor Hachi wait for a person who will never come is thoroughly tear-inducing.  ***

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD (2009) - Mar. 22, 2011
A mostly entertaining comedy about a brash traveling car salesman who begins to realize that he might want to settle down.  Though the film is amusing in parts, it mostly squanders its very funny cast.  But it was enjoyable enough, I guess.  **1/2

The Illusionist (2006)

THE ILLUSIONIST (2006) - Mar. 21, 2011
As far as 2006-released, turn-of-the-century magician movies go, The Prestige is the clear victor.  However, this was still an enjoyable enough film about a talented magician who falls in love with a girl from the upper class.  The film is entertaining throughout, and quite well acted, if nothing entirely special.  Though it did make me realize that you just cannot go wrong with an ending in which a character realizes that they've been conned while dramatic music plays (ie. Spiral, The Usual Suspects, Primal Fear, etc.).  ***

Network

NETWORK (1976) - Mar. 20, 2011
This is a film that came out more than thirty years ago, and yet has hardly aged at all: desperate TV execs ready to do anything for a top-rated TV show, the decline of network news, the rise of exploitative reality TV — aside from some of the outdated technology (and a scene in which Robert Duvall wears a tux with a shirt that looks an awful lot like the puffy shirt from Seinfeld), this is a movie that could have come out yesterday.  There are also some eerily close parallels to the current Charlie Sheen fiasco. It’s very hard to see the Peter Finch character — who has a public breakdown and starts spouting off his own off-kilter world view in a very public forum — and not think of Sheen. When Finch (in a really amazing performance) says stuff like “I’m imbued with some special spirit. It’s not a religious feeling. It’s a shocking eruption of great electrical energy,” it’s very hard not to think of Charlie Sheen. All Finch is missing are references to tiger blood and winning.  This is also a surprisingly funny film. I didn’t realize going in, but there are some pretty memorable moments of dark comedy in this movie. I’m thinking, for example, of a great scene in which a group of revolutionary Marxists attempt to renegotiate their contracts with a bevy of lawyers and TV execs.  There’s definitely a lot to like here, including Lumet’s solid direction, the great performances, and a memorable scene with Ned Beatty that’s downright electrifying. Even if the rest of the movie were terrible, I still think it would probably be worth recommending if only for that one scene alone.  ***

Unknown

UNKNOWN (2011) - Mar. 19, 2011
A really enjoyable thriller about a man who, while on a business trip in Germany with his wife, gets into an accident and wakes up to find his life has seemingly been stolen.  I have to say, I liked this a lot more than I thought I would.  There are definitely shades of Hitchcock here, and the film featured some really solid direction from Jaume Collet-Serra, who manages to keep things intriguing and suspenseful throughout.  There were some pretty great scenes here -- a couple of highlights included a scene with Liam Neeson trying to grab a pair of scissors (which struck me as particularly Hitchcockian in its execution) and a surprisingly thrilling car chase (which was probably one of the better car chases I've seen in a while).  Where Collet-Serra falls down horribly, however, are the hand-to-hand fight scenes, which are edited into oblivion and nearly incoherent.  That was disappointing, but there were only a couple of fight scenes so it wasn't a big deal.  As for the performances, Liam Neeson was obviously quite good, as was Diane Kruger as the scrappy cab driver who helps him out.  Sebastian Koch was pretty much wasted in a small, thankless role, but Bruno Ganz was quite memorable as an ex-Stasi private eye (there was a scene towards the end with Ganz and Frank Langella that was pretty much worth the price of admission alone).  ***1/2

The Adjustment Bureau

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (2011) - Mar. 18, 2011
A basically enjoyable high-concept romance about a man who discovers that the whole world is manipulated by "Adjusters" (ie. Angels) who report to "the Chairman" (ie. God); he falls in love only to be told that he cannot be with her because it isn't meant to be (why these Adjusters cannot simply tinker with his brain a bit -- an ability that we see they have -- to make him not love her anymore is never quite explained).  This is a fairly ho-hum romantic drama elevated by the intriguing concept and the above-average performances by Matt Damon and Emily Blunt (who definitely have great chemistry).  I was losing interest a bit towards the end, but the film won me back with a really great sequence in which Damon and Blunt confront the Adjusters and try to change their destiny.  ***  

The Thirteenth Floor

THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR (1999) - Mar. 16, 2011
An interesting sci-fi film about the investigation after a man -- the head of a a company that has created a virtual replica of 1938 -- is murderd.  I think the film had the misfortune of coming out at around the same time as the Matrix, which obviously had a similar premise and pretty much destroyed this film.  Featuring above-average direction by Josef Rusnak who, along with cinematographer Wedigo von Schultzendorff, does a pretty great job of evoking a very film noir vibe (it's quite Blade Runner-esque).  They overdo the fog machine a bit, but other than that it's a really nice looking film.  There are some pretty intriguing ideas here, and Rusnak does a great job of keeping things interesting and mysterious throughout.  This is definitely the kind of smart sci-fi that we just don't see enough of these days.  Also, there's a revelation towards the end that I didn't see coming at all -- it was pretty mind-blowing.  My only real complaint is that Craig Bierko seems to be miscast in the main role; he's pretty wooden.  He's fine, I guess, but someone with a bit more charisma would have definitely been nice.  ***1/2

The Escapist

THE ESCAPIST (2009) - Mar. 15, 2011 (S)
Blarg.  About a aging convict who starts planning his escape after finding out that his daughter has become a junkie, this movie squandered its above-average cast (including Brian Cox, Damian Lewis and Joseph Fiennes) -- none of the characters are particularly interesting or even very well developed, which makes a great actor like Cox feel pretty much completely wasted.  Director Rupert Wyatt also makes the somewhat disastrous choice of cutting back and forth between the preparations and the escape itself, which robs the escape of any real momentum (any time you start getting into it -- whammo, back to the prison) and which makes the prison stuff feel like wasted time (the surfeit of bland, underdeveloped characters also makes the prison stuff a bit of a tough slog).  The prison stuff does improve a bit towards the end (there's a couple of pretty great scenes between Cox and Lewis) but it's kind of too late by then.  Then there's the "hey, guess what??  It was all a dream!" twist ending, which pretty much just made me want to punch the movie right in the nose.  *1/2

Men At Work

MEN AT WORK (1990) - Mar. 14, 2011
Not so good.  About a couple of laid-back garbagemen who find themselves caught up in a scheme involving murder and political corruption, this was just not a particularly good movie.  The first little bit, with the two men (played affably by Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez) just doing their thing (including getting into some wacky shenanigans with a couple of rival garbagemen, and planning to open a surf shop -- a plot thread that goes nowhere) was enjoyable enough.  Once the over-the-top plot starts to really get into gear, the film kind of goes off the rails.  **

Severance

SEVERANCE (2006) - Mar. 13, 2011
An enjoyable film about a group of co-workers who venture out for a business retreat to a cabin in the woods, only to find themselves picked off one by one.  Another above average horror film from Christopher Smith, this was also quite funny and engaging.  It takes a while to get started (it's something like an hour into the film before stuff starts to really happen), but it was definitely quite enjoyable throughout.  ***

Four Lions

FOUR LIONS (2010) - Mar. 10, 2011
A really dark comedy about a group of bumbling suicide bombers in London.  There's some connection here to In the Loop -- one of the same writers, I think -- and though that is the superior film, this was still quite enjoyable and sporadically pretty funny.  I particularly liked the third act, where things get hilariously dark.  ***

Mars Needs Moms

MARS NEEDS MOMS (2011) - Mar. 9, 2011
A surprisingly enjoyable film about a kid whose mom is kidnapped by aliens from Mars, and who must go rescue her.  Refreshingly old-school in execution, this feels like a film that could have been made in the '80s (aside from motion capture, the medium in which it is told) -- Simon Wells' solid direction eschews quick cuts and shaky-cam in favour of something a bit more old fashioned, and John Powell's rousing score feels like something John Williams or Alan Silvestri might have done a couple of decades ago (albiet not quite on their level).  The characters are all very likable, and overall it's just a really fun adventure -- though I'm still not crazy about the super-real mo-cap character designs, it probably worked better here than in any of Zemeckis' mo-cap films (or maybe I just didn't notice it as much because I was actually enjoying this film, unlike Zemeckis' abysmal mo-cap trilogy).  ***1/2

Redbelt

REDBELT (2008) - Mar. 8, 2011
About a Jiu-jitsu master with a strict honour code (much to his own financial and personal detriment) who finds himself mixed up in the world of professional fighting, this was a really well made film.  Though I was kind of iffy on it at first (David Mamet has that very specific, laboured style that can take some time to get used to), Mamet ultimately does a really great job of establishing this world and the characters who live within it.  The cast, with people like David Paymer, Tim Allen, Joe Mantegna, and a scene-stealing Ricky Jay, is uniformly pretty great.  Then there's Chiwetel Ejiofor in the main role, who gives an absolutely outstanding performance -- one of his best (and I'm now convinced that he would have been a billion times better as Bond than Daniel Craig).  He creates a really compelling character, and the story surrounding him unfolds in a really interesting way.  Good times.  ***1/2

High Lane

HIGH LANE (2009) - Mar. 6, 2011
A decent horror film about a group of friends who go climbing -- their planned route turns out to be closed, so they decide to make their own trail (never a wise choice).  Sort of like Cliffhanger + The Descent + Texas Chainsaw Massacre (plus a few others), there's nothing particularly fresh here, but it's decently made and mostly entertaining throughout.  **1/2

Drive Angry

DRIVE ANGRY (2011) - Mar. 6, 2011
Meh.  About a man who escapes from hell in order to rescue his baby granddaughter from a satanic cult, this was just as ridiculous as the description makes it sound.  Certainly, this is a movie that knows exactly what it is and runs with it, embracing its R rating and trying to be as fun as possible (with the possible exception of Nicolas Cage, who was far more subdued than you'd think).  And it does start out pretty fun -- but the movie is 104 minutes long and probably shouldn't be any longer than 80.  I was never bored, but I was certainly very ready for it to be over when it finally did end.  **1/2

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop

A WOMAN, A GUN AND A NOODLE SHOP (2009) - Mar. 5, 2011
Ah, now that's how you do a remake.  A remake of the Coen brothers' Blood Simple, only with the action transposed to 19th century China.  The film takes the main story beats of the Coens' film, and manages to do something pretty different with them (if by virtue of the setting and time period alone).  Featuring typically exquisite direction from Zhang Yimou, this was a seriously good looking movie.  It also managed to be pretty riveting throughout -- watching the various characters each deal with the situation at hand was quite enthralling.  ***1/2

Summer Wars

SUMMER WARS (2009) - Mar. 4, 2011
Though not quite on the same level as Mamoru Hosoda's previous film, the Girl Who Leapt through Time, this was still a well made film about a kid who gets invited to a friend's country home for the weekend, not knowing that she wants him to pretend to be her boyfriend.  Meanwhile, a sinister virus is wreaking havoc in an internet-like virtual world, eventually taking control of the miltary in an attempt to cause as much chaos as possible.  It's kind of an odd mix of genres -- family drama / romance mixed with a high-concept action premise, but it essentially works.  The film is a bit slow, and drags in parts, but it's definitely well made and unique.  ***

Let Me In

LET ME IN (2010) - Mar. 3, 2011
About... well, about the exact same thing Let the Right One In was about (it's an extremely faithful remake -- perhaps to a fault) this was a well made film that just felt a little too samey to ever really get into.  Though there were a few changes here and there (plus the change of setting to 1980s USA), for the most part this felt so similar to Let the Right One In that I'm a little confused as to why it even needs to exist.  Why put so much time and effort and talent into something that essentially boils down to a very handsomely made photocopy?  Something that does very, very little that the original didn't already do?  Director Matt Reeves is obviously quite talented, but this just seems like a waste of his time.  **

Rango

RANGO (2011) - Mar. 1, 2011
About a pet chameleon who finds himself the sheriff of a wild west-style town, this was a bit of a disappointment from Gore Verbinksi, and marks two not-so-great films in a row from the man (after the convoluted last Pirates film).  One of the main problems here is that aside from Rango himself, all of the characters are pretty bland and uninteresting, making it tough to care about the fate of their town.  Westerns are obviously pretty rare these days, so it was nice to see a straight western without much irony -- but the film just isn't that great.  I was never bored, but I was never particularly involved, either.  There were, however, some surprisingly exciting action set-pieces, and the whole thing was decent enough, if not particularly memorable.  **1/2

Exit Through the Gift Shop

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (2010) - Feb. 26, 2011
A really enjoyable documentary about eccentric Frenchman Thierry Guetta (a.k.a. Mr. Brainwash) who, filming everything all the time, starts following around street artists, obstensively making a documentary about them as he goes.  Eventually, he befriends legendary street artist Banksy, who encourages him to actually make the doc (which he had no intention to actually do).  His film turns out almost hilariously unwatchable, so Banksy encourages him to make his own street art (with the intention of making a street art film himself out of Thierry's voluminous footage).  This backfires when Theirry, with no discernable style of his own, ends up commercializing and essentially making a mockery out of the whole street art scene.  I really enjoyed this film.  There's been some hubaloo about this potentially being not entirely real, which I wouldn't be surprised by -- the whole thing makes for such a entertaining story, with Theirry as such a compellingly odd protagonist, that it all almost seems too perfect to be true.  Either way, it's a really well made and enjoyable film.  ***1/2

Happy-Go-Lucky

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (2008) - Feb. 24, 2011
An enjoyable character study about an extremely cheerful London schoolteacher and what happens to her over the course of a couple of months, including getting weekly driving lessons from an irratible driving instructor.  Featuring above-average writing and direction from Mike Leigh (do I need to reconsider my opinion of the man?) and some really good performances (particularly Sally Hawkins in the main role), the film is a bit slow but quite entertaining throughout.  ***

Isolation

ISOLATION (2005) - Feb. 23, 2011
A solid little horror film about a genetic experiment on cows gone wrong, leaving a farm owner and some visitors to contend with strange creatures.  Shades of Cronenberg, as well as the original Alien.  The film is quite well directed by Billy O'Brien, who has a keen eye for visuals as well as an ability to really effectively build tension.  The film is sort of a slow burn, but the earlier, tension-building stuff is just as good as the later more in-your-face horror stuff.  ***

The Special Relationship

THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP (2010) - Feb. 22, 2011
About the relationship between Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, this was a well made, enjoyable film, though not on the level of the Queen.  It feels a bit episodic, like a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive whole, but it was definitely entertaining and quite well acted -- both Dennis Quaid and Michael Sheen were very good.  ***

Ong Bak 3

ONG BAK 3 (2010) - Feb. 20, 2011
A direct sequel to the mediocre but passable Ong Bak 3, this was an almost incomprehensible mess of a film.  I know there were supposedly some behind-the-scenes issues, which must be true because there is no possible way that anyone involved could have wanted the film to turn out the way it did.  The characters are non-existent, the plot barely makes sense, and the whole thing has zero narrative momentum, lurching haphazardly from scene to scene (scenes will often begin with no explantation as to what's going on, and will then end arbitrarily).  Much of the film consists of random Buddhist philosophy, and there's an interminably long strech in which Tony Jaa tries to recover from having most of his bones broken (including a lot of philosophy and dancing).  Seriously, so bad.  Even the action, which should have been the saving grace, is passable but mediocre (and far from abundant).  Boo-urns.  1/2*

I Spit on Your Grave

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (2010) - Feb. 20, 2011
An intense, well made and kind of unpleasant film about a woman who is brutally gang-raped, and who then seeks elaborate vengeance on her rapists.  The brutal rape scene probably goes on a bit longer than it needs to (I think it could have been a few minutes shorter and still had the same impact).  One of my bigger issues with the film is the stuff immediately following the rape; the film bafflingly shifts its focus entirely to the rapists, and since we don't particularly know or care about these characters, seeing their post-rape lives just feels unnecessary.  It would have been much more interesting to see how the main character recovered from her ordeal, something which we don't get to see at all -- after the crime, we only see the girl from the rapists' point of view.  **1/2

Spiral

SPIRAL (2007) - Feb. 19, 2011
After the awesome Frozen and the terrible Hatchet, I wasn't sure what to think of Adam Green.  Well, I guess he's okay, because this was pretty good -- it's definitely not even close to Frozen, but it's a lot better than Hatchet.  About an artistic loner who is slowly befriended by a coworker, the film was obviously made on a small budget and looks pretty low-budgety, but for the most part is pretty well made, with good performances (particularly Amber Tamblyn and Zachary Levi).  It's a bit slow, though never boring.  The whole time I was thinking that I had the movie figured out, and at the end, there was the twist I was expecting -- but then the movie managed to catch me completely off guard with a second twist that I found to be completely unexpected.  I was thinking I'd give this movie two-and-a-half, but the film did such a good job of playing with my expectations with that second twist that I think I have to bump it up.  ***

Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS (2011) - Feb. 18, 2011
An enjoyable comedy about a naive insurance salesman who leaves his small town for the first time to go to a convention.  Well directed by Miguel Arteta, though not as good as his last film, Youth in Revolt.  The film was fairly low-key; what really sold it was the real sense of comraderie between the four leads (Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr.).  Helms, in particular, was quite good, and made for a very likable lead.  Reilly was also quite funny, and stole most of the scenes he was in.  ***

Carriers

CARRIERS (2009) - Feb. 17, 2011
There was nothing here we haven't seen before, but this was still a well made and entertaining genre film.  About a group of four people traveling across the country in a post-apocalyptic America (a deadly flu-like virus has wiped out most of the population), this was obviously not the first time we've seen a film with a cross-country, post-apocalyptic road trip -- but it works, because it's fairly well made, and the characters are engaging (Chris Pine gives futher proof that he should be big soon, and Christopher Meloni gives a memorable turn as a father desperate to save his daughter).  ***

Biutiful

BIUTIFUL (2010) - Feb. 16, 2011
A haunting, gritty drama about a father of two who finds out he's dying, this was a well made film, but another disappointment from Alejandro González Iñárritu.  It was definitely solidly crafted, and Javier Bardem gives a pretty stunning performance in the lead role, but I was just never really sucked in like I was for Iñárritu's first couple of films.  It was never boring, but it wasn't even close to being on the same level as the electrifying Amores Perros.  ***

I'm Still Here

I'M STILL HERE (2010) - Feb. 15, 2011
A mockumentary about Joaquin Phoenix's decision to stop acting, and to pursue a rap career, I'm not entirely sure what the point of this film was.  It's vaguely amusing, but clearly not going for Spinal Tap-esque laughs.  It doesn't have anything particularly insightful or interesting to say about the nature of celebrity or the effect that being in the limelight has on a person (unless the point is supposed to be that it makes you completely nutso).  Just in terms of the story it's telling, it's not particularly compelling.  The character Phoenix plays is more grating than anything else, spending the whole film alternately whining and mumbling.  So... what's the point, exactly?  *1/2

Revenge

REVENGE (1990) - Feb. 14, 2011
Not even nearly as electrifying as you'd think a movie called "Revenge" would be, this was a somewhat dull film about a ex-fighter pilot who goes to stay with a shady Mexican crime lord (and how those two met, something about saving the crime lord's life, is left somewhat vague, like many of the plot points in the film) and winds up falling in love with his wife.  Though the whole film is pretty slow, it's the first hour or so that really sinks the film -- the characters aren't really compelling enough to support the almost completely uneventful first half of the movie.  It doesn't help that Kevin Costner's character is fairly bland, and he doesn't have much chemistry with Madeline Stowe.  The film does improve somewhat once stuff starts happening, but it's kind of too late by then.  **

Blue Valentine

BLUE VALENTINE (2010) - Feb. 12, 2011
A well made and exceptionally well acted film about a couple who fall in love, and whose relationship eventually disintegrates completely (the film jumps back and forth in time from happy to sad).  Really, really well acted by Ryan Gosling (what a crime he wasn't nominated) and Michelle Williams, the film is otherwise solid but not quite on the same level as the performances.  ***

Welcome to the Rileys

WELCOME TO THE RILEYS (2010) - Feb. 11, 2011
A well made drama about a middle-aged businessman who befriends a young prostitute while on a business trip in New Orleans.  Very well directed by Jake Scott, who has obviously inherited more than a little of his father's talent (in fact, this was probably better than anything the elder Scott has made since Kingdom of Heaven).  The movie was also extremely well acted, which is a big reason that it works as well as it does -- James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart and Melissa Leo all give top-shelf performances that probably rank among their best.  I really enjoyed this film  -- it was well made and featured three very compelling characters.  ***1/2

Cactus

CACTUS (2008) - Feb. 10, 2011
Meh.  A mediocre drama/thriller about a guy transporting a man he abducted across the Australian countryside.  There's a long stretch in which the film keeps us entirely in the dark about what's happening (e.g. why the man has been abducted) -- I would imagine that the intent was to establish a vibe of intriguing mysteriousness, but instead it just comes off as annoyingly vague.  Things don't entirely improve when we finally do find out the situation, as the dynamic between the two men is never all that interesting.  Plus, the film kind of fails as a thriller (there just aren't that many thrills) and the characters aren't good enough to sustain the movie on their own.  It was decently made, I guess, and I was never bored -- but the whole thing felt kind of pointless.  **

The Thin Man

THE THIN MAN (1934) - Feb. 9, 2011 (Second Viewing)
I liked this film, though there really isn’t any particular reason to remember it other than for William Powell and Myrna Loy’s memorable performances and their remarkable chemistry (which is enough, certainly — though it would have been nice if the movie that surrounded them were a bit better). All the scenes in which they are just talking, just exchanging jabs and one-liners, are pretty great and certainly worth the price of admission alone. Nick and Nora Charles are obviously a supremely memorable couple, and just plain fun to watch. Powell especially gives an amazing performance, and his seemingly effortless charm makes already funny dialogue even funnier.  The problem here, however, is that quite a lot of screen time is dedicated to the convoluted and, frankly, fairly uninteresting mystery (the characters surrounding the mystery are equally forgettable). The plot involves a missing man and a series of murders, and there are so many side-characters and suspects that, by the time Powell’s character had assembled them all for a dinner party at the end of the film, I was having a hard time remembering who was who (or caring, for that matter). It’s a testament to how good Powell and Loy are that, despite these not-insignificant problems, the film still comes off quite well; I’d recommend it without hesitation. Clearly, there is a reason why they made so many sequels.  ***

The Damned United

THE DAMNED UNITED (2009) - Feb. 7, 2011
An enjoyable film about Brian Clough, a cocky soccer coach (sorry: football manager) and his doomed effort to make it as the manager of Leeds United.  I actually had absolutely no knowledge of the whole story going in, which turned out to be a good thing (I sort of figured that the film would follow the usual template and that Clough would ultimately whip his team into shape and be victorious, which was obviously not the case).  I was always entertained, though the soccer-heavy narrative was a bit much at times (there was almost nothing of any of the characters' personal lives; it was all soccer all the time).  Still, it was well made, and more importantly, very well acted: Michael Sheen was as good as ever as Clough, and the always reliable Timothy Spall was just as good as his assistant.  ***

Stone

STONE (2010) - Feb. 6, 2011
A surprisingly good film about a soon-to-retire parole officer who finds himself mixed up with a prisoner and his wife.  Robert De Niro gives what is probably one of his better performances of late, though he's still a shadow of his former self (it's sad that out of Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich and Robert De Niro, it's De Niro that gives the weakest performance -- by far).  Despite that, the scenes between De Niro and Norton are pretty great, and it's kind of fascinating trying to figure out who's playing who and who knows what.  The whole thing builds to an ending that's ambiguous, but kind of perfect.  John Curran's assured direction goes a long way towards making the film as effective as it is, as does the moody, ominous score (apparently by Jon Brion and members of Radiohead).  The film isn't exactly a thriller, but it has a slow-burning intensity that keeps you on the edge of your seat despite the more deliberate pace.  ***1/2

Sanctum

SANCTUM (2011) - Feb. 5, 2011
Hmmm... not so good.  It's kind of mystifying that James Cameron would put his name on such a subpar film, but then I guess all the underwater exploration was enough to make him interested -- shoddy plot and characters be damned.  Director Alister Grierson did a decent enough job with the action stuff -- the parts with the characters in peril were fine, if nothing particularly special.  The big problem here was with the script; the characters were all completely bland and unmemorable, making it tough to root for them when stuff starts to go bad.  The performances were mostly pretty terrible (Richard Roxburgh was pretty much the only one in the bunch who actually gave an okay performance), though it's quite likely that it's the script at fault rather than the actors themselves -- the dialogue ranges from barely acceptable to cringe-inducingly bad.  The first half hour or so was almost completely unwatchable, though the film does pick up a bit once stuff starts happening.  The film also improves once the cast gets whittled down enough for the film to focus on the father/son dynamic between the two main characters (the only two half-way decent characters in the bunch, despite the son's blandness).  Given JC's involvment with the film, this should have been so much better.  Also: 3D continues to suck.  **

The Mechanic

THE MECHANIC (2011) - Feb. 4, 2011
A kind of mediocre but basically entertaining film about a hitman who begins training the son of his mentor (who he was tricked into killing).  Jason Statham gives an expectedly solid performance, and Ben Foster was good as his protege.  The film seems kind of sloppily written in parts (i.e. Statham discovering that he was played relies on a huge coincidence that feels pretty lazy, it seems like he could have easily found out the truth about his boss with one phone call, an action sequence involving a cult leader has absolutely no connection with the rest of the film, etc.).  Simon West's direction is fine, for the most part, but the action is a bit more shaky/quick-cutty than I'd like (it probably doesn't help that Hard-Boiled, one of the finest action films I've ever seen, is still pretty fresh in my mind).  Also, CGI blood is used extensively, and I continue to be mystified by its current pervasiveness -- it always looks awful.  Meh.  **1/2

Hard-Boiled

HARD-BOILED (1992) - Feb. 3, 2011
Oh man -- why did I wait so long to watch this movie?  I've gotta watch some more of John Woo's pre-Hollywood stuff.  About a gritty cop who wants to take down an illegal firearms dealer with the help of an undercover officer, the film itself (i.e. the non-action stuff) was fine.  Ho-hum and a bit dated in parts, it did a decent enough job of setting up the characters and keeping things moving between the action.  Oh man, the action.  Finally, after having only watched Woo's American films, I see why the man is regarded as a legend; the action in this film is almost ridiculously good.  Always engaging, exquisitly staged and featuring amazingly kinetic camerawork that never feels overbearing, I think the shootouts here are among the best I've ever seen.  Certainly, the last scene, an epic half-hour shootout set inside a hospital, is a pretty stunning accomplishment.  You'd think a shootout that lasts that long would overstay its welcome, but oh man it does not.  So good.  There's also a scene in which Chow Yun-Fat takes on a warehouse full of guys that's pretty jaw-dropping.  Why weren't any of John Woo's American films even close to this good??  ****

The Killer Inside Me

THE KILLER INSIDE ME (2010) - Feb. 1, 2011
About a sociopathic deputy sheriff in the 1950s who starts killing people, this was a handsomely made but meandering film that ultimately feels kind of empty.  Featuring yet another very good performance by Casey Affleck, the film is otherwise decent enough but just not particularly involving.  It feels kind of disjointed; we never particularly get to know the characters well enough for the low-key, plotless narrative to really work.  The controversial murder scenes were fairly disturbing, but they don't have much of an impact beyond the surface level, because we don't particularly care about the characters.  **

The Lost Weekend

THE LOST WEEKEND (1945) - Jan. 30, 2011
I really liked this film. It takes what seems like a fairly limited premise and turns it into something pretty special. Kudos must go to star Ray Milland for his nuanced performance. When he tries to rationalize his addiction near the beginning of the film, he’s so charming that you almost believe him.  It quickly becomes apparent, however, that this is a man who is completely ruled by his nearly crippling addiction. Milland does a great job of really selling everything that his character goes through, from his near-exuberance at the start of the movie to his increasing desperation to satisfy his cravings (he has limited funds, and spends all his time either drinking or figuring out where his next drink is coming from).  There’s something grimly compelling about watching Milland’s inexorable descent and his complete powerlessness to his own addiction. Every time you think “surely, this is rock bottom,” things manage to get even worse. The whole thing might have come off as over-the-top or even preachy under a lesser director, but Billy Wilder directs the film with a sure hand, and never allows it to be overtaken by melodrama.  ***

Maid in Manhattan

MAID IN MANHATTAN (2002) - Jan. 29, 2011
An enjoyable romantic comedy about a maid and a politician who fall in love; only, the poltician thinks the maid is a rich socialite.  Typical romcom drama ensues.  This was a by-the-numbers romantic comedy, elevated by good performances (it's bizarre seeing Ralph Fiennes in a romantic comedy, but he does quite well and has definite chemistry with an equally good J-Lo) and solid direction from Wayne Wang.  ***

Whip It

WHIP IT (2009) - Jan. 28, 2011
A basically entertaining film about a girl from a small Texas town who discovers her love for roller derby.  The film was well made and well acted, but it definitely drags in parts; it's 111 minutes and it probably shouldn't have been much longer than 90.  Drew Barrymore does fine in her first directorial effort, and all the performances were good (and it was a treat to see Daniel Stern again, even in a small part -- the man definitely needs to act more).  **1/2

Down by Law

DOWN BY LAW (1986) - Jan. 27, 2011
I have a few issues with Down by Law. My main issue is that the two main characters, played by Tom Waits (in a fairly mediocre performance) and John Lurie (in a performance that isn’t exactly great, but which looks pretty good next to Waits) are not particularly compelling at all. Neither is particularly likable or interesting, so spending 107 minutes with them becomes a bit of a chore. This is exacerbated by the total absence of a plot, which makes the shoddiness of the characters all the more apparent. Then there’s the boisterous Roberto Benigni, who seems to be playing a variation on himself (complete with the name Roberto). He’s a much more interesting figure than the other two, though he does kind of seem out of place, like he randomly wandered onto the set and was inserted into the movie on a whim.  The movie also really takes its time, with long stretches in which not all that much happens.  I did like Robby Müller’s black and white cinematography. Aside from that? The film wasn’t terrible, I suppose. I’ve certainly seen worse. But considering its stature as an American independent classic, I was disappointed.  *1/2

The King's Speech

THE KING'S SPEECH (2010) - Jan. 26, 2011
An enjoyable crowd-pleaser about King George VI's struggles to lose his stutter, and the friendship that blossoms between him and his doctor.  A solid film, though perhaps a tad overrated (I mean, I certainly enjoyed it, but I'm not sure if it would even be in my top 20 of the year, let alone my top 10).  Colin Firth was definitely really good though, as were all of the performances.  Tom Hooper's direction was good, though his pervasive use of ultra-wide angle lenses was a bit odd.  ***

Me and You and Everyone We Know

ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW (2005) - Jan. 25, 2011
An enjoyably odd film about a recently divorced father of two, and a quirky performance artist.  The film really isn't about much -- there's the father, the artist, and some of the people surrounding them (the father's kids, his friend, the artist's older friend, a woman she submitted her art to, etc.) and we just sort of see them go about their lives, and the effect they have on each other.  It works, partially because director/star Miranda July never allows the film to become overwhelmed by the quirk (as tends to happen in indie films of this ilk); there is an endearing earnestness here that keeps the film likable and relatable despite its stylization.  It's also really well acted, both by July herself, John Hawkes (who I am just now starting to really appreciate, after being marginally aware of him for several years), and the supporting cast.  ***1/2

Inhale

INHALE (2010) - Jan. 23, 2011
A gritty drama/thriller about a father who travels to the seedy underbelly of Mexico in an attempt to secure an organ transplant for his dying daughter.  Featuring an above average performance from Dermot Mulroney, the film is quite engaging throughout, and pretty tense in parts.  It feels sort of familiar, but it's well directed by Baltasar Kormákur and overall very well made.  ***1/2

The Green Hornet

THE GREEN HORNET (2011) - Jan. 22, 2011
A fun, if somewhat slight superhero film about a party-animal millionaire whose dad dies, and who then decides to take on a crime-fighting persona.  Stylishly directed by Michel Gondry, the film was not without its problems -- Christoph Waltz made for a completely ineffectual villain, as seemingly all of his scenes were played for laughs; the lengthy fake break-up between Seth Rogen and Jay Chou seemed completely unneccessary (and certainly didn't need to go on for as long as it did); the final action sequence overstayed its welcome a bit -- but Rogen and Chou had good chemistry, and the film was entertaining throughout, even if it played out more like an Apatowian bromance than a typical superhero film.  ***

The Open Road

THE OPEN ROAD (2008) - Jan. 21, 2011
Meh.  Not nearly as compelling as the premise/cast would lead you to believe, this was a decent film about a guy who, at the behest of his ailing mother, goes on a road trip with his estranged father.  The film was decently made, but it was never particularly involving.  Jeff Bridges was expectly good as the reluctant father; Justin Timberlake was fine as the son, though his character was fairly one-note.  **1/2

Love and Other Drugs

LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS (2010) - Jan. 10, 2011
An enjoyable dramedy about a slick pharmaceutical salesman who winds up falling in love with a Parkinsons patient.  Though the lighter first half probably worked better than the more melodramatic latter half, the whole thing was well made and entertaining enough.  Jake Gyllenhal and Ann Hathaway were both very good, though oddly enough, I'm not sure how great their chemistry was -- it occured to me towards the end that while I liked both characters and cared about both of them, I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to be together like I should have been.  ***

Season of the Witch

SEASON OF THE WITCH (2011) - Jan. 7, 2011
A fairly mediocre though basically entertaining film about a couple of Crusades-era soldiers who wind up getting recruited to trasport a witch across the country.  The film was almost absurdly low-rent, and looked pretty cheesy, though I'm not sure if it's the all-out disaster everyone is making it out to be.  I don't know -- I was super tired when I watched it, so it's hard to say.  **1/2

Despicable Me

DESPICABLE ME (2010) - Jan. 6, 2011 (Second Viewing)
I fell asleep towards the end (it was a long flight), but aside from that this was just as charming as I remember it being.  ***

The Other Guys

THE OTHER GUYS (2010) - Jan. 6, 2011 (Second Viewing)
Perhaps not quite as funny/entertaining as I remembered, but still enjoyable enough.  ***

Days of Heaven

DAYS OF HEAVEN - Dec. 30, 2010
Terrence Malick is best known for making some seriously beautiful looking movies, and on that level Days of Heaven  does not disappoint. Seemingly filmed entirely at either dawn or dusk, the film has a strikingly ethereal look, with almost every frame suitable to be enlarged and framed on your wall. It is a very good looking movie.  As for the straightforward plot; it’s fine. It gets the job done, but it’s fairly clear that had this film been directed by a middle-of-the-road director with no flair for visuals, it would have been immediately forgotten. There’s really nothing about the story or about the characters that particularly stays with you for very long after the credits have rolled. It’s really more the mood and tone that Malick manages to sustain that gives this film its power.  I liked this movie, but I can’t help but think that I would have absolutely loved it had the story been even close to being on the same level as the direction/cinematography.  ***

Tron: Legacy

TRON: LEGACY (2010) - Dec. 29, 2010
Not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but certainly a fairly sizable step up from the original, this was a decent enough film.  About the son of the protagonist from the first film, who gets sucked into the computer world and must find his way out, along with his father who has been trapped in there for years.  Though none of the characters are particularly compelling, director Joseph Kosinski obviously has an eye for visuals, and along with Daft Punk's memorable score, creates a film which is generally interesting to watch.  ***

Somewhere

SOMEWHERE (2010) - Dec. 28, 2010
Almost absurdly low-key, I enjoyed this film, though I do feel like it's Sophia Coppola's weakest effort.  About a disaffected playboy movie star who spends a couple of weeks with his daughter, the film was certainly well made and well acted, if a bit disappointing given Coppola's previous work.  I liked and felt for Stephen Dorff's Johnny Marco (and Dorff is probably better here than I've ever seen him), but the film did feel a bit aloof.  I'd definitely like to see it at least one more time before I fully pass judgment on it, but it does feel kind of like lesser Sophia Coppola.  ***

Winter's Bone

WINTER'S BONE (2010) - Dec. 27, 2010
About a determined young girl who decides to track down her father after she finds out that she'll lose her home if he doesn't show up in court.  The film unfolds at a fairly meticulous pace, but it remains compelling throughout -- there's something kind of fascinating about the insular, forested community in which everyone seems to be distantly related.  The performances are uniformly pretty great, particularly Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes.  I also really liked the sparse, almost hard-boiled dialogue.  Good stuff.  ***1/2

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (2010) - Dec. 26, 2010 (Second Viewing)
Visually stunning and directed with a ridiculously kinetic style by Edgar Wright (who always manages to make sure that the style never overwhelms the viewer or overtakes the story), this was definitely a very good film, though I still don't think it's on the level of Wright's last two movies (particularly Shaun of the Dead).  I never quite had the emotional attachment to Scott Pilgrim and his chums that I did to Shaun and Ed, but this is still definitely a primo film, and more proof (in case anyone still needed it) that Wright is a serious talent.  ***1/2

Futurama: Into the Wide Green Yonder

FUTURAMA: INTO THE WIDE GREEN YONDER (2009) - Dec. 25, 2010
The last film in the four-film Futurama series, this continues the general descent in quality from the other films.  But still, it's Futurama, and even subpar Futurama is pretty sweet.  **1/2

True Grit (2010)

TRUE GRIT (2010) - Dec. 23, 2010
About a young girl who hires a surly gunslinger to catch the man responsible for killing her father, I think it's almost redundant at this point to say that this was masterfully directed, considering that this is a Coen brothers film.  It's also very well acted, with Hailee Steinfeld easily holding her own against Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon (who gives a scene-stealing performance as a conceited Texas Ranger).  I wasn't sure if this was a very good film or a great one when I first watched it, but the more I think about it the more I'm leaning towards the latter.  ***1/2

And Soon the Darkness

AND SOON THE DARKNESS (2010) - Dec. 22, 2010
An egregiously mediocre film about a couple of girls on vacation in backwater Argentina who find themselves in serious trouble when one of them is mysteriously abducted.  Seemingly cobbled together wholesale from about a dozen other movies, there isn't a single element here that feels original or fresh.  Of course, with a thriller like this, it's definitely possible to take a completely unoriginal premise and still do great things with it -- assuming that the film is well excecuted and exciting.  Alas, this was neither well executed or exciting.  Made without an ounce of originality or intelligence, the film was competently directed by Marcos Efron, who isn't the worst director ever, but who definitely lacks the finese to elevate a lacklustre screenplay such as this to anything particularly watchable.  There is really nothing here that particularly works -- the part establishing the two characters doesn't work, because both characters are empty cliches (the party girl and her uptight friend), the uptight friend's investigation is dull and pointless, because we're always two or three steps ahead of her, and the more action-heavy final fifteen minutes or so just feels perfunctory and anti-climactic.  Plus, all of the "twists" are almost laughably predictable (what?  That shady small-town cop was in on it all along?  NO WAY!).  It probably doesn't help that Efron is unwilling (or unable) to establish any kind of tension or suspense.   Blech.  *1/2

2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - Dec. 21, 2010 (Third or Fourth Viewing +3)
It's 2001.  On the big screen.  70mm.  So yes, it was awesome, though it would have been nice if the screen at the Lightbox had been slightly bigger.  ****

I Am Love

I AM LOVE (2009) - Dec. 20, 2010
A meandering and fairly pretentious film that is saved by an amazing visual style.  Impeccably directed by Luca Guadagnino, this is without a doubt a beautiful film.  It's so well directed, but at the same time I was never particularly entertained beyond consistantly being dazzled by the visuals and the direction (including the really effective use of John Adams' music).  It's completely plotless, and Guadagnino always keeps the characters at somewhat of an arm's length, so it's really hard to get particularly involved in the film.  But it looks so good...  **1/2

Tron

TRON (1982) - Dec. 19, 2010
A surprisingly boring film about a programmer who winds up sucked into a strange world run by computers.  The film's special effects, though probably mind-blowing at the time, seem quant and dated by modern standards.  Though the dated effects are actually the least of the film's problems; it just isn't all that entertaining.  It's kind of sluggish, and it never really felt like there was all that much at stake.  The whole thing felt like an excuse for the elaborate effects; the story and the characters were pretty weak.  **

The Fighter

THE FIGHTER (2010) - Dec. 18, 2010
Well directed by David O. Russell, this was an enjoyable and well made film about a mid-level boxer who has to deal with his overbearing family while trying to re-launch his boxing career.  Under a lesser director this story easily could have made yet another generic feel-good sports movie, but Russell and the screenwriters ensure that the movie is always a bit more interesting than that.  Featuring really impressive performances all around, this wasn't quite on the level of some of Russell's previous films, but it was still a really solid drama.  ***

The Rocker

THE ROCKER (2008) - Dec. 17, 2010
Well, I was tired and looking for a movie that I wouldn't have to think about too much, and this fit the bill perfectly.  About an aging drummer who is still having a tough time getting over being kicked out of a band (who went on to be superstars) twenty years earlier, and who then has a second chance at being a rock star.  Featuring a fun, earnest performance from Rainn Wilson (between this and Super, it's definitely clear that the man can do more than just Dwight) and a whole bunch of funny supporting roles (including people like Jason Sudekis and Jeff Garlin), I'm a bit baffled as to why this flopped so hard.  I mean, there's absolutely nothing here that feels particularly fresh (you know where the film is going every step of the way) but it was an enjoyable enough way to spend 100 minutes.  ***

Monsters

MONSTERS (2010) - Dec. 14, 2010
Well made and fairly impressive, given the budget, this was about a couple of Americans traveling through a Mexico in which, a few years earlier, aliens arrived and are now a part of the habitat (in "infected zones").  Writer/director Gareth Edwards does a really great job of making this seem like a real, lived-in world, and I was completely sold on the whole premise.  His direction, too, was quite good.  Not-so-good was his writing; Edwards does a fairly poor job of getting us to care about the two protagonists, though it probably doesn't help that neither of the two leads are particularly good, and lack chemistry.  Scoot McNairy, in particular, doesn't have the requisite charisma to make us care about his character, and comes off as more of a jerk than anything else (I could see someone like Ryan Reynolds making the part work).  Despite that I think the film generally works if only for the direction and the atmosphere that it manages to create; if the script and performances were a bit better, it could have been great, but as it is it's pretty good.  ***

The Fast Runner

THE FAST RUNNER - Dec. 14, 2010 (Second Viewing)
Yep, not so good.  I definitely did not need to revist this film, whose almost universal praise is nothing short of baffling.  Overlong, with amateurish visuals which do very little to capture the majesty of the Inuit landscape (in fact, in many scenes it's obvious that the filmmakers just left their camcorder on automatic; the exposure changes in particular make this fairly obvious) and mediocre performances, not to mention a storyline that is far from fresh (love triangles, power struggles, etc.).  If it weren't for the unique setting, this film would have almost certainly been forgotten almost instantly.  *1/2

Black Swan

BLACK SWAN (2010) - Dec. 11, 2010 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this is a great film, and though I wasn't sure on my first viewing, I'm now fairly confident that this was just as good as (if not better than) the Wrestler.  It's interesting watching this for a second time -- on the first viewing, a lot of the focus is on the mystery of it all, and trying to figure out what is real versus what is imagined.  The second time, knowing that the film is ultimately a portrait of someone who is slowly losing her mind to the immense pressure that she is under, the film feels pretty different.  This is definitely a movie that demands and rewards repeat viewings.  There are so many great things about this film, from Natalie Portman's astounding performance to Aronofsky's direction to Clint Mansell's memorable score -- a flat-out brilliant reworking of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.  I kind of want to see this again.  Right now.  ****

Polytechnique

POLYTECHNIQUE - Dec. 10, 2010
Though this has obviously taken more than a little inspiration from Elephant (much like 2:37, another school shooting movie), this was still a fairly powerful and very well made film about the 1989 school shooting in Montreal -- though like 2:37, it's not quite in the same league as the powerful Elephant.  Featuring impressive black and white cinematography, as well as effectively austere direction from Denis Villeneuve, the film is quite well made though it never really raises to the level of the aforementioned film.  ***

The Fast Runner

THE FAST RUNNER - Dec. 9, 2010
Well, I can't really say much about this film since I spent at least a quarter of it asleep (and as punishment, I have to watch it again in the next few days, a horrifying prospect).  Exceptionally dull and ridiculously uncinematic, I guess I'll find out soon enough if this is really as bad as I think it is, or if I'm being too harsh.  NO RATING

Yella

YELLA - Dec. 7, 2010
A well made if somewhat odd film about a woman who leaves home for a job, only to find that the job no longer exists.  Features a strange, dream-like tone and a twist ending that kind of invalidates the entire film, but it was basically well made, well acted and I wasn't bored.  **1/2

Lola

LOLA (1981) - Dec. 3, 2010
Featuring a an above-average early performance from Armin Mueller-Stahl, this was an otherwise fairly dull film about a by-the-book government official who is ultimately corrupted after falling in love with a prostitute.  Though Rainer Werner Fassbinder's colourful, technicolor-esque direction was decent enough, the film just moves too slowly to ever be particularly engaging.  *1/2

Veronika Voss

VERONIKA VOSS (1982) - Dec. 3, 2010
A flawed but interesting film about a washed-up actress who is manipulated by shady doctors who keep her addicted to pain-killers to drain her dry.  Featuring some really nice looking high-contrast black and white cinematography, the film is decent but kind of overwrought.  I was entertained enough for the first little while, but the film ultimately lost me.  **

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL - Dec. 2, 2010
This film owes a great debt to All That Heaven Allows. In fact, in many ways it plays like a loose remake of that film; both films have roughly the same plot, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder was certainly never shy about his admiration for Douglas Sirk.  It’s not a bad film. I’m not entirely sure it deserves a spot on the list, but Fassbinder was obviously an important director, and this is one of his most accessible films. It’s well directed and (for the most part) well acted.  My biggest problem with this movie is that there just isn’t all that much chemistry between the older woman and her young lover. There are a couple of reasons for this:
1) Brigitte Mira is just too old — she was 64 when the movie was made, and she looks more like 74. In contrast, Jane Wyman was 38 when she made All That Heaven Allows, and I had no problem believing that Rock Hudson could be sexually attracted to her. That definitely wasn’t the case here.
2) El Hedi ben Salem gives an exceptionally wooden performance, and lacks anything even remotely resembling charisma. This meant that not only was I having a hard time believing that he could be attracted to her; I was having a hard time believing that she could be attracted to him, with his robot-like personality. Apparently Salem was one of Fassbinder’s lovers, which does explain things somewhat. There’s clearly a reason why the man never acted in any films that weren’t directed by Fassbinder himself.
All in all, they’re not a particularly compelling or believable couple, which is kind of an issue when the film is essentially a love story. I can see why the movie is on the list, I guess — it’s definitely well made, and it’s entertaining throughout. If you can buy into the romance, you’ll probably enjoy it more than I did. Oh well.  **1/2

Summer in Berlin

SUMMER IN BERLIN - Nov. 30, 2010
A decent film about a single mother in Berlin and what happens to her over the course of a summer.  The film was well made an enjoyable enough, but nothing particularly memorable (it's a few months later -- I'm lazy -- and it's already pretty much exited my brain entirely).  **1/2

Faster

FASTER (2010) - Nov. 27, 2010
Though the marketing would lead you to believe that the film consists entirely of the Rock kickin' ass and takin' names, a couple of subplots get as much time as he does (and one of them, featuring a hitman on the Rock's tail, never really goes anywhere, and could have easily been lifted right out of the film).  Decently directed and basically enjoyable, the film feels a bit leaden and not nearly as much fun as it should be (e.g. the long, effective build-up to an anticlimactic bathroom brawl that lasts about two seconds, the fact that both the Rock and his hitman antagonist drive badass cars and never get into a car chase, etc.).  **1/2

Naked Lunch

NAKED LUNCH (1991) - Nov. 27, 2010
See Videodrome entry.  **