Chronicle

CHRONICLE (2012) - Jan. 31, 2012
A well made found-footage film about a group of three high schoolers who, after coming into contact with some sort of strange alien artifact, find themselves slowly developing superpowers.  The film provides an intriguingly down-to-earth take on the superhero genre (kinda like Invincible, I guess), and seems to provide a slightly more realistic scenario for what would happen if teens wound up with superpowers (costumes and crime-fighting are somewhat unlikely).  The movie starts out quite well, but then lags a bit in its midsection -- there are probably a few too many scenes of the teens getting into general shenanigans with their superpowers, and even at a very short 84 minutes, the film feels a bit padded out.  However, the film recovers nicely with a finale that is flat-out awesome.  It's easy enough to see why director Josh Trank is now a front-runner to direct a Fantastic Four reboot, despite his relative inexperience.  ***

Kill List

KILL LIST (2011) - Jan. 30, 2012
About a couple of contract killers who find themselves drawn into some increasingly weird shenanigans, this was an odd film that veers into some serious WTF territory in its last act.  The film definitely doesn't unfold as you might expect, starting off more like a drama, turning into more of a thriller, and then finally taking a left turn into WTFville.  I enjoyed it, though I really should have held out for a copy with subtitles -- the strong accents meant that I missed a good chunk of the dialogue.  I definitely wouldn't mind watching it again, if only to see exactly how everything leads into that crazy ending.  ***

Hatchet II

HATCHET II (2011) - Jan. 29, 2012
Continuing right where the last film left off, this one sees a group of hunters heading back into the swamp in an effort to kill Victor Crowley.  Like the first one, this one had a bafflingly low-rent, flat, TV movie-esque style that really did not do the film any favours.  It also eschews anything even remotely resembling tension or suspense.  On the plus side, there didn't seem to be quite as much cringe-worthy humour this time (though there's still a fair amount), and there's lots of wildly over-the-top practical gore effects -- the one thing that this series really seems to have going for it.  Honestly, maybe it's my lack of experience with '80s slasher films, but the appeal of these movies (aside from the gore) just goes right over my head.  Is the gore the sole appeal?  **

Haywire

HAYWIRE (2012) - Jan. 28, 2012
A great spy thriller / action movie from Steven Soderbergh, about an agent who gets double-crossed by her superiors and who sets out to get revenge.  Soderbergh puts his distinctive sense of style to great use here, and combined with David Holmes' perfect retro score makes this a very, very fun film to watch.  Soderbergh also proves to be a fantastic action director, allowing the brutal action to unfold in mesmerizing long takes, and completely exploding the contemporary notion that action scenes need to be cut into oblivion to be exciting.  The film is also stuffed to the gills with great actors, and ex-MMA fighter Gina Carano admirably holds her own -- she's not the best actress ever, but she definitely has a certain amount of screen presence.  Good times.  ****

The Grey

THE GREY (2012) - Jan. 27, 2012
A superlative film about a group of guys who survive a plane crash only to find themselves fighting for survival against the elements and an angry pack of wolves.  Though I was expecting more of a straight-forward thriller, the film is actually quite dark and has a surprising amount of depth, and features some really top-shelf direction from Joe Carnahan (he's definitely forgiven for the mediocre A-Team).  It's also really well acted, particularly (and unsurprisingly) Liam Neeson, who brings a level of gravitas and pathos that I don't think a lot of actors could pull off (or at least not as well as he does it).  Carnahan does a great job establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of dread and forboding, and the film is actually quite tense throughout.  It's pretty great, and it definitely reminds me of why I thought Carnihan had so much potential after Narc.  ****

Vanishing on 7th Street

VANISHING ON 7TH STREET (2010) - Jan. 25, 2012
About a group of survivors who try to deal with the fallout after an unseen, shadowy force makes 99% of the population disappear.  The film starts out quite well, kind of stumbles a bit around the midsection, but then recovers nicely with some pretty tense stuff towards the end.  Though it's no Session 9, Brad Anderson's atmospheric direction is top notch, and the film is definitely worth watching despite some of its shortcomings.  ***

Ironclad

IRONCLAD (2011) - Jan. 24, 2012
A disappointing film about a group of soldiers who try to protect a castle from an evil king.  Though Jonathan English's direction was fine most of the time, he is absolutely terrible at action -- he mostly falls back on quick-cut/shaky-cam laziness, resulting in muddled, unexciting action.  The characters were mostly pretty good, though James Purefoy was oddly bland in the lead role (Purefoy can be an extremely engaging screen presence, so I blame the director on that one).  Brian Cox and Paul Giamatti are clear highlights -- Giamatti, in particular, is clearly having a lot of fun playing a scenery-chewing villain (there's one scene in particular, where he angrily explains why he has the right to be king, that is flat-out awesome and almost makes the whole film worthwhile).  **

Angel Face

ANGEL FACE (1952) - Jan. 23, 2012
A kind of bland film noir about a guy who gets tangled up with a woman who may or may not be trying to murder her parents.  Though the film was decently made by Otto Preminger (whose no-frills direction almost completely eschews the stylistic tropes film noir became known for), it's just never all that compelling, and it definitely overstays its welcome a bit.  **

Everything Must Go

EVERYTHING MUST GO (2010) - Jan 22, 2012
A rare dramatic turn from Will Ferrell, in which he plays a guy who, on the day he loses his job, goes home to find that his wife has locked him out of his house, and all of his stuff on is on his lawn.  The movie is solidly made and features a strong performance from Ferrell, but otherwise is not particularly memorable.  ***

A Dangerous Method

A DANGEROUS METHOD (2011) - Jan. 14, 2012
A really well made but kind of disappointing film about Carl Jung's complicated relationship with one of his patients, and his friendship with Sigmund Freud.  The film is very well acted, particularly Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen as Jung and Freud.  However, it's kind of slow, and extremely talky -- I don't believe it originated as a play, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did (okay, I just checked, and not surprisingly it did start as a play).  It does sort of feel a bit disjointed (it's basically one scene after another of people sitting around talking to each other), however it's well made and well acted enough that it is worth watching.  **1/2

The Adventures of Tintin

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) - Jam. 8, 2012
About a young reporter who finds himself caught up in a mystery involving a model ship and years-old sunken treasure, this was kind of a disappointment.  It was enjoyable enough, and it actually started it quite well, but by around the half-way mark the film starts to peter out and really runs out of steam.  There is, however, one absolutely spectacular long take towards the end of the movie that's pretty much worth the price of admission alone.  Spielberg definitely still has some tricks up his sleeve, though I have yet to be sold on the ultra real mo-cap style employed by Zemeckis over the last few years, and here to somewhat better effect (it's slightly cartoonier than what Zemeckis is doing, but still a little bit too eerily real for my tastes).  **1/2

War Horse

WAR HORSE (2011) - Jan. 6, 2012
A really well made but way overlong film from Steven Spielberg about World War I through the eyes of a horse.  A lot of people are down on this movie because it's so unapolagetically old-fashioned, and ham-fistedly emotional, but I think Spielberg knew exactly what kind of movie he wanted to make, and he went for it with gusto (and I will admit, the film did make me weep like a little girl).  The last hour was pretty great, but pretty much everything that comes before it either feels completely overlong, or downright superfluous.  I think if this movie had been about 40 minutes shorter it could have been great, but instead it is merely good.  ***

Young Adult

YOUNG ADULT (2011) - Jan. 6, 2012
Another really well made film from Jason Reitman about an emotionally stunted 30-something writer of young adult fiction who decides to go back to her hometown in an attempt to win back her old high school boyfriend (who just happens to be a happily married recent father).  Though the main character does veer a little bit into Bad Teacher territory, in that she tends to be a little bit one-note in her bitchiness, she ultimately is a much more interesting character than the one in that movie.  It helps that Charlize Theron is very, very good.  However, the film really shines in the scenes with Theron and Patton Oswalt, who is surprisingly good and who brings much more depth to the character than you'd expect from the guy who played Spence on The King of Queens.  ***1/2

A Bittersweet Life

A BITTERSWEET LIFE (2005) - Jan. 4, 2012
Another superbly directed movie from Kim Jee-woon (I really need to watch I Saw the Devil again) about a guy who goes after his boss after he tries to have him killed.  Kind of like a shorter, more straight-forward version of I Saw the Devil, the film features some spectacularly violent, stunningly awesome action set-pieces that definitely solidifies Jee-woon as a way above average action director in my mind.  The characters/plot are fine, if nothing too special, and the movie does overstay its welcome a bit, but it's so well directed with such strong action that it really doesn't matter.  ***1/2

The Best and Worst of 2011

THE BEST AND WORST OF 2011

BEST:

1) Attack the Block
2) The Descendants
3) Drive
4) A Separation
5) Super 8
6) Hanna
7) The Tree of Life
8) The Artist
9) Cafe de Flore
10) The Innkeepers

WORST:

1) Ong Bak 3
2) Larry Crowne
3) Transformers: Dark of the Moon
4) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
5) Bad Teacher
6) Battle: Los Angeles
7) The Change-Up
8) Sleeping Beauty
9) In Time
10) Cowboys and Aliens

The Innkeepers

THE INNKEEPERS (2011) - Jan. 2, 2012
Another really effective horror film from Ti West, about a couple of employees at an old hotel that's about to close down, and the supernatural shenanigans that are afoot.  West takes his time with the characters here -- in fact, the first half of the film feels more like a low-key drama, and the horror stuff only starts to seriously kick in in the last half hour or so.  But it absolutely works, because the film is so well made, and because the characters and the performances are so good.  There's genuine chemistry between the two leads, and all the time spent making us care about the characters just makes the horror stuff all the more effective.  I think it's clear enough at this point that West is a serious talent (and, like with House of the Devil, Jeff Grace's memorable score is a highlight).  ***1/2

Vacation

VACATION (1983) - Dec. 31, 2011 (Second Viewing)
About the various wacky misadventures that a family gets into on a cross-country trip to Wally World, this was entertaining and sporadically amusing, if not quite the classic that I remembered it being.  More a series of loosely connected sketches than a cohesive film, the movie definitely felt a bit uneven but was mostly entertaining throughout.  **1/2

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (2011) - Dec. 31, 2011
About a bunch of spy shenanigans revolving around a suspected mole in Britain in the '70s, this was a very well acted, handsomely made film that is probably a little too deliberately-paced for its own good.  Seriously, even by the standards of the paranoid thrillers of the 1970s that this film clearly took more than a little inspiration from, this is a slow-paced film.  It also doesn't do a particularly great job of fleshing out and getting us to care about the fairly sizable cast of characters.  However, the film is very stylish and does a great job of bringing the spy scene of the '70s to life, and is pretty much worth watching just based on that and the performances alone.  ***

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL (2011) - Dec. 30, 2011
Note to self: arrive at IMAX screenings at least an hour early.  Though I had to sit so close that the giant IMAX screen completely overwhelmed my field of vision, I still quite enjoyed this movie.  Proof that Brad Bird's talents definitely extend to live action, the film is very well directed and has some pretty spectacular action set-pieces (highlights include the much-ballyhooed Dubai skyscraper sequence, the car chase in a dust storm, and the fight in the innards of a car storage facility).  The film is briskly paced and well acted; my only real complaint is that Michael Nyqvist's villian is almost comically underdeveloped, and has to be one of the least memorable bad guys I've seen in quite a while.  ***1/2

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011) - Dec. 29, 2011
A disappointingly by-the-numbers adaptation of the book.  Though Fincher does a decent enough job of transfering the book to the screen while retaining his own sense of style (the film is unmistakably a David Fincher movie), the movie feels even more like a generic procedural on screen than on the page.  It feels like Law & Order: Sweden (only with much more rape).  It probably doesn't help that there are long stretches in which characters do research on the internet or in a library.  Even gussied up with slick visuals, watching people read a book is just not interesting (well, I suppose it worked for All the President's Men, but this is no All the President's Men).  **1/2

The Bodyguard

THE BODYGUARD (1992) - Dec. 22, 2011
An entertaining enough if somewhat cheesy and dated film about a no-nonsense bodyguard who takes a job protecting a famous singer.  It's decent enough, but there is definitely no mistaking this as anything but a product of the early '90s (it really hasn't aged very well).  **1/2

It's a Wonderful World

IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD (1939) - Dec. 21, 2011 (Second Viewing)
Well, it took about an hour before I even had an inkling that I had seen this movie before -- considering that I only saw this movie about five years ago, that has some pretty disturbing implications on the quality of my memory.  Though this isn't exactly the type of movie that I'd normally revisit, it's well acted and quite enjoyable throughout.  ***

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS (2011) - Dec. 17, 2011
Another enjoyable, if somewhat forgettable Harold and Kumar film.  Seriously, I just saw it a few hours ago and my memory of it is already getting a bit hazy.  Still, it was entertaining throughout, the performances were good, and I did chuckle a few times.  Plus, I have to give it kudos for being one of the few films to realize that 3D is inherently gimmicky, and to just go hogwild throwing random stuff at the camera.  ***

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS (2011) - Dec. 16, 2011
Another disappointing Sherlock Holmes movie from Guy Ritchie, this time finding Holmes squaring off against his nemesis, Professor Moriarty.  Like the first one, the film gets a lot right, particularly the cast and the general depiction of Holmes and Watson: there's great chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and Jared Harris was appropriately sinister as Moriarty (though Noomi Rapace's character was seriously bland and almost competely superfluous).  But the story just isn't all that interesting, and I found myself getting pretty bored for long stretches.  I don't get it: Guy Ritchie is a solid director, and Sherlock Holmes is an amazing character.  Why are these movies so dull?  **

Shame

SHAME (2011) - Dec. 15, 2011
Another impeccably directed film from Steve McQueen, revolving around a man struggling with a sex addiction along with some pretty serious intimacy issues.  Features a much more straight-forward narrative than McQueen's last film, Hunger.  This is a seriously good looking movie, and is anchored by a great performance from Michael Fassbender.  The film is kind of cold, and you're always at a bit of an arm's length, but it's definitely well made and compelling throughout. ***

The Artist

THE ARTIST (2011) - Dec. 15, 2011
A really well made and kind of delightful movie about a silent film star who finds his celebrity waning after the advent of talking pictures.  Shot silent and in black and white -- a technique that could have easily come off as pretentious gimmickry, but which absolutely works here.  For the first hour or so I was quite enjoying it, but thinking it was nothing particularly special, however at a certain point the film becomes stunningly involving.  It helps that the performances are quite good, and that director Michel Hazanavicius does a pretty great job of making the endearing characters people we come to care about.  ***1/2

The Descendants

THE DESCENDANTS (2011) - Dec. 3, 2011
Wow!  I loved this movie.  If Alexander Payne weren't already one of my favourite directors, he certainly would be now.  About a man who finds out that his comatose wife (who is about to have the plug pulled) was cheating on him, this was pretty much perfection on every level.  First off, there's George Clooney, who gives what has to be a career-best performance.  He's still got that Clooney charm, but at the same time he manages to create a really distinctive character that feels pretty different from anything else he's played.  He manages to convey so much just in his reactions without even saying anything, and without ever overplaying it.  The rest of the cast is just as good, without a weak link in the bunch.  Payne also does a really great job of developing all the characters, and making even side-characters without much to do interesting.  Payne's wonderful direction is also pretty much perfect; stylish, but without ever calling attention to itself.  ****

The Muppets

THE MUPPETS (2011) - Dec. 3, 2011
A very charming, fun movie about a man and his brother (who, somehow, is a muppet) who decide to help bring the Muppets back together to save their old theatre.  The film does a really good job of being reverential to the Muppets while still being very entertaining in its own right.  Though the movie does feel a bit insubstantial, it's got a bunch of really catchy songs (too catchy), and it pretty much just puts a smile on your face from start to finish.  ***

The Brood

THE BROOD (1979) - Dec. 2, 2011
About a man whose wife is under the care of an experimental psychologist, and who begins to suspect that his daughter is at risk when people around him start getting killed by strange, child-like monsters.  The film seriously drags in parts (most of the scenes with Oliver Reed as the therapist feel like they go on longer than they need to), but the film is well directed by David Cronenberg, and definitely has its moments.  The ending, in particular, was completely insane (and distinctly Cronenbergian) -- it was pretty much worth the price of admission alone.  There was also a scene involving a teacher getting beaten to death in front of a classroom of horrified five-year-olds that had to be one of the more memorable things I've seen in a while.  **1/2

Kidnapped

KIDNAPPED (2010) - Dec. 1, 2011
About a wealthy family who, on the night they move into a new house, find themselves at the mercy of a group of criminals.  Yep -- another home invasion movie, but definitely a worthy entry in the increasingly busy sub-genre.  Effectively directed by Miguel Angel Vivas, who constructs the movie with a series of very long, elaborate shots (there's maybe ten shots in the whole movie) -- the film feels a bit show-offy at times, but ultimately the style really works.  There are some seriously effective sequences here (particularly one involving split screen towards the end), and Vivas does a good job of amping up the tension as the movie goes along.  ***1/2

The Fly

THE FLY (1986) - Nov. 29, 2011
About a scientist who develops teleportation; he decides to test it out on himself, but a fly accidentally winds up in the chamber with him.  Horrifying Cronenbergian shenanigans ensue.  Featuring a couple of above average performances from Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis (what happened to her?), the film is quite enjoyable throughout, and is the kind of smart sci-fi that we just don't see enough of.  ***1/2

We Bought a Zoo

WE BOUGHT A ZOO (2011) - Nov. 26, 2011
An enjoyable film about a writer who, still grieving over the loss of his wife a few months prior, decides to buy a house that just happens to be attached to a small zoo.  It feels kind of like a minor effort, though it's definitely a step up from Elizabethtown.  Cameron Crowe's direction is solid, and as usual, his use of music is stellar.  It's also quite well acted, particularly Matt Damon (the latest in a string of above average performaces).  It feels a bit long, and a bit slight, but it's quite enjoyable throughout.  ***

Hugo

HUGO (2011) - Nov. 26, 2011
About a boy who lives in the walls of a Paris train station, and who finds himself mixed up with a man who owns a gadget shop and his neice.  The man turns out to be Georges Melies, a twist that I, sadly, had spoiled for me.  There's a lot in the second half about the magic of the movies, and about Melies himself, and all that stuff was really good.  It's easy enough to see what drew Scorsese to the material -- the second half is very much a love letter to silent cinema, and to Melies in particular.  But the film runs at a long 127 minutes; it meanders a lot (especially in the first half) and is a bit too slow-paced for its own good.  **1/2

Immortals

IMMORTALS (2011) - Nov. 19, 2011
About a peasant who finds himself embroiled in a battle between two armies, as well as between two rival factions of gods, this was kind of a pleasant surprise.  I really haven't much cared for Tarsem's two movies thus far, so my expectations for this one weren't particularly high.  And though this film wasn't without its problems, it was fun.  Featuring a decent, if somewhat bland leading performance from future Superman Henry Cavill, and a scenery-chewing performance from Mickey Rourke, the film drags a bit in parts but is mostly pretty enjoyable.  The whole thing is ridiculously over-the-top, from the stylized sets and costumes to Rourke's mustache-twirling villian to the overblown action.  But it works, for the most part.  Tarsem's familiar super-slick directorial style actually suits the material fairly well, and the violent action is surprisingly engaging.  ***

Paranormal Activity 3

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 (2011) - Nov. 19, 2011
About more filmed paranormal shenanigans, this time revolving around Katie and her sister as children.  Like the first two, this film is pretty great at building up and maintaining suspense (a camera that automatically pans back and forth on a fan head is actually a fairly ingenious device to ramp up tension).  But it was easily the weakest of the three films -- I don't normally say this, but this movie was too short.  The film really would have benefited from a little more breathing room around the nighttime stuff, and a little more character development.  It felt a little too pruned-down and spare.  It also had an ending which I'm assuming is setting up a sequel, because taken on its own it raises far more questions than it answers.  But for the third installment in a Saw-esque yearly horror franchise, it's actually pretty damn good (Saw was already pretty lousy by part three).  ***

Cafe de Flore

CAFE DE FLORE (2011) - Nov. 12, 2011
Featuring a fractured narrative that spans decades and weaves together two seemingly unrelated stories, this was a memorably ambitious film from Jean-Marc Vallee, and one that I'm sure will reward repeat viewings.  Features some very stylish direction from Vallee, who does a great job bouncing back and forth between the two stories.  His use of popular music is also pretty much perfect, and there are some sequences here that are completely mesmerizing.  The film feels a tad long, but that's a minor complaint.  ***1/2

Sleeping Beauty

SLEEPING BEAUTY (2011) - Nov. 12, 2011
Uh... that one wasn't so good.  About a young woman who finds herself caught up in a very specialized form of prostitution, where she is presented to the client after having been knocked out by sleeping pills.  Though Julia Leigh's fussy, meticulously composed visuals are beautiful and striking in the context of a two minute trailer, they kind of get a bit overbearing in a feature-length film.  In fact, from the stylized visuals to the affected performances to the theatrical artificiality of it all, the whole film screams "LOOK!  THIS IS ART!"  It's almost comically pretentious.  *1/2

A Separation

A SEPARATION (2011) - Nov. 12, 2011
About a recently separated man who finds himself in trouble when he shoves a woman who had been caring for his father, this was a really well made film.  Though it starts of like a fairly typical foreign film festival type of move -- plotless, with handheld, documentary-style cinematography -- the film gets much more interesting as it goes along, and I was downright riveted for the last hour or so.  The aforementioned documentary-style direction, combined with the uniformly superb performances, makes the film feel remarkably immediate and real.  The movie was filled with really interesting, nuanced characters; there's no good guy or bad guy here -- everyone has their side of the story, and everyone thinks they're doing the right thing.  It's fascinating watching as the almost Rashomon-esque layers of truth get peeled back.  The film also offers a a really interesting glimpse at modern-day Iran.  I pretty much loved it.  ****

The Tree

THE TREE (2011) - Nov. 12, 2011
About a little girl who believes that her recently-deceased father's soul has taken residence in a large tree next to her house, this was a kind of iffy film.  Though it was well acted and decently (if blandly) directed, it was kind of cheesy and a lot slower-paced than it needed to be.  It had really worn out its welcome by the end.  It probably didn't help that the little girl in this movie was one of the most annoying children to be committed to celluloid in quite some time.  **

Le Havre

LE HAVRE (2011) - Nov. 12, 2011
A typically quirky, delightful film from Aki Kaurismaki, this was about a shoe shiner who takes in a young refugee from a cargo ship on his way to London.  Everything from the tone to the way the characters act to the directorial style is classic Kaurismaki, and the film is quite enjoyable throughout, if a little slight.  ***

Tyrannosaur

TYRANNOSAUR (2011) - Nov. 11, 2011
About a couple of very damaged characters who strike up a tentative friendship, this was a well made albiet almost impossibly grim movie from Paddy Considine.  Anchored by two very impressive lead performances from Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman, the film had to be one of the grimmest, most downbeat movies I've seen in a while, but it was definitely quite well made (though I can't say I'll ever want to watch it again).  ***

11-11-11

11-11-11 (2011) - Nov. 5, 2011
About a tortured author who travels to Spain when he finds out his father is on his deathbed; meanwhile, he starts seeing some creepy figures and wondering about the significance of the numbers 11-11.  Features some surprisingly decent direction from Darren Lynn Bouseman (though since the only films of his that I've seen are the increasingly abysmal Saw II, III and IV, there's really nowhere to go but up).  Though Bouseman doesn't do as good of a job with the characters/plot as he does with maintaining a general sense of tension and dread, the film is fairly creepy and pretty much entertaining throughout, though it does feel a bit disjointed at times.  I also wasn't crazy about the over-the-top and kind of confusing ending (the film is already quite over-the-top, but the ending definitely kicks it up a notch).  **1/2

Tower Heist

TOWER HEIST (2011) - Nov. 5, 2011
Probably one of Brett Ratner's better movies of late (or ever, not that that particularly takes much, though I don't have quite the same level of hatred for Ratner that many seem to), this was an enjoyable heist movie about a group of workers who decide to steal the secret stash of a Bernie Madoff-esque swindler.  Featuring solid direction from Ratner and good performances from people like Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller and an enjoyably smarmy Alan Alda, the film doesn't particularly add up to much, but I can certainly think of worse ways to spend 104 minutes.  The movie does drag a bit in the more episodic midsection, but it recovers nicely with a surprisingly engaging heist sequence.  ***

Dragons Forever

DRAGONS FOREVER (1988) - Nov. 4, 2011
About a mob lawyer and his friend who, while trying to woo a lawyer and her client to help their case, wind up falling in love.  Meanwhile, martial arts shenanigans ensue.  This is definitely Jackie Chan right in his prime, and the presence of Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao certainly doesn't hurt.  The film itself is kind of silly, and the overbearing score is a little distracting at times, but it's entertaining throughout, and the action scenes are pretty much glorious.  ***1/2

In Time

IN TIME (2011) - Oct. 29, 2011
A suprisingly bad movie about a future society in which time is the new currency -- people stop aging once they hit 25, at which point their clock starts ticking.  This is a society in which the poor are segregated from the rich, and in which the poor get poorer with little chance for escape, while the rich get richer with more time than they know what to do with.  You can just feel writer/director Andrew Niccol elbowing you in the ribs; "kind of like our society, right?  RIGHT??"  No, this is not a subtle film, but even setting aside its ham-fistedness, it's just not that good.  It feels pretty clunky, without all that much narrative momentum driving it forward, and without much chemistry between the two leads.  It's surprisingly shoddy, especially coming from a director as talented as Andrew Niccol.  *1/2

Assault on Precinct 13

ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976) - Oct. 28, 2011
Classic John Carpenter.  About a group of cops, criminals and civilians who must defend a small, nearly abandoned police station when a large, angry gang descends upon it, determined to kill everyone inside.  Featuring typically assured direction from Carpenter, including some really nice widescreen cinematography, the film does a great job of ratcheting up the tension and has some memorable set-pieces.  It helps that the characters are all quite good.  Definitely impressive stuff considering that this was only Carpenter's second film.  ***1/2

Point Blank

POINT BLANK (2010) - Oct. 25, 2011
An absolutely crackerjack thriller about a nurse-in-training who finds himself caught up in some serious shenanigans revolving around corrupt cops when his wife is kidnapped.  Featuring stellar direction from Fred Cavayé, who keeps things moving at an absurdly fast pace and directs the action with the sure hand of an old pro (despite the fact that this is only his second film) -- there's a foot chase here that has to be one of the more thrilling chases I've seen in a long time, and many other sequences that are edge-of-your seat thrilling.  And seriously, I cannot say enough about how awesome the pacing is in this movie.  The movie strikes the perfect balance between action and down-time, with plentiful action that never feels overwhelming.  The film also does really efficient job of developing the characters and getting them to a point where we care about them without spending too much time doing it.  Good times.  ****

Tucker and Dale vs Evil

TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL (2010) - Oct. 22, 2011
About the shenanigans that ensue when a group of partying teens mistake a couple of good-natured guys for murderous rednecks, this was a well made and sporadically hilarious send-up of slasher movies.  Like the best horror comedies, the film manages to poke fun at genre conventions without smugly winking at the audience; even if you've never seen a slasher movie, you can still enjoy this film.  Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk were both quite good and had great chemistry, and the film was solidly directed by Eli Craig.  Though the first half was probably more enjoyable than the second half, the whole film was definitely quite entertaining throughout.  ***

The Three Musketeers

THE THREE MUSKETEERS (2011) - Oct. 22, 2011
A gleefully dumb but fairly enjoyable retelling of the story of the Three Musketeers.  The film definitely has its problems; for one thing, it has some pacing issues and at 110 minutes, is probably a tad longer than it needs to be.  I'm also really not sure why this movie needed four different villains, which left a couple of them on the thin side.  Plus, the final action set-piece is a little overblown, and definitenly goes on longer than it needs to.  But ultimately the movie is silly, fluffy swashbuckling fun.  Paul W.S. Anderson knows exactly what type of movie he's making and goes for it with gusto -- this is a film that features four guys taking on forty, and that culminates with a battle between two airships.  The film knows exactly how silly it is, and just tries to be as fun as possible.  Anderson's action direction, aside from being a little bit slow-mo heavy, is admirably old-fashioned, with nary a handheld camera in sight.  ***

The Thing (2011)

THE THING (2011) - Oct. 15, 2011
Well, there was pretty much nowhere to go but down from John Carpenter's original, and that's definitely where this prequel went.  About the group of Norwegians (and some Americans) who initially uncover the thing before it makes its way over to the camp in the Carpenter version, the film was decent enough, but it never really rises above the level of a mild diversion (and certainly, doesn't even come close to the '80s version).  I think bland is probably the best word to describe this movie -- Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.'s direction is bland (particularly when you compare him to Carpenter), the score is bland, the characters are bland (Mary Elizabeth Winstead is fine in the lead role, but she is just not a compelling presence at all... bland), and the very CGI looking creature effects are bland.  There are definitely some decent moments here, but... meh.  **1/2

The Thing

THE THING (1982) - Oct. 12, 2011 (Second Viewing)
An absolute classic -- I remembered this being very good, and it's even better than I remembered.  Featuring perfect direction from John Carpenter (this is definitely among his best films), the film always looks good and does a pretty astounding job of building and maintaining tension.  It's also really well acted, and the dynamic between all the characters is always really well done (both before and after shit gets real, and everybody starts questioning who's still human).  Ennio Morricone's score also suits the material perfectly.  Honestly, I'm having a hard time thinking of any flaws in this movie.  ****

50/50

50/50 (2011) - Oct. 8, 2011
A kind of depressing but well made and quite entertaining film about a guy in his late twenties who discovers he has a rare form of cancer, and how he deals with this news.  More proof that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the best young actors working today.  Seth Rogen is also quite good as his wacky buddy.  ***

Session 9

SESSION 9 (2001) - Oct. 5, 2011
A really well made horror film about a crew of asbestos clean-up guys who find themselves beginning to lose it during their latest job in an abandoned asylum.  Featuring some great performances and really effective direction from Brad Anderson, including a pervasive, escalating sense of dread that pretty much never lets up, this was definitely an above average horror film.  I honestly can't think of many movies that are this effective at maintaining a creepy atmosphere.  It also has some very memorable characters (and of course, David Caruso's epic delivery of the line "Fuck you!").  ***1/2

TrollHunter

TROLLHUNTER (2010) - Oct. 4, 2011
About a group of students who, while trying to make a documentary about a bear poacher, realize that the man they are following is hunting something slightly more dangerous than bears.  A really solid entry in the found footage horror genre, if not quite the instant classic that some people are making it out to be, this was a fun, well made film.  ***

Drive

DRIVE (2011) - Oct. 1, 2011
A really stylish and kind of awesome film about a Hollywood stunt-driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for robberies.  Featuring a really bad-ass central performance from Ryan Gosling, whose driver is a man for whom actions speak louder than words.  There's also a really impressive, scene-stealing performance from Albert Brooks as the film's main villian.  Really, there's just so much to love here.  Nicolas Winding Refn's assured direction is pitch-perfect, with nary a wasted shot.  Likewise, Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography is pretty stunning; the night scenes in particular look very, very good.  Then there's Cliff Martinez's '80s-infused score (that's two amazing scores from the man in less than a month).  The action is thrilling (the low-key getaway scene that opens the film is a highlight; the more traditional car chase that comes later in the film is just as good), and the stuff in between is equally effective.  Definitely a strong contender for the best movie of the year.  ****

Red State

RED STATE (2011) - Sept. 29, 2011
A surprisingly decent film from Kevin Smith about three teenagers who find themselves in the clutches of Westboro-esque religious fantatics, and the firefight that ensues when the authorities get involved.  Even at under 90 minutes, the movie does have some pacing issues, but it's actually fairly well directed and a big step up from Smith's last few efforts (and definitely an interesting departure for the man).   The performances are all pretty great, and the film is quite involving in parts.  ***

Citizen Kane

CITIZEN KANE (1941) - Sept. 25, 2011 (Fifth or Sixth Viewing +1)
Yep, still awesome.  And seeing it on the big screen was pretty awesome, though the fact that it was clearly just a projected Blu-ray did kind of take away from its awesomeness a bit (it was pretty fuzzy).  Oh well, hopefully at some point I'll get to see a projected film print of this movie.  ****

Snowtown

SNOWTOWN (2011) - Sept. 17, 2011
Meh.  An unpleasant Animal Kingdom wannabe about a kid who finds himself involved with a man who increasingly reveals himself to be a sociopath.  The fact that this movie is so similar to Animal Kingdom both in style and tone probably doesn't help, as this movie comes up very, very short when that comparison is made.  But even putting aside that comparison, this just wasn't very good.  All of the characters were pretty bland, and given that this movie didn't have much of a plot, the characters are kind of important.  The film is also quite episodic with nothing in particular pulling it all together, and it drags pretty badly in parts.  *1/2

Lovely Molly

LOVELY MOLLY (2011) - Sept. 17, 2011
About a recently married couple who move to a house in the middle of the woods (where the wife grew up) only to find themselves embroiled in supernatural shenanigans revolving around the wife.  Or maybe she's crazy?  The film actually starts out pretty well, with a tense opening half hour that feels quite Paranormal Activity-esque.  But then more and more weird story threads start to get introduced, and the film becomes less of a horror movie and more of a "is she or isn't she crazy?" character study.  This stuff could have worked, but director Eduardo Sanchez never seems too sure if he's making a character study or a horror film, and both sides subsequently suffer.  More problematic are the many mysteries that are introduced that are left infuriatingly ambiguous; what's the deal with the horse?  What happened with the dad?  I'm all for movies that leave stuff to the viewers' imaginations, but there is a line and this movie crossed it.  **

I Wish

I WISH (2011) - Sept. 17, 2011
An absolutely delightful film from Hirokazu Koreeda about a group of kids who find out that they can make a wish if they see two high-speed trains pass each other, and set out to make it happen.  Like pretty much all of Koreeda's films, there is a warmth and a richness of character here that really just draws you in and makes you glad to spend time in this world.  All the kids excel in their roles, and all feel like real children and not like kids in a movie.  The film is maybe a tad on the long side, but that's definitely a minor complaint.  ***1/2

Himizu

HIMIZU (2011) - Sept. 17, 2011
About a high-schooler whose sole aspiration is to work at his mother's boat rental shack, the girl with a serious crush on him, and the wacky group of people living on his property (the film is set months after the giant earthquake that devastated Japan).  It was reasonably well made, and it had a quirky charm that kept it going for the first hour or so.  But the film takes a weird, dark turn towards the end that just feels awkward and out of place, and the whole thing kind of runs out of steam.  **1/2

Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre

HARPOON: WHALE WATCHING MASSACRE (2009) - Sept. 11, 2011
A well made slasher film about a group of tourists in Iceland who, while on a whale-watching expedition, find themselves in the clutches of an insane family who want to hunt them down one by one.  Though the script and performances are a bit iffy at times, the film features some solid direction from Julius Kemp, who keeps things moving at a brisk pace (there's also sporadic moments of over-the-top gore to keep things interesting).  Plus, the widescreen cinematography by Jean-Noël Mustonen is better than you'd expect for a straight-to-video slasher such as this.  ***

Contagion

CONTAGION (2011) - Sept. 10, 2011
A top-notch film from Steven Soderbergh about the spread of a deadly virus, and the efforts to keep it under control.  Soderbergh's direction is, not surprisingly, very very good.  He does a really great job of bouncing back and forth between several different characters without it ever feeling disjointed, or like certain characters aren't getting enough time.  In fact there is a really good sense of momentum to the film; the film is very briskly paced, and Soderbergh does a great job of establishing an escalating sense of dread as the virus's spread gets worse and worse. Cliff Martinez's eerie, propulsive score goes a long way to making the film work as well as it does.  The film is also perfectly cast, with some really great performances by people like Jude Law, Matt Damon, Lawrence Fishburne and Kate Winslet.  ***1/2

The Reef

THE REEF (2010) - Sept. 8, 2011
An enjoyably tense film about a group of Australians whose boat capsizes, and who decide to try to swim to a nearby island that is several miles away.  Shark shenanigans ensue.  Though not on the level of something like Open Water (the characters are somewhat thin, and we see so much of the shark that it becomes a bit less sinister).  Also, the ending feels a bit sloppy (the fates of two characters are revealed via text in a way that just feels awkward).  Despite the film's problems, it was definitely entertaining throughout, and did a good job of maintaining a decent level of tension.  ***

Our Idiot Brother

OUR IDIOT BROTHER (2011) - Sept. 6, 2011
About a dim-witted but good-hearted guy who, after finding himself homeless after being released from prison, shakes up the lives of his three sisters.  Quite enjoyable if nothing particularly special, the film was elevated by some strong performances -- particularly a very charming Paul Rudd, who gives one of his better performances here.  ***

Final Destination 5

FINAL DESTINATION 5 (2011) - Sept. 2, 2011
About...  do I really need to finish this sentence?  This was enjoyable, and certainly a step up from the last installment, but I think it's probably about time to let this series die while it still has some steam left.  Though the film was decently directed and actually featured characters who weren't completely flat, it just felt kind of middling.  Even the opening set-piece, usually a highlight of one of these films, felt a little been-there, done-that.  **1/2

Colombiana

COLOMBIANA (2011) - Sept. 1, 2011
About a little girl whose parents are killed in front of her, and who 15 years later has essentially dedicated her life to becoming a lean, mean, revenge machine.  Decently directed by the awesomely-named Olivier Megaton, the movie sort of feels like a Luc Besson action film on autopilot: it's got parkour, it's got shootouts, it's got hand-to-hand action, and it generally has the style we've come to expect from these films, but it all feels kind of perfunctory.  I was always entertained, but I was never particularly involved.  Meh.  **1/2

Mr. Nice

MR. NICE (2010) - Aug. 30, 2011
About a man who ultimately winds up becoming one of Britain's most prolific drug dealers, this was decently made but quite familiar and ultimately kind of disposable.  Seriously, did the world really need another rise-and-fall movie about a drug dealer?  Still, this was enjoyable enough, and featured a solid central performance from Rhys Ifans (and a scene-stealing David Thewlis).  **1/2

In Name Only

IN NAME ONLY (1939) - Aug. 28, 2011
About a man, trapped in a loveless marriage to a woman who only wants him for his money, who falls in love and struggles to get a divorce.  Super melodramatic but well made and quite entertaining, this featured an expectedly charming performance from Cary Grant, and an equally good performance from Carole Lombard.  ***

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011) - Aug. 27, 2011
An above average summer movie about a scientist who, while trying to develop a cure for Alzheimer's, winds up inadvertently creating an army of super-intelligent primates.  Well made and well acted, including some surprisingly engaging action.  Plus, it's always nice to see a sci-fi film with a bit more on it's mind than your typical summer fare.  ***

Baraka

BARAKA (1992) - Aug. 26, 2011 (Third or Fourth Viewing)
An exquisitely made and flat-out mesmerizing film about life -- both human and animal -- throughout the globe.  Though there's no narrative to speak of, just images and music, the film is absolutely compelling throughout.  It helps that every frame of the movie is absolutely breathtaking to look at.  ****

Single White Female

SINGLE WHITE FEMALE (1992) - Aug. 25, 2011
A routine but solidly made thriller about a woman who, after breaking up with her cheating fiance, takes in a roommate who slowly reveals herself to be completely insane.  Though it starts out kind of slow, it definitely gets better as it goes along and the more overtly thrillerish elements get into gear.  ***

30 Minutes or Less

30 MINUTES OR LESS (2011) - Aug. 23, 2011
A perfectly enjoyable, if somewhat underwhelming movie about a pizza delivery guy who has a bomb strapped to his chest and is forced to rob a bank.  I think I probably would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't seen the trailer; the trailer essentially plays out like a condensed version of the movie, leaving very few surprises.  ***

Heart and Souls

HEART AND SOULS (1993) - Aug. 22, 2011
About four people who die in a bus accident in the 1950s, and then find themselves attached to a young boy as ghosts.  They later reappear in his life when it becomes clear that they need to resolve their unfinished issues to move on.  Featuring some really solid direction from Ron Underwood and uniformly stellar performances, this movie is definitely just as good as I remember it being.  The film is shmaltzy (this is definitely not a movie that's shy about pulling on your heart-strings), but never in a way that feels cloying or off-putting.  It's very well acted, with a surfiet of memorable characters who all have great chemistry.  ***1/2

Couples Retreat

COUPLES RETREAT (2009) - Aug. 19, 2011
As a follow-up to Swingers and Made, it's pretty much a miserable failure.  Even as a stand-alone film, it's not very good.  About a group of couples who decide to go to a seemingly perfect couples' resort; (so-called) wackiness ensues.  Though it was never all-out boring, the characters were all pretty disposable, and the whole thing wasn't particularly funny.  **

Ca$h

CA$H (2010) - Aug. 17, 2011
An enjoyable and well made thriller about a couple who find a suitcase full of money, begin spending it, and then find themselves face-to-face with the unforgiving criminal who wants every last cent of it back.  Featuring an enjoyably sinister performance from Sean Bean, and an affable performance from a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth, the whole thing was briskly-paced and quite entertaining throughout.  I wasn't crazy about the low-rent score, which just made the movie seem cheap, but aside from that, good stuff.  ***

Gentlemen Broncos

GENTLEMEN BRONCOS (2009) - Aug. 16, 2011
A very quirky film that definitely feels like a movie from the Napoleon Dynamite guy, this was about a fledgling sci-fi author who has his story stolen by a has-been writer.  Though the film was pretty much drowning in quirk, it was generally entertaining enough.  **1/2

Cars 2

CARS 2 (2011) - Aug. 7, 2011
Well made and enjoyable enough, this can't help but feel like a let-down coming from the previously untouchable Pixar.  Even by the standards of the first Cars, a lesser Pixar effort, this was still a let-down.  At least the first Cars, though not exactly a masterpiece, had an endearingly earnest sensibility that made it well worth watching, and which helped to compensate for some of its weaknesses.  Here, earnestness has been traded in for over-the-top action and hijinks aplenty, and the film definitely suffers for it.  It probably doesn't help that Mater -- barely tolerable in his supporting role in the original -- has been thrust into the spotlight, despite the fact that this is a character that is best in small doses (if that) who was clearly never intended to headline a film.   **1/2

The Change-Up

THE CHANGE-UP (2011) - Aug. 6, 2011
I didn't even think it was possible to go wrong with a body switching comedy, but here we are.  About two best friends -- one a responsible family man, and the other a charming but irresponsible lothario -- who switch bodies after making a wish while peeing in a fountain.  The film starts out kinda iffy, gains some momentum when the switch happens, and then just kind of peters out.  Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman were both quite good -- I just wish they had been in a better movie.  The movie was generally affable enough, and I was never flat-out bored, but the film definitely drags at a very long 112 minutes.  I also laughed exactly one time, which is a problem, and found some of the humour to feel a bit contrived and somewhat over-the-top.  Meh.  **

Cowboys and Aliens

COWBOYS AND ALIENS (2011) - Aug. 4, 2011
Meh.  A disappointing film about a gunslinger in the old west who wakes up in the middle of the desert with a strange device attached to his wrist, and no memory of who he is or how he got there.  He later finds himself helping the residents of a small town deal with an alien invasion.  Though the film was generally well made, it just wasn't that great.  I think one of the main problems was Daniel Craig, who is just flat-out bland in the film.  The role is kind of underwritten; they're clearly going for a mysterious bad-ass, Man With No Name type of vibe, but Craig just does not make it work.  He's all flat gruffness; there's no reason to care about his character, and he's not particularly interesting to watch.  The rest of the performances were fine (it's hard to go wrong with a cast filled with people like Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach and Paul Dano), and the action was decent enough, but it was all just kind of middling.  And to think that this was my most anticipated movie of the summer.  Boo-urns.  **1/2

Cellular

CELLULAR (2004) - Aug. 3, 2011 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this definitely holds up.  A superlatively made, crackerjack thriller, this film does not waste any time getting started (Kim Basinger's character gets kidnapped at the three minute mark) and doesn't let up until the end credits roll.  It's probably one of the most skilfully paced movies I've seen in a while.  It also has an exceptionally likable central performance from Chris Evans, and a strong performance from Kim Basinger.  William H. Macy was also a highlight as an earnest cop on the verge of retiring to open a day spa.  The film isn't trying to be much more than a really fun, well-executed high-concept thriller, and for what it is it's pretty much perfect.  ****

Wild Target

WILD TARGET (2010) - Aug. 2, 2011
A disappointing film about an aging hitman who finds himself unable to kill his latest target, and who instead winds up protecting her (along with a random young man who finds himself embroiled in their shenanigans).  Though the film was well acted and generally affable enough, it's never quite as fun as it thinks it is, and drags in parts.  It doesn't help that it takes a while to warm up to the Emily Blunt character, as she is essentially portrayed as a complete sociopath, gleefully causing car crashes, stealing everything in sight, using her sexuality as a tool of manipulation, and scamming someone out of almost a million dollars (all within the first ten minutes or so of the film).  There's also the issue of the film eventually establishing romantic tension between Blunt and Bill Nighy, which is just gross (aside from the vast age gap, there is zero romantic chemistry between the two).  **

Quarantine 2: Terminal

QUARANTINE 2: TERMINAL (2011) - Aug. 1, 2011
A surprisingly good sequel about the zombie infection from the first film causing shenanigans on a plane, then in an abandoned luggage processing area of an airport.  Far superior to the first film, and in terms of quality, closer to the original [REC] and its sequel.  This was quite entertaining throughout, with some really solid direction from John Pogue and a tightly-paced 86 minute runtime.  Though it was obviously shot on a fairly low budget, it never looks low-rent at all, and in fact bests the original in pretty much every way.  I have no idea why this didn't get a bigger theatrical release.  I just hope it did well enough to deliver on the sequel so tantalizingly promised by the final shot of the film.  ***

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER (2010) - July 28, 2011
Another big winner from the Woodster!  About the romantic struggles of a few related characters in London.  The film featured a surfiet of really interesting, compelling characters, and some really solid performances to back them up.  It also had some especially strong direction from the Woodster, whose emphasis on long takes suits the material perfectly.  ***1/2

Joshua

JOSHUA (2007) - July 27, 2011
A slightly more grounded take on the "livin' with a psycho" subgenre, this was a well made film about a father who begins to realize that his son is a sociopath.  If nothing else, this film has definitely confirmed that Sam Rockwell is one of the greats -- the man strikes the perfect balance between charisma/screen presence and real acting talent, and livens up anything he's in.  As for this film, it's well made and definitely has some pretty memorable moments.  ***1/2

Captain America: The First Avenger

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011) - July 22, 2011
A basically enjoyable film about a scrappy but scrawny wannabe soldier who winds up getting injected with a special serum that turns him into a super soldier, and then goes after a similarly-injected baddie, the Red Skull.  Featuring some solid direction from Joe Johnson (whose old-fashioned direction, particularly in the action sequences, is quite refreshing) and an engaging lead performance from Chris Evans.  The film kind of drags in parts, but I was definitely never bored, and it was fairly engaging all the way through.  It's nothing particularly special, but it was a passable piece of summer entertainment.  **1/2

Frantic

FRANTIC (1988) - July 21, 2011
A really slow-paced "thriller" about a doctor whose wife disappears in Paris, and who tries to figure out who took her and to get her back.  Harrison Ford was quite good in the main role, and Roman Polanski's stylish visuals were nice to look at, but the film was exceptionally slow-moving, and really took much longer than it needed to at every turn.  Polanski was obviously going for a Hitchcockian vibe (without much success), and there were definitely some good moments here, but all in all this was kind of a failure.  **

Beginners

BEGINNERS (2011) - July 20, 2011
An enjoyable enough but kind of middling movie about a man who, still getting over the grief of his father's death, meets and falls in love with a French actress. It was definitely well made and quite well acted (both Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer were at their best), but I was just never as engaged with the story as I should have been.  I'm not sure why.  **1/2

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN (2011) - July 20, 2011
A well made if somewhat slow-paced film about the enduring friendship between two women, both in modern-day China, as well as the 19th century.  The film was well made and the characters definitely become people we care about; one of the film's main problems, aside from the slow pace, is that most of the modern-day stuff has the two main actresses speaking heavily-accented English -- English, in this case, obviously being a language the actresses aren't comfortable with.  It definitely affects their performances, and kind of dulls the impact of the modern-day scenes.  Aside from that it was a solidly-made film, and I did find myself moved by the (admittedly treacly) ending.  **1/2

Presumed Innocent

PRESUMED INNOCENT (1990) - July 18, 2011
A well made legal drama/thriller about a DA who finds himself investigating the murder of a colleague he was having an affair with, and who is eventually accused of the crime (whether or not he's actually guilty is left ambiguous until the final moments of the film).  The first half is a bit slow, though it does pick up quite a bit once the trial starts.  In particular, Raul Julia gives a really compelling performance and pretty much steals every scene he's in.  There's also a twist ending that I probably should have seen coming, but didn't, and was thus fairly shocking.  ***

Bad Teacher

BAD TEACHER (2011) - July 15, 2011
About the eponymous bad teacher and her efforts to fund her breast implants by any means necessary, this was a surprisingly bad film from the otherwise very reliable Jake Kasdan (though having just looked up the writing duo of Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg and discovering that their last film was the awful Year One, I'm a bit less surprised -- how do you still get work after writing something so bad?).  Kasdan does the best he can given the material; what drew him to the film in the first place is a complete mystery.  The biggest problem here is Cameron Diaz's bad teacher.  Aside from a few brief glimpses of humanity, and a last-second redemption that feels completely unearned, she's a complete douchebag and a misguided main character for a movie.  I mean, not every protagonist has to be a "good" person, or even likable -- but they have to be interesting or nuanced, which Diaz's one-note jerk is definitely not.  There's also a grating performance from Lucy Punch as Diaz's nemesis; she plays every scene at an eleven and gives a performance that is way, way bigger than the movie really needs.  Everyone else was fine (Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet was definite highlight), and I was never all-out bored, but yeah... not the best.  **

The Tourist

THE TOURIST (2010) - July 13, 2011
Though it's a pretty humongous step down from the Lives of Others, this was still an entertaining enough thriller from Florian Henckel von Donnersmark.  About an American math teacher, on vacation in Europe, who finds himself embroiled in some shenanigans involving a mistaken identity and billions in stolen money.  The movie kind of drags in the uneventful first half hour or so; it picks up once the action starts kicking in, though it's never as interesting or exciting as it thinks it is.  It seems like Donnersmark is going for a fun, Hitchcockian-style wrong man thriller, though it never quite gets there.  There's just something off about it -- Donnersmark's direction is solid, and the performances are fine (I'm kind of off Johnny Depp these days, and Angelina Jolie had the same smug expression on her face for pretty much the entire film, but they were both fine), so... yeah.  Not sure what went wrong.  **1/2

Larry Crowne

LARRY CROWNE (2011) - July 12, 2011
Oh, Tom Hanks -- why?  This was a surprisingly awful film about an easy-going guy who, after being fired from his job, decides to go back to college.  Though Tom Hanks was quite charming (as usual), he's surrounded and overwhelmed by a surfiet of insufferably quirky characters.  The movie is called Larry Crowne, and Crowne is obstensibly the protagonist of the film; yet so much time is spent with the over-stuffed supporting cast that it ultimately feels like Crowne gets the short shrift.  Certainly, so little time is given to the almost comically thin relationship between Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts that when the film ends with them getting together as if it were a traditional romcom, it just feels puzzling.  Am I supposed to care about these two people getting together?  Because the film has given me almost no reason to do so.  The two characters had a real conversation, what, twice?  And one of those times one of them is completely sloshed.  Not to mention the fact that Julia Roberts spends about 90 percent of this movie being disgruntled, making her kind of a tough character to root for.  And what was the point of giving her a sleazy husband?  There didn't seem to be any dramatic purpose for it (as opposed to her just being single), and the scenes with them going at each other were just unpleasant.  What this movie really needed was about ten less absurdly quirky supporting characters, and to focus on Tom Hanks' character and his relationship with Julia Roberts.  Oh man.  What a fiasco.  *1/2

Live!

LIVE! (2007) - July 11, 2011
A really well made faux-documentary about an ambitious programming director who decides to air a game show in which six people play an actual game of Russian roulette.  The film is obviously satirizing the anything-for-ratings reality show culture in network television these days; however, the movie always plays it straight.  Though there is dark humour here, the film never winks at the audience or tries to hit you over the head with over-the-top satire.  Despite the outlandish premise (this is obviously a show that could never, ever happen in the real world), by the time the show begins to air, it feels plausible in the slightly tweaked version of reality in which the film exists.  The movie features an impressive central performance from Eva Mendes, who definitely turns what had the potential to be a one-note character into someone really interesting.  The supporting performances (from people like Andre Braugher, David Krumholtz and Jeffrey Dean Morgan) are quite good as well, and by the time the actual show rolls around, it's surprisingly tense.  ***1/2

It's Kind of a Funny Story

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY (2010) - July 10, 2011
An enjoyable enough movie about a suicidal kid who checks himself into a mental ward, and the relationships he forms with the various wacky patients.  Blandly conventional (it's kind of nuts that this was directed by the team behind Half Nelson) but enjoyable enough.  **1/2

The Winning Season

THE WINNING SEASON (2009) - July 7, 2011
A really enjoyable film about a down-on-his-luck coach who's asked to coach a high school girls' basketball team.  Features an expectedly excellent performance from Sam Rockwell (seriously, you just cannot go wrong with Sam Rockwell) and some strong supporting performances.  James C. Strouse's writing and direction is also quite solid -- there's nothing here we haven't seen quite a few times before, and some of the emotional beats feel a bit forced, but it's just a really entertaining and well put-together film.  I like how the emphasis is really more on the characters than the games; there's really not all that much at stake as far as winning the games go.  The film is more concerned with the characters and their relationships, which I definitely appreciated (there's only so many times you can watch a bunch of underdogs work their way up to a big game -- which is what this was about on a surface level, but not really -- before you get sick of it).  ***

Mesrine: Part 2 - Public Enemy #1

MESRINE: PART 2 - PUBLIC ENEMY #1 (2008) - July 6, 2011
Though not quite as good as the first installment, this was nevertheless a very enjoyable crime movie about the later years of French bank robber Jacques Mesrine.  It does feel a bit more one-note than the last one, as there's not much character development left for Mesrine at this point; it's basically just a bunch of vignettes leading up to the man's murder by the police in 1979.  Speaking of which, the revelation that the police murdered Mesrine at the beginning of this film does kind of sap the final scene of the tension and suspense that it's clearly going for, which is a shame.  I know I would have been pretty shocked that the police just outright excecuted the man.  Oh well.  The movie is pretty thrilling, with shootouts, car chases and prison escapes, and Vincent Cassell is as charismatic as ever.  ***  

Road House

ROAD HOUSE (1989) - July 5, 2011
About a bad ass bouncer who comes to a small town to clean up a bar, only to find himself butting heads with an evil businessman.  Patrick Swayze was quite good as the initially unflappable bouncer, and Sam Elliott stole every scene he was in as his grizzled mentor.  But the movie itself is just not all that great -- certainly, it's not the action classic that it's been built up as over the years.  It actually drags pretty badly in parts, with long stretches in which not all that much happens.  There's also a romantic subplot which feels pretty much completely superfluous.  Rowdy Herrington's direction was fine, though the film does feel quite dated.  It does definitely improve towards the end, with some memorable action scenes (including a fight which ends with Swayze ripping a guy's throat out), but all in all this was a definite let-down.  **

The Red Shoes

THE RED SHOES (1948) - July 4, 2011
An exceptionally well directed film about a ballet company, told mostly from the point of view of a young woman who quickly becomes the company's star, a young man who becomes the company's composer, and the company's hard-edged leader.  Though it's a little slow in parts, seeing the inner workings of this company is quite interesting, and the movie does a really good job of developing the characters and making them compelling -- even side characters we don't necessarily spend much time with.  All of the performances are quite good, though special props must go to Anton Walbrook as the leader of the company; he's pretty mesmerizing in the role.  The film also looks very, very good, with top-notch direction and glorious Technicolor cinematography (the pristine Criterion Blu-ray probably helps in this regard).  Highlights include a hypnotic dance sequence in the middle of the film, and a supremely memorable ending, which has to rank up there as one of the best endings ever.  ***1/2

It! The Terror From Beyond Space

IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE (1958) - July 3, 2011
This film supposedly inspired Dan O'Bannen when he wrote Alien, and it's not hard to see where that came from, whether it's true or not: the film follows a crew of astronauts, on their way back from Mars, who must contend with an alien stowaway who is picking them off one by one.  Despite its obvious origins as a low-budget B-movie, the film's lack of funds is only really apparent with the creature itself (it's obviously a guy in a shoddy rubber suit).  The characters are all a bit thin, but the film is decently made and entertaining throughout (the svelt 69 minute runtime probably helps).  **1/2