Comments
About Schmidt (2002)
5
Tries both to make us laugh and to make us cry, largely failing at both. Very good supporting turn by Kathy Bates. Most of the would-be humor is over-the-top; Bates is, too, but her part works. I cared very little about the main character, portrayed by Jack Nicholson. Some of the "deleted scenes" on the DVD would've improved the film.
Adaptation. (2002)
4
Like Being John Malkovich (1999), which Spike Jonze also directed, this film is strange; but unlike that brilliant film, this one is strange in a bad way. The lead character, a nebbishy screenwriter played by Nicolas Cage, is painful to watch and difficult to care about. Fine supporting performance by Chris Cooper, though.
Barbershop (2002)
7
Ice Cube is very good as the financially troubled owner of a barber shop he inherited from his father. Lots of laughs.
Bon voyage (2003)
7
This French film isn't easy to categorize, but "World War II satire" would be a pretty good description. And this is a pretty good film, although I didn't laugh very much. The sexual tension between Virginie Ledoyen (as physics student Camille) and Grégori Derangère (as escaped prisoner Frédéric) engaged me. Isabelle Adjani is very good as a high-strung actress trying to avoid responsibility for a homicide.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
5
The creators of this film tried very hard to be shocking and controversial, and in that they succeeded. Borat showed me things I'd never seen on a movie screen before, such as two naked men fighting and winding up in, more or less, a "69" position. Then again, I never wanted to see that on the big screen. I had a few good laughs in the first half-hour or so, but then the film stopped being funny and became silly. The scenes where we're apparently supposed to feel sorry for the abandoned Borat were particularly ineffective. I confess, it's a close call for me whether to give Borat a marginally positive score (6) or a marginally negative one (5). In the end, the shock value wasn't enough to overcome my boredom during most of the film. I can put up with some discomfort for humor's sake, but discomfort for its own sake is not entertaining, at least to me.
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
7
Confirms my opinion of Michael Moore as a smarmy, self-righteous bully. His sarcasm, condescension and posturing (boo hoo hoo, please don't walk away from this picture of a dead little girl, Mr. Heston, boo hoo hoo) get in the way of his making some legitimate points. But he is a talented filmmaker, and the film has many interesting moments in spite of his abrasive presence.
The Brave One (2007)
4
Broken Flowers (2005)
6
The ending puzzled me; I felt I must have missed some important clue along the way. But this film was worth the journey in spite of that. I appreciated the film's quietness, both visual and aural. Good music.
Calendar Girls (2003)
4
For me, the story arc was complete right after the calendar was published; had the film ended then, I'd call it a cute, short picture. The rest of the film, mostly about a trip to the United States, was unentertaining. The scenes featuring media hordes were way over the top. The lead couple's characters weren't established well enough for me to care about their marital problems. Don't believe the advertising; I loved The Full Monty (1997), but I didn't love Calendar Girls.
Casino Royale (2006)
6
Lured to my first-ever James Bond film by the considerable charms of Eva Green, my love of poker, and film critics' glowing reviews, I came away feeling entertained but a bit disappointed. I gather that death-defying stunts are standard fare in Bond films, but I was still bothered by the improbability and impracticality of some of Bond's antics, particularly in the Ugandan chase. I also found the plot somewhat difficult to follow; clearly, I'm not as quick on the uptake as Bond. For all that, I had a good time, and I recommend the film. The poker scenes were quite good. I also liked the way the writers used Green's character to raise questions about the morality of a government agency whose employees not only routinely kill people but must meet a "kill" quota in order to be promoted.
Cinderella Man (2005)
7
Well-acted story of a boxer (played by Russell Crowe), once a contender for the heavyweight championship, who lost his license, fell into deep poverty during the Great Depression, then got another chance through a fluke.
The Cooler (2003)
7
The usual excellent turn by William H. Macy and a touching, sexy performance by Maria Bello. Good casino scenes; writer/director Wayne Kramer and writer Frank Hannah obviously know how to play craps. The character played by Alec Baldwin was written less well than the others.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
7
This film isn't as good as the 1998 TV miniseries starring Gérard Depardieu, but it does an admirable job of squeezing a very long story into just over two hours.
Dan in Real Life (2007)
6
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
5
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
6
If you've read the excellent Rebecca Wells books on which the story is based, the film will be a let-down. But it's good enough to merit viewing -- barely.
The Dreamers (2003)
8
A furiously erotic film, but that's not the only reason to like it. Eva Green, who surely is destined for a fabulous acting career, elicits sexual desire from the start, but as the film goes on, she effectively evokes pathos as the destructiveness of Isabelle's emotional dependence on her brother becomes clear. Excellent music. Very effective use of black-and-white film clips.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
7
Interesting premise, executed fairly well. It's nice to see Jim Carrey in a role where he's not constantly bouncing all over the screen and contorting his face; on the other hand, his character isn't very interesting, as the character himself admits. Kate Winslet is very good here. The irresponsibility of the memory erasure workers is a bit overdone; I could have done without Elijah Wood's character, Patrick, altogether. On the DVD, check out the Lacuna commercial; it's a hoot.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
8
Brilliant indictment of George W. Bush for his determination to blame Iraq for 9/11, the facts be damned; for his Administration's lies about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction; and for the devastating human costs of the unnecessary war in Iraq. Director Michael Moore seems, by comparison to his past works, almost restrained; his showboating is limited to two brief, stupid stunts on Capitol Hill. He lingers too long on the grieving mother of a dead American soldier, and I'm not sure what was the point of showing Bush and other top officials being made up for TV appearances. Otherwise, the film is on target. Some good laughs, along with moments of horror; and very good use of music, especially Joey Scarbury's "The Greatest American Hero."
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
7
Highly enjoyable account of the unfriendly (no pun intended) CBS News television coverage, led by anchor Edward R. Murrow and producer Fred Friendly, of U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy's rampage in the 1950s against alleged Communists in the U.S. government and elsewhere. Black-and-white film was a good choice for this movie. Excellent use of archival footage. The interludes showing lounge singers seem out of place, with no connection to the plot, although the music itself is good. David Strathairn is excellent as Murrow.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
8
Better than the first Harry Potter film. Does justice to the excellent book on which it is based. Emma Watson is cute as a button. Can't wait 'til she grows up. :-)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
8
Very satisfying adaptation of the fourth book in J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series. Some scenes -- such as when Dumbledore mentions "priori incantatem" -- might be quite puzzling to filmgoers who didn't read the book, but I wasn't one of those. I liked some of the twists added in the film, such as the rival schools' being single-sex academies.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
5
yielded the weakest
of the Harry Potter films so far. The filmmakers faced what turned out
to be an insurmountable challenge in adapting the bloated, uninspired Order
of the Phoenix. Some of the film's elements were pleasing, but it
lacked an interesting narrative. Emma
Watson's Hermione seemed afflicted with a chronic case of mild hysteria
-- definitely not one of her better performances. One bright spot was
newcomer Evanna Lynch as
Luna Lovegood.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
7
My first instinct is to compare the film, unfavorably, with the book on which it is based; but that's not really fair. Some of the fine parts of J.K. Rowling's novel -- such as descriptions of what Harry is thinking when he's alone -- are difficult to put on film. Moreover, each Harry Potter book has been longer than the last, and it's increasingly tough to compress all the characters and events into a movie. For the most part, Steve Kloves's script does a good job of hitting the book's highlights, and it adds a good twist or two. The music is excellent. On the whole, the film is good entertainment. The scene in which Harry learns the truth about his parents' deaths is far too cursory, however; filmgoers would have delighted both in the book's fascinating story of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs and in more screen time for Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. Michael Gambon disappoints as Dumbledore.
The Holiday (2006)
6
House of Sand and Fog (2003)
8
Excellent performance by Ben Kingsley. I had a few problems understanding why Jennifer Connelly's character behaved as she did, but overall, this is a well-written, well-acted film. Not one to see when you're in the mood for a happy ending.
Inside Deep Throat (2005)
7
Entertaining and somewhat informative documentary about Deep Throat, a mediocre porn film that somehow became one of the most profitable films of all time. Although this film imparted some information to me about Deep Throat and was fun to watch, I finished the film still unsure as to why Deep Throat, in particular, became the target of would-be censors in government and, in turn, a cause célèbre among free-expression advocates. Very good music. Excellent extras on DVD.
Jesus Camp (2006)
8
Juno (2007)
8
Knocked Up (2006)
6
The Life of David Gale (2003)
5
Good performance by Kevin Spacey and excellent one by Laura Linney aren't enough to rescue the very flawed script and an unconvincing turn by Kate Winslet.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
6
Lost in Translation (2003)
8
Easily the best performance by Bill Murray I've ever seen. A sweet, subtle and funny film. I fell in love with Scarlett Johansson's smile. The film reminded me of In the Mood for Love (2000), another excellent story of a man and a woman dancing around the possibility of an extramarital affair.
Love Actually (2003)
6
Uneven collection of love stories from the same writer and producer who brought us the much better Notting Hill. The cast teems with excellent actors who give fine performances, including Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson and Laura Linney. But the film drags when it focuses on a boorish pop star played by Bill Nighy and on a boorish and imbecilic would-be ladies' man played by Kris Marshall. The latter's experiences in Milwaukee are so ridiculously improbable as to nearly ruin the movie. The same is true of the experiences of Neeson's character and his stepson at an airport. But the many touching and funny moments in the film justify a positive review -- just barely. Special nod to Heike Makatsch for playing one very sexy secretary; I didn't like how that plot point turned out, but Makatsch didn't write the film, just acted her part well.
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
5
Mostly well-acted, but muddled. Annoying music. I suggest the 1962 original instead.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
3
One of the worst films I've seen in a long time. The plot is impenetrable. The ubiquitous fight sequences are unintentionally comical. The acting is wooden. The dialogue is awful. The end-title music is abrasive.
Mean Girls (2004)
7
Uneven, but very entertaining. One of the jarring things is the obvious age difference between star Lindsay Lohan, who was around the age of her character, and some of the actors playing her high-school classmates, such as Daniel Franzese (eight years older than Lohan). Tina Fey is very good in a supporting role; she also wrote the screenplay. Good DVD extras.
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
7
This film's last act made me feel cheated. I simply don't understand why it was necessary to make this a depressing story instead of the uplifting one it was most of the way. Nevertheless, the film is well worth watching, especially for Hilary Swank's performance as Maggie Fitzgerald, a boxer in her thirties who is determined to achieve greatness. Swank is one of the great actresses of our time. Morgan Freeman seemed a bit cliché as the impoverished, washed-up but all-knowing sidekick to trainer and gym owner Frankie Dunn, played by Clint Eastwood, who also directed. Maggie's trailer trash family was over-the-top evil; giving those characters a bit more humanity would have improved the film.
Minority Report (2002)
4
Preposterous story told with mediocre-at-best acting.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
7
Deserves its remarkable box-office success. Too bad Nia Vardalos allowed the movie's name to be sullied by a lousy TV show.
Notes on a Scandal (2006)
9
One Hour Photo (2002)
6
Very good turn by Robin Williams as a photo processor with an obsession. After Good Will Hunting, no one should've been surprised that Williams is a fine dramatic actor as well as a fine comedic one.
Panic Room (2002)
6
Forgettable, but entertaining.
Pieces of April (2003)
7
Another good one for us fans of dysfunctional-family-Thanksgiving films. I came to detest Patricia Clarkson as the bitter mom, which probably means she deserved her Oscar nomination. Katie Holmes and Derek Luke are quite good as the beleaguered hostess and her boyfriend.
The Queen (2006)
8
Real Women Have Curves (2002)
8
Unfortunate title for a very absorbing character study of a Latina coming of age. Film has little to do with the politics of fat.
Road to Perdition (2002)
5
Well-acted; not as well-written. Too violent to recommend.
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic (2005)
3
Silverman's standup comedy, which makes up too little of the film, gave me a few good laughs. But the rest of the film was jaw-droppingly awful. I admire Silverman for taking risks with touchy topics such as 9/11, the Holocaust and old age, but if she's going to use material that's in bad taste to try to entertain, she needs to make it funny.
Saved! (2004)
7
Jena Malone and Mandy Moore are very good as best friends, A-list girls at their Christian high school, who have a gradual falling-out. Some hearty laughs and some touching scenes. I wasn't too enamored of Mary-Louise Parker and Martin Donovan as the principal adult characters. Good extra features on the DVD; some of the deleted scenes could have improved the film.
The Science of Sleep (2006)
6
The premise -- a young man with a rich dream life who has trouble distinguishing it from reality -- is interesting, and for the most part, this film carries it off well. There are a few good laughs and some moments of great tenderness. Writer-director Michel Gondry occasionally lapses into absurdity, such as when a supporting character throws his television set off a bridge. (Network (1976) gave me all the falling television sets I need to see in this lifetime.)
Seabiscuit (2003)
9
Standout performance by Jeff Bridges in excellent story of three men and a horse who overcame adversity to achieve greatness -- and then did it again. For those left wanting more, I highly recommend Laura Hillenbrand's book.
Sideways (2004)
8
The best thing about this film is the music. I can't remember when I've done more finger-popping at the movies, except maybe when I saw Ali. But there's a lot more to like, including Paul Giamatti's portrayal of Miles, a depressed English teacher who pines for his ex-wife and can't get his novel published. Some of the scenes between Miles and his best friend, Jack (Thomas Haden Church), reminded me of The Odd Couple, and like that great film, this one yields a lot of laughs. Although Miles wasn't easy to like, I found myself rooting hard for him by the end of the film. Sandra Oh is very good as Stephanie, who becomes involved with Jack and doesn't know that he's scheduled to be married in a few days.
S1m0ne (2002)
5
Not a bad idea, but poorly executed. Al Pacino seems too smart to be uttering the lines he's given here.
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
5
Spellbound (2002)
7
A documentary about a spelling bee. Who would think it could possibly be an absorbing, even touching, film? But it is. The contestants won my heart, and I found myself caring quite a bit about how well they did in the competition.
Spider-Man (2002)
5
I didn't find either the hero or the villain particularly engaging.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
5
As a big fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I had fun seeing the characters again, but there's little else to recommend this film.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
4
I hadn't thought George Lucas capable of making this bad a film. The central romance is completely unbelievable.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
3
After the disappointing Attack of the Clones, I hoped that writer/director/executive producer George Lucas would end the Star Wars saga with a creative triumph. It didn't happen. This film is unworthy of the name "Star Wars." The dialogue is hackneyed. Anakin Skywalker's conversion to the Dark Side is unconvincing. Revenge of the Sith is almost as bad as The Empire Strikes Back was good.
The Station Agent (2003)
9
Beautifully acted by the three principals -- Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale -- and by the actors in minor roles, including Michelle Williams as the "hottie" librarian. Dinklage brilliantly conveys Finbar's discomfiture as his dwarfism seems almost magically to attract his new town's troubled souls, who feel compelled to pour their hearts out to him, when he just wants to be left alone (or thinks he does). The film isn't billed as a comedy, but I had quite a few good laughs. Thomas McCarthy wrote a fine script and did a great job directing the film. Relatively short at an hour and 28 minutes, the film left me wanting more but certainly not feeling cheated. The DVD commentaries -- McCarthy and all three principal actors -- were well worth my time, too.
Superbad (2007)
4
Talk to Her (Hable con Ella) (2002)
8
Intriguing study of two men in love with comatose women. I didn't find the men's friendship entirely convincing, but their relationships with the women were very well-done. If you're in the mood for a formulaic Hollywood flick, see something else.
Thank You for Smoking (2005)
7
Clever, well-acted comedy about a quick-thinking tobacco industry shill (Aaron Eckhart) and his personal and professional relationships. Nice work by Cameron Bright as his son.
Thirteen (2003)
8
The film's tagline, "It's happening so fast," is more apt than perhaps the producers intended. Many of the "deleted scenes" on the DVD would have provided useful character development. But as it is, Thirteen is a powerful film, a kick to the stomach of every parent of a young teen or preteen. I'm not a parent, but I too was scared of what Tracy Freeland, brilliantly played by Evan Rachel Wood, was becoming. Holly Hunter well deserved her Oscar nomination as Tracy's overwhelmed mom.
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
6
The script is uneven, and the story sometimes borders on mawkishness, but there are enough hearty laughs and touching moments to recommend the film. Vincent Riotta shines in a supporting role as a Tuscan real estate agent who befriends Diane Lane's American writer.
Vera Drake (2004)
8
Beautifully acted story of a woman who performs illegal abortions in postwar England. This film is refreshing in many ways, not least for its heartwarming portrayal of a loving family with Vera Drake at its center. We also get to see a bit of each family member's life outside the home. The police and judicial officers who deal with Vera Drake's case are not portrayed as vindictive or mean, which was a pleasant surprise. The pain Vera's arrest causes her family is palpable, and Imelda Staunton manifestly deserved her Oscar nomination as Vera. Two minor characters -- Vera's sister-in-law and the woman who arranged her abortion appointments -- perhaps didn't need to be portrayed as quite so nasty; on the other hand, some viewers might think that some characters -- particularly Vera and her husband -- were too nice to be believed.
The Wedding Date (2005)
4
Terribly written and poorly acted.