Sliding Doors
Romantic fantasy presents two alternate realities which hinge on whether or not a woman catches a London train. Unfortunately, neither storyline is particularly engaging. Very intriguing idea ultimately deteriorates into a dull melodramatic soap opera. Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance as the woman who’s life branches in two directions, is compelling, but Jeanne Tripplehorn as the “other […]
WALL-E
Pixar’s 9th feature film is a heartwarming animated tale of a lonely robot on a desolate, uninhabited earth in the year 2700. Sweet, charming story about environmental preservation, consumerism, befriending your fellow man and most of all, true love. The greatest tribute to simply holding hands since that Beatles song. Dazzling!
Frozen River
Down on her luck single mother resorts to smuggling illegals into the U.S. in an effort to make ends meet. Film details a side of life in upstate New York, near the Canadian border, rarely seen. Bleak, understated mood and wintry scenes intensify the grim subject matter effectively . Melissa Leo gives a perfectly natural […]
Obsessed
Happily married asset manager’s idyllic life is jeopardized when a sexy office temp forms a dangerous fixation on him. Umpteenth variation on Fatal Attraction is hilarious as unintentional comedy. The lazily written script has Derek, the main character, behaving in idiotic ways that will have you shouting at the screen. Beyoncé’s “Oh no you didn’t!” performance […]
State of Play
American adaptation of the hit British miniseries about an investigation into the murder of the research assistant (and mistress) of a prominent rising congressman. Everything from the authentic performances to the intelligent script, feels right in this political thriller. Although its glorification of the press can be a bit obsequious at times, this is a […]
The Spirit
Graphic novelist Frank Miller freely adapts Will Eisner’s crime fighting character much in the same style as his earlier Sin City . Crime film concerns a supervillain who is prepared to wipe out an entire city in his quest to become immortal. Beautiful cinematography and outstanding production design cannot compensate for the poorly written script and […]
Black Book (Zwartboek)
Jewish woman poses as a Nazi during World War II in order to persuade a German commander to release a member of the resistance. Dutch film director, Paul Verhoeven, returns to his native roots to direct this entertaining epic drama. Interesting mix of classic storytelling and graphic doses of sex and violence are combined to […]
The Transporter
Underworld courier-for-hire’s life is complicated when he discovers his latest parcel is actually a beautiful Asian woman being sent to a nefarious American known only as Wall Street. Sturdy action film set in France has explosions, fast cars, an attractive girl and a captivating action hero. The fight scenes are the best part about the […]
The Tale of Despereaux
Animated fantasy from Universal Studios about how the lives of a mouse, a rat, a servant girl and a princess intertwine within a dispirited kingdom. Features beautiful animation. Unfortunately the story is a chaotic mess that juggles multiple characters and shifting story lines, unsuccessfully. What should have been a sweet, whimsical story to watch, feels […]
Observe and Report
Scattershot comedy about a mall security officer who competes with a police officer to catch a flasher terrorizing the mall. For a comedy like this to work, it must be grounded in some reality. Unfortunately, our lead character commits one violent act after another with no consequences, all in the name of random silliness. Ronnie […]