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586,410 | 783,721 | 109,842 | 7 | Checkmate ! | Fresh ( Nelson ) , the title character and a black kid in his early teens , is a runner for low level drug distributors in the mean streets of NYC with a plan to get out of the ghetto . He plays speed chess with his estranged father and stashes money in a tin can but his plan goes well beyond just saving for a bus ticket . " Fresh " offers good production value , par performances , somewhat stereotypical characters , and lots of grit . However , what sets this critically lauded flick apart from its peers is a human drama with a clever storyline which transcend the usual stuck-in-the-ghetto flicks full of sensational crime stuff . An engaging watch for those into drug / ghetto / crime flicks . ( B ) |
585,805 | 783,721 | 117,690 | 7 | Another compelling drama from the Emerald Isles . | Some Mother's Son is yet another in a long list of films dealing with the strife in Ireland . This film examines the ebb and flow of policies and sentiments surrounding a hunger strike by IRS prisoners . As interesting as the divisive issue is the drama depicting how deeply into the " soldiers ' " families the tragedy of the Irish conflict penetrates . An excellent shoot in full color ( most of these IRA films are near monochrome ) with superb performances and no agenda , " SMS " is a worthwhile watch for anyone interested in serious drama ; especially Irish drama . |
586,300 | 783,721 | 94,576 | 7 | A very British dramedy | A Very British Coup is a very British 3x50 minute TV dramady laced with typically British wry wit which tells of the election to Prime Minister of a Labor Party candidate who is determined to turn the conservative iron fisted grip on the UK into government by the people . As the new PM , Harry Perkins ( McAnally ) , sets about to rid the country of nukes and American military bases his own government's secret snoops conspire to ensure his failure and resist his liberal attempts to change the status quo . The result is a clever and very well stitched together tale of one-upmanship at the top of the Brit government . Should be an enjoyable and entertaining DVD watch for anyone interested in British government and a sort of British version of " An American President " . ( B ) |
586,146 | 783,721 | 280,778 | 7 | Beautifully told but incomplete | Iris tells of British novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband as they struggle together with her Alzheimer's affliction . The couple is portrayed in youth by Winslet and Bonneville and in old age by Dench and Broadbent with all delivering sterling performances . The plaintive and wistful story is told through interleaving scenes of the older couple's struggle with moments from the younger couple's life . As far as it goes , the film is an excellent product . What it doesn't deliver , however , is a deep sense of Murdoch , her philosophies and complexities of thought thereby giving greater depth to the character and a sense of the significance of what she is losing . In short , the film dwells too much on the disease and too little on the woman . Recommended for more mature viewers ( |
585,777 | 783,721 | 157,216 | 7 | Edwardian soap opera | Berkeley Square is an Edwardian period TV 10x50 minute miniseries which examines the lives of three young women , all nursery maids for wealthy families in London's Berkeley Square . The series revolves around the trio of neighboring young women , their nannies and associated co-staff ( butlers , footmen , etc . ) and the members of the families which employ them . Themes include murder , illicit affairs , affairs of the heart , a baby switching , and a whole lot of nursemaid issues with an ample assortment of side plots all very nicely woven together . This multiplicity of stories follows a nice arc building ample depth into the characters , developing plenty of tension on a range of levels , and sorting everything out , albeit rather quickly , such that all is well at the end with a only couple of unhappy exceptions . " Berkeley Square " is very much a soap opera ( circa 1902 ) as it focuses on women and women's issues with restrained melodrama though it is much more thoughtfully produced than the usual commercial soap . Lacking the mood and polish of a " Brideshead Revisited " with some of the intricacies of an " Upstairs-Downstairs " , this series has some obvious production deficits , though they are easily overlooked . All in all , " Berkeley Square " is an acceptable TV product which should make for a pleasant watch for women , lovers of soaps , and others into early 20th century English drama . Note - the DVD I watched had no CC's or subtitles making some of the dialogue difficult to understand . ( B ) |
586,154 | 783,721 | 148,573 | 7 | Curl up with this like you would with a Christie or Sayers novel | Painted Lady is a 3 . 5 hour , two part miniseries made for Masterpiece Theater and featuring Helen Mirren as Maggie , a down and out and aging ex-druggie / blues singer who inhabits a cottage on the Ireland estate of a well-to-do friend . When her friend is murdered , Maggie makes an unlikely transformation as she turns herself into a countess , enters the world of classical painting treasures , and sets about to bring the killer to justice . A cozy mystery with a whiff of sex and drugs but nary a harsh word spoken , this typical Masterpiece Theater TV fare is a mildly entertaining watch which keeps moving as it becomes increasingly convoluted . On the downside , Mirren is much too sagacious and elegant for a down and out blues singer and the warm and fuzzy milieu fits the intended audience better than the story . On the upside , this Mirren tour de force and tale of intrigues in the world of art is captivating , engrossing , and sufficiently substantiative to keep the viewer involved for the long haul . Recommended for more mature viewers and those who enjoy the very civilized Masterpiece Theater fare . ( B ) |
585,739 | 783,721 | 218,967 | 7 | A good watch family men and women . | A sort of contempo redux of Dickens Christmas Carol , Cage plays a wealthy and very eligible bachelor on Wall Street who suddenly finds himself married with children . Yeah , this is another romantic comedy in a very tired genre . However , it is a cut above the average sap dripping chick flick as it doesn't wade in goo , has a crisp script , keeps moving , is genuinely funny , and tries hard not to be predictable . Fresh stuff with good chemistry between Cage and Leoni . |
587,122 | 783,721 | 239,935 | 7 | Dreamy , sentimental , sweet , and soothing film fare . | Sandy Bottom is a picture postcard perfect little midwestern town where everyone is perfect right down to their imperfections which , if course , being perfect , they always apologize for having in the most perfect way . " The Sandy Bottom Orchestra " is a dreamy , sweet , sentimental little made-for-tv film about a family of three who infuse the population of Sandy Bottom with a dash of culture by creating a classical orchestra . . . etc . , etc . An excellent little unpretentious " feel good " flick , " TSBO " does what is sets out to do and quits . . . in a perfect sort of way . Enjoyable stuff for anyone in need of a break from the usual frenetic film fare . |
585,818 | 783,721 | 113,774 | 7 | A slowly endearing , plaintive , quirky slice-of-life tale . | Margaret's Museum tells of a young Nova Scotia woman who's bound by her family ties to a coal mining town where frequent accidents in the " pit " take their toll on the mine workers and their families . Not just another coal mining flick , " MM " focuses with musings , humor , and poignant moments on Margaret , who's nose is always running , and her assorted quirky family and friends . An engrossing , somewhat compelling , and almost charming little film , " MM " should appeal to those with a taste for slice-of-life flicks involving eccentric folk . |
585,960 | 783,721 | 265,298 | 7 | Fun , fun , fun | And cute too . " Big Fat Liar " tells of a 14 year old boy ( Muniz ) who bumps into a film producer ( who happens to be in his hometown making a movie ) who gets his hands on the boy's homework assignment , a story of the title name , and turns it into a movie which the boy sees previewed . The boy and his friend ( Bynes ) then set out for Hollywood where they raise all kinds of hell in an attempt to wrest creative credit for the film from the evil producer ( Giamatti ) . A simple " David vs Goliath " flick with obvious forces of good and evil in opposition , " BFL " is a fun comedy romp with great casting , an excellent score , lots of zany antics , and direction which is reminiscent of early John Hughes and Chris Columbus kid films . Good stuff for what it is and worth a look by anyone into kid flicks . ( B ) |
587,459 | 783,721 | 139,951 | 7 | How - do - you get four elephants in a Fiat ? | The Way We Laughed is plaintive , unhappy drama about two Sicilian brothers who migrate to Turin , Italy in the late 50's where the older and somewhat duller brother toils as a laborer so his younger brother can reap the benefits of school . This very Italian film peers deeply into the brotherly relationship as it skips through time and circumstance ultimately revealing the true character of the principals . Slow moving , methodical , and two hours long , this film will likely test the patience of most American audiences , especially those less familiar with the subtleties of Italian culture , who may question whether the payoff is worth the wait though the talent of an able auteur and cast are above reproach . ( B ) |
586,779 | 783,721 | 144,286 | 7 | An excellent mystery / drama Europic . | The Lost Son tells the story of a French private investigator ( Auteuil ) working in England who is retained by a wealthy family to find their adult son which leads to an investigation into a child slavery ring . A top tier film with all that we've come to enjoy about Europics and an excellent cosmopolitan cast , " TGS " has probably garnered more negative criticism than it deserves for taking on the subject of pedophilia . If so , it's simply a sad testament to a public mentality which will laud such sensationalistic garbage as " Pulp Fiction " or " Lock , Stock . . . " and their horrific violence while rejecting a more real treatment of a difficult issue which was not exploitive and offered insights into an evil underground of which too few are aware . Kudos to those who brought " The Lost Son " to fruition for an excellent film which did not sensationalize or pander to the people though it had the opportunity to do so . |
585,712 | 783,721 | 197,384 | 7 | A compelling dark psychodrama . | C & P in Suburbia is a dark and somewhat staged psychodrama with misanthropic overtones which focuses on the teen daughter of a family in crisis and her search for self-actualization . This well cast , well acted , well shot , well directed flick's story is likely to be too black or severe for many . However , those who feel inclined to write this film off as " unrealistic junk " should remember one word . Columbine . |
587,635 | 783,721 | 187,738 | 7 | Where's Buffy when you need her ? | The B-Man is back slicing and dicing legions of a new breed of suckpuppies in an orgy of special effects which makes the original " Blade " pale by comparison . Hardcore horrific action from start to finish with a smattering of plot , a ton of silly putty , and a thousand gallons of red Kool-aid , " Blade 2 " is a must see for those who enjoyed the original " Blade " . ( B ) |
585,644 | 783,721 | 311,519 | 7 | Like watching grass grow | The Man Without a Past is a doggedly plodding , austere , wan , and uneventful exercise in minimalism about a man who is beaten by thugs , gets amnesia , and then , with nothing but sheer determination , reconstructs his life anew . In spite of its critical acclaim and Oscar nom , this laconic subtitled Finnish film has none of the things we ordinary folk go to movies to see and in retrospect I can't think of a single reason to recommend it . There are no beautiful vistas or great sets or costuming , no intrigue or mystery or romance ( 1 . 5 kisses ) , no bigger than life charismatic stars , no action or effects , no moral or message , no sex or nudity , and , as near as I can tell , no reason or purpose for existing . Having said all that , I did enjoy this flick for whatever that's worth . ( |
586,687 | 783,721 | 114,086 | 7 | A stroll through an art gallery | Beyond the Clouds is an over-the-top artsy group of four vignettes each a offering a glimpse into a man-woman relationship from the tenuous to the turbulent . Although the film offers superb cinematography , some exquisite visual beauty , and a cast of fine performers , there's little meat on the bones of this fragmented work . A taste of a relationship cannot impart the fullness of it and synergism suggests that much more can be accomplished with one story in 2 hours than with four . Nonetheless , " Beyond the Clouds " will be fodder for dilettantes and a visual feast for the all albeit superficial , stilted , and lacking in substance . |
586,087 | 783,721 | 106,489 | 7 | Yous got a problem wid dis ? | Set in an Italian neighborhood of the Bronx in the 60's , " A Bronx Tale " is a coming of age flick about a boy ( Capra / Brancato ) who becomes a protege of the urbane boss of the hood ( Palminteri ) after refusing to rat him out to the cops for a shooting . From there the boy gets some serious lessons in life in the hood under the wary and watchful eye of his hard working bus driver father ( Dinero ) . Dinero's directorial debut , this film is a by-the-numbers production with a slew of stereotypical mob type caricatures and histrionics which echo of Palminteri's stage play which offers some solid light dramatic entertainment . Not too be taken seriously , " A Bronx Tale " will be a worthwhile watch for those into wise guy flicks with some heart . ( B ) |
586,797 | 783,721 | 218,839 | 7 | Grrrr ! Woof ! | Best in Show is a mockumentary spoof of one of those things which people do but which most outsiders can only view with raised eyebrows and quizzical looks askance : The championship dog show . This cute lampooning of the complete dog lover looks at a handful of stereotypes ( gays , yuppies , a good old boy , etc . ) and their pooches as they prep for , converge on , and participate in a dog show spectacle . A lively , clever exercise in over-the-top understatement . |
586,273 | 783,721 | 109,798 | 7 | All for one and one for all ! | A fun French comedy / adventure flick which resurrects the " Three Musketeers " and creates a beautiful daughter , Eloise , ( Marceau ) for an aging , portly D'Artagnan . The plot is a tad convoluted with subtitles which use some archaic English and nonstop dialogue making the story a bit of a challenge for non-French speakers to keep up with . Nonetheless , the 2 + hour run is full of swashbuckling adventures , funny antics , comedic dialogue , and the beautiful European countryside with misty moors , autumn forests , castles and all those things we love about Euro-period films . |
587,519 | 783,721 | 117,333 | 7 | Sometimes you just gotta go with it | Phenomenon is about a small town auto mechanic ( Travolta ) who experiences something he can only describe as being " light " and suddenly has peculiar powers such as being able to learn to speak Portuguese in 20 minutes or understanding Dianetics . At issue is , will these powers , which make him the object of fear and awe by the townsfolk , help of hurt his chances with his reluctant love interest ( Sedgwick ) . An pleasant little folksy , Mayberry RFDish flick , " Phenomenon " sticks to the people story and doesn't go off into sci-fi-land as it conjures up the warm and fuzzies , takes a romantic turn with the best haircut & shave since " Wrestling Ernest Hemingway " , and tries hard to deliver a message about what's important in life . Yes , the film gets a little sugary sweet but . . . okay , it gets a lot sugary sweet . . . but , if you go with it and don't fight it you'll be assured of a pleasant three star watch . Good stuff for sentimentalists . ( B ) |
587,534 | 783,721 | 179,098 | 7 | A good movie . | Moonlight Mile is a by-the-book drama which tells of a handful of grieving people in a small New England town circa 1966 though the location , the time , and the title have nothing to do with anything of import to the film . The film has a big upside including a stellar cast registering good performances , lots of 60's pop music , good technicals and art , and a clear vision and sense of direction . The downside , however , is the film is just too pat . The histrionics are a tad too obvious , the characters are a tad too glib , the situations a tad too contrived , and the conclusion a tad too neat . " Moonlight Mile " is by anyone's standards a good film but similarly there is no way it deserves the four stars Ebert gave it or the disproportionate numbers of perfect 10's registered on this website . How much you enjoy this film will simply depend on your taste in film and what you expect from a drama . There's lots to like , little to fault , so keep expectations real and enjoy . ( B ) |
586,200 | 783,721 | 125,128 | 7 | Dysfunction junction | The Hanging Garden is a slice-of-dysfunctional-life dramady with a coming-of-age flashback which takes you into the tangled web of peculiar family matters and relationships of a Nova Scotia family who live in shadow of a drunkenly abusive patriarch . The quirk infested family includes a gay asthmatic son , a foul mouthed daughter , a wishy-washy mother , a senile old granny , the abusive gardener father , and a kid . The film centers on the grossly overweight son who hangs himself from a tree and remains there as a sort of macabre metaphor for familial dysfunction while living on as a skinny adult and achieving some semblance of normalcy . In spite its obvious weirdness , this earthy flick manages to ground itself with a sense of reality while showing the constant struggle to function in spite of the characters ' fractured coping skills . Not for everyone , this fist outing for writer / director Thom Fitzgerald is , IMHO , better than his more recent film " The Event " . Fodder for those into quirky flicks about dysfunctional families . ( B ) |
585,919 | 783,721 | 300,471 | 7 | Equal sequel | Shanghai Knights , sequel to and by most accounts equal to " Shanghai Noon " , sticks the same Chan and Wilson characters in another adventure which takes them to London where they become embroiled in convoluted intrigues neatly worked around everything from Big Ben to Charlie Chaplin to Jack the Ripper to Queen Victoria . . . etc . Fun stuff ( maybe funnier , depending on taste ) which features equal parts of Chan's inventive martial arts and stuntmanship and Wilson's poker faced off-the-wall comic relief , " Shanghai Knights " is an enjoyable three star comedy romp and I could go for another helping . What's next ? Shanghai Daze ? ( B ) |
587,475 | 783,721 | 102,004 | 7 | Wham ! Pow ! Bam ! | The Hard Way is a good old fashioned popcorn flick which gets off to a fast start and keeps moving until the credits roll . Fox plays an Indiana Jones type adventure movie star who goes to NYC to hang with a badass cop ( Woods ) to learn what being a cop is like and becomes embroiled in a serial killer caper . The well crafted , unpredictable screenplay is chock full of action , comedy , stunts , suspense , light drama , etc . with nary a dull moment to be found . Good not-to-be-taken-seriously Hollywood fun stuff worth a second look for those who saw it a decade ago . |
586,739 | 783,721 | 244,094 | 7 | I laughed my a off . Thanks Eric , I'm now ale ! | Never Again tells of a single middle aged man ( Tambor ) and woman ( Clayburgh ) who find each other , have good sex , and then begin to wrestle with issues as they search warily for deeper meaning . The film jerks from the outlandish to the sublime and back again making for an unpredictably bumpy ride while conjuring moments of hilarity and warmth . " Never Again " is another Schaeffer love it or hate it flick which is the work of a creative genius or sexually obsessed hack depending on who you talk to . Given its middle aged focus and explicit sexual content , " Never Again " will play best with more mature audiences who can handle vulgar language , absurd comic relief , and still appreciate the sentimental and poignant moments without rationalization . ( B ) |
586,573 | 783,721 | 117,381 | 7 | An excellent small screen drama | Primal Fear is a solid drama in which a defense attorney ( Gere ) and a prosecutor ( Linney ) square off and do battle from opposite sides of a courtroom and opposite ends of a defunct love affair . All business and no pleasure , " PF " is 40 % courtroom drama , 40 % investigation , and 20 % plot backbone with Gere , Linney , and Norton turning in excellent performances with a good supporting cast . A taught drama which includes a sex scandal in the Chicago archdiocese ( something apparently more relevant today than when the film was made ) " Primal Fear " makes for good small screen fare . |
586,036 | 783,721 | 315,733 | 7 | Excellent unpleasantness | 21 Grams tells a story of three people : A man who needs a heart , the widow of a donor , and the man who killed the donor . The film has critical plaudits aplenty , a couple of Oscar nom's for acting , a fine cast , and the work of budding " Ameros Perros " director Alejandro González Iñárritu . Unfortunately , the latter plus is also a minus as Iñárritu force feeds us two hours of pain and suffering with sledgehammer blows while chopping up the story a la " Momento " and never giving us anyone we can really care about . I double timed the last 30 minutes in X2 mode reading subtitles because I was disengaged , didn't like any of the characters , didn't care what happened , and was only interested out of idle curiosity . Good stuff if you don't mind a heavy handed approach to a morose drama of wall to wall unpleasantness with poor character development . ( B ) |
586,867 | 783,721 | 117,394 | 7 | Odd , dark , and not for everyone | Deep Crimson , a subtitled Mexican film , tells of a man who uses his hair-piece , good looks , and charm to bilk mature women out of their money . When he woos a very large and homely woman longing to be loved , she divests herself of her children , insinuates herself into his life , and goes off scamming with him while pretending be his sister . The backbone of the story is the strange symbiosis which develops between the partner / lover duo as we watch their relationship grow deeper and their scheming more nefarious . A moderately entertaining though schizophrenic film , " Deep Crimson " is too much of a comedy to be taken seriously and too much of a drama to be funny . The result is a marginally engaging film which will play best to those with a taste for black comedies from south of the border . ( B ) |
585,651 | 783,721 | 117,398 | 7 | An excellent no-frills film about conscience and morality . | La Promesse , from the makers of " Rosetta " , is an award winning drama which gets down to business quickly . The film is shot with no frills and the hard edge of a documentary . It tells of a father and son , both of questionable character , who make their living on the backs of transient illegal aliens in Belgium and the schism which developes between them as they engage a serious matter of conscience . Viewers with an appetite for reality in film will extol this flick while fantasy lovers may hate its grit . |
587,383 | 783,721 | 144,084 | 7 | A good but pointless misanthropic dark satire . | Perhaps the real value to " American Psycho " is the fodder it will provide for film critics and pedantic cinematic devotees . It is a slick job of manufacturing on Harron's part with a superb performance by Bale . However , the general film-going public will likely find it ambiguous , pointless , grotesque , and lacking the entertainment value of the real American " Psycho " by Hitchcock . |
586,215 | 783,721 | 197,569 | 7 | Tedious and over zee top | Humanite appears to be a film about a child murder / rape and the search for the killer . In fact , the film is a character study en masse which tediously examines a handful of players with Schotte at the center as a rural cop . A critic's darling because it is oh so different , " Humanite " could be said to be avant guarde neo-hyper-realism . Or , it could be said to be a load of crap . The film does not equal the sum of its parts and is frustratingly incongruous for no apparent reason . I personally found it strangely fascinating . However , I suspect the film going public at large will reject " Humanite " as tedious and too over-the-top . Good stuff for cinema sophisticates into French film but certainly not for everyone . ( B ) |
586,760 | 783,721 | 366,532 | 7 | Sentimental comedy confection | Seducing Doctor Lewis tells of a French-Canadian fishing village which is on the dole and on the list of locations for a new factory . The latter would get the fishermen of the played out waters new jobs and off welfare , so the townspeople conspire to seduce a doctor to coming to their village with the hope he'll stay on as their resident physician . The result is a charming little comedy full of good natured and earnest characters and their inept attempts at deception and fraud which lead to the inevitable happily ever after fairy tale conclusion . Enjoyable , light hearted . mildly amusing family film fare , " Seducing Doctor Lewis " should appeal to anyone into Disneyesque films who can contend with subtitles . ( |
587,178 | 783,721 | 289,765 | 7 | Take a bite out of crime | Red Dragon , a prequel sequel ( or something like that ) to " Silence of the Lambs " , keeps Hannibal ( Hopkins ) in his cell while it pushes an FBI Agent ( Norton ) and a new whacko cannibalistic nemesis D . aka " The Tooth Fairy " ( Finnes ) into the spotlight . The film is seems somewhat more contrived than it's trio of siblings and may be somewhat the lesser member of the family . Nonetheless , it features lots of star power , solid stylistics , a hook at the end , and dovetails neatly with " Silence . . . " . Recommended for Hannibal fans , cannibals , and those into flicks about psychos killers . ( B ) |
587,523 | 783,721 | 209,037 | 7 | A gem | Everybody's Famous tells of a middle-age Belgian ( ? ) father who wants see his overweight wannabe singer daughter become a celebrity / success and takes desperate measures to make that happen when he loses his job . The result is a warm hearted comedy romp which delivers more fun and sentimental bang for the buck than most films as it deftly builds to a dramatic crescendo and a feel good conclusion which just might leave you with a smile on your face and a tear in your eye . An Oscar nominated , critic befuddling , audience pleaser , " Everybody's Famous " should be a fun watch for anyone who doesn't mind a little corn with their subtitles . Turn brain off before watching and enjoy . ( B ) |
587,507 | 783,721 | 165,986 | 7 | A film with a heart and some good jazz | The Tic Code tells of a boy ( Marquette ) with Tourette's syndrome who plays jazz piano and makes friends with a professional sax player ( Hines ) who also has the affliction . A well crafted , earnest , and honest effort , the film would appear to be a labor of love as , according to IMDB . com info , Draper , who wrote the screenplay and played the boy's mother , is married to a jazz musician with Tourette's ( who has a bit part in the movie ) . The film features solid performances by all with an exceptional job by Marquette , some good jazz music , and insights into the tic fraught life . Unfortunately , The Tic Code is not likely to be as commercially successful as it should because Tourette's pales in comparison with terminal cancer , for example , and will likely seem little more than a mildly troublesome disorder to a jaded public . Kudos to all who supported this worthy project . |
587,231 | 783,721 | 296,166 | 7 | Chic-Ana flick | Pleasingly plump journeyman actress Ferrera is the centerpiece of " Real Women Have Curves " ; a slice-of-life , coming-of-age Chicana flick about a Mexican-American high school girl , Ana , from an East L . A . barrio who struggles with the opposing forces of American feminism and Mexican family tradition . An easy going , warm hearted film with a salsa flavor , " . . . Curves " is a tad awkward in parts , doesn't nail all of its nuances , and uses " Spanglish " with some subtitles . Nonetheless , those with an interest in the Mex-Am culture , especially the distaff , will find this an enjoyable and worthy watch . ( B ) |
587,669 | 783,721 | 417,001 | 7 | What's not to like ? | Sarah ( Lane ) , the film's centerpiece , is fortyish , recently divorced , and , of course , cringing at the prospect of getting back into the dating game . The body of the film is all about Sarah , surrounded by assorted kith and kin , struggling to cope with the difficult process of finding Mr . Right . A light hearted romp which is just a new take on an old but tried and true premise , " Must Love Dogs " avoids the extremes of edginess , quirkiness , schmaltz , and corn and concentrates on just being a pleasant up-beat ride to a foregone conclusion . Hard not to like but not likely to be memorable , this little bit of fluff got respectable though nominal marks from IMDb . com's voters including an average score from that hardest of all demographics to please , the 30-44 age of disillusionment group . " Must Love Dogs " should play well with females and their significant others , Lane and Cusak fans , and anyone in the mood for a low cal romcom DVD watch . ( B ) |
587,392 | 783,721 | 265,591 | 7 | Somewhere between a 1 and a 10 . | Pumpkin slips mercurially through the genres ending up somewhere around black comedy with farcical overtones and biting undercurrents as it tells of a privileged , superficial sorority sister ( Ricci ) who " gets real " and falls for a mentally challenged man ( Harris ) while coaching him for a Special Olympics type event . The film boldly treads on thin ice , clumsily at times , as it tramples social constructs from decorum to morality while managing to maintain a marginally interesting storyline . Probably a real achievement given the experience of the auteur , " Pumpkin " will likely end up a love it or hate it flick of modest significance . Worth a look as a curiosity if nothing more . ( B ) |
586,572 | 783,721 | 114,319 | 7 | A wonderful retelling of a classic romantic comedy | Sabrina 1995 tells of a young chauffeur's daughter ( Ormond ) who grows up in the shadow of a wealthy family with two eligible bachelors ; one all work ( Ford ) and the other all play ( Kinnear ) . Forever in love with the latter as a girl , Sabrina studies in Paris and returns years later to the estate and the dreams of her childhood which she must now address as woman . A wistful contemporary Cinderella story with a solid cast and plenty of dreamy John Williams music , " Sabrina " is a must see for all lovers of romantic comedy . |
586,464 | 783,721 | 139,362 | 7 | High marks | High Art peers into the lives of two NYC apartment dwelling women , the love which blossoms between them , and the effect of it on each of their lives . Sheedy plays a photographic artist of some renown living a Bohemian lifestyle while Mitchell plays the love interest as a heterosexual asst editor of an artsy magazine . A plaintive , somber film of considerable sensitivity , " High Art " is somewhat ill focused with a poor soundtrack but showcases excellent performances by the principals . A worthwhile watch for those into relationship films about lesbian love and off-beat characters . |
586,614 | 783,721 | 116,999 | 7 | A poignant , sentimental , and warmly humorous story about living | Marvin's Room tells of two long estranged middle aged sisters ; one who's spent 20 years caring for her bed-ridden father in Florida ( Keaton ) and the other , a hair stylist who's raised two boys in Ohio ( Streep ) . When one is diagnosed with leukemia , the sisters reunite and begin long over due reconciliations . " Marvin's Room " is a warmly humorous film which tiptoes around the matter of cancer while telling a sentimental story of a dysfunctional family pulling together in a time of need . An enjoyable , middle-of-the-road dramady with an excellent cast and both Oscar and Globe nominated performances worth a look . ( B ) |
587,277 | 783,721 | 335,245 | 7 | Southern discomfort | In " The Ladykillers " , an erudite and refined Southern Gentleman ( Hanks ) takes a room with an elderly but sagacious black women in MIssissippi for the purpose of using her basement to tunnel to a vault full of gambling money with assistance from a group of four men , all stereotypical caricatures , who pretend to be an ensemble of musicians . This wacky comedy , imbued with the Coen's subtly sardonic humor , reverberates with prayer meeting gospel music and blatant unabashed silliness as the quintet of thieves set about to do their dirty deed . A not-for-everyone comedy which is long on style and short on story , " The Ladykillers " is more likely to elicit the occasional cluck of the tongue than boisterous guffaws . Entertaining though not memorable and worth a look by anyone into the Coen brothers off kilter sense of humor . ( B ) |
587,016 | 783,721 | 120,848 | 7 | A good flick which tries to do too much . | Such a Long Journey is a well crafted film , a good shoot , and a showcase for some good performances . However , the story is such a jumble of subplots and peculiar characters that it becomes a sort of Jack of all plots and master of none . Also , Western audiences will likely find the esoterics of the rather obscure Parsee culture a little much to get their arms around in 1 . 7 hours . Recommended for those with an interest in India . |
586,448 | 783,721 | 105,682 | 7 | It's not what you see , it's what you don't see . | Winter Heart is a character study which examines what happens when a beautiful violinist falls in love with a violin maker who is devoid of the passion and emotion which is so much a part of French film and life in general . The antithesis of almost everything Hollywood represents as it does not depict the presence of things but the absence of things , " Un Coeur un Hiver " is more interesting than entertaining and will intrigue some and bore the socks off others . A smart film for smart people but placid waters for popcorn flick surfers . |
586,287 | 783,721 | 285,441 | 7 | More noble than interesting . More interesting than entertaining . | The Fast Runner is a pedestrian story of treachery among a tribe of primitive natives - in this case the Inuits of the arctic region of Canada . On the upside the film has an abundance of raw Spartan arctic beauty ; haunting music and percussion ; real native actors speaking what is presumably the Inuit tongue ; and a fascinating sense of authenticity . On the downside , the film is viscous , long , esoteric , difficult to follow , and plays better as a documentary with the thin story of murder and deceit among peaceful people being buried under ice and snow as we watch the Inuit's simple day-to-day survival tasks and never see the more interesting activities such as a caribou hunt . In short , the film doesn't work well as either a drama or a documentary though it seems to try to straddle both . Possible target audiences ? Subscribers to National Geographic . ( B ) |
586,082 | 783,721 | 300,620 | 7 | Booty kickin ' boobies-to-the-wall babe power action flick | So Close is about two Hong Kong hottie sister assassins ( Qi & Wei ) who use martial arts , guns , and hi-tech gadgetry to take out an army bad guys . . . something about evil corporations and a score to settle for killing their father . Toss in a female cop with perpetual PMS ( Mok ) , a whiff of pathos , lots of sass , pop culture trimmings , plenty of cool action with personality , classy stylistics , stunts , effects , CGI , etc . and you've got one fun girl power action chick flick . Jackie Chan & John Woo , look out ! ( B ) |
587,431 | 783,721 | 218,505 | 7 | Another excellent historical docudrama from HBO . . . | . . . on the heels of " The Gathering Storm " . " Path to War " begins with Lyndon B . Johnson's inaugural ball and ends with his rejection of candidacy for another term . Between , unlikely Brit-cum-Texan Gambon delivers a masterful portrayal of President Johnson as a crude but sagacious politician who struggled with the demons of the Vietnam era not unlike another American president who served during an unpopular war which tore at the fabric of this country a century before . A well crafted HBO documentary which needs and takes little license with history , " Path to War " will likely prove a spell-binding watch for those interested in American political history and a good historical review for anyone with an interest in the Vietnam era . |
586,228 | 783,721 | 149,151 | 7 | A funny and slightly sentimental flick for boomers . | Although a sort of comedy / drama-lite , " Still Crazy " does something which most of the recent raft of formula romantic comedies fail to do . Specifically , the film manages character development so well that their absurd nature , necessary to be funny , does not interfere with the emotional " buy in " making it possible for the audience to empathize with the characters while enjoying their humorous antics . " SC " tells of a motley bunch of aging ex-rock stars who , after 20 years apart , reconstitute the band to have a go at touring again . The film uses the Rea and Aubrey characters as the center of gravity ( straight wo / man ) around which the rest of the band can create off-the-wall humor , some decent music , and some poignant moments . The result is a very good journeyman effort which will likely be enjoyed most by " baby boomers " . . . even those who may have outgrown rock music . |
586,409 | 783,721 | 120,899 | 7 | Boredom for the many . Amusement for the few . | My Life So Far is a light hearted and somewhat stuffy coming of age film about a boy ( Norman ) and his father ( Firth ) living on a Scottish estate with sundry family members , servants , visitors , etc . in the years following WWI . A nicely laid out period piece , this film ventures into the busy-ness of the manor as we watch the inquisitive boy and his crack-pot inventor and smitten father grow up together to the accompaniment of curling tournaments , visitations from a pilot , a hairy man skulking in the woods , etc . , and , of course , the sometimes unseemly family matters . " My Life So Far " is not one of the better period film as it spreads itself too thinly over numerous inconsequential matters of little interest beyond the characters . However , for those into British period films , this one may prove mildly amusing and entertaining . ( B ) |
586,481 | 783,721 | 315,983 | 7 | So ? | In his review of this film , Roger Ebert begins " It's so rare to find a movie that doesn't take sides . " Well , DUH ! People like movies that take sides . . . as in the good guys and bad guys . We like heroes and villains because we want to see good win over evil . " House of Sand and Fog " doesn't take sides which is its liability . The film builds its base of three characters ( Kingsley , Connelly , Eldard ) piecemeal developing Kingsley as a highly principled Iranian-American best while leaving protag Connelly as a kind of misguided whack-job and her lover ( Eldard ) as an unlikely trouble making deputy sheriff . On the upside , this well directed piece with a solid cast is moody and manages to whet and hold interest throughout by creating a succession of unresolved issues . On the downside , it doesn't " take sides " and give us someone to care about leaving the audience somewhat disconnected . The principals all seem misguided and responsible for their own problems so watching them stew in their own juices with many questions left unanswered makes for a somewhat unsatisfying viewing experience . For fans and drama junkies only . ( B ) |
586,828 | 783,721 | 153,464 | 7 | Intelligent , sophisticated , and elegant drama-lite . | Up At the Villa is a plodding , understated , dialogue-intensive " little " drama about love , sex , misdeeds , and other intrigues of decadent British aristocrats occupying Florence , Italy in days prior to WWII . Built around the Thomas character , what the film lacks in depth it makes up for with a well crafted script , excellent performances , and grand scenery . |
586,501 | 783,721 | 308,476 | 7 | The highest common denominator | The Cuckoo is tells of the coming together of two wayward soldiers in the Arctic north of Finland at the farm of a lone Lapp woman during the end of WWII . The trio of players speak in different tongues making verbal communication impossible and though the men are sworn enemies they find common ground in a shared humanity which sees them through the difficulties of surviving wounds , coveting the same female , and learning lessons like the importance of being able to say " Don't Shoot ! ! " in your enemies ' language . " The Cuckoo " is an minimalistic light drama with low end production value which distills life to the bare essentials of humanity with its bold austerity . Recommended for foreign film buffs only . ( B ) |
586,361 | 783,721 | 143,861 | 7 | If it itches . . . . | . . . scratch it . Just as African's created rhythms with the jawbone of an ass and Virgin Islanders welded oil drums into ear pleasing steel bands , so did urban DJ's itch to scratch in the pursuit of new methods of creative expression . " Scratch " is a wholly unnarrated documentary which will take you to the heart of the hip-hop / rap movement and explore the genesis of turntablism , the art of scratching vinyl , and the ultimate DJ / MC contempo entertainment expression . The film reveals some surprisingly intelligent and articulate " Scratchers " with startlingly unique abilities in concert and competition where the beat meets the street . Good stuff for anyone interested in grass roots or ghetto gutter movements in sound art . ( B ) |
587,593 | 783,721 | 139,462 | 7 | An excellent love story for those who love love stories . | Message in a Bottle is a beautiful and well told , highly romanticized story about a man letting go and a woman competing with a " ghost " . The film is obviously designed to tug at the heart strings and bobbles in the end but still offers some good old fashioned romantic melodrama under a slick contemporary veneer . Technically and artistically well crafted , " MIB " is well cast , has solid performances and an excellent screen play along with the usual accouterments of Hollywood filmdom . A wonderful film for those with an appetite for romantic melodrama and tear jerkers . |
586,125 | 783,721 | 377,186 | 7 | Ranks with the better Victorian soaps | He Knew He Was Right is a 4x55 minute TV miniseries adaptation which is very much like the usual Victorian melodrama fare from such notables at the Brontes and Austen . The backbone of the story is about a young man of property who marries and then becomes obsessively jealous of attentions paid his wife by her Godfather . Crisscrossing the main plot are several subplots involving the societal clockworks of middle and upper class Victorian society with all the usual scheming for peerage and property , premarital posturing , courtship and affairs of the heart , and busybody bickering among the staid and stuffy pomp of the times . Although " He Knew He Was Right " has a darkish central theme , it never takes itself too seriously and manages a very subtle and wry sense of humor as it cavorts among the many characters with charm , wit , grace , and beauty . A worthwhile watch for anyone into Victorian melodrama . ( B ) |
587,129 | 783,721 | 114,243 | 7 | The ugliness of children caught up in war | Red Cherry follows a pubescent Chinese girl , ChuChu , and boy , Luo Xiaoman , from their prewar children's camp in Russia through WWII as they become de facto orphans caught up in the horrors of war . The film leapfrogs through time and bounces back and forth between the two kids , who become separated , making for a herky-jerky flow while giving us peek-a-boo glimpses of how they are coping against a backdrop of the deprivation and tragedy that is war . On the upside , the film is a well acted , engaging , evocative drama . On the downside , the DVD I watched had only mediocre video quality and poor , near monochrome , color . Recommended only for foreign film buffs into war dramas . ( B ) Note - This is not the best movie ever made , it is not propaganda , and it is not seen through the eyes of the child . |
586,718 | 783,721 | 218,378 | 7 | Brrrrr ! | The Claim tells the tale of a ' 49er ( Mullen ) with the glitter of gold in his eyes who swaps his wife and baby for a claim in the rugged California Sierra-Nevada mountains . A beautifully filmed period piece which attempts to portray the difficulties and realities of the time with fidelity , " The Claim " offers excellence in all aspects of the film though it may be too austere , too Spartan to have broad appeal . A great film for realists into stories of the old West . |
587,272 | 783,721 | 377,092 | 7 | The square root of " Clueless " | Mean Girls is another bop fodder comedy about a high school junior who , having been outschooled all her life , goes to public school and tries to become one of the in crowd , a trio of shallow hotties called the " Plastics " , only to find she's become a back stabbing beyotch like them and subsequently realizing the error of her ways . . . yada-yada-yada . Always lively and light hearted , this slampoonfest of the teen female's peer pressure cooker problems is a fun romp full of the usual high school peer group stereotypes all slogging their way through campus social life . Fresh and funny if a tad silly ( ok , a lot silly ) , " Mean Girls " will play best with teen females . ( B ) |
587,418 | 783,721 | 343,818 | 7 | Lotsabots | In " I , Robot " , Will Smith is a cop with a sense of humor and a grudge against robots in the year 2030 something when humanoid robots are everywhere thanks to a giant corporation in a giant building in Chicago which manufactures friendly , helpful robots who have been programmed to protect humans . Sent to investigate the apparent suicide of the genius who created the robots , Smith uncovers an insidious plot - which will pit robots against people in an apocalyptic culmination of action , CGI and effects - and must save the token babe and the world from the big bot revolution . Short on human story , this sci-fi action / dramady hyperkinetic mech-fest pushes the envelope of believability with its overwrought CGI . Worth a look for sci-fi and CGI junkies . ( B ) |
586,534 | 783,721 | 174,398 | 7 | Only for those with specific interest in Honoré de Balzac | Balzac , the 200 minute French TV docudrama , cannot portray Balzac the man with fidelity and be any more interesting than the man himself . And , judging from this film , Balzac was not all that interesting as historical characters go . Though the series beautifully represents 19th century France with perfection in costuming , sets , locations , props , etc . and Depardieu turns in a solid performance as the title character , the teleplay spends most of its time buried in the minutia of Balzac's many relationships with women to the exclusions of countless other aspects of his life and times . A " must see " for anyone interested in life of the classical novelist , " Balzac " is not likely to be a satisfying watch for those interested in the period piece solely for entertainment . ( B ) |
586,776 | 783,721 | 244,244 | 7 | See Travolta smirk . See Berry's boobs . See Jackman type . See . . . | Swordfish is a rock'em , sock'em action no-brainer with Travolta as a deliciously likeable villain , Berry as a deliciously topless DEA agent , Jackman as a the world's faster typist , and Cheadle as an FBI agent . Not to be taken seriously , this flick rocks with all the stuff we've come to expect from Hollyweird . . . star power , stunts , pyro , visual effects , busses flying , bullets whizzing , cars crashing , yadayadayada . A must see for action junkies and enjoyable mindless escapism for others . Note - the plot , feeble as it may be , is eerily more poignant since 9-11 . |
586,761 | 783,721 | 240,419 | 7 | A testament to the mundane | La Cienaga ( The Swamp ) spends its 1 : 45 run examining the trivial daily activities of two families spanning three generation as they vacation in the sweaty climes of a run down Argentinian resort . There's no story arc in this film which ends much as it begins with bored family members who seem as uneasy with each other as they are with the humidity and temperature while they do the most mundane things . " La Cienaga " is so flat , in fact , that there's hardly a reason to recommend it save the fact that is so real and so much spot on with writer / director Martel's vision of bourgeois discomfort that it compels the viewer to watch vicariously and voyeuristically eking out moments of resonance . Not for the average film goer , this flick will work bests for foreign film buffs into plaintive studies of daily life . ( B ) |
587,590 | 783,721 | 200,720 | 7 | The higher your station the farther you fall . | The House of Mirth is a tour-de-force by Anderson who is cast as an early 1900's New York socialite who wrestles with conflicts between her integrity and her station . Beautiful but without a fortune of her own , Anderson must deny the opportunities for happiness which are numerous but tainted as she is slowly strangled by the protocols of polite society . A solid period piece , " House . . " is technically and artistically well done with a script which may be a tad too clever and a screenplay which may muddle rather than clarify the archaic notions which will seem foreign to the contemporary audience . A must see for Anderson fans and lovers of period films . |
585,950 | 783,721 | 390,022 | 7 | Excellent bone crunching varsity football flick | Friday Night Lights follows a season of football in a dusty little Texas oil town where varsity football is not just the only game in town but the only way out of town and the only hope for the future for many of the players . The film examines the team's key players and their good guy coach ( Thornton ) as they wrestle with personal issues and work their way through the season one bone jarring touchdown at a time . Working more with montages than linear plot development , Director Berg brings life and verve to the screen culminating in the mania and frenzy of the statewide championship . An excellent football flick , " Friday Night Lights " is all about football and what it means to the town that lives through it vicariously . ( |
586,532 | 783,721 | 316,356 | 7 | Seen it all before | There's little new in " Open Range " ; a cowboy tale with the tight lipped cow puncher who happens upon a town ruled by a cruel cattleman who owns the sheriff but not the doc who's sis is a babe who falls for the cowboy . . . blaa , blaa , etc . In spite of its apparent attempt to tell an old west story the way it really was , " Open Range " can't escape its Hollywoodness . You'll still see guns fired without reloading , men knocked ten feet by a bullet , a woman making nice with a wounded man as though his wound didn't exist , etc . Nice stuff if you're into big sky scenics , bigger than life heroics , and the " Unforgiven " approach to western film making . ( B ) |
585,670 | 783,721 | 365,885 | 7 | Muddling through midlife crises together | The Upside of Anger is all about a laid back retired baseball hero ( Cosner ) who becomes involved with a neighbor woman ( Allen ) who has a perpetual bad attitude because her husband has run off to Sweden with his secretary . The film is sweetened by the woman's four beautiful but disparate daughters who thicken the plot with their own growing pains and family semifunctionality . Though it's been a long road from Mike Binder's debut in the raunchy romp " Hollywood Knights " ( one of my guilty pleasures which helped launch the careers of Michelle Pffiefer , Tony Danza , Roberft Whurl , Fran Drescher and others ) , he score's a hit as director , writer , and character actor with this enjoyable and insightful cross-genre ( comedy / drama / romance ) tale of a mature couple sorting through their midlife crises together . Not a blockbuster but a very pleasant little film with a twist at the end worthy of a DVD rental . ( B ) |
586,037 | 783,721 | 101,605 | 7 | Like soul ? | You'd better like soul music if you're planning on watching " The Commitments " . The film is all about a young Dublin man who decides to assemble a rock band from his local cohorts and friends and that's all the film is about . From beginning to end , this raucous comedy tells of the coming together of a motley crew of musicians and wannabees who manage to harmonize on stage while dissonance prevails off stage . A raucous and ebullient musical comedy which is more lively than sophisticated and more profane than profound , this assembly of first-time acting talent is a must see for anyone into that Motown sound . All others , beware . ( B ) |
585,752 | 783,721 | 191,498 | 7 | What - is - after all the pomp and circumstance ? | That ponderous question is on the minds of the graduating students of a fictitious college and it shows in the apprehension on the fresh faces which are the focus of " Graduation Week " . Among the characters of this even tempered B-flick are a diehard feminist , a sexually conflicted model female student , a black man on the fast track to success , etc . The film straddles the comedy and drama genres gracefully as it follows its characters through poignant realizations of what's important in life while the world awaits their contributions to humanity . Sensitive and full of heart , this big little flick will make for an entertaining watch for females and more mature males ; especially those with nostalgic remembrances of their graduation week . ( B ) |
585,862 | 783,721 | 253,200 | 7 | Sentimental old guy ensemble flick | Jack's ( Caine ) ashes are in the urn and the company of his old friends and pub mates as " Last Orders " recounts Jack's life via reminiscing and flashbacks . Jack's life was not sufficiently interesting to make this film worthy . Rather , the sweetness and beauty of " Last Orders " comes from the nostalgia , remembrances , and sentimental reflection of the players , the old duffers , as they haul Jack to his final destination . An excellent ensemble film which will most likely appeal to more mature males . ( B ) Note - Be prepared for thick British accents and lots of jargon with which you may not be familiar . I viewed this flick with subtitles for language support . |
585,772 | 783,721 | 400,063 | 7 | Worthy | Sometimes in April attempts to tell the story of the 1994 wholesale slaughter of about 800 , 000 mostly innocent people during the 100 day national ordeal when the top blew off the powder keg which Rwanda , Africa had become . This film of civil war and genocide focuses on one man , Augustin ( Elba ) , a Rwandan soldier and his extended family as it jumps around in location and time using his story to connect the dots . Although this HBO docudrama makes a satisfactory dramatic watch , is asks more questions than it answers and leaves one wondering , among other things , how it is possible that so many helpless and innocent people could be savagely murdered by their own countrymen . The historical background and Rwandan zeitgeist are not sufficiently presented but the brutality of the horrific genocide perpetrated by the Hutus upon the Tutsis and Hutu moderates , stands out in bold relief . Snapshots of US State Department bureaucrat Prudence Bushnell's ( Winger ) frustration with her own government's slow reaction to the crisis and the seemingly inadequate UN war crimes tribunals only hint at the problems associated with intervention in civil strife and prosecution of war criminals . Overall , the film is a worthwhile entertaining and educational watch with language , violence , sex / rape thoughtfully maintained at a level which would probably yield about a PG-13 rating . ( B ) |
586,634 | 783,721 | 191,610 | 7 | Adultery medium rare sans jus | The Bridge is a slice-of-French-life flick which , like many French films , is fatalistic , character-driven , and an almost plotless film about life . The film tells of a middle class housewife and mother who has an affair . The adulterous relationship is treated cooly by the husband ( Depardieu ) , the wife ( Boquet ) , and her lover ( Berling ) in this film in which , beyond the principals , everything else is just so much window dressing . Well acted , not particularly artistic but technically okay , " The Bridge " will appeal most to aficionados of French cinema while other will miss the sex , nudity , melodrama , and other appurtenances of a typical Hollywood product . |
586,406 | 783,721 | 110,308 | 7 | What a hctib ! | The Last Seduction is all about Fiorentino , a NYC hardened vixen and man-ipulator who spends the whole flick using her guile and unscrupulous ways to separate her husband from their his ill gotten gains . A well crafted , well cast , and not-to-be-taken-seriously darkish flick which gets out of the blocks quick and keeps you thinking and guessing all the way to the conclusion . Light entertainment for adults on cable . |
586,157 | 783,721 | 374,546 | 7 | Zensational | Spring , Summer , Fall , Winter . . . and Spring is a very East Asian art flick which moves like molasses with mesmerizing beauty as it spins its simple allegorical tale of the seasons of nature and life . The film centers on an elder Buddhist master and his young charge as the boy grows into manhood with considerably less grace than the passing of the old man to the next life . Mostly visual with minimal dialogue , this flick tells its tale with stunning cinematography , keeps subtitle reading to a minimum , and allows the disengaged and those who don't want to languish in many tedious moments to fast forward at x2 of x4 through most of the film reducing its100 minute run to 20-30 minutes . Recommended for buffs into Asian art flicks . ( B ) |
585,637 | 783,721 | 110,299 | 7 | A journey though a devastated land . | Lamerica takes the audience through the devastation of post-communist Albania as it follows the odyssey of a young Italian man who has come to make some easy money but finds himself caught up in the same curious mix of hopeful despair etched into the faces of people he's come to swindle . The film has little plot , the feel of a documentary , and most of the scenes are perfunctory . Nonetheless , " Lamerica " will beg a strange fascination from those who find grizzled realism interesting . |
585,742 | 783,721 | 200,849 | 7 | For insiders only | My Best Fiend : Klaus Kinski is a documentary retrospective by acclaimed film director Werner Herzog ( " Fitzcarraldo " , " Aguirre : The Wrath of God " , etc . ) which looks back at the peculiar symbiosis of the adventurous and obsessive Herzog and the volatile , explosive , and oft irrational Klaus Kinski . The film is a sort of Kinski-according-to-Herzog tale , released about 8 years after Kinski's death , which uses archival footage , feature film clips , interviews with other people who worked with Kinski , and trips to places where the two men worked together bound by their love / hate relationship to tell its story . Not likely to have much value for the average film-goer , this documentary is recommended for fans of the two principals and others interested in film industry personalities . ( B ) |
585,605 | 783,721 | 218,182 | 7 | If you don't love the Irish , find another movie . | An Everlasting Piece is a lively , smart little comedy which tells of two barbers in 1980's Belfast , one Prot and the other Catholoic , who start a toupee business and struggle to succeed against the adversity of a divided Ireland , commercial competition , and their own religious / political alignments . " AEP " is solid throughout with fresh faces , a good musical score , a clever and spunky story , lots of wry Irish wit and a few poignant moments too . Not your usual slappy-sticky comedy fare , " AEP " will appeal most to those who appreciate wry comedic subtleties . If you don't love the Irish , find another movie . |
586,242 | 783,721 | 116,905 | 7 | A good watch for those who missed it in 1996 . | In " Lone Star " , a skull is found in an isolated part of a Texas border county which begins an investigation by the local Sheriff who must unlock a closet full of skeletons to solve the mystery . Critically acclaimed and a high scoring flick on this website , " Lone Star " is a film to be reckoned with . It features solid performances without the usual blockbuster star power , an engaging story , a real feel , and masterful editing which allows for a seamless presentation of the numerous flashbacks required to tell the story . You'll find little emoting or little reason to emote in this matter-of-fact contemporary film which ends with a kicker . Worth a look for just about anyone mature enough for the subject matter . |
587,234 | 783,721 | 94,828 | 7 | Worthy but not for general consumption . | Camille Claudel is an earnest biopic which tells of her rise to prominence in Paris as a student ( and mistress ) of renown sculptor Auguste Rodin , their love / hate relationship , her struggle for independent recognition as an artist , and her eventual descent into madness . A subtitled French film , " Camille Claudel " deserves high marks on all counts with sterling performances by all and all the trappings of late 19th century life in Paris . If the film has a flaw , it is the almost 2 . 5 hours is spends on the historically obscure , esoteric , and decidedly unpleasant subject which is likely to wear on , if not wear out , the casual filmgoer interested in entertainment . Not for the many , " Camille Claudel " will play best for patrons or students of French art , art history , sculpting , etc . ; for those with an interest in Rodin and / or Claudel ; and , of course , fans of the principals . ( B ) |
586,582 | 783,721 | 125,659 | 7 | Powerful hokum | Open Your Eyes , later knocked-off as " Vanilla Sky " , is a bunch of hokum which muddles dreams with reality with an unsatisfying conclusion . However , for those who can get their head around sci-fi or paranormal flix or those who can overlook simple minded plot ploys , this flick will prove to be a worthy effort . ( B ) |
586,487 | 783,721 | 323,944 | 7 | Naked pictures of women ? ? | Shattered Glass tells the true story of Stephen Glass , a young upstart hotshot investigative journalist who wrote fiction or partial fiction and represented it as fact in the esteemed New Republic magazine and other publications . The film is a smartly pitched hardcore no frills drama which recounts events leading up to the explosive 1998 scandal created when the magazine went public by exposing itself as the unwitting purveyor of countless fraudulent articles . Most of the film is set in the offices of TNR magazine and the film is devoid of the usual Hollywood tinsel . . . . no action , violence , sex , thrills , exotic locations , megastars , etc . However , for those into tales of ethics , journalism , and / or aberrant personalities , " Shattered Glass " may well be a spellbinder . Good stuff with plenty of critical plaudits for drama enthusiasts and those interested in investigative journalism . ( B ) |
586,888 | 783,721 | 240,149 | 7 | A different kind of love story | The Girl From Paris tiptoes liltingly though a slice of life of a young French city woman who buys a farm and finds herself wrestling with the rigors of farm life and the stoic , laconic , and crusty old previous owner . The odd couple put of with each other at the outset but as time passes they find something of value in one another and a tender , sensitive but mostly unspoken relationship emerges . A light drama about mutual needs in a bucolic milieu which explores a different kind of relationship , " The Girl From Paris " is a lovely little film with minimal dialogue worth a look for anyone into people flicks of the French persuasion . ( B ) |
586,343 | 783,721 | 158,302 | 7 | What's with the jet plane ? | Under the Sun is a bucolic , warm , charming , and sentimental story about a 40 year old Swedish farmer who hires an attractive housekeeper who tends to somewhat more than cooking and cleaning . He's illiterate with an inheritance , she's smart and pretty , and he has a young male friend who may be after both his money and the woman . A lovely bit of romantic melodrama laced with humor and rustic beauty which could steal your heart or make you gag depending on your taste . Recommended for more mature sentimentalists . ( B ) |
585,758 | 783,721 | 309,912 | 7 | Bored the dickens out of me | Nicholas Nickleby , a par retelling of the lengthy Dickens novel on the silver screen , has little to praise and little to fault as it presents it's digest in a squeaky clean format with a very robust young man who never coughs playing a cripple with consumption and Nicholas himself with nary a single strand of hair out of place as he suffers gross misfortunes . The good are oh so good and the bad are , well , kind of bad though no one ever kicks a puppy . Good stuff for sentimentalists , romantics , and others who prefer their classic idealized , sanitized , and Disneyesque . ( B ) |
587,088 | 783,721 | 246,677 | 7 | A very different love story | In " Heaven " , we get to watch a woman whose committed the ultimate faux pas wrestle with her humanity with the help of a quixotic police translator . On the upside , Blanchett carves out a compelling character with her powerful portrayal in a worthy character-driven cinematic effort which is technically and artistically sound . On the downside , " Heaven " doesn't equal the sum of its parts , has an ambiguous ending , and comes off like a sort of fatalistic foreign flick ( which it is ) which filmgoers on this side of the pond tend to think of as artsy . Half English and half Italian with subtitles , " Heaven " is fodder for film buffs and fans of the players . ( B ) |
586,470 | 783,721 | 138,704 | 7 | An excellent film for a niche audience . | An obsessive , seziure-plagued , sociophobic genius crunches numbers in his apartment with home-grown super computer in an attempt to reach the ultimate conclusion of his obsession while being sought after by Hasidic and Industrial operatives . " Pi " - a creative , low budget , award winning independent flick shot in black and white on grainy / contrasty film - is moody , frenetic , idiosyncratic , cerebral and not for everyone . However , its unique story , artsy milieu , skillful direction , and creativity and energy make it pound-for-pound better than most big budget studio films . Will probably play best to the college crowd . |
586,948 | 783,721 | 116,684 | 7 | A fine , uncompromising retelling of a classic gothic romance . | Jane Eyre ( 1996 ) does a good job of telling Bronte's oft told tale . The film's two central characters avoid the usual inclinations toward schmaltz and melodrama which romantic films often use to capitalize on the market potential of the mindless masses . Instead , Eyre is rigid and unemotional while Rochester is anything but urbane and most of the romance is understood as opposed to demonstrated . Those who appreciate such fidelity to the period will likely appreciate this version of " Jane Eyre " . The film is well shot , costumed , cast , scripted , and acted thought it does lurch through time periodically . Not a chick flick but an earnest retelling of a wonderful old gothic tale . |
587,269 | 783,721 | 332,658 | 7 | A good film you'll want to miss | Intermission is a mediocre but well managed dark comedy which takes the slices of life of a bunch of Dubliners ( mostly bad people with bad attitudes ) and shuffles them like a deck of cards while keeping sufficient interconnectedness to hold the film together ala " Magnolia " . A high energy misanthro-pic built on a good cast in Dublin , " Intermission " has very little heart and an abundance of aholes which will make it a less than enjoyable watch for all but those who can appreciate annoyingly bellicose films such as ' Lock Stock . . . " , " Pulp Fiction " , etc . Long on talent and short on story with only modest critical and public praise , " Intermission " is difficult to recommend . Personally I was bored numb by the film's end . ( B ) |
586,473 | 783,721 | 116,692 | 7 | A warm , sincere look at a musical prodigy's struggle with her parent's handicap | Beyond Silence is a tender look at the rift which develops between a young girl and her deaf parents as she and her interest in the clarinet grow . The film delivers it's story with a soft touch , avoiding extremes while maintaining an earnest sense of legitimacy . Excepting a few minor glitches , the film is technically and artistically well done , the acting good , the directing superb , and the story warm and thoughtful . A worthwhile watch . |
587,688 | 783,721 | 120,449 | 7 | An excellent French people / reality film . | Dreamlife . . . is an award winning , much heralded , French people-flick shot in the typical austere Euro docudrama dogma-esque style . The film peers deeply into a short period in the lives of two footloose and broke young women who come together out of mutual need . A study in human nature sans the commercialism of Hollywood , " Dreamlife . . . " is an earnest and well constructed over-the-shoulder look at the principals very different character which will be most enjoyed by those into reality / people films . |
587,065 | 783,721 | 279,778 | 7 | A chick flick for all seasons | A chick flick for chicks of all ages , " The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood " tells of four Louisiana ladies who establish their secret Ya-Ya sisterhood , bound by blood and oath and honor , at a young age and who remain friends over the years providing each other with friendship and support . The film's thin storyline is about one such " sister " ( Burstyn / Judd ) who has issues with her adult daughter ( Bullock ) and her sister Ya-Ya's who come to her rescue much to her dismay . What ensues is a warmly funny kind of jambalaya which makes up for its gaping plotholes with personality , charm , and rambunciousness as it stumbles through it story finally arriving gasping and wheezing at its feel good conclusion . Gagging material for grinches , most will find the " Ya-Yas " are just too damned much fun not to like on some level . ( B ) |
586,222 | 783,721 | 309,987 | 7 | A Bertolucci pet project | The Dreamers is all about three young adult upscale hippy types who languish in a flat in Paris in the late 60's and talk about cinema , politics , sex , and other stuff while sharing some first experiences . Two are brother ( Garrel ) and sister ( Green ) identical twins ( or so we're told ) who have an almost metaphysical bond and the third is an interloper ( Pitt ) who falls in lust with the sister . There's little plot to this slice of young adult life flick which seems to be more of a Bertolucci pet project than a commercial product for the masses . Less than engaging and much less than compelling , " The Dreamers " immerses itself in the esoterics of the place and time to the exclusion of anyone who wasn't there then . Beautifully filmed and masterfully crafted with some young actors doing superb work under difficult circumstances with plenty of graphic nudity and sex , " The Dreamers " will play best with aficionados of French cinema , Bertolucci fans , etc . Those who are squeamish about sex / nudity should pass . All others , be prepared for a marginally interesting watch . ( B ) |
586,095 | 783,721 | 254,334 | 7 | Undertouted and underestimated | The Fourth Angel tells of one man's quest for retribution beyond all reason as he , the protag ( Irons ) , takes on a bunch of hijackers while trying to avoid inquiries from government agents . Typically British in its austerity of production , this flick makes for a good middle-tier drama by creating a series of believable moral and practical dilemmas to which the well portrayed protagonist must react . A satisfying though not sterling blend of action , intrigue , and human drama , " The Fourth Angel " is not a no-brainer and , considering the complexity of the intrigue over the run time , is very well managed throughout . Not for Hollywood blockbuster freaks , this little import now on cable is well worth a look for those into foreign intrigue and movies that make you think but not too much . ( B ) |
586,758 | 783,721 | 288,330 | 7 | Too nice to not like . | Zelary follows Eliska , a beautiful , young Czech woman through the course of her life during WWII as she is torn from her nursing work and antifascist movement support in the city to be secreted in a rustic mountain community where she finds herself having to cope with the tribulations of a hard rural life , a husband required to legitimize her presence as a cover , and the throes of a war which spills over onto the mountain villagers from both fronts . This slow moving 2 : 20 hour film pans the gamut of rural life in war torn Czechoslovakia as it looks wistfully at the bucolic beauty and plaintively at the juxtaposed evils of war showing us life , death , love , birth , hardship , evil , and more . An Oscar nominated Czech film with easy subtitles , " Zelary " is sometimes tedious , sometimes riveting , and always full of heart . Should be a pleasant watch for more mature audiences into the foreign film fringe . ( B ) |
587,538 | 783,721 | 258,153 | 7 | Assimilate this ! | In " Simone " , Pacino plays a down-on-his-luck small time film director in need of a break which he gets when he acquires some software which allows him to create holographic virtual people . To rescue his waning career , he creates Simone , a beautiful virtual actress who quickly becomes the hottest property in all of filmdom through the magic of hi-tech telecommunications . What ensues is a fun little romp with some subtle eye gouging ridicule of the essence of Hollywood if one considers Simone to be a metaphor for all the sham in film from the perspectives of persona , public , and paparazzi . After all , do you really know Julia Roberts is no more than pixels ? An excellent , smart , and sassy film only for those who can tune into the deliciously pointed mockery . ( B ) |
586,489 | 783,721 | 340,376 | 7 | All Caine | Michael Caine carries " The Statement " on his back . In spite of an elegant cast , without him as the central character , this convoluted mess of a film wouldn't be worth watching . Telling of an aging French-Nazi war criminal who finds himself on the run and squeezed in the jaws of subterfuge , " The Statement " is too vague in its historical flashbacks , gives poor depth into its sundry characters , breaches realism with a bunch of Brits in France , never makes its agenda clear , and doesn't sort itself out well in the end . . . to mention just a few of the flaws . The result is a film with a lukewarm reception by critics and the public at large and little reason to watch save another excellent performance by Caine . In spite of all that , I quite enjoyed this flick . Go figure . ( |
586,398 | 783,721 | 250,494 | 7 | An enjoyable girl power flick with a mainstream message . | Legally Blonde is all about Witherspoon as a totally val blonde from Beverly Hills who goes to Harvard and makes good . Predictable formula fun , " LB " gets off to a good start with the freshness of " Clueless " , pushes its own envelope of believability in the middle , and ends with a major feel good moment . Along the way , this fun family flick makes some good points about life's priorities . Enjoyable stuff for 13 and up . |
587,225 | 783,721 | 215,750 | 7 | American & Brit actors play Soviets & Germans . Duh ! | Excellent production talent provides a gritty war-torn backdrop reminiscent of " Saving Private Ryan " for this weak story and poor historical account of the Battle for Stalingrad , a pivotal fight in the WWII European theater . The film tells of a Soviet war hero and sniper ( Law ) who squares off against a dogged adversary and top German sniper ( Harris ) providing the suspense and intrigue . The love story is played out like a clumsy after-thought and the use of big name stars for box office bucks when many good European actors could have added realism to the film was a typically self-serving Hollywood decision . Hoskins playing Khrushchev with his limey accent was laughable not to mention Harris as a German or Law as a Soviet and no attempt to fake an accent by anyone . A typical could-have-been-better flick which will entertain the masses and make the money mongers of filmdom happy while movie purists grumble . |
586,293 | 783,721 | 103,129 | 7 | The British " Ghost " ? | Juliet Stevenson proves her mettle in " Truly , Madly , Deeply " with a superb performance as a woman struck with grief who overcomes same in spite of her friends and with a little help from " the other side " . A definite chick flick according to the IMDB . com stats , this plaintive but hopeful drama with a dash of comedy about personal reconciliation is a worthy effort for those who can get their head around the whole " ghost " thing . For more mature audiences and , of course , chicks . ( NOTE : Write / director Anthony Minghella introduces himself and his film at the beginning of the DVD which I viewed ; a smart move and a nice touch which will engender good will much more than huge imposing in-your-face letters like " DIRECTED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG " . |
587,135 | 783,721 | 258,068 | 7 | A Caine tour-de-force | The Quiet American tells of an eternal triangle which evolves amid the tropical backdrop of Vietnam during the end of the French War in Indochina in 1952 . The triangle includes a British reporter ( Caine ) , and American aid worker ( Fraser ) , and a Vietnamese beauty ( Do Thi Hai Yen ) . The film opens after the stabbing death of Fraser's character and spends the rest of the run explaining the circ's which led up to the killing . Caine carries the film on his back with a solid performance while Fraser is unconvincing and the local beauty is just so much window dressing . A moderately interesting drama , " The Quiet American " squeaks by as a three star watch thanks to Caine , good atmospherics , location shooting , and some intrigues . Coulda , shoulda been better but an okay watch for most , especially those who got their Vietnam history lessons from the nightly news broadcasts of the 60's . ( B ) |
587,625 | 783,721 | 212,346 | 7 | Cute , cute stuff . | Miss Congeniality is a fun little comedy with Bullock at the center playing an FBI agent who has to go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant . Bullock is finally in her element in this flick which sports a lively screeplay , a clever script with lots of " call backs " , and a good supporting cast . A must see for Bullock fans and a fun watch for most others . |
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