The Insider (1999)

 

Watching this in 2025 is a trip. Seems like 100 years have passed instead of 25. The pace of news is agonizingly slow as people send faxes, ship documents, consult The Yellow Pages, use pay phones, and read newspapers. Everything is outdated. 

Michael Mann’s style feels slow and clunky in this slow burner. It’s white collar legal stuff, so Mann relies on jump cut racoons and shadowy golfers to try and make it exciting. Doesn’t really work. 

Maybe the subject of nicotine and tobacco companies was a bigger deal back then, but the story seems insignificant in the face of the current tsunami of malfeasance and corruption washing over us on a daily basis. Stretched over 2 ½ hours, the film wasn’t very riveting. 

Rating: D+

The Sum Of All Fears (2002)

The first half of the movie is all build up. A lot of political spy talk that nobody, except the writers, really care about. When the action finally does come, it is anti-climatic. The characters meant nothing to me. Most were one dimensional.

Rating: D-

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Doesn't follow your typical path, where the victimized husband goes on a vengeful killing spree while keeping the audience on his side. Certainly watchable, but never rises above cheap entertainment.

Rating: C

Run All Night (2015)

It’s a movie I’ve seen before under many different names, but I keep watching this same plotline because I crave action movies. This version was pretty good.

Rating: C

Collateral (2004)

Cool, dark thriller by Michael Mann. Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx are at their best. The script is polished and the violence nicely paced. This film could have been an unbelievable mess in someone else's hands.

Rating: B-

Vantage Point (2008)

Like watching an extended episode of Boomtown, but with a bigger budget. Expect to be entertained and not much more.

Rating: C

The Lookout (2007)

A mostly overlooked film that deserves to be seen. Characters are given time to develop, and the story is engaging. A nice effort overall.

Rating: B-

Shallow Hal (2001)

Jack Black, as directed by the Farlley Brothers, was a smart move. The comedy goes beyond fat chick jokes, although there is plenty of that too. As with "There's Something About Mary", there's a romance story beneath all the childish humor. Funny and fun.

Rating: B-

Lincoln (2012)

Filled with old timey political debate and closed door meetings. Chalk full of ridiculous hairstyles, walking canes, hearth fires, longwinded speeches, and the corpse of Tommy Lee Jones. (Someone needs to inform him he died 7 years ago and it’s safe to walk into the light.) If those are things you enjoy seeing on screen, this is a must see for you.

The film features an endless slate of A and B list actors. It may be simpler to list the actors not starring in Lincoln. The production value is very high, however it felt more like a stage production. I was particularly annoyed by Sally Field’s overly dramatic portrayal of Lincoln’s wife. Lifetime movie obnoxious. The movie is somewhat entertaining, but comes off more as a heavy handed history lesson.

Rating: C

Cinderella Man (2005)

Together, Ron Howard and Russell Crowe do justice to this compelling true story of a comeback boxer during the Great Depression.

My only complaint: Renée Zellicker sliming her way into a perfectly good movie. Just because you made a deal with the Devil to become famous doesn't mean I should have to pay for it by seeing you on the big screen.

To her credit, she didn't ruin the entire film, just the majority of the scenes she was in. But you can fast forward those without missing anything important to the film. Rot in Hell Renée!

Rating: B-

Elizabethtown (2005)

Certainly not your run of the mill romantic comedy, but then what did you expect from Cameron Crowe? I enjoyed this film and it's uniquely functioning disfunctuality. Crowe made my favorite romantic comedy of all time with "Say Anything" -- here he delivers another fun film in a completely new way.

Rating: B-

Matchstick Men (2003)

Ridley Scott takes a screwball turn with this one. Nicolas Cage regains a little respect with this role. (Unfortunately it will be quickly lost after a dozen terrible roles to follow) Sam Rockwell is lots of fun as usual. Good story and plenty of laughs.

Rating: C+

Runaway Jury (2003)

Pretty good movie with plenty of star power. Not quite The Rainmaker, but better than The Firm or The Client.

Rating: C+