Finding Neverland (2004)

An enjoyable family film. Depp and Winslett are great.

Rating: C+

No Country For Old Men (2007)

The Coen Brothers deliver a disjointed film that could have been great. The period and set location are spot on. Performances are great, from the lead characters, all the way down to the one-scene extras. Some of my favorite lines were delivered from gas station and hotel attendants.

The film moves at a disturbing pace, with flashes of violence coming at you in regular intervals. My complaint is that things started to get fuzzy the last quarter of the film. Scenes which were implied should have been shown, and others were simply ignored. It was as if the director opted to rip several chapters at random from the book and pretend as if everything was ok. It wasn't.


This, combined with a lackluster ending—chalk full of loose ends—will leave the viewer feeling robbed of a satisfying movie experience. Don't tease us with greatness and then under deliver.

Rating: C+

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

I saw this for free at a work movie day, and I still felt ripped off. Terrible terrible terrible. That's right. Three terribles. I'm one of those people who didn't read the books, see the TV series, or hear anything else about the story. I went in as a blank page, and came out as a crumpled-up blank page.

There are story points and characters strewn all over the place. Hardly anything was explained, nor was there any meaningful interaction between anybody. A complete waste of time.

Rating: F

Anna Karenina (2012)

It’s quite marvelous how they succeeded at filming a play, based on a novel, that spills out into the theater, and eventually the outside world. I can see why it received a nomination in cinematography. 

I was also very impressed by the lighting and sound, both of which helped to sell the realness of a mostly artificial environment. It’s a long film, and a bit tedious at times. Not the most exciting thing to watch, but interesting nonetheless.

Rating: C

Brave (2012)

Not sure why every Disney princess movie has to have a witch and spells. It would have been interesting to have a plot about an independent, strong-willed Scottish lass who happened to be an excellent shot with a bow and arrow. Instead, we got moms turning into bears, glowing wisps, and magical tapestries. Parts were cute, but this didn’t even come close to living up to the Pixar name.

Rating: C-

Intermission (2003)

A strange Irish indie with thick characters talking in thick Irish accents. I had to turn the subtitles on after 5 minutes after realizing I could barely understand anything being said. One of those movies where all the character paths seem to cross and meet up by the end. Some nice, dark humor keeps things interesting.

Rating: C