War Horse (2011)

Old school epic, often reaching back to Gone With The Wind flair. It’s a pretty film that focuses on the life of a horse. The cast and story are ok. I was wowed by anything but the cinematography. If you are looking for a war film that the whole family can enjoy, this is a solid option.

Rating: C+

Spider (2002)

I was curious about this latest David Cronenberg film with Ralph Fiennes. It starts out Slllllloooooowwwwww, and keeps that pace for most of the movie. When the story is finally revealed, I didn't really care. Not worth the trouble.

Rating: D

Iron Man 2 (2010)

While the first film was carried almost entirely on the brilliant shoulders of Robert Downey Jr., the sequel brings in a great supporting cast to lend a hand. The film as a whole is more consistent. It's funnier, and better written. Plus, it looks and sounds amazing on Blu-Ray. Better than the original.

Rating: B-

J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA) (2000)

A mystery with an interesting premise, but poorly crafted. I liked the idea of North and South Korean soldiers fraternizing across the DMZ. I was even willing to overlook the lack of acting talent. But Koreans don’t know how to give a satisfying conclusion. I didn’t buy anyone’s motives. Things were scattered and dreary by the end.

Rating: D

The Painted Veil (2006)

Not your typical epic love story, which is a good thing. A very solid drama with even better cinematography. The film is beautifully shot and while it unfolds slowly, you won't regret sticking it out until the end.

Rating: C+

16 Blocks (2006)

A decent bad cops vs 1 good cop action/drama with a nice acting turn
by Mos Def, although I never did get used to that obnoxious accent he
was using. I like seeing Bruce taking roles where he's acting his age or even older. (another example: Sin City) It goes against most other leading men in Hollywood who insist on pretending they are 20 years younger. (I'm looking at you Harrison Ford in Firewall)

Rating: C

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Quite amazing computer animation. It looks wonderful. The hidden treasure story is ok, but starts to wear thin by the end.

Rating: C

The Ladykillers (2004)

Reminded me of Woody Allen's "Small Time Crooks" and Welcome to Collinwood, only not as funny as those. Great cast, weak writing. The visuals were nice, but the rest of the film did not support them. Skip it.

Rating: D+

True Romance (1993)

I saw this a long time ago when it first came out, and I wanted to check it out a second time since they released a director's cut on DVD. The cast is unreal: Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Samuel L. Jackson, Val Kilmer, Christopher Walken, Michael Rapaport, James Gandolfini, and Tom Sizemore. Wow.

Despite all this, the movie never reaches a Pulp Fiction, The Professional (Leon), Natural Born Killers, Freeway, The Salton Sea, Fight Club, Out of Sight, or Bound level. It has moments of brilliance, but never quite makes it.

Rating: B-

The Descendants (2011)

Anything filmed in Hawaii is pretty to look at, except when it’s a dying corpse in a hospital room. Way too many close-ups of his gross wife in a coma. The film’s kind of a downer, albeit a well-directed, nicely acted downer. Nothing spectacular that the Oscar attention would lead you to believe. That’s usually the case.

Rating: C+

xXx (2002)

I like Vin Diesel and I like action movies, so of course I enjoyed the film. The plot? Sure, it had one, but you see this kind of movie for the action and stunt work. It was fun. Go have a good time. Rating: C

Babies (2010)

Wow that's a lot of nudity for a PG movie. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. It's mother and child nudity. I'm just sayin', it was a little awkward to watch on a plane. Anyway, it was an interesting look into how babies are raised around the world. Interesting and gross. Diapers may be filling up our landfills, but I'm not sure I'd be down with letting my baby crap on my leg and then wiping it off with an old corn cob.

Rating: C+

Young Adult (2011)

Another indie with an unlikeable lead character. I found myself rooting for the inevitable train wreck, but even after it came, I was left unsatisfied. Mostly depressing.

Rating: C-

MirrorMask (2005)

A strange and beautiful movie not unlike The Wizard of Oz and The Neverending Story. If you are in the mood for something outside the box, this deserves a viewing.

Rating: C+

All the Real Girls (2003)

Quirky indie romance. Started out choppy, but found its pace midway through. Finished out well. Very different directing style. Worth a rent.

Rating: C

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Fincher’s film follows the Swedish original quite closely, which is a good thing, as the foreign trilogy is pretty awesome. It was smart to keep the remake in Scandinavia, as opposed to trying to rework it for an American setting. Fincher’s version is very crisp, precise, and well edited. Like all his work. The story is a little easier to follow. I think I was lost for the first half of the Swedish film.

Enjoyed the choice of casting. Solid all around. I may have enjoyed this more if I didn’t already know the outcome.

Rating: B

Robin Hood (2010)

It's a shame this didn't make a lot of money, because I'd love to see a sequel. I watched the director's cut on Blu-Ray, and really enjoyed the story of Robin Hood's origin. Films of epic proportions don't come along everyday, and this is a good one. Some might be bothered by the length, but I was fully engaged the entire time. Everything was done top notch. Looked and sounded terrific.

Rating: B-

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)

The focus here was on action and comedy, not trying to be all sexy with Brad and Angelina. It was violent enough to keep me entertained, and quite funny. It's no masterpiece, but it's good fun.

Rating: C+

Treeless Mountain (2008)

A Korean film that feels more like a documentary about two young girls who’s lives take a difficult turn. I’d love to know how they managed to illicit such authentic performances from the two young actresses.

Rating: C

Crazy/Beautiful (2001)

I loved Kirsten Dunst in this movie. It almost takes off from where her role in "The Virgin Suicides" left off. Almost. Yes, there's a basic Hollywood formula being followed here, but when something is done right, even if it's been done before, it's still right. The DVD deleted scenes aren't bad, and the making of documentary is great.

Rating: B-