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Dave's Top 10 For 2001

In The Bedroom, Amores Perros, Ghost World, Amélie, Memento, Lantana, L.I.E., Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Son's Room, and Our Song

Director: Todd Field ("In the Bedroom"); Actor: Tom Wilkinson ("In the Bedroom"); Actress: Tilda Swinton ("The Deep End"); Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi ("Ghost World"); Supporting Actress: Maggie Smith ("Gosford Park"); Foreign Film: "Amelie"; Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan ("Memento"); Adapted Screenplay: Rob Festinger and Todd Field ("In the Bedroom"); Cinematography: Roger Deakins ("The Man Who Wasn't There")

"About Schmidt": Warren R. Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) is a freshly retired insurance actuary, who after 30 plus years on the job, suddenly gets to sleep in every morning. The problem is, he doesn't know what to do with himself. It doesn't help that his wife of 42 years suddenly drops dead. His lone support system is his only child, Jeannie (Hope Davis), who is too preoccupied with her wedding plans to really be there for him. So, by sponsoring a six year-old Tanzanian orphan named Ndugu for $22 a month, Warren creates a new support system. Even though the child can't read or write, Warren pours his emotions into a series of letters to Ndugu (which he narrates to the audience). This is one of the film's tragic jokes. Another is how Schmidt can't accept the fact that his daughter may actually be happy if she marries a waterbed salesman. Or how Jeannie's fiancée's quirky family can actually be content with their station in life. After his wife's death, Warren hops in his fancy Winnebago and drives through Middle America to help his daughter with her wedding. He starts in Omaha, Nebraska (yes, we get the insurance joke) and works his way to Colorado. Alexander Payne ("Election") co-wrote (with Jim Taylor) and directed "About Schmidt," using his keen sense of social satire (that he also honed in his wonderful film "Citizen Ruth") without losing sight of his fascinating subject. Warren R. Schmidt is, in many respects, an older version of Jim McAllister, Matthew Broderick's character in "Election." Both men lack the proper foresight to see beyond their actions and both men had to learn to live with themselves, literally and figuratively. I loved how Payne challenged his viewers to try to understand the perspectives of the various characters in his film, and how by doing so, the viewers become part of his point. Jack Nicholson as Schmidt is beautifully understated. It would be so easy for Nicholson to create yet another caricature of himself, but he plays Schmidt with a divine subtlety. Kathy Bates as Jeannie's future mother-in-law is wonderful and almost steals the film from Nicholson, if that's possible. And Dermot Mulroney as Warren's future son-in-law, is perfect as the mullet haircut with a beating heart of gold. As I was leaving the theater after watching "About Schmidt," I overheard a patron complain the film was "awful," that she "didn't get it." If you're able to understand Schmidt and what he's about, you'll understand "About Schmidt," and THEN you will see the beauty of the film. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Rabbit-Proof Fence": The 'Stolen Generation' is actually a sixty-year period (between 1910 and 1971) when about 50,000 aboriginal girls were 'stolen' from their mothers in Australia. The girls were 'half-caste' and usually abandoned by their white fathers. Before they had the chance to reproduce with other aboriginals, the white government, which was less concerned with the child's well being and more concerned with 'bleaching' the country, rounded them up. The horrors of this common practice are depicted in "Rabbit-Proof Fence," a film based on the book written by Doris Pilkington, whose mother was one of three little girls whose story is told in this film. The three girls, all sisters, are taken 1500 miles by train to the Moore River Native Settlement dormitories, where they're to be trained as domestic servants. The facility is run by A.O. Neville (Kenneth Branagh), who genuinely believes he is helping the girls to lead more productive lives. Neville's ego, however, won't allow the three girls to get the best of him, so when they escape the facility, he pulls out all the stops to get them back. The girls (ages 8 to 13), homesick and desperate to see their mother, follow the 1500-mile fence, originally designed to keep rabbits from ruining the crops. All they know is their family farm is next to the fence, so in spite of the daunting journey, they will walk and walk and walk until they reach home. The film jumps back and forth between their quest and the affect it has upon them, and Neville, who shows a calm on the surface but his naiveté (a kinder word for ignorance) drives him to do the wrong thing. "Rabbit-Proof Fence" was directed by Phillip Noyce with an honesty and lack of preachiness, in spite of its obvious bias towards the plight of its subjects. Kenneth Branagh, as usual, is superb as the government administrator who honestly believes he is acting in the best interests of the girls. The problem with the film is that it's boring. Following three girls along a fence, where few threats occur (except a professional tracker) and no action happens, is, well, less than scintillating. No, we don't want to see a pack of angry wolves, but we'd like a little more meat with our potatoes. "Rabbit-Proof Fence" is an idea that would've worked better as a documentary. I can only recommend it for its interesting story. ** (out of) ****

"Die Another Day": James Bond films can almost be lumped into a different category. You KNOW they'll never have any redeeming social value; you KNOW they'll never win any awards, and you KNOW they'll be filled with bad puns and all the usual clichés. Therefore, it's best to measure the latest film by the things it didn't do or maybe did less than its predecessors. So, based on that criteria, "Die Another Day" didn't suck (did I just write that?) as much as the last ten Bond films. Actually, if you COMPLETELY suspend belief, "Die Another Day" is a pretty entertaining film; one of the best Bond films in a long time. It has loads of action, plenty of intrigue, a good villain (Toby Stephens), and Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike --- two rather fetching love interests. The plot of "Die Another Day" is pretty complicated (and impossible), but in essence, it's North Korea vs. the rest of the world, and involves fake diamonds, plastic surgery, Bond as a renegade spy, and the requisite bad guys and pretty women. The action sequences were first rate and the film did keep the bad puns to a minimum. So what if it was loaded down with an implausible plot and impossible stunts? And who cares if the CGI was painfully obvious in many spots? This is a James Bond film and James Bond ROCKS (did I just write that, too?). See it 'cuz it doesn't suck! *** (out of) ****

"The Crime of Father Amaro": The Catholic church has been under fire for quite some time, so it would seem like an easy target for a film about its moral transgressions, right? Perhaps, but what "The Crime of Father Amaro" does is look past the typical stories that have dotted the media for the past few years, and focuses instead on the church's moral righteousness and its corruption. The film uses the Ten Commandments as a motif, showing us one by one, how the Commandments are desecrated by the same people who espouse their message. Young Father Amaro (Gael Garcia Bernal) needs to establish himself at a church before he resumes his studies in Rome. He lands in Los Reyes, Mexico, a sleepy and very God-fearing community. It isn't long before he discovers his mentor, Father Benito (Sancho Gracia) has been carrying on an affair with a local restaurant owner (Angelica Aragon), who happens to have an attractive 16 year-old daughter (Ana Claudia Talancon) who develops a crush on the new priest. The church is also willingly subsidized by a local drug cartel, and the only 'clean' priest is excommunicated because he dares to stand up to the whole sordid affair. And of course, it isn't long before the good Father Amaro is corrupted. This is the Cliff's Notes version of "The Crime of Father Amaro," which benefits from its fascinating theme and strong performances (especially from Bernal, who also shined in "Amores Perros" and "Y Tu Mama Tambien"), but suffers a little from its 'novela' approach. The film is also very heavy-handed and preachy (for its obvious opposition to the Catholic church), and I can certainly see what it has upset a lot of people. Still, "The Crime of Father Amaro" stands as a powerful indictment of the Catholic church, who, at least in this film, have a problem leading by example. Uncomfortable at times, but so is the truth. *** (out of) **** (In Spanish with English subtitles)

"Elling": is a light comedy about the mentally ill. No, really. Elling (Per Christian Ellefsen) and his buddy, Kjell (Sven Bjarne) have just been released from a mental hospital, and thanks to generous Norwegian laws, they're given an apartment in Oslo to live. Nice, eh? The film shows the duo's struggles to assimilate back into society. Elling suffers from agoraphobia, while Kjell is preoccupied with sex and food. "Elling" tries hard to show compassion for the plight of its characters, but what the film needed was more sadness (using about three or four more scenes), not light-hearted comedy, as mental illness is a serious thing. Yes, it is a subject that could stand a little levity, but it was almost drama-free. "Elling" was Norway's entry for best foreign film in the 2002 Academy Awards. It's a pleasant film with likeable characters, but with the wrong approach. The film's rights have been bought by Kevin Spacey, who plans to make an American version (I guess he'll have to leave out the free apartment). Dare I say this is one Hollywood remake that has the chance to be better than the original? **1/2 (out of) **** (In Norwegian with English subtitles)

"Far from Heaven": It's Autumn 1957, and there's a change in the air. Cathy (Julianne Moore) and Frank Whitaker (Dennis Quaid) seem to have the perfect marriage. She's atop her social circle, while he's climbing the company ladder. Two problems: Frank doesn't understand what's causing his attraction to men, but he's determined to find a cure for it. And Cathy can't shake an attraction to her gardener (Dennis Haysbert), who happens to be a "Negro." For people in their positions, this isn't good. Cathy and her friends (including the memorable Patricia Clarkson) are always championing 'liberal' causes and are "kind to Negroes" (especially the ones on their house staff), but could never have a friendship, let alone a relationship with a "person of a different color." And a man in Frank's position surely can't be seen sneaking around underground gay bars. In 1957, issues of this nature were kept behind closed doors or simply didn't exist (he says with a wink). Ah, but this isn't an episode of "Father Knows Best" or "Leave it to Beaver." No, it's a not-so-subtle updating of the old Douglas Sirk melodrama, "All That Heaven Allows." And as the title of this film suggests, fewer punches are pulled and more stones are uncovered than in the original film. "Far from Heaven" was written and directed by Todd Haynes ("Safe"), who handles his film with an amazing touch. Life can sometimes deal you choices that are easy for some and harder for others, depending upon your courage and convictions. Haynes' film is about how his characters deal with their 'difficult' choices. To say the film's look is sumptuous would be a big understatement. The film's beauty (both inner and outer) is almost breathtaking. Haynes uses colors as metaphors to show the changing of the seasons (the film was set in Hartford, Connecticut) and the evolution of his film's 'trapped' characters. It would be easy for Haynes to misstep through "Far from Heaven's" clichéd themes, but he not only holds it together, he ends up making one whale of a film. Julianne Moore is so good as the nice housewife who tries hard to keep it together and to be honest in a dishonest time. Dennis Quaid is wonderful as the confused husband, while the oh-so underrated Dennis Haysbert is deeply moving as the profoundly beautiful gardener. It would be easy to say this film has the look and mood of a "Pleasantville" or "American Beauty," but that would be a slight to the individuality of "Far from Heaven," and for that matter, the film's characters. Great would be a pretty good word to describe "Far from Heaven." **** (out of) ****

"Ratcatcher": The setting is Glasgow, Scotland during the dustman strike of 1973. Bags of garbage line the streets, while children play along the unsafe canal that rests next to a rundown housing project. "Ratcatcher" opens with a tragedy, and how the film's characters deal with the aftermath is both telling and possibly more tragic. 12-year-old James (William Eadie) is a quiet, lonely boy adrift on a path not unlike his alcoholic father (played by Tommy Flanagan, who grew up in the same Glasgow slums). His hopeful mother (Mandy Matthews) longs for a council home in the suburbs for her family, but their meager income and lifestyle makes this wish seem impossible. Alas, it's a depressing life, but one the family has almost accepted. "Ratcatcher" is dotted with interesting characters like a young neighbor (John Miller) who likes playing with the small animals he finds amongst the overflowing trash bags. Leanne Mullen plays Margaret Anne, the local "tramp," who's a sad child with an unquenched thirst for love, something she and James share in common. James sneaks touches at his mother's toes while she naps, and he'd rather cuddle with Margaret Anne than "take his turn" with the rest of the neighborhood boys. He's an unusually quiet boy who badly wants to escape his life, but knows he's trapped. First-time writer-director Lynne Ramsay handles "Ratcatcher" with a sweet tenderness and a strong sense of beauty, even amongst the despair. Her talent is quite apparent which she displays with this film, whose look is almost haunting, with a quiet, poetic style that's very close to Terrence Malick's films (Ramsay even borrowed a bit of music from "Badlands" to help frame one particularly arresting shot). Ramsay's second feature, "Morvern Callar," which has already collected some awards, opens at the end of this year. On the surface, "Ratcatcher" is a film that's barely for anyone, but SHOULD be for everyone with an open mind and an eye for beauty. "Ratcatcher" was originally released to widespread critical acclaim in 1999 (and in late 2000 in the U.S.) but only recently became available on video (the DVD version also includes Ms. Ramsay's three award-winning short films). It is well worth the search. *** 1/2 (out of) **** (In heavy Scottish brogue with English subtitles).

"Auto Focus": Hollywood is famous for exaggerating the facts when it comes to making biopics (the recent "A Beautiful Mind" is an excellent example). When "Auto Focus," the story of actor Bob Crane (best known as Hogan in "Hogan's Heroes") was in development, Bob Crane's son Scotty went out of his way to discredit the filmmakers and their story. I won't go into further details of Scotty Crane's hypocrisy, but it's safe to say I wasn't about to allow the smear campaign to detract from my enjoyment of the film. Greg Kinnear stars as Bob Crane, a part-time actor and popular Los Angeles radio personality, who was able to parlay that popularity into a starring role on the long-running situation comedy, "Hogan's Heroes." "Auto Focus" explores Crane's marriage (his wife is played by Rita Wilson) and his life after he meets stereo salesman and groupie John Carpenter (Willem Dafoe), who uses Crane's fame to help him get into a few doors. Carpenter, in return, influences Crane to combine his love of pornography with some of Carpenter's state-of-the-art camera equipment. Over time, Crane's activities ruin his marriage(s), though his second wife (Maria Bello) whom he met on "Hogan's Heroes," is a little more forgiving of his extramarital quirks. "Auto Focus" takes Crane's sickness and his unhealthy friendship with Carpenter and makes subtle judgments, but not enough to do more than attempt to make "Auto Focus" interesting. Too bad it didn't work. I enjoyed the escape (uh, no pun intended) of watching "Hogan's Heroes" as a TV show, but I didn't need to see, nor did I like the True Hollywood Story version. * 1/2 (out of) ****

"Bowling for Columbine": Michael Moore has made a career out of making fun of and "exposing" big business and their ruthless practices. His latest slam-fest is the business of guns and the people who use them and, more specifically, the people who advocate them. Interestingly, Michael Moore grew up in a heavy hunting region of Michigan and is an admitted lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. While he doesn't get points in my book for being a part of the NRA, I credit him for trying to do what's right by challenging the beliefs of the people who spend entirely too much time hiding behind, and misinterpreting the Second Amendment. "Bowling for Columbine" was written and directed by Moore and focuses on the events and the aftermath of the Columbine high school shooting in Littleton, Colorado. Moore carefully relives the events of that tragic day and in his own charming way, twists the circumstances and the ramifications of the shootings to make his point that guns are evil. He makes a point that guns are everywhere in Canada, but gun violence (specifically, murders) are almost non-existent, especially when compared to their North American neighbors. Moore demonstrates the effect the media has on us; how the headlines scream violence, and how those headlines seem to make us live in constant fear (Canadians don't feel the need to lock their doors; we do). Yes, he takes on the NRA --- and Moses himself: Charlton Heston, who appropriately, is seen in a very unfavorable light. The documentary isn't especially balanced, but it's well-paced and very well-organized. It's also funny at times and very scathing, but it's still rings a little hollow. I liked its courage and its convictions, but it still felt just a little incomplete. ** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Punch-Drunk Love": It was inexplicable to me that a great director such as Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights," "Magnolia") was planning to make a romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler. Say what? Oh, me of little faith. Anderson took a tired genre, flipped it upside down, picked it up, then threw it up against a wall, and darn if it didn't stick. Adam Sandler (of numerous mind-numbing 'comedies') stars as Barry Egan, a salesman of some repute, who runs a warehouse in the San Fernando Valley. Egan is a crazy, mixed up guy with a serious anger-management problem. It doesn't help that he's a single guy with seven overzealous sisters, or that his one foray into the world of phone sex results into getting blackmailed by a used furniture salesman (played by the great Philip Seymour Hoffman). One of his pushy sisters (they all look alike!) convinces Egan to give her friend Lena (Emily Watson) a chance. Egan is a little too preoccupied with the phone sex thing and his job to give Lena more than a second glance, but wakes up one day to realize she could be what's missing from his life. The greatness of "Punch-Drunk Love" lies in its execution. Paul Thomas Anderson is so completely brilliant as both a writer and director, and he never lets up with this film. Anderson's use of music, camerawork, metaphors, characters --- everything -- just clicks. In one especially perfect moment, Anderson uses an old Shelley Duvall song, "He Needs Me" from "Popeye," to bring the two characters together. I don't think I'm going out on a limb by predicting that Adam Sandler (essentially playing himself) will EVER come close to making another film that approaches "Punch-Drunk Love." Sandler is surprisingly effective as the beleaguered Egan, who is one of the strangest love-interests in any romantic comedy I've ever watched. Emily Watson is captivating and sweet as Lena. "Punch-Drunk Love" smashes conventional filmmaking. Admittedly, at the half-way point, I couldn't figure out where this film was going or how it would save itself, but when it came together, it all made sense. Dare I say I loved this film? I couldn't stop smiling. "Punch-Drunk Love" is a complete knockout. **** (out of) ****

"Heaven": During his lifetime, the late director Krzysztof Kieslowski was responsible for such great films as "The Decalogue" (a ten-hour collection of films based on the Ten Commandments), and the Three Colors series, "Red," "White," "Blue." His films were subtle character pieces, often grounded by a common theme. Before his sudden death in 1996, Kieslowski, along with his longtime writing partner, Krzysztof Piesiewicz, began work on a new trilogy, "Heaven, Hell and Purgatory" (it was said to be inspired by Dante's "Divine Comedy"). Kieslowski never intended to direct the series, preferring the films be handled by younger minds. The script for "Heaven" was the closest towards completion, so after Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient") declined the opportunity, the directing reins were handed over to Tom Tykwer ("Run, Lola, Run"), whose own films seemed partially inspired by Kieslowski. "Heaven" is the story of Philippa, a righteous English schoolteacher (played by Cate Blanchett) in Turin, Italy, who grows tired of waiting for police action upon a powerful drug dealer. The dealer (Stefano Santospago) happens to be president of a successful company, so the police ignore Philippa's calls and letters pleading with them to stop the man who is hooking her students, and who was also indirectly responsible for her husband's overdose. Desperate for justice, Philippa tries to plant a bomb in the dealer's office, but the plan goes awry and kills four innocents.

Philippa is caught for her crime (she'd warned the police of the bomb, so her capture was a formality) and is grief-strickened when she learns of her horrible mistake. It turns out one of her young students is brother to the translator on the police interrogation team. The translator, Filippo (Giovanni Ribisi) knows what she was trying to do and decides to risk it all to help her escape, something Philippa agrees to if she is able to complete her personal mission. "Heaven" could have easily self-destructed from that point forward, but it didn't. I kept waiting for Tykwer to derail Kieslowski's train, but the young director never slipped --- always knowing when to pull away from a scene or when to restrain the artistic flourishes. Tykwer deftly handled the moral dilemmas of the story, while his actors, principally Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, convinced the audience their characters were worthy of sympathy. Mere words cannot do justice for the magnificence of Cate Blanchett's performance. If she isn't our greatest living actress, she's pretty close. You simply cannot make us want to care about a person who committed such a callous act, but make us care she did. Giovanni Ribisi is the perfect foil for Kieslowski's classic example of subtlety. Ribisi as the love-torn Filippo is terrific. Tykwer's direction of the script was outstanding. Even the unlikely love story worked. I loved the way he handled the complicated story, especially the ending, which was so perfect and so fitting that I wanted it to end right then, and it did. "Heaven" is also blessed with stunning scenery, courtesy of Tykwer's personal cinematographer, Frank Griebe, who filmed Italy's lush countryside with the delicate care of a master painter. Somewhere, Krzysztof Kieslowski is watching with pride. My highest recommendation. **** (out of) **** (In English and Italian with English subtitles).

"8 Women": A French murder mystery? Set in a large mansion? With lots of potential suspects (all women)? Yup. That's the plot of "8 Women," France's latest import. The film is a veritable Who's who of French cinema, featuring Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Beart, Danielle Darrieux, and Virginie Ledoyen as the various women/suspects who are gathering for the Christmas holiday, circa 1955. The father of the house is murdered and the rest of the film is spent dissecting each woman's possible motive. "8 Women" spoofs every 40's and 50's murder mystery. Did I mention it's also a musical? The film also has fun with the various famous movie stars of the era (Ledoyen "plays" Audrey Hepburn from "Sabrina"). Fans of French cinema, and that genre of film will appreciate "8 Women," but I found it to be a little claustrophobic. It must've been all those bickering women in that big house. ** 1/2 (out of) **** (In French with English subtitles).

"Sweet Home Alabama": What's this? Another classic song title turned into a film? Well, what's love got to do with it when a man loves a woman? Okay, that's bad, but that pun almost describes the plot of "Sweet Home Alabama," Reese Witherspoon's latest film. Witherspoon plays rising fashion designer Melanie Carmichael. She's photographed with New York City's famous, including nice guy Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey), who happens to be son of the mayor (Candice Bergen) and the man she loves. It's all good, right? Well, it seems this prim-and-proper socialite is actually a Southern belle in designer clothing. Melanie Carmichael is really Melanie Smooter, good ol' girl, and technically still married to nice guy Jake Perry (Josh Lucas) back home in Alabama. This presents a problem (two nice guys?) when the ultra-romantic Hennings (the filmmakers seemed to go out of their way to make Patrick Dempsey look like JFK Jr.) pops the big question. Naturally, when Melanie goes back to Alabama to rectify the situation, she discovers where her true heart lies. Awwww. "Sweet Home Alabama" is, well, sweet. Reese Witherspoon is always a pleasure to watch, and the writer and director team (C. Jay Cox and Andy Tennant) manage to take the somewhat familiar concept and turn it into a mostly inoffensive film (they do straddle the edges with some of their stereotypes) into a decent way to spend 108 minutes of your day. Harmless entertainment highlighted by the achingly lovely Ms. Witherspoon. *** (out of) ****

"24 Hour Party People": Pseudo-documentary on a topic known to only a select few who are a part of a particular generation. Makes you want to race out to your local art house, doesn't it? "24 Hour Party People" is the story of the "hoopla" that surrounded record producer Tony Wilson's life back in the late 70's, early 80's. Wilson owned a popular club in Manchester, England that provided bands like Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays, with their earliest exposure. I was somewhat excited to see this film because I enjoyed much of the music that came out of that movement (okay, so I'm one of those select few), plus the reviews of the film have been very positive. Putting aside my obvious bias, this is not a film I would recommend to anyone who's never enjoyed the glorious splendor of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart," or understand the importance of the Sex Pistols. "24 Hour Party People" is a two-hour microcosm of the rise and fall of a man we don't know or care about. Steve Coogan gives a very charismatic performance as Wilson, but ultimately, we just don't care, even if we understand the subject. This is one of those films ("Vanilla Sky" is another) that should be as good as its soundtrack, but isn't. ** (out of) ****

"Secretary": Spanking, ball-gags, mental cruelty -- these are just some of James Spader's kinks. Spader plays E. Edward Grey, a very eccentric lawyer who goes through secretaries like a hotel goes through guests (he even has a lighted "Secretary Wanted" sign). His latest secretary, played by the delightful Maggie Gyllenhaal, was just released from a mental institution, is into self-mutilation, and also likes mental cruelty. Perfect, eh? Well, the film isn't, but it tries, and is saved by the originality of its quirkiness and the utter charm of its principle actors. If David Lynch made a low-budget love story, it would go something like this. See it with an open-mind. *** (out of) ****

"The Kid Stays in the Picture": The Seventies' decade provided many, many great films. One of the driving forces behind several of that decade's films (including "Chinatown" and the "Godfather" sagas) was producer Robert Evans. "The Kid Stays in the Picture" is a documentary of Evans' rise and fall, from his beginnings in the fashion industry, to his stint as an actor in Hollywood ("The Sun Also Rises;" "Man of a Thousand Faces"); his years as a maverick producer, and eventually his time as head of Paramount Pictures. Evans' story is often fascinating, but further research into his life (for this review) revealed that much was left out of the documentary, and other interesting moments in his life (including scandals) were barely mentioned. "The Kid Stays in the Picture," which was also narrated (and co-written) by the self-absorbed Evans, tends to drag, but in spite of all its shortcomings, IS interesting--it just could've been more interesting. Evans pulls few punches, even on the subject of his personal life, including his highly publicized marriages, but this is a tasty meat-pie documentary without nearly enough meat. I expected more and received less, so despite the interesting subject, I cannot recommend this documentary. ** (out of) ****

"Read My Lips": Ah, the French; they of the pretentious, but clever films that we Americans (well, Hollywood) like to rip-off. Their latest copycat candidate is "Read My Lips." Carla (Emmanuelle Devos) is a deaf office worker for a construction firm. Her handicap forces her to adjust to life (with the help of some highly-tuned hearing aids and her skill at reading lips) and to the office politics at her job, which she allows to affect her performance, forcing her to hire an assistant. She seems more interested in finding someone she can control (reversing her situation), so she winds up hiring Paul (Vincent Cassel), a very rough and undignified ex-con. The pair are complete opposites, but have needs that can be filled by the other. Carla is tired of losing promotions, so she uses Paul's criminal wiles to help her get revenge. Once he knows he has something on Carla, Paul uses her to help rip-off his boss from another job. The lonely Carla doesn't seem to mind, as it is the attention she craves. "Read My Lips" was directed and co-written by Jacques Audiard ("Venus Beauty Institute"), who takes the story and runs and runs and runs with it. The twists in Audiard's excellent story take two fish-out-of-water (Carla as a criminal, Paul as a white-collar worker) and make it work. "Read My Lips" isn't the classic thriller, but it thrills. It isn't the perfect character study or even the best romance, but it takes those elements along with its other pluses, and makes them click. Audiard's subtlety and pacing are magnificent. He takes the uneasiness of the subject matter, and the tenseness of the situations, and uses it to his advantage to create a masterful sense of suspense. "Read My Lips" is a very satisfying film. *** 1/2(out of) ****

"Signs": M. Night Shyamalan fancies himself as the next Alfred Hitchcock. Witness the writer-director's modest body of work for proof. His films touch on fantastic themes ("The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable") and he likes to pop up in his films. Okay, so that's a stretch. Shyamalan is talented-very talented and he's on a good ol' fashioned roll right now. His latest film is "Signs," another supernatural thriller, only this time it features mysterious crop circles that almost spontaneously appear in the middle of a cornfield. The cornfield is part of a farm owned by former pastor Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), who lives with his children (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin) and his younger brother, Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix). Hess questions his faith when his wife is killed in a car accident, and really wonders if he's being tested when the crop circles are discovered. I hesitate to give away anymore of the plot except to say that Shyamalan does a beautiful job of creeping out the viewer. Where he could use excess, he exercises restraint. I wondered if he could somehow sustain the viewer's interest over a two-hour plus period, especially when the film unfolds rather quickly and mostly takes place inside the farmhouse. Not only does Shyamalan do it, he does it with a self-assured confidence that holds the film together like glue. One of the many beauties of "Signs" is how Shyamalan uses isolation (the farmhouse, plus action in the middle of a large cornfield) to build up the creep factor. Yes, there is a central theme to the film that isn't at all hard to figure out, and I felt the film needed one snippet of editing at the very end (see it and you'll know what I mean), but the brilliance of "Signs" far outweighs its ordinary touches. Typically, the performances in a Shyamalan film are strong, but not overwhelming. Like Bruce Willis in Shyamalan's last two films, Mel Gibson in the lead role is low-key, but effective. The star of "Signs," not surprisingly, is M. Night Shymalan, whose execution of his beautiful imagination is a gift to the viewer. While just a notch below "Unbreakable" as a film, Shyamalan stays on a roll with "Signs." Recommended highly. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Rain": New Zealand in 1972 serves as the moody, atmospheric backdrop for this study of the slow breakdown of a dysfunctional family. Janey's (Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki) homelife is shaky. Her parents (Sarah Peirse and Alistair Browning) sham of a marriage is threatened by her mother's affair with the local stud (Marton Csokas), who eventually becomes the target of the much younger Janey. The parents' constant chain-smoking and drinking are setting a bad example for the impressionable Janey, who manages to both loathe and admire her mother at the same time. Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki's brooding turn as Janey, a 13 year-old going on 20, is one of the film's highlights. Her future is bright, as is commercial director Christine Jeffs, who is making her film directorial debut. Jeffs' subtle direction and the film's stunning cinematography (from John Toon) almost make up for the film's pacing (though aided by Jeffs' subtleties), dialogue, and situations, all of which make the viewer very uncomfortable, sort of a train wreck barely worth watching. The promise of the people who made this film isn't enough for a recommendation. "Rain" leaves the viewer squirming in their seat for an hour plus, until the events of the last fifteen minutes derail the shaky train off its tracks. * 1/2 (out of) ****

"Sunshine State": "City of Hope," "Passion Fish," "Eight Men Out," "Lone Star." These are some of the great films from writer-director John Sayles, who's slice-of-life, travelogue style of filmmaking has been operating just outside the Hollywood studio system for about twenty years. Sayle's latest is "Sunshine State," an ensemble tale of environmental greed and the lives it impacts. The stories take place in two parts of Plantation Island, Florida: Lincoln Beach, an affluent black community, and Delrona Beach, the other side of the island, consisting of retirees and small business owners. One such business is the Sea-Vue Motel, owned by Ralph Waite and Jane Alexander, and run by their daughter, Marly (Edie Falco). Marly, who feels trapped within a business she wants no part of, begins to see a different life for herself when she meets Jack Meadows (Timothy Hutton), who is an architect for a land-developing company that wishes to build something better on the motel property. Marly has been fighting off developers for years, but this guy is different. He's just a nice guy doing his job and that impresses her. Over at Lincoln Beach, 40 year-old Desiree (Angela Bassett) reconciles with the mother (played by Mary Alice) who banished her 25 years earlier. Desiree was sent away when it was discovered she was pregnant with the football hero's child. Unconventionally (the common theme in this film), Desiree is doing well, while the football hero (played by Tom Wright) with the bright future is now an ashamed used-car dealer in Lincoln Beach. Typically, Sayle's film is dotted with oddball "real people", including the town's "representative" (Mary Steenburgen) and her suicidal husband (Gordon Clapp), plus a wealthy retiree/golfer played by Alan King, who seems to be at the moral center of the film's capitalistic storyline. King's opposite is Bill Cobbs, who plays a wealthy retiree who is most comfortable when he's protesting the presence of the greedy land sharks. "Sunshine State" isn't a David and Goliath, "greed is good" story. Instead, "Sunshine State" in it's sometimes long, drawn out way, is a film about how people adjust to the cards life has dealt them. It's also a clever and witty story with terrific acting. *** (out of) ****

"The Shipping News": Kevin Spacey has run the gamut in his acting career, playing twisted geniuses, serial killers, and losers. In "The Shipping News," Spacey plays a lovable sad sack (think Lester Burnham after a very bad streak of rotten luck). Spacey is Quoyle, an ink setter by day, and loser at love by night. A one-night stand produces a daughter and an unhealthy relationship with her trampy mother, Petal Bear (Cate Blanchett). Family accidents ensue and in short order, Quoyle and daughter head back to his old family roots in Newfoundland, where they go to live in a rickety old house with his long-lost aunt (played by Judi Dench). Shortly after arriving, Quoyle lands a job at the local newspaper, not as an ink setter, but as a reporter, covering car accidents and writing the shipping news. The town where he settles is a fishing village filled with colorful people, gray skies, and lots of dirty family secrets. Typical events soon follow, including a romance between Quoyle and an attractive single mom played by Julianne Moore, who of course, is the polar opposite of Petal Bear. The original novel by Annie Proulx won a Pulitzer Prize, but the adaptation to film (by Robert Nelson Jacobs, "Chocolat") isn't nearly as interesting. "The Shipping News" does have its pluses but they're mostly in the credits, especially the acting. Ah, the performances. Where do I start? Cate Blanchett is a revelation. She is barely recognizable (Meryl Streep, move over) and, unfortunately, not on screen long enough. Julianne Moore is lovely, Kevin Spacey is excellent, and Dame Judi Dench, as always, is outstanding. Even the supporting turns by veterans like Scott Glenn and Pete Postlethwaite, are terrific. Heck, the film was even directed by Lasse Hallstrom ("The Cider House Rules"). With everything going for it, "The Shipping News" still doesn't quite deliver the goods. It has a social agenda (a trademark of Hallstrom's films), but that's not enough. Its story just doesn't wallop you over the head. In the end, it feels like nothing more than a TV-movie of the week with an All-Star cast. ** 1/2 (out of) ****

"The Road to Perdition": "None of us is ever going to see heaven, but maybe we can cheat the devil long enough before he discovers we're dead." These are the words spoken by mob boss John Rooney (Paul Newman), leader of the guiltless masses. Rooney has two primary enforcers: Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), a man Rooney treats like a son, and Connor (Daniel Craig), Rooney's actual son who clearly resents the favoritism. Michael's profession is no secret to his wife, Annie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), but is a mystery to his two young sons, who think their dad goes on missions for Uncle John. Filled with curiosity, Michael's oldest son, Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) follows Dad to one of his hits, where he witnesses a brutal slaying. The mob finds out about their secret witness, and father and son are forced to flee. They go from town to town to avoid hired killers, including one particularly vicious one played quite effectively by Jude Law, whose character likes to take pictures of his targets as they lie dying. "The Road to Perdition" was directed by Sam Mendes, whose first film, "American Beauty" was a masterpiece of modern family drama. His second effort is certainly ambitious, and shows off his talents as a director, but it's not without flaws. The biggest problems with "Perdition" lie in its pacing, character development, and its casting. It's a deathly slow film that doesn't put its empty space to good use. It shows its characters' emotions, but doesn't take time to explain itself. Michael's son laments that he doesn't know if his father is good or bad. Thanks to a half-developed character, we wonder the same thing. Much of the film is spent on scenes of father and son on the "road to Perdition" (the name of a town in the film, but also a euphemism for hell), but surprisingly little is learned about the two Michaels. Tom Hanks is a wonderful actor, but his presence here seems gratuitous and feels out of place. Jimmy Stewart wouldn't be convincing as a hit man, and the same can almost be said for Hanks. Hanks WAS good, but someone like Aidan Quinn might've been better suited for the role. Still, the overall look and feel of "The Road to Perdition" is strong enough to makes its flaws somewhat bearable. Recommended to the individual who isn't put off by all of the above details, and just likes an entertaining film. *** (out of) ****

"The Bourne Identity": Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac who can't figure out who he is and why so many people want him dead. The film begins when Bourne's half-dead body is lifted out of the Mediterranean Sea by a passing boat. Buried in Bourne's back are three bullets, and in his thigh a chip containing numbers to a Swiss bank account. Anxious to unravel the mystery of his identity, Bourne finds his way to Switzerland where the fun begins. It turns out he's a secret agent with multiple passports, the ability to speak several languages, and hand-to-hand combat skills to die for. Um, okay. Franke Potente joins the party as a stranger who helps Bourne escape the baddies, who seem to be mostly CIA agents (led by Chris Cooper) who want him dead by sundown. Doug Liman ("Go") directed "The Bourne Identity" from a script based on the Robert Ludlum novel. Matt Damon is solid, and Cooper is very good, but Franke Potente (no surprise) delivers the film's best performance. She could play a block of wood and pull it off. The film is filled with the usual clichés (including some clever car chase scenes), but going in we knew this wasn't a Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore film with lots of pottery. As a wannabe James Bond loss-of-memory flick, "The Bourne Identity" isn't half bad. If this seems like your cup o' tea, go see it. *** (out of) ****  

"The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys": Trends can be found in many of today's motion pictures. "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys" could easily be mistaken as a current news story, but instead it's part of the latest trend of comic book-influenced films. Straddling a lot closer in theme to "Ghost World" (a film based on a popular underground comic book) than say, "Spider-Man," "Altar Boys" mixes its story of a group of teenage altar boys growing up in the mid-70's, with comic book animation supplied by Todd McFarlane (director of "Spawn," but perhaps more famous as the person who bought Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball). Kieran Culkin plays Tim Sullivan, the bright, but underachieving leader of a group of four boys who love to play elaborate pranks, draw their own comic books, and spend their days despising their teacher, Nunzilla…er, Sister Assumpta (Jodie Foster). The film is basically plotless, choosing instead to focus on the day-to-day struggles of being a teenager. Directed by Peter Care, "Altar Boys" is handled with remarkable restraint considering Care's past as a music video director (a conversion that's another popular trend), eschewing popular songs of the 70's, and fancy camera angles for a sometimes-tender examination of teenage life. The film is held together in part by McFarlane's wild animation sequences and by the performances of its mostly young cast, especially Kieran Culkin, who's remarkable, and Jena Malone, who essentially played the same role in "Donnie Darko," but still shines here as the troubled girlfriend of one of the boys. Despite its imperfections, "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys" has enough going for it to earn a recommendation. *** (out of) ****

"Minority Report": For years Steven Spielberg has worked within the studio system, providing moviegoers with what may be Hollywood at its finest, but the cynic might wonder what that says about Hollywood. With his most recent efforts, "A.I.," and now "Minority Report," Spielberg continues to grow as a serious director, more than thirty years after his directorial debut. Like "A.I.," "Minority Report," is based on a short story by a science-fiction writer (the late Phillip K. Dick, in this case). It's the year 2054. The place is Washington, D.C, and John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is a hotshot detective in the experimental, but highly successful Department of Pre-Crime. In the last six years, D.C. is murderless, and much of the credit can go to the "Precogs" (for precognizant), a trio of semi-conscious humans who can "see" murders before they happen. Through special technology, the information from their visions is given to the detectives at Pre-Crime, who then track down the killer before the crime occurs. With all the success in D.C., there's talk of Pre-Crime going nationwide, but not before Danny Witwer, a tough guy from the Department of Justice (played by Colin Farrell) has a chance to poke some holes into the idea the program is infallible. Witwer's investigation seems to be targeting Detective Anderton, who proves to be very good at what he does, but is he good enough to prove his innocence when the Precogs finger him for a murder HE'S about to commit? How can Anderton prove his innocence, or is he innocent? The rest of the film is a big chase sandwiched around a lot of intrigue, some fantastic scenery, and several quirky characters (including the under-appreciated Tim Blake Nelson and Peter Stormare).

Within "Minority Report's" story lies a very interesting glimpse into what futurists see for the year 2054, including real-time digital newspapers, and tailor-made advertisements that identify you by your retinas. "Minority Report" also provides what could be an eerie glimpse into what little privacy we may have in the future. Cleverly, Spielberg helped finance his film by giving the viewer a chance to see just how interactive some of today's companies will be in the future. It's a little intrusive and distracting, but nonetheless fascinating, and adds to the science-fiction theme of the film. Spielberg's vision is spectacular, and the scenery (aided by Janusz Kaminski's cinematography) is jarring. Cruise's performance doesn't exactly drift into unfamiliar territory, but he proved very capable. "Minority Report" is filled with strong performances from its supporting cast, especially Samantha Morton as Agatha, the brightest of the Pre-Cogs. Colin Farrell, who continues to assert himself as an actor, is excellent as the tough DOJ employee. Years from today we may look back at "Minority Report" and see a film that got the future right. For now, "Minority Report" is merely the best science-fiction film since "Blade Runner." Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) ****

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding": What's this? ANOTHER wedding film? Bob K, has already been over this territory, but let's just say enough is enough! Okay, fair is fair. The latest wedding-themed film to grace the local art film theater, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," is actually fairly entertaining, but I guess it helps if you're of Greek heritage (I'm not). Nia Vardalos stars as Toula Portokalos, the 30 year-old unmarried daughter in a very large Greek family. Her father's (played by Michael Constantine) mantra is get her married to a nice Greek man, and make babies. When we first meet Toula, she's the dowdy hostess at her family's Greek restaurant ("Dancing Zorba"). After some encouragement from friends (but not her father), Toula changes her appearance (where have we seen this before?) and her career, becoming a travel agent. Filled with a quarter-tank of self-confidence, Toula meets the man of her dreams --- Ian, but alas, poor Ian is not Greek. Papa wouldn't approve. After a period of sneaking around, Toula and Ian come clean, profess their love for one another, and get married --- wild Greek style. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" packs in the laughs, playing mostly on the oddities of Greek tradition, all seen through the eyes of Vardalos, who not only stars in the film, but also wrote it, adapting her one-woman show (based on her own personal experiences). Make no mistake about it: this is Vardalos' film, Joel Zwick, the film's director, is only there as the hired hand. As light, sometimes funny fare, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" works. Recommended. *** (out of) ****

"Spider-Man": As a proud child of the Seventies, a large part of my imaginative process can be credited to reading comic books. My favorite character was Spider-Man (sadly, only about a half-dozen of the 200+ Spider-Man comics I once owned are still in my possession). Already knowing the story about the origin of Spider-Man helped me enjoy Sam Raimi's adaptation of the famous Marvel Comics creation. "Spider-Man" stars Tobey Maguire in the dual role of Peter Parker, student and freelance photographer by day, and crime-fighting superhero by night. While on a field trip, Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider. The bite has an unusual effect upon young Peter. It transforms his skinny frame into a muscular man with the ability to scale walls and shoot webbing from his wrists. When Peter's Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) is killed by a criminal who Peter unwittingly allowed to get away, Peter decides his destiny is to keep his city safe from the criminal element. He fashions a Spider-Man costume and begins to fight crime. His first nemesis is the Green Goblin, who is really Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), head research scientist for a large aerospace company. When one of Norman's experiments goes haywire, he turns into the evil Goblin. Okay, if you're the Average Joe who has never read a Spider-Man comic this will all seem preposterous to you, but I urge you to open thy mind and go with it. Wait, did I mention Kirsten Dunst plays Mary Jane Watson, who becomes Peter Parker's girlfriend? Sam Raimi (director of the wonderful "Evil Dead" series) does an excellent job of sticking to the comic book. Tobey Maguire, who is one of our more underrated actors, IS Spider-Man. Dunst is an infectious delight, and Willem Dafoe, who is typically so good as a villain and nice guy, does a great job playing both in this film. As a popcorn movie, "Spider-Man" is first-rate. Fans of the comic book should love this film, and those Average Joes out there will get a kick out it. Recommended. *** (out of) ****

"Vanilla Sky": Writer-director Cameron Crowe has led an enviable life. His teenage years were spent covering rock bands for "Rolling Stone" magazine (these adventures were depicted in Crowe's previous film, "Almost Famous"). His young adult years inspired his first script, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Crowe's resume also includes "Say Anything," "Singles," and "Jerry Maguire." His latest film, "Vanilla Sky" is a radical departure from the promise of his previous work. Tom Cruise is David Aames, millionaire playboy and 51% heir to a media empire started by his father who, along with David's mother, was killed in an auto accident ten years earlier. David suffers a similar car accident when his possessive lover Julie (Cameron Diaz) almost kills them after a jealous rage. David winds up with a disfigured face, which he hopes will be fixed through radical surgery. Meanwhile, the woman who caused Julie's jealousy--Sofia (Penelope Cruz) stands by David's side as he recovers from the accident. Oh, and from there, it gets weird --- all proud-of-itself weird, but in a nonsensical way. Based on Alejandro Amenabar's 1997 film, "Open Your Eyes," Cameron Crowe's version is decidedly muddled and rather pointless. If he wants to be taken more seriously, this is the wrong approach. To quote one of his earlier films: "You had me at hello." Cameron--you had me from "Fast Times" and then you had to go and do this film. Tom Cruise plays himself; Penelope plays someone (and not well); Cameron Diaz plays herself, and Jason Lee (as David's buddy) replays his Banky character from his Kevin Smith films. Is that acting or re-acting? Unlike "Mulholland Drive"-- a film not at all dissimilar in theme or style, "Vanilla Sky" isn't very interesting and doesn't have characters worth caring about. Thousands (probably millions) of words have been devoted to trying to dissect this film. Why? Ironically, in a very telling way and as an indirect insult to his audience, Crowe has a character explain much of the film at the end. What does that say about Hollywood's perception of its audience? To the fanboys: you've been duped. Very disappointing. * 1/2 (out of) **** (DVD)

"Insomnia": L.A. cops Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and Hap Eckhart (Martin Dovovan) are sent to Nightmute, Alaska (the land of the midnight sun) to help solve the murder of a 17 year-old girl. Dormer is a well-documented homicide detective, whose biggest fan might be Nightmute's up-and-coming detective Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank). Dormer and Eckhart happened to leave L.A. at a time when their internal affairs department was about to clamp down on the two detectives for improper procedures during a murder case. It seems Dormer beefed up the evidence against a killer he was certain was guilty, but was destined to be released. Dormer is already worried sick about the L.A. investigation and to make matters worse, his partner Eckhart meets with an accident that the paranoid Dormer tries to cover up. One problem: the chief suspect (a local mystery writer played by Robin Williams) in the girl's killing witnesses the accident. In an effort to save his own hide, the suspect tries to blackmail Dormer into whipping up some evidence that will pin the murder on the dead girl's boyfriend. Not a bad plot. You take that, mix in great actors like Pacino, Williams, Swank, and direction from Christopher Nolan ("Memento"), and you have the formula for a great film, right? Well, not exactly. "Insomnia" has a lot of things going for it, but great pacing and suspense are not among them. Hillary Seitz's adaptation of the script from the 1997 original film is too clunky. Suspense isn't built up because the cards are played far too quickly. The scenery is gorgeous and some of the action sequences are inventive, but you never feel like you're crossing into new territory. Even the performances, while solid, don't stand out. Al Pacino has played this same character in several films (most notably, "Heat") and could play this one in his sleep. Ironically, his character in "Insomnia," besides being wracked with guilt, can't sleep because in the summer, the sun never goes down in Alaska. Hilary Swank is nice, but the script horribly betrays her character. Robin Williams is quite good, but despite his character, really isn't given the chance to deviate from some of his lighter roles. In other words, if you're expecting evil, prepare to be disappointed. Perhaps the biggest disappointment, besides the script and the film not living up to its hype, is Christopher Nolan's failure to build upon his two previous films. With "Insomnia," he has taken the Hollywood route. Ah, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Disappointing. ** (out of) ****

"13 Conversations About One Thing": No, it isn't sex; it's happiness. Is happiness (or unhappiness) determined by a person's outlook on life? In Jill Sprecher's ("Clockwatchers") second film, that question is tackled in a variety of ways. Co-written with her sister Karen, Sprecher's film tells four stories (with thirteen arguments), featuring four principle characters, each with their own unique perspective on the subject of happiness. Gene (Alan Arkin) is a middle manager for an insurance company. He's an incessantly pessimistic man (brought on by a failed marriage and a drug-addicted son) who can't stand the fact that one of his employees is continuously happy. Troy (Matthew McConaughey) is a brash prosecuting attorney and a happy-go-lucky type, whose world is about to come crashing down when the example he sets is tested. Walker (John Turturro) is a physics professor living a boring, but comfortable life --- until he decides to upset his routine. Beatrice (Clea DuVall) is a young cleaning woman with an infectiously optimistic outlook, that is, until an unfortunate encounter with one of the film's other main characters. Sprecher toys with the timeline in her film and keeps the storylines separate, but some of the characters do intersect. The film's non-linear structure works because of the editing (from Stephen Mirrione, who won an Oscar for "Traffic") and because of the brilliance of the Sprecher sisters' script. Sprecher fills her film with motifs, irony, and subtle lessons. I'm guessing her heroes are Kieslowski, Bergman, and Allen (not a bad list), as their influences are all over this film. "13 Conversations" also works for a variety of other reasons, including the acting and the interesting characters, whose chosen professions seem to intentionally mirror their actions. Alan Arkin's performance as the cynical middle manager, like his career, is subtle, but outstanding. John Turturro is probably the film's most interesting character, playing a closed-minded and mean-spirited college professor who, like some of the other characters, eventually gets his emotional comeuppance. Like Arkin and Turturro, Matthew McConaughey isn't covering any new professional ground, but is still very good in his role. Special notice goes to Clea DuVall, whose previous experience was mostly confined to teen films. DuVall shines as the sweet cleaning woman. In addition to these actors, "13 Conversations" is loaded with great supporting turns from actors like Amy Irving (playing Turturro's tortured wife), William Wise, Tia Texada, and Frankie Faison, all of whom played characters who were nicely developed by the script. "13 Conversations" is yet another maxed-out credit card story, all the more amazing considering its talented cast and crew (in addition to Mirrione's editing, Dick Pope --Mike Leigh's personal cinematographer--shot this film). But thanks to Jill Sprecher and her personal choices, "13 Conversations About One Thing" rises above it all. A 94-minute film with a multi-layered structure and multiple characters shouldn't be this good, but it is. For viewers who like films that challenge their thought process, "13 Conversations About One Thing" is pure bliss. Recommended highly. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones": Yoda rules. Okay, I got that out of the way. The second episode of the popular series (officially the fifth film) begins with Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) whisked away to an important meeting where her vote is needed to help bolster the lackluster Jedi forces with a series of clones. The clones are needed to help fight the powerful opposition forces, which will ultimately save the Republic. When Padme becomes a target of assassins, two Jedi Knights -- Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) come in to serve as her protectors. Anakin, seen as a young boy in the previous episode, has matured into a young man, which has not gone unnoticed by Padme, who cannot resist Anakin's charms. Writer-director George Lucas takes the flaws of "Episode One" (stiff acting, Jar-Jar Binks) and improves upon them. Jar-Jar is still here, but he's considerably less annoying, is in fewer scenes, and seems to take on a more important role. The acting is still a little stiff, but the leads, especially Natalie Portman, loosen up a little. The film's one excruciating weakness is in the unfolding of the romance between Padme and Anakin. The dialogue is bad and the scenes clichéd, but important, so we try to look past their clunkiness, and root to see sequences of the film's strengths, which happen to be the action scenes and anything involving Yoda. The character of Yoda is wonderful, and a fight scene between Yoda and Count Dooku aka Darth Tyranus (Christopher Lee) is literally worth the price of admission. The special effects in "Star Wars: Episode Two" are out of this world, and not surprisingly, establish yet another new standard for future films to follow. In between the intrigue of the plot are plenty of amazing action sequences, including a chase between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett (father of Boba) through an impossible series of asteroids. Part of the fun of watching this film is already knowing the destiny of some of the characters. Anakin and Padme will produce Luke, while Anakin will fall into the dark side and become Darth Vader. Boba Fett (a special treat in this film) will become the sworn enemy of Han Solo. The whole "Star Wars" series is a fun, but dark comic book. Approach this film as such, and it will be a lot of fun. Recommended --- especially for diehards. *** (out of) ****

"Spy Game": CIA agent Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) has one more day to go before retirement (uh-oh). An agent he helped develop has just been captured by the Chinese, who plan to execute in 24 hours (uh-oh). The CIA needs Muir's expertise to help rescue the agent (played by Brad Pitt) before it's too late. "Spy Game" has lots of confusing flashbacks, plus direction by flashy action film director, Tony Scott, and good ol' crafty Robert Redford, who shows those youngins' a thing or two. I watched this film with my family. I picked it out because it seemed to have the potential to provide thrills and intrigue for the men, and Brad Pitt and Robert Redford would probably interest the women. A safe pick. It's too bad the film was so boring and so preposterous (not to mention factually inaccurate at every turn) that I was literally fighting myself to stay awake. Disappointing? Oh yeah. * 1/2 (out of) **** (Video)

"Mulholland Dr.": Big news flash: writer-director David Lynch is weird. His films, from "Eraserhead" and "Blue Velvet," to his latest, "Mulholland Dr.," are known for their peculiar themes and unnerving style ("Eraserhead" was a two-hour SENTENCE). With "Mulholland Dr.," Lynch actually achieves some moments of normality. Okay, just a few, but at least this film is worth trying to figure out. "Mulholland Dr." begins with a horrific car accident that's survived by a young actress (Laura Harring). The actress, now stricken with amnesia, and carrying a bag filled with money along with a mysterious blue key, finds her way to a "deserted" apartment not far from the site of the accident. The apartment happens to be the new temporary home for Betty, an aspiring actress, who is visiting Hollywood for the first time. Betty (Naomi Watts) is the sweet, homespun type, who probably knits when she isn't saving kittens. The amnesiac calls herself Rita (after a Rita Hayworth poster on the wall of the apartment), and with the help of a very curious Betty, decides to try to trace the mystery of her identity. Meanwhile, it seems Rita is a very sought-after actress. Everyone from hit-men to movie producers want her. Who is Rita? Where is Rita? See the film and find out, 'cuz I ain't telling you anything else.

A large part of the reason why "Mulholland Dr." succeeds where other Lynch films haven't, is that Lynch seems to be trying to lower the camp value and raise the level of acting. Naomi Watts as Betty, isn't just good, she's amazing. Without giving away any more of the film, I can tell you she manages to show three distinct personalities and is believable in each one. Harring as Rita is good, but isn't allowed to expand her range. I loved Justin Theroux's performance as Adam Kesher, a film director with a will of his own (was Lynch inspired?). Lynch, who also wrote "Mulholland Dr.," loves messing with his audience. Oddball characters pop in and out of his film. Scenes that seem insignificant end up fitting neatly into the overall puzzle, while others wind up not fitting at all and seem in place just to confuse the paying customers. I watched the film twice. For me, everything clicked about twenty minutes into the second viewing, and I spent the next two hours confirming and debunking my theories --- something you can't do in one viewing. Credit David Lynch for creating a film that makes you want to look again to see if you missed anything. The usual Lynch trademarks are here, from scenes in a diner, to 50's vamps, to Nancy Drew wannabes (ah, but Nancy was never THIS open-minded), and of course, the conflicting timeline. "Mulholland Dr." may not be the most comfortable film to watch, but if you like films that encourage you to think, then you'll love unraveling the mystery of "Mulholland Dr." Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) **** (DVD)

"Enigma": What IS truly original anymore? World War II spy films have been around since before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, but speaking for myself, that doesn't stop me from sinking my teeth into a really good spy thriller. Does the latest film of that genre, "Enigma," qualify? Well, close. Like most thrillers of its ilk, the plot of "Enigma" is complicated. The brightest minds are gathered in England at a place called Bletchley Park (also known as "Station X"), sort of a think tank for super geniuses. Their primary purpose is code-breaking. With the help of a stolen Enigma machine (a complex computer considered advanced for its time), the team of geniuses must break a code that will allow them to track German U-boats lying in wait in the waters of the Atlantic for U.S. supply ships that are attempting to transport supplies crucial to the war effort. Dougray Scott plays Tom Jerico, the smartest of the geniuses, but probably the least stable. Tom is still in love with Claire (Saffron Burrows), but lovely Claire has mysteriously disappeared, which is not a good thing when you work around a lot of top-secret information. Enter Wigram (Jeremy Northam), a highly placed intelligence officer, who's hell-bent to find Claire. Tom, with the help of Claire's former roommate, Hester (Kate Winslet), sneak around to try to figure out why Claire has gone missing. This all ties in with Tom's work, but see the film to figure out how. "Enigma" boasts an all-star pedigree, including Mick Jagger and Lorne Michaels (!!), who formed the unlikely producing team, as well as Michael Apted in the director's chair and Tom Stoppard adapting the screenplay from Robert Harris' novel. The cast and performances are impeccable, especially Jeremy Northam, who looks like a 40's movie-star, and Kate Winslet, who continues to shine in great roles that few other actresses would touch. "Enigma" is at times extremely far-fetched, but is constantly interesting. Recommended. *** (out of) ****

"No Man's Land": All war films are anti-war, so what's the point? In Danis Tantovic's "No Man's Land," a story of a Bosnian soldier (Branco Djurac) trapped in a trench with his Serbian counterpart (Rene Bitorajac), we are faced with yet another film of that ilk. However, "No Man's Land" takes the familiar theme a little further. Throughout the film, we are left wondering who's who. Was that the Croat or the Serb? Which side is which? Guess what, folks. That IS the point. The two soldiers each represent a side that bitterly dislikes the other and they blame each other's "side" for starting the war. When the Bosnian soldier and his group are ambushed, he and his dying comrade seek refuge in a trench that lies roughly between the two fighting sides. The Serbs, searching for survivors, send two of their men to the trench. One of the Serbs is killed by the healthy Croat, but not until after the Serb is able to booby-trap a spring mine underneath the body of the dying Croat. The mine is weighted down by the soldier; one move and everything in a fifty yard radius is destroyed. One gun exists between the two mobile soldiers and the balance of power keeps shifting with the gun. Tension? Yes, but it's undercut with several comic moments, especially when UN forces are called in by both sides to rescue their man. In one funny moment, both men realizing they need each other to get out, stand up above the trench and wave their t-shirts in an attempt to get the attention of their respective armies. Both sides, armed with binoculars, can't figure out their man. How the UN forces handle the problem is also interesting and very telling of their role in the conflict. Also adding to the tension is the presence of the television media, especially a nosy French correspondent played by Katrin Cartlidge (we can't help but be reminded by a very similar character in "Three Kings"), who is almost reckless in her ambition. Writer-director Tantovic, himself a veteran of the battle between the two sides, paints a brilliant picture of the silliness of war. It was inexplicable to me how the Academy could possibly deny "Amelie" the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film." Now that I have experienced "No Man's Land"--the winner of the award--I understand. My highest recommendation. **** (out of) **** (In Serbo-Croatian, French, and English with English subtitles where necessary)

"Frailty": Buoyed by the positive reviews (including Roger Ebert's four-star rave), I ventured out to see "Frailty," actor Bill Paxton's directorial debut. What I wasn't expecting was one of the worst films (that wasn't trying for that distinction) I've watched in a long, long, long, LONG time. Disliking this film had nothing to do with the "God-fearing Christians stay away" offensive nature of the story (I wouldn't quite put myself in that category), its not-so thinly veiled stance on abortion, or its graphic (albeit, mostly implied) violence. No, it stunk because: it looked like it was made for less than the change under my car seat; seemed to have contained every bad line ever uttered in a film, and had acting that was laughably bad (a few others in the audience were laughing, too), even though the film featured decent actors like Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, and Powers Boothe. However, in the fairness of open-mindedness, fans of films about fathers who mistake the angel on top of a bowling trophy as a messenger from God, telling them to destroy all demons (with axes and pipes), and even encouraging their sons to join in, should love this film--even if it does have several gratuitous twists that can be seen from a mile away, and seemed to be made from the Hollywood book of cliches. Just for laughs, the plot in a nutshell concerns a grown man (McConaughey) trying to convince an FBI agent (Boothe) that his dead brother is the one responsible for a string of unsolved murders known as the "Hands of God" killings. It seems that his brother is merely carrying out his father's (Paxton) mission of years earlier--killing people ("demons") that this "bowling trophy angel" had him write on a list. How this film has received mostly praise is beyond me. What film did the critics watch? My time would've been better invested trying to collect that change underneath my car seat. Dare I say ZERO STARS? Why not. "Frailty" is as BAD as it gets. Zero (out of) ****

"Y Tu Mamá También": "The truth is cool but unattainable." This is one of the credos in Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal, "Amores Perros") and Tenoch's (Diego Luna, "Before Night Falls") "manifesto," which almost unknowingly plays a central part in "Y Tu Mamá También" ("And Your Mother Too"), writer-director Alfonso Cuaron's ("A Little Princess") latest film. The truth might be how Cuaron portrays two typical teenage boys. Julio and Tenoch's girlfriends are spending their summer in Europe. The couples have promised to remain faithful but the boys aren't so quick to keep their word. In the midst of some heavy partying (and other assorted bawdy behavior) the boys meet 28 year-old Luisa (Maribel Verdú), who has just given up on her unfaithful husband. The boys offer to take her on a roadtrip (the film is set in Mexico) to an exotic beach known only as "Heaven's Mouth." Her life changed, Luisa decides to accept their invitation. What follows is an exploration into the psyche of each character. The obvious happens, but how it is handled is what separates "Mother" from the pack. It would be easy to mistake "Mother" as just another teenage sex comedy in the vein of "American Pie," but "Mother" runs far deeper than ordinary teen lust films. Yes, this film is lewd and crude with the best of 'em, but with the theme of two 17 year-old boys spending quality time with an older woman, it would be less than honest to portray it any other way. Cuaron's film emerges from the teen rubble as a thoughtful and very frank depiction of not only adolescence, but of relationships, the differences in class (the three principle characters each come from vastly different worlds yet bond as one), and how each relates to one another. "Mother" has been compared to "Jules and Jim" and to French New Wave cinema, and I can't argue the comparisons except to say the French have never behaved like this, at least cinematically! Cuaron's script (co-written with his brother Carlos) is outstanding and proof that a great film can be made from a "teenage sex comedy." Cuaron filmed his characters at a distance, avoiding close-ups, obviously preferring to allow the actions and dialogue to stand alone and for his viewers to reach their own conclusions. Cuaron also makes clever use of narration (albeit a little clumsily) to help flesh out his story, and heavy use of the beautiful Mexican scenery, as well as a nice peek into their culture and class distinctions. Maribel Verdú has the meatier role as she is reconciling more than one emotion in her life, but her excellent performance still does not overshadow her male counterparts, who are just as terrific. Watch "Y Tu Mamá También" with a clear, open mind and you will be rewarded. Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) **** (In Spanish with English subtitles)

"Panic Room": Director David Fincher raised the bar high with "Seven" and "Fight Club," two fancy, yet thoroughly thought-provoking films. His latest film, "Panic Room" begins with thirty-something divorcee Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her young daughter Sarah (Kirsten Stewart) looking for a home in Manhattan. They find a charming brownstone that happens to come with a bonus feature: a 'panic room' that's designed to provide security in the event of a home invasion. Naturally, that's exactly what happens. It seems that the previous owner (who passed away) stashed $23 million in bearer bonds because he was paranoid enough to believe his greedy family wanted the money. Good thinking for him, bad for the Altmans, who quite predictably fall victim when thieves come calling in the night (a dark and stormy night, by the way). Luckily, mother and daughter hide away in the panic room, but unluckily for them, the loot is in the room, mom is claustrophobic and daughter is a diabetic. Whoops. The thieves, played by Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam, have varying degrees of conscience and intelligence level, while mom is street-savvy (and suddenly not so claustrophobic) and daughter isn't so dumb herself. Forget logic, because that went out the window five minutes into the film. If you can accept the film's implausibilities then happy riding, otherwise you might suffer a little. David Fincher is an excellent director, but is getting a little too big for his britches. His style overwhelms the film (save for the impressive title sequence) when he should be tightening up the realities of the storyline. The performances, especially from Foster, Whitaker, and Leto, are rock solid but your heart rate will remain steady and your knuckles won't change color and you'll never feel like you're more than an observer of someone's bad day. When measured by the expectations set forth by the director's previous works, "Panic Room" is a decided disappointment. As a standalone film, "Panic Room" is an average Hollywood thriller with an above-average intellect, and in conclusion, is a decent way to spend two hours provided you're willing to overlook the film's flaws. **1/2 out of ****

"Donnie Darko": What would happen if you took great films like "Heathers" and "Memento," plus some classic Joy Division and Tears for Fears, and threw it in a blender? You'd probably wind up with something like "Donnie Darko." I'd like to skip the descriptions and just beg you to see this film for yourself, but it's sort of my obligation to describe the plot. Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal, "October Sky") is a 16 year-old boy with severe mental problems. He has imaginary friends, including a six-foot rabbit that believes the world will end very soon (he even has the exact time broken down to the second). The rabbit encourages Donnie to commit not-so-random acts of violence like flooding his high school and burning down the house of a slimy infomercial host (Patrick Swayze). These strange occurrences all seem to begin one day in early October, 1988 when a jet engine crashes through the Darko residence and lands where Donnie would've been sleeping had he not had another bout of sleepwalking. What follows is Donnie's prophecy, seen through the eyes of the rabbit, or is it the other way around? This is the beauty of "Donnie Darko," which shreds bad 80s films, skews conventional science fiction, and tips its hat to a host of the good AND bad films ("Evil Dead," "E.T.") of the same. You can't pigeonhole "Donnie Darko" (IMDb has it listed in 141 different genres) but science fiction and VERY black comedy would be apt-descriptions. The credit for the success of "Donnie Darko" deserves to go its (then) 25 year-old writer-director, Richard Kelly, who debuted his strange little film at last year's Sundance film festival, where it received a Grand Jury Prize nomination. While his film's theme isn't exactly politically correct in today's tense climate, its merits should not be ignored. Kelly, making his debut, takes his (dare I say?) genius of a screenplay and his unique vision (which was supported by some lush cinematography by Steven Poster, ironically the veteran of several very bad 80s films) and creates a very, very good film. The performances in "Donnie Darko" are a mixed bag. We see familiar faces like Katherine Ross as Donnie's therapist; Mary McDonnell as Donnie's mother, and Noah Wyle and Drew Barrymore as teachers at Donnie's school (the latter is horribly miscast, but she was one of the film's producers- 'nuf said), but only Gyllenhaal and Jena Malone (playing Donnie's girlfriend) stand out. "Donnie Darko" is a film that would probably appeal mostly to 18-35 year-old males who like their films challenging, while others not in that group would be put off by its perceived message (I fall just outside of this group, yet I loved the way this film forces you to think). In fact, "Donnie Darko" may be the best cult film of the new 21st century ("Memento" was just a little too successful to fall into that category). If this appeals to you, then I highly recommend "Donnie Darko." ***1/2 (out of) **** (DVD)

"Festival in Cannes": is the latest film from Henry Jaglom, who as a twist, decided to make a film about self-absorbed people other than himself. "Festival in Cannes" was filmed at the Cannes film festival, but the site merely served as background for Jaglom's multi-tiered tale of greed and hypocrisy among the Hollywood set. Blue (Jenny Gabrielle) is the star of the hottest film at Cannes, and is a little overwhelmed by her overnight status. Kaz Naiman (Zack Norman) is an "up and coming" film producer who is looking for his next project. Kaz spots actress Alice Palmer (Greta Scacchi) who's in town trying to sell her screenplay which she'd also like to direct. Aging Italian film star, Millie Marquand (Anouk Aimee) is wooed by veteran producer Rick Yorkin (Ron Silver, in a perfect piece of casting), whose own career is on the skids because of his gambling problem. He needs to put together a hit fast, and without Millie Marquand in a bit role, his potential film loses its star. Yorkin's assistant, Barry (Alex Craig Mann) wants to break out of his boss' clutches, so he independently pursues the very hot Blue for his potential producing debut. What the film does (with mild success) is show the parallels between the three generations of actresses and producers. Where it fails is that we just aren't interested in what they have to say. Yes, Hollywood can be slimy and pretentious, but Jaglom's rose-colored glasses are a bit too much. Skip it. ** (out of) ****

"The Independent": Once upon a time in the mid-to-late 70s, a young boy who was fascinated with the underbelly of independent films, but was too young to watch them, would scour the back pages of the entertainment section of his local newspaper looking for tiny ads for movies with silly titles like "Satan's Cheerleaders" or "Superdragon vs. Superman." "The Independent" is the story of Morty Fineman, a man who makes films of that ilk. In fact, over the past two decades, Morty (played by Jerry Stiller) made 427 films with titles like "Twelve Angry Men and a Baby," "You Killed My Partner, Now I Want Revenge," and "World War III II." Morty is at a crossroads. His production company is nearly broke, but he's still trying to finance his latest venture, a musical about a serial killer. The best offer he can find is from a bank which are willing to buy his entire film library (they've weighed it and they're impressed!) for $8 a pound. A desperate Morty manages to talk his daughter Paloma (wink!) into becoming the production company's president. Paloma (Jeanne Garofalo) is reluctant, but manages to talk a very small film festival from a small prostitution town in Nevada, into holding a Morty Fineman film festival. They hope the exposure will be enough to right the Fineman ship. "The Independent" is the brainchild of Stephen Kessler, best known for producing the stage version of "God said, "Ha!," but who is also to blame for "Vegas Vacation." The success of "The Independent" seems to rest upon whether or not the viewer can find humor in the world of campy independent films. Kessler throws in some credible appearances from Jerry Stiller's wife Anne Meara (the couple are still comic geniuses) and 'testimonials' from such directing luminaries as Roger Corman, Peter Bogdanovich, and Ron Howard, to beef up his mockumentary. Some of it works, some of it doesn't, but it's mostly a good time. My favorite parts of the film were the clips from some of Morty's "films" like "Chicks with Hicks" and "Christ for the Defense" (hysterical!), and of course, the final credits, which contain a list of all 427 of Morty's masterpieces. Don't miss titles like "The Simplex Complex" and "Saturday Night Fever Blister." *** (out of) ****

"The Princess and the Warrior": Writer-director Tom Tykwer is a well-kept secret. His first two films, "Deadly Maria" and "Winter Sleepers" never received a proper release, and while his most successful film, "Run, Lola, Run" was a big hit in the cult circuit, it was mostly unseen by the masses, which is fine by me, as I wouldn't want Tykwer's potential as a director to be tarnished by the almighty buck. Tykwer is a "single great idea" director; that is, he comes up with a simple concept and then builds around it until he has something very coherent. His most recent film, "The Princess and the Warrior" works upon the idea that love can be formed by fate, and the supposition that it's possible to perform a life-saving tracheotomy (using a borrowed straw) upon a woman who's just been struck by a semi-truck. Far-fetched? Not really. The saved life belongs to a nurse named Sissi (Franka Potente), while the hero is a small-time criminal named Bodo (Benno Furmann), who happened upon the struck Sissi while fleeing from the police. Sissi, with her life given a second chance, sets out to discover the identity of her hero. Naturally, she finds him, but the aloof Bodo, haunted by personal demons (he blames himself for the accidental death of his wife), wants nothing to do with Sissi. The film is about much more than that, but while Tykwer continues to add levels to the story, the single idea - built from the tracheotomy - sticks out. Unlike the shorter, but faster paced "Lola," Tykwer gives himself an extra fifty minutes to flesh out "Princess and the Warrior," and it's time used wisely. The characters of Sissi and Bodo aren't all that complicated, but because of Tykwer's excellent script and Potente's convincing performance, we understand why Sissi is so wrapped up in her job as a nurse in a mental institution because we get to know her patients, and to a certain degree understand them. Bodo is more of a study, but through Sissi, he comes to understand his life does have meaning. The thought-provoking story and sumptuous look and feel of "Princess and the Warrior" gives you the idea that Tom Tykwer is going to be an important filmmaker someday. Heck, with his modest body of work, especially this film, that day might've already arrived. Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) **** (DVD)

"Monsoon Wedding": is a lovely peek at the traditional family wedding --- Indian style. Lalit (Nasserudin Shah) and Pimmi Verma (Lillete Dubey) have arranged a marriage for their daughter, Aditi (Vasundhara Das) to Houston-based engineer, Hemant Rai. One problem: Aditi is still in love with her married boss. Okay, so that part is a little clichéd. The rest of "Monsoon Wedding" takes a few other clichés like cousins falling for cousins, the rebellious teenage son who "just wants to dance," and dark family secrets --- and skews 'em, Bollywood-style. Director Mira Nair ("Mississippi Masala"), working with a hand-held camera and an excellent script by Sabrina Dhawan, turns "Monsoon Wedding" into a wondrous look at what it takes to plan a Punjabi wedding. Nair fills her film with great characters like the oddball event planner (Vijay Raaz), who likes to munch on marigolds and flirt innocently with the family maid (Tilotoma Shome), and the promiscuous family cousin (the whole clan is in town for the wedding), who isn't bothered that her latest target happens to be a distant relative. Nair also makes deliberate use of Western philosophy, especially music, and the attitudes of the younger characters, to show how New Delhi, India (where the film is set) has adapted to Western culture. Her characters also punctuate their native tongue with plenty of English. Nair also does an outstanding job of handling her cast of (mostly) unknowns, and is able to get some excellent performances. Shah, as the father of the bride, is hysterical, especially in his interactions with the other scene-stealer--Vijay Raaz as P.K. Dubey, the wacky event planner. In fact, Nair deftly manages several subplots without losing control of her film, and without spilling a single drop of pure entertainment value. "Monsoon Wedding" is almost derailed by one of the serious subplots involving an unmentionable act that you could see coming, but didn't want to happen. How that part of the film is resolved, sums up the true meaning of the film: however clichéd it may seem, love and family keeps us together. Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) **** (A mixture of English, Hindi, and Punjabi with English subtitles where necessary)

"Iris": A mind is a terrible thing to waste. For renowned writer Iris Murdoch, it was her mind that slowly wasted away to the ravages of Alzheimer's. Her younger years as a writer (when she is portrayed by Kate Winslet) are often lovingly (but sometimes sadly) interspersed with scenes of the older Iris (played by Dame Judi Dench) as she deteriorates from the debilitating disease. Hugh Bonneville and Jim Broadbent play the younger and older John Bayley, himself a notable author (and literary critic) and long-suffering husband to Iris. In addition to Iris' transformation from brilliant author to a woman who struggles to remember her name, her affairs are noted, as is Bayley's undying devotion to his one love. That just about sums up "Iris," which lacks a plot, but has likeable characters, even if we aren't allowed to learn much about them. Still, you do sympathize with the characters, which is remarkable considering the script virtually ignores basic character development, especially with John Bayley, whose background is barely mentioned, yet he's on screen throughout the film. In many ways, "Iris" seems like a companion piece to "A Beautiful Mind," especially for the way it celebrates the eccentricities of the brilliant, and for the way its handlers have chosen to omit chunky parts of its principal subject's life. We see Iris and John at 30 and at 70, but we learn nothing --- zero, about the years in between. Director and co-writer Richard Eyre is somehow able to rise above all this by getting some amazing performances (some of the best you'll EVER see) from his actors, who seemed to work in an almost improvised atmosphere given their lack of material. When measured as a romantic tale, "Iris" shines, especially for the way it shows John Bayley's unconditional devotion to his beloved, but erratic wife. As a vehicle for great actors to show their abilities, "Iris" is virtually without peer. In fact, the acting isn't just good, it's astounding. Winslet, Bonneville, Dench, and Broadbent put on a clinic. I scarcely know where to begin my praise. Judi Dench, already one of our greatest actresses, does nothing to diminish that reputation. She is brilliant as Iris. Jim Broadbent --- oh, my! Forget Tom Wilkinson from "In the Bedroom," give Broadbent the statue! His performance as the older John Bayley is worth the price of admission. His character's younger self is played with unflappable confidence (given Bayley's meek personality) by Hugh Bonneville, who is a ringer for Broadbent, and on his way to a great career as a serious actor. Kate Winslet as the younger Iris, is excellent, though the other three outshine her. Special mention also goes to Penelope Wilton as Janet Stone, a devoted friend to John and Iris, who holds her own in scenes with the great actors. It's really a shame that such a poor script plagues "Iris" because it has so much going for it. I have to recommend it, however, because the performances are too amazing to ignore. **1/2 (out of) ****

"Monster's Ball": is supposed to be a term to symbolize a condemned man's last night on earth--or perhaps it is how those around him celebrate his departure. For the film "Monster's Ball," the title could be describing the Grotowski family. Three generations of men: Buck (Peter Boyle), a bitter racist, who is home-bound along with his breathing machine and his son, Hank (Billy Bob Thornton), whose own racism seems to be the fault of his ignorant upbringing. Hank has an older son, Sonny (Heath Ledger), who fights his father and grandfather's example, but is otherwise destined to be like them. Sonny is a third generation corrections officer working at a tough prison, where convicted rapist and murderer, Lawrence Musgrove (Sean "P Diddy" Combs) is about to be executed. Sonny clearly isn't cut out for this life, and it reflects in his shoddy work, which doesn't go unnoticed by his abusive father. Eventually, tragedy strikes and Hank has to suffer the emotional consequences of his ugly parenting, which was likely brought upon by his own abusive childhood at the hands of his father. Meanwhile, the executed man leaves behind his wife Leticia (Halle Berry) and son (Coronji Calhoun) to struggle on with their lives. Leticia, always behind on the rent, and with her grossly overweight son threatening to eat them out onto the streets, settles for a job as a late-night waitress in a small-town diner--the same diner where Hank regularly shows up for his usual black coffee and chocolate ice cream (always eaten with a plastic spoon). One doesn't know the connection between the other, but despite their different backgrounds, chance brings them together. The chance is a series of coincidences starting with an additional tragedy in Leticia's life (as if losing her husband wasn't enough) that tests the cold, unfeeling Hank's seeming inability to be nice to anyone, let alone someone of color. Leticia is wracked with her own guilt about her parenting skills. Mix in Hank with his problems, and the emotional need level is off the scale. Director Marc Forster, working from a great script by Milo Addica and Will Rokos, does an excellent job of managing the film's beautiful mood and pacing, while getting his leads to deliver exceptional performances. Halle Berry, in spite of her beauty, is powerfully convincing as the suffering widow, while Billy Bob Thornton, in a performance not far removed from his quiet barber in "The Man Who Wasn't There," is letter-perfect as a man in search of his real personality. "Monster's Ball" balances its emotional roller coaster of a story with one of the more satisfying endings in recent memory. The conclusion could've gone in a few different directions (like "In the Bedroom") but how Addica and Rokos scripted it was simply brilliant. Even the film's much ballyhooed sex scenes fit well within the context of the story, and in particular, within the obvious needs of the characters. Like the film, the scenes were emotionally charged and very well done. My highest recommendation. **** (out of) ****

"Storytelling": Todd Solondz's previous films, "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and "Happiness," were the types of efforts that if discussed in a room full of filmschool students, you would get varying answers as to what his films are trying to say, what Mr. Solondz's motivation might've been, or for that matter whether his films are brilliant, or stink. During one of the two stories in Solondz's latest film "Storytelling," such a scenario takes place, only instead of film students, the roundtable is filled with creative writing students, who are discussing a fellow student's latest essay. In the "Fiction" portion of the two-tiered "Storytelling," Selma Blair plays Vi, a white college student and aspiring writer. The course is taught by a black professor (Robert Wisdom) who likes to berate his students, particularly Vi, when he's dissatisfied with their work. Student and teacher end up together, which in the context of the story, seems to be pure exploitation and sensationalism, and so pointless that it seems there just for the purpose of shocking the audience, or to make a statement that doesn't need to be made. Solondz uses a controversial scene between the black male professor and white female student as a stab against MPAA censorship. He uses the class setting as a swipe against his critics, and Vi's cerebral palsy-afflicted boyfriend as, well, more shock value. As a whole, a very messy sequence.

The second story ("Non-Fiction") has a point, in fact, plenty of 'em, and is far more redeemable and watchable. Paul Giamatti plays Toby Oxman, a shoe salesman and wannabe documentary filmmaker. Toby selects the very-dysfunctional Livingston family as the subject of his first film. John Goodman plays Marty Livingston, the father and staunch head of the very affluent family, while Julie Hagerty (a long way from "Airplane"), plays Fern, the passive mom with a fitting name. The Livingstons have three sons: Scooby (Mark Webber), an emotionally-disturbed teenager and the primary subject of Toby's film; Brady (Noah Fleiss), the 'perfect' jock who's worried his reputation might be damaged by his older brother's rumored homosexuality, and Mikey --- the youngest, whose brattiness and snobbishness is oblivious to everyone except for the Livingston's live-in maid, Consuelo (Lupe Ontiveros). While I strongly disliked the first story, I really enjoyed the way the second story challenged me to think; the way Solondz used social satire to makes his points, rather than rely on more shock value. He sends up the suburban family (dig those names) better than anyone since "American Beauty," which in a very intentional piece of irony, is stabbed twice by Solondz. As I mentioned earlier, like Solondz's overall body of work, you'll either find it brilliant ("Non-Fiction") or stinky ("Fiction"). Overall, if you liked "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and "Happiness," see "Storytelling." If not, wait for the video. To be fair: "Fiction" *1/2 (out of) ****; "Non-Fiction" ***1/2(out of) ****.

"The Devil's Backbone": If Jose Luis Cuerda's "Butterfly" had a sequel, it could've been "The Devil's Backbone," which like that film is set during the Spanish Civil War, and features impressionable young children with a lot of imagination, and some decent political intrigue. The difference is, this isn't a coming-of-age story, instead it's a ghost story --- or at least I think it is. Writer-director Guillermo del Toro's story begins when young Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is 'dropped off' at an orphanage/boarding school for young, wayward boys. The school is run by a nice old man by the name of Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi) and taught by Miss Carmen (Marisa Paredes). Carlos assumes the bed formerly slept in by a young boy named Santi, who disappeared one night a few months earlier. There are stories abound about a mysterious "sighing ghost" that haunts the facility, and Carlos is convinced the ghost is actually that of the missing boy, Santi. Meanwhile, in a subplot, the considerably older Miss Carmen, unable to consummate her relationship with the equally older Dr. Casares, seeks comfort in the arms of the much younger caretaker, Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), who is already shacking up with the lovely cook (played by Irene Visedo). As it turns out, Jacinto has ulterior motives galore. He is looking for the gold that Carmen stashed as support for the Republican cause (Jacinto has fascist leanings) and will do practically anything to get it. The story, and for that matter its ghostly angle, is a bit much, leaving this viewer a little inquisitive about the filmmaker's intentions. Was del Toro trying to make a gory version of a Hardy Boys story? Or was he trying to make a ghost story, but discovered he needed another 100 pages of script? I can't say the film succeeds on either level. As a ghost story, it had its eerie moments, and the 'who-gets-the-gold' story is somewhat ordinary and far from complete in the script development department. The best thing about "The Devil's Backbone" is the gorgeous cinematography (by Guillermo Navarro, who also did a wonderful job with "Spy Kids") and the performance of Eduardo Noriega as the twisted Jacinto. To sum it up in less than ten words: a little boring and somewhat pointless. ** (out of) **** (In Spanish with English subtitles)

"George Washington": As a teenager growing up in Texas, David Gordon Green worshipped "Days of Heaven," Terrence Malick's seminal masterpiece of drifters in the Panhandle. Not too many years later, Malick's influence is all over "George Washington," writer-director Green's ambitious film debut. The setting for his film is rural North Carolina, and the principle theme is the sad, but still hopeful lives of a group of young children, raised in a very poor environment. Candace Evanofski plays Nasia, a bright twelve year-old girl, who has just broken up with her thirteen year-old boyfriend, Buddy (Curtis Cotton III). Nasia quickly turns her attention to George, a quiet, but sweet boy with a "soft head" -- a congenital condition that forces him to wear a helmet to help prevent a sudden blow to his head, which, along with exposure to water, could lead to his death. Nasia's other friends include the older Vernon (Damian Jewan Lee), and Sonya (Rachael Handy), whose side hobbies feature car theft. Is this a tale of juvenile delinquency? No. It is a film about directionless, but philosophical youth who are put at a disadvantage by their sad surroundings. There are some predictable scenes, plus one death (unpredictable), and how the kids cope forms the film. "George Washington" (the title is partially explained as George's ambition to one day become the President) is narrated by Evanofski's character, Nasia, in an observational manner very reminiscent of Linda from "Days of Heaven." David Gordon Green, just 25 when the film was made, and his very gifted cameraman, Tim Orr, made the most of their low budget (reportedly less than a half million dollars) to create a very visually impressive film, whose look (and proper use of its music) helped to push its message. Wisely, the talented Green's will direct someone else's material for his second film, as his script for "George Washington" could've been tighter. The film's performances were mixed, as none of the actors had previous experience, but it was the children who seemed natural, while the scenes involving the adult actors felt staged. Candace Evanofski as Nasia, was remarkably poised in her film debut, in what was easily the film's best performance. I could see where it would be easy to dislike this film if one were to look past its intentions, but I would hope the viewer would see "George Washington" for what it is: a sweet and honest film about the struggles some people have when life deals them an unfair hand. Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) **** (Video, unavailable on DVD)

"The Son's Room": A family must cope with a personal tragedy. Is this a familiar plot? Well, if you've watched "In the Bedroom," "Lantana," or to a lesser degree, "L.I.E.," and "The Deep End," then you probably have a fair idea of the plot of "The Son's Room," actor-director-writer-everything, Nanni Moretti's ("Italy's Woody Allen") latest film. Moretti is better known for his sweet ensemble comedies ("Aprile," "Dear Diary") than heavy dramas, but with "The Son's Room," he takes a different direction. Moretti stars as Giovanni, a psychoanalyst with a loving wife, Paola (Laura Morante) and two teenaged children --- Andrea (Giuseppe Sanfelice) and Irene (Jasmine Trinca). Their family life is normal--Andrea and Irene are good kids with typical problems, while Giovanni and Paola enjoy a very healthy relationship. All is well until one Sunday morning when Giovanni answers an emergency call from one of his patients. His decision to put off a family event in order to attend to the patient, indirectly results in tragedy, forever changing his world. Giovanni, wracked with guilt and a grieving family, must now deal with the irreparable consequences including damage to his marriage. Depressing? Somewhat. Honest? Very. Nanni Moretti, who also produced and co-wrote "The Son's Room" (which won the Palme d'Or as best film at last year's Cannes film festival), does a beautiful job of creating a tragic, yet carefully drawn depiction of grief. There's one 30-second sequence --- the pivotal point in the film --- that begins with a sudden shift in music, followed by quick snippets of what each family member is doing at that precise moment. The next scene begins with happiness and we're led to believe that all is well, that the previous scene was a false alarm. But it wasn't. The change in tone (happiness for close to half the film to sudden tragedy) is brilliant and could be used as an example of great filmmaking for a film class. The subject isn't a pleasant one, but it's well depicted (the principal characters, especially Moretti, are all outstanding), and courageous for its honesty. You won't leave "The Son's Room" with an extra spring in your step, but you'll leave feeling as though you just watched a very good film. Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) **** (In Italian with English subtitles)

"Brotherhood of the Wolf": "Evil Dead" on acid? No, that wouldn't quite describe the latest French martial-arts-urban-legend-romantic-thriller, but it is a film Sam Raimi could've made, 'cept he would've chopped about 45 minutes from the film's length and maybe a few less heads…um, more about that later. "Brotherhood" is set in 1764 France, where the Beast of Gevaudan is reportedly responsible for the deaths of dozens of villagers--mostly women. Enter the mysterious stranger (Samuel Le Bihan) and his Native American amigo (Mark Dacascos), who aid the villagers in their pursuit of the beast, rumored to be a very large wolf. Of course there's dissent (er, bad guys), romance (Emilie Dequenne and Monica Bellucci are among Le Bihan's dalliances), evil men with fancy titles next to their name, and lots and lots of kung-fu action, filled with blood, gore, AND bloody and gory beheadings! Did I mention subtitles, a very literate script, and some of the flashiest cinematography (from Dan Lausten) in recent memory? I'd flesh out the plot a little more if I could, but that's about it. "Brotherhood of the Wolf," despite its easy-to-mock theme, is actually a pretty decent film. It has a likeable cast, especially Le Bihan, and good direction (from Christophe Gans), and some impressive visuals. If it had a wink here, a nod there, plus at least a half-hour less running time, "Brotherhood of the Wolf" could've been a contendah. In it's final form, it's merely pretty good entertainment, especially if you're a young male who doesn't mind reading for 140 minutes. Recommended. *** (out of) **** In French with English subtitles.

"Gosford Park": There's been much ado about Robert Altman's latest film "Gosford Park," his "best film since "Short Cuts," "part "Clue," part "Remains of the Day," and part "Upstairs, Downstairs." Yup. I'd agree with those sentiments. Stuffy English films usually put me off, but this film had too much going for it to ignore. Gosford Park is the name of a huge manor just outside of London owned by Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his wife, Lady Sylvia McCordle (Kristin Scott Thomas). The very well-to-do couple invited the other riches of society--plus their valets and personal servants--for a weekend hunting party that winds up with a murder. Among the guests are Hollywood producer Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban), his valet Henry Denton (Ryan Phillippe), the ultra-snobbish Countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith), her sweet Scottish-bred ladies' maid, Mary Macreachran (Kelly MacDonald), and Lord and Lady Stockbridge (Charles Dance and Geraldine Somerville)--plus others almost too numerous too mention (mostly money-grubbing relatives of Sir William). The most interesting characters seem to be the 'help,' which includes Emily Watson as head-housemaid, Elsie --who is having an affair with Sir William; the housekeeper Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren), and the stuffy butler Jennings (Alan Bates). "Gosford Park," set in 1932, attempts to show both sides (or in this case, both floors) of the crème of society and the commoners who work for them. Unfortunately, with so many characters to examine, Altman and his screenwriter, Julian Fellowes, are unable to flesh out a proper story. Altman's films seem filled with characters with the means to celebrate the finer things in life (put delicately). He succeeds here when he shows the other side. Altman is also able to squeeze in a few nice touches like having a actor character named Ivor Novello, whose latest failure is "The Lodger" (not the Alfred Hitchcock version). A quick look at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) revealed an actual actor named Ivor Novello who starred in "The Lodger" in 1932. And the film Morris Weissman was researching ("Charlie Chan in London") was released in 1934 and had a plot very similar to this one. The very best thing about "Gosford Park" was Maggie Smith. She was delightful as the Countess of Trentham. The performances in general were excellent, but with a couple dozen characters to choose from, it is easy for actors like Emily Watson, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen (who IS the James Bond I pictured in the Ian Fleming novels), Charles Dance, Derek Jacobi, Alan Bates, and others, to get lost. "Gosford Park" is a sometimes trying, sometimes funny poke at class structure. If that's your "cup of tea," then by all means--see it. *** (out of) ****

"Lantana": begins with a long tracking shot through the thick, thorny bush of a plant called lantana. The bush is commonplace in Australia, where "Lantana," the film, is set. As the camera sifts through the flowery plant, we spy the body of a woman. We don't know her identity or how she got there, but we're going to find out. Backing way up, the film unfolds with an examination of the marriage between police detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) and his wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong). Sonja is seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey), because she suspects Leon is seeing another woman. The thorn in her side--the other woman--proves to be Jane (Rachel Blake), a member of her dance class, who is separated from her husband, Pete (Glenn Robbins). Meanwhile, the psychiatrist, unable to cope with the murder of her 11-year-old daughter, is drifting apart in her own marriage (to Geoffrey Rush). The sweetness in the flowery bush seems to come from Jane's next-door neighbors, the Daniels, a nice couple in a good marriage but with idiosyncrasies that end up tying together most of the characters in this tangled bush. Director Ray Lawrence does an excellent job of weaving together the intricate stories (the screenplay was adapted by Andrew Bovell from his own play "Speaking in Tongues") without sacrificing character development or losing his audience. Like all good thrillers, there are parts better left unsaid, so this is where my synopsis ends. "Lantana" is filled with outstanding performances, especially from Anthony LaPaglia, playing a brooding, cold character that seems to spend the entire film trying to figure why he's such an ass. LaPaglia, so little used in films, leaves you wanting more. Barbara Hershey and Geoffrey Rush, like the film, are moody but riveting. From the direction, to the camerawork, to the acting, you never get the feeling you are watching anything but professionals at the very top of their game. "Lantana" plays like a dead-serious version of "American Beauty," from its flowery motifs to its complicated, but interesting characters. "Lantana" won several Australian film awards--it deserves American consideration. Recommended highly. ***1/2 (out of) ****

"A Beautiful Mind": Take one part big star (Russell Crowe), add a dash of Hollywood director (Ron Howard), sprinkle in a 'true story' with dysfunctional overtones, and you have the recipe for this year's big Hollywood representation at the Academy awards. Each year Hollywood seems to select a film they feel will thwart the 'evil' independent-minded films; a film that will show the world that Hollywood is still king of entertainment. This year's "Erin Brockovich" is "A Beautiful Mind," and like "EB," it is a good film that in Hollywood's mind is a masterpiece. John Forbes Nash Jr. (Crowe) is a brilliant math student at Princeton U. who unlocks the better idea to a 150-year economics theory. His theory lands him a prestigious teaching job at M.I.T., where he meets his future wife Alicia (Jennifer Connelly). Nash's genius has many pitfalls. A beautiful mind is a terrible thing to waste, so when the cocky, yet aloof Nash hears the calling of the U.S. Department of Defense, he answers. It seems an FBI agent named William Parcher (Ed Harris) wants to use Nash's analytical skills as a codebreaker in order to stop a potential Russian invasion. From all accounts, John Nash is a fascinating person with an equally fascinating life (he also won a Nobel Prize in 1998), but in the interest of cinematic vision, many portions of his life are inexplicably missing. Characters are underdeveloped--especially Jennifer Connelly's Alicia, who comes in and out yet we never learn much about her, which is a pity because Connelly is rapidly emerging as a top actress, and her performance as Nash's wife is terrific, but we're left wanting. The rest of the performances are also excellent, especially Russell Crowe, who keeps getting better as an actor. Also notable was Paul Bettany as Nash's buddy, Charles. Bettany is clearly a very talented actor who I hope to see more of in the future. Ed Harris as the mysterious FBI agent is excellent--in fact, Harris is probably incapable of delivering a bad performance. In the hands of a production team with better intentions, the John Forbes Nash Jr. story could've been more beautiful. As it stands, it is merely a good one. Sadly, as this year's designated Hollywood "awards" film, the Academy won't know any better. *** (out of) ****

"Ali": I would think anyone over the age of 30 has remembrances of Muhammad Ali, whether or not they're boxing fans. Ali, a colorful and brash boxer who could "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee," had an equally colorful life, and the depiction of some of that life in on display in "Ali," starring (somewhat appropriately) the very charismatic actor Will Smith as Ali. There's been much ado about Smith as Ali; whether or not he could convince audiences he was the great man. First of all, I think Smith did a wonderful job in a role he seemed born to play, but I always had the feeling I was watching Smith, not Ali. "Ali" was directed by Michael Mann ("The Insider"), who happens to be one of my favorite directors, but personal sentiments aside, "Ali" is far from Mr. Mann's best effort. Okay…the film. "Ali" begins in 1964 with the fight that put the then Cassius Clay on the map--the heavyweight championship against Sonny Liston, and ends in 1974 with the "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman in Zaire. In between, Ali's struggles with the draft board are depicted along with some of the loves of his life, and his moments with the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X, but the rest of the film is filler, leaving out other important fights -- the loss to Ken Norton; the "Thrilla in Manila," not to mention huge chunks of his life including his childhood and rise to prominence before the first Liston fight. As I mentioned earlier, Will Smith was quite good as Ali, but we never quite buy the transformation. Jon Voight, stepping out of his FDR makeup from "Pearl Harbor," was entertaining and surprisingly restrained as Howard Cosell, and Jamie Foxx was good as Ali's buddy, Bundini, but Mykelti Williamson (a regular in Mann films, but best known as Bubba in "Forrest Gump") was laughably miscast as Don King. Given Michael Mann's excellent track record, I expected so much more, but received less. Muhammad Ali, the man, is a fascinating person, whose life deserved a more thorough examination, not this Cliff's Notes version of the 'good stuff.' Disappointing. ** (out of) ****

"The Royal Tenenbaums": The year 2001 has given us several films with dysfunctional families, but none stranger or better depicted, than in "The Royal Tenenbaums," director Wes Anderson's ("Rushmore") latest film collaboration with writing partner and co-star, Owen Wilson. Royal Tenenbaum was a successful litigation attorney, but after a series of personal missteps is now disbarred and struggling. He is also estranged from his family that includes his wife, Etheline (Angelica Huston), and daughter Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is a former child prodigy, but as an adult is a failed playwright and closeted chain-smoker. His son Chas (Ben Stiller), who as a child was a genius on Wall Street, graduated to a life of paranoia brought upon by a plane crash that claimed the life of his beloved wife. Chas, along with his two sons, Ari and Uzi, moved back with mom once Chas determines his home is unsafe for his boys (in one of the film's many running jokes, the trio wear matching running suits--just in case they need to escape from a burning building). Another son, Richie Tenenbaum (Luke Wilson) is a former child tennis star, who crashed and burned on the pro circuit, and is now considered a failure, but still likes to wear his head and wristbands wherever he goes. Royal and Etheline have been separated for years, but Royal is reluctant to give her a divorce, to allow her to marry her accountant, Henry Sherman (Danny Glover). Instead, Royal tries to worm his way back into his family's lives by making up a story that he's dying of cancer. Gene Hackman as Royal, has seldom been better. Hackman is not only one of our better dramatic actors, but he also has a very natural flair for comedy. Ben Stiller picks up where he left off in "Meet the Parents," with his dry and assertive style of comedy, while Paltrow as the troubled Margot is every bit as dry and funny as Stiller. Wes Anderson crams many good ideas and strange characters in his film (Owen Wilson is great as the neighbor who longs to be part of the family), continuing many of the themes he started in his two previous films, "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore," including some great running jokes (do these people ever change their clothes?) and a fantastic soundtrack. Anderson's film sometimes cradles the edge of good taste, but "The Royal Tenenbaums" is extremely funny and very well-done. Recommended. *** (out of) ****

"The Business of Strangers": Julie Styron (Stockard Channing), a vice-president of a software company, has just learned she's been snubbed by the board of directors, who met without her regarding an important company development--and her boss, the CEO, wants to meet with her privately. Fearing the worst, Julie quickly contacts her friend, Nick (Fred Weller) -- a corporate headhunter, to help her find a new job. She's feeling like a lame duck, and right before an important presentation she has to make before some potential clients. To make matters worse, the company's new tech person, Paula Murphy (Julia Stiles) fails to show up for the start of the presentation, leaving the already frazzled Julie to handle the clients without any technical aids. Upset, Julie coldly fires Paula, and then heads off to her meeting with the CEO, which doesn't result in her firing after all. Instead, he announces his retirement and her promotion to his CEO position. A few hours later, a more relaxed Julie runs into Paula, who has missed her flight. The two reconcile over several scotches, and sort through their very individual personalities. Julie, who's much older than Paula, is the classic overachiever who has shunned marriage and having children in favor of pursuing her career. Paula, a recent college graduate, is a cocky young woman with a noticeably bad attitude towards men. Meanwhile, Nick the headhunter, has also missed his flight and figures he'll find Julie at her hotel bar, which he does, but she's also with the very bitter Paula who decides to toy with Nick, who made the very unfortunate mistake of being born a male. What follows cannot be revealed without giving away the crux of the film, but the events that happen and the end result does turn a potentially fascinating relationship (between Julie and Paula) into a near horror show. Still, we get to see the machinations between the two women, and how the frustrations of their lives affect the split-second decisions they're forced to make. The performances by the two actresses were excellent. Channing rises above her dullard character, and Stiles, with the juicier role, is terrific. She is definitely an actress to watch. Writer-director Patrick Stettner, making his film debut, tried to pack too much into 84 minutes of film instead of trying to stretch it out a little. "The Business of Strangers" had two actresses and a theme that could've made this a far better film, but its director fell short. **1/2 (out of) ****

 

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