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Dave's Top 10 For 2002

Far From Heaven; The Hours; Heaven; Punch-Drunk Love; Adaptation.; Talk To Her; Y Tu Mamá También; About Schmidt; 13 Conversations About One Thing; Minority Report.

Director: Todd Haynes ("Far From Heaven"); Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis ("Gangs of New York"); Actress: Cate Blanchett ("Heaven"); Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper ("Adaptation."); Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates ("About Schmidt"); Foreign Film: "City of God;" Original Screenplay: Todd Haynes ("Far From Heaven"); Adapted Screenplay (tie): Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman ("Adaptation.") and David Hare ("The Hours"); Cinematography: Edward Lachman ("Far From Heaven"); Best Original Score: Philip Glass ("The Hours")

"Cold Mountain": Nicole Kidman and Jude Law star in the adaptation of Charles Frazier's novel of "Cold Mountain." Kidman plays the very refined Southern belle Ada Monroe, while Law is Inman, a confused soldier who's off to fight for the South in the Civil War. The two exchange a few glances, a handful of words, and a nice kiss, and suddenly soldier boy has a reason to desert the cause. Meanwhile, Ms. Prim and Proper stays at home longing for her casual acquaintance, while being looked after by Kathy Baker and Renee Zellweger. That pretty much sums up "Cold Mountain," which left me cold and very bored. Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient") directed and adapted, but couldn't make me believe his characters weren't actors putting on bad accents, or that his North Carolina scenery wasn't Romania with a lot of fake snowflake effects. If you want to go the irrelevant route and judge "Cold Mountain" based on its star wattage or its performances, it does deserve a little credit. Renee Zellweger, whom I find very annoying, is actually pretty decent playing the very annoying Ruby Thewes, a backwoods Southern tomboy type who helps Ada tend the farm while she awaits her man. Nicole Kidman is beautiful (no surprise) and effective, but Jude Law isn't given a whole lot to chew on. A large part of the problem is we just don't care about the characters and we don't believe their situations. Did Kidman really have to cake on the makeup while working on the farm? Did every role (or so it seemed) have to be filled by a recognizable face? The film is overloaded with supporting actors and cameo roles by familiar staples such as Donald Sutherland, Natalie Portman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ray Winstone, Brendan Gleeson, James Gammon, and Giovanni Ribisi. One more complaint: on top of my choice to endure this bore-fest, I had to wait over an hour-and-a-half before the lovely Portman made her first appearance. By then, I was more-than-ready for the credits. My advice? If you're too tempted to see this film (because of all its stars), wait for the DVD. And even then, just skip to the chapters with Hoffman and Portman. The rest isn't worth it. "Cold Mountain" is proof (not that we need it) that a good cast, and even some performances (which this film has), does NOT make a good film. Sadly, the Academy may not recognize the difference. "Cold Mountain" can be summed up in one word: BORING! * 1/2(out of) ****

"The Girl With a Pearl Earring": is the story of a young Dutch woman named Griet (Scarlett Johansson), who in the late 17th century worked in the household of the famed painter, Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth) and was reportedly the inspiration for Vermeer's painting, "The Girl With a Pearl Earring." Griet sought employment as a housekeeper after her father (and amateur painter) was blinded in a workplace accident. Griet's wide-eyed innocence, quiet beauty, and casual interest in Vermeer's work attracted the often-unscrupulous painter. This doesn't go unnoticed by Vermeer's intensely jealous wife (played by Essie Davis), or by Griet's love-interest, Pieter (Cillian Murphy). It does seem to be ignored by Griet, who is too uncomfortable with the class setting (she's also a Protestant in a Catholic surrounding) to even consider the thought of romance. Peter Webber, making his first feature, directed "Pearl Earring" as a quiet study of an artist and his subject (Olivia Hetreed adapted Tracy Chevalier's novel). Webber allowed the visuals of the film's subjects as well as its Delft setting to do most of the talking. Expressions and quiet glances were substitutes for the obvious. This approach resulted in very subtle, but effective performances, especially from the luminous Scarlett Johansson, who is rapidly maturing as an actress. Colin Firth is very restrained, while Tom Wilkinson (who is virtually unrecognizable) as Vermeer's patron, van Ruijven, Essie Davis as Vermeer's wife, and Judy Parfitt as Vermeer's pushy mother-in-law, are very good. "The Girl With a Pearl Earring" is a film that, like its sparse dialogue, left me almost speechless. The story is like a quiet fable. And like its tale of a very famous and influential artist, the film is framed like a painting. Its beauty will take your breath away. I literally gasped at several striking scenes. In this respect, the film is almost without peer. It would be a travesty if this film went unrecognized for its sumptuous production design, its costumes, the memorable film score (though it was a little repetitious), and especially its cinematography (by Eduardo Serra), which alone is worthy of many pauses when the film comes to DVD. If you enjoy beautiful period pieces, "The Girl With a Pearl Earring" is highly recommended. *** 1/2(out of) ****

"21 Grams": Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's first film, "Amores Perros" was a triptych with the underlying theme of an intersecting car accident. His second film, "21 Grams" also examines the effects that a tragedy can have on three seemingly unconnected lives. Sean Penn is Paul Rivers, a mathematics professor, but his profession is almost, but not quite, irrelevant. More importantly, Paul will die if he doesn't receive a heart transplant. Naomi Watts is Cristina Peck, a recovering drug addict, whose second chance at life through her supportive husband and loving children, is snatched away by a horrible tragedy. Benicio Del Toro plays Jack Jordan, an ex-con and born-again Christian who, like Cristina, is trying to right his life but cannot avoid the obstacles placed in his way. The three characters are not directly connected at first, but almost right away (through skewed chronology), they are placed at the scene of the tragedy. Gonzalez Inarritu and his writing partner Guillermo Arriaga (they also collaborated on "Amores Perros") take a very emotional story and hack it into pieces in order to demonstrate how inexplicable fate can fracture multiple lives. The process is jarring, both to the viewer who is trying to understand the story, and in a way, to the characters. The result is one of the most thought-provoking films I've seen in years. On an emotional level, "21 Grams" is off the scale. But it's missing something. Like his characters, Gonzalez Inarritu's film doesn't feel complete, but perhaps that's the idea. Gonzalez Inarritu seemed to deliberately leave out simple details, which is a little confounding, but is probably a nod to his audience, who do not need to be spoon-fed. Let us figure out why one after the other, the characters in "21 Grams" turn their backs on someone or something; why they betray one person in order to heal another. Yes, this is heavy, heavy stuff of the highest order. And it's pretty difficult to not be moved by the performances. The scenes between Naomi Watts and Sean Penn were electrifying. You feel their characters' pain, which may be the ultimate compliment. Watts is simply stunning, and Penn, long one of our greatest actors, delivers in one of his best roles, and certainly his most complicated and thoroughly written character. Benicio Del Toro is like a man on a mission. He buries himself in his role, resulting in an astounding performance. Their mates support the three principle leads, literally. There's Paul's wife, Mary (Charlotte Gainsbourg), whose personal need to perpetuate the cycle of life, threatens their relationship. And Marianne Jordan, who will do almost anything to keep her husband on the straight and narrow. Clea DuVall has a small, but important role as Cristina's younger sister. The supporting characters, like the leads, are extremely well-written and well-developed, and accorded excellent performances by their actors. Interestingly, while the film clearly deserves to be recognized for its acting, as well as direction, writing, editing, and cinematography, the loser could be the film itself, which can be a frustrating experience, especially upon the first viewing. I enjoyed it far more the second time. It helped me gain a greater understanding of what Gonzalez Inarritu was trying to accomplish. "21 Grams," like its over-the-top non-linear style of editing (by Stephen Mirrione, best known for "Traffic"), is a complicated puzzle that demands to be put together. It's also one of most emotionally-draining and powerful film experiences you'll ever watch. *** 1/2 (out of) ****  

"In America": is writer-director Jim Sheridan's ode to his childhood. Paddy Considine plays Johnny, a struggling actor who moves his wife, Sarah (Samantha Morton) and their two young daughters (real-life sisters Emma and Sarah Bolger) from Dublin, Ireland to the Hell's Kitchen section of New York City. They move into a run-down apartment building that's home to a collection of drug-addicts and eccentric individuals, including an introverted artist named Mateo (Djimon Hounsou), who becomes a very profound figure in the family's life. Sheridan weaves his story around how his characters adjust to the everyday challenges of their lives. Johnny, for example, is an actor, yet he's incapable of emotion. He's also in constant need of healing, a stark contrast to Mateo, who uses emotion to express his art. Johnny's daughters, in spite of their depressing upbringing, are full of life and blissfully unaware of their surroundings. Life for them is as it should be: fun. The family makes the best of a bad situation, including Sarah, who works as a waitress. Sheridan wrote the script along with his two daughters, who helped him relive the story he told them as a child (Sheridan's father was Johnny). The Sheridans do a marvelous job of developing the character and resisting the usual clichés, even though the story invites it. Sheridan's film shows the human side of people who are thought to be monsters. Blood is thicker than water, and blood is a constant theme that runs throughout "In America" (literally and metaphorically). The story, fittingly, is told through the eyes of a child, using the older daughter (played with amazing confidence by Sarah Bolger) to narrate with her words as well as (occasionally) her precious camcorder, which the family miraculously manages to keep. Yes, the film sometimes shamelessly tugs at your heartstrings, but we don't care, as the story is too important and dear to us. Jim Sheridan landed us, hook, line, and sinker with his wonderful tale. Paddy Considine (wow) and Samantha Morton were outstanding; Djimon Hounsou was inspirational, and the performances from the two sisters, Emma and Sarah Bolger, were terrific. A good film should move you in some way. In this respect, "In America" succeeded admirably. Johnny may have had trouble expressing his emotions, but this viewer didn't. *** 1/2(out of) ****

"Les Triplettes de Belleville": Oh, how does one describe this film? Well, it's animated, has virtually no dialogue, uh, is French, and is completely charming. Champion lives in a suburb along with his loving grandmother and their devoted hound, Bruno. Champion, like many of his countrymen, is a bicycle fanatic. He longs to race in the Tour de France. He gets his chance, but is kidnapped by mob-types, which leads to a chase by Bruno and Champion's grandmother. That pretty much sums up the plot. What gives "Belleville" its charm, is the execution of the story. The film is overloaded with wonderful touches, from its animation style (a clear ode to the Fleischer cartoons of the 30's, all the way down to the scratchy film) to its tip-of-the-hat to the tradition of the 40's Warner Brothers cartoons (the "mob-types" are anvil-shaped!!). Despite its deliberate lack of dialogue, the filmmaker (writer and director Slyvain Chomet) filled his film with plenty of sounds. In fact, "Belleville" is an audio and visual delight. The animation isn't as elaborate as a Disney film, but its attention to detail is remarkable. Still, having said all that, "Belleville" is slow and can be boring, but it has too many charms and is too wildly inventive to dismiss it as a film. Recommended. *** (out of) **** (In French, and without the unneeded subtitles!)

"Mystic River": Clint Eastwood's latest directorial effort is also one of his better films. "Mystic River" explores familiar territory ("Sleepers" comes to mind), that of how a childhood tragedy can be truly life-altering, and not just for the victim. Tim Robbins plays the adult version of Dave Boyle, who as a child was the one who got into a stranger's car. His two friends, Jimmy and Sean, who were playing with him on the street of a Boston neighborhood at the time, took the safe route. Some 25 years later, Jimmy (now played by Sean Penn) owns the local market, but also has some questionable ties with the local mob, and is only a few years removed from a stint in prison. Sean (Kevin Bacon) went on to become a homicide detective for the Boston Police department. And Dave, well, he never quite recovered by that car trip. He's married and has a young son, but he's haunted by his childhood trauma. We're not quite sure if he's on the up and up, especially after he's suspected in the brutal murder of Jimmy's 19 year-old daughter, Katie. Sean takes on the case, and is forced to revisit the old neighborhood that he's tried to forget, especially since he no longer has anything in common with his old buddies. The film is a dutiful study into the psyche of a grieving father who lives by a code of violence, coupled with a look into the torturous soul of Dave. The film also attempts to explore Sean's strange relationship with his ex-wife, but this part seems to be pure filler. Eastwood, working from an excellent screenplay from Brian Helgeland ("L.A. Confidential"), completes his film with a strong supporting cast, especially Marcia Gay Harden as Dave's supportive wife, Laura Linney in the Carmela Soprano role, and Laurence Fishburne as Sean's suspicious partner, who isn't burdened by a devotion for Dave. "Mystic River" is a good film, but works from a fairly standard formula. Where it shines is in its performances. Aside from the aforementioned supporting roles (especially Harden), it's Robbins and Penn who stand out. We're familiar with Penn's gifted range, but it's Robbins who impresses the most. "Mystic River" doesn't break any new ground, but works as a good character study. *** (out of) ****

"Intolerable Cruelty": Coen Brothers films used to be a minor event. But after a series of near misses including "The Man Who Wasn't There" and "The Big Lebowski," and one not-quite-classic ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?"), the prolific writing-directing duo no longer elicit excitement from these quarters. Call me spoiled by their first six films. It's been too long since their last great film, "Fargo." Unfortunately, "Intolerable Cruelty" continues the negative trend, landing somewhere (in my opinion) between "Brother" and "Lebowski." George Clooney plays Miles Massey, dashing lawyer and creator of the Massey Pre-Nup, an impenetrable document designed to thwart gold diggers like Marylin Rexroth (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who just fleeced her husband Rex (played by Edward Herrmann) and is now looking around for her next 'victim.' Miles, who represents Rex at the "assets dispersal" meeting, is smitten by the lovely Marylin, which the vixen soon plays to her advantage. What works in "Intolerable Cruelty" are the comic performances from Clooney and Zeta-Jones. What doesn't work is the Brothers Joel and Ethan's insistence that their screwball comedies must be overfed to the point of excess. "Intolerable Cruelty" has some good laughs, but lacks balance and a good coat of polish. It wants to be the 21st century version of some great Preston Sturges comedy, but misses. One can only hope the Coens' finally get it right with their next film, a remake of the 1955 film, "The Ladykillers." ** 1/2(out of) ****  

"School of Rock": Jack Black, who first caught my eye in "High Fidelity," and has since stolen a number of films, all in supporting roles, has finally landed a lead. Black plays Dewey Finn, unemployed loser, who would rather hang onto his dreams of being a rock star, than pursue any meaningful employment. The latter becomes a problem when it comes time to pay his share of the rent. Dewey's substitute teacher roommate, Ned (Mike White, who also wrote the film's screenplay) was on the verge of giving his friend the boot when Dewey, under the guise of Ned, landed a temporary gig as a teacher at a posh elementary school. Since all Dewey seems to know is rock music, he changes the curriculum to music appreciation, teaching the kids about the history of rock music, along with preparation for the annual Battle of the Bands, an event Dewey was a part of, that is, until his band kicked him out. The usual setups are all here: the stuffy headmistress (played by Joan Cusack), the prima donna students, his roommate's uptight girlfriend (played by comedienne Sarah Silverman), and of course, the elaborate measures he takes to make sure the wrong people don't learn his secret. "School of Rock" is loaded with the usual clichés, including the band contest at the end. The script isn't as tight as it could be, and the direction, even though it's from Richard Linklater ("Dazed and Confused") isn't especially good, but Jack Black and a likeable cast keeps the film glued together. Black is such a natural and gives such an energetic performance that it's easy to forget the film's shortcomings. Oh, and kudos to the film's soundtrack! Recommended. *** (out of) ****

"Once Upon a Time in Mexico": Once upon a time back in 1992, writer-director Robert Rodriguez made a little $7000 film called "El Mariachi." The film was a big success and proved you could make a good film on a small budget. Since that time, Rodriguez has carved out a decent resumé using the same formula of a lot of film for the buck. He also made "Desperado," and has now made a second sequel to "El Mariachi" called "Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Antonio Banderas is back as the mysterious mariachi player who travels with a guitar case filled with weapons. Undercover CIA agent, Johnny Depp, who needs help avenging the death of his girlfriend, contacts El Mariachi. Willem Dafoe and Mickey Rourke play the bad guys (leader of a drug cartel and his head minion), and Salma Hayek handles the role of the pretty girl. There isn't much else to say, except that there's a whole lotta violence, some witty dialogue, and a likeable performance from Depp. "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" doesn't mine any new territory, and for what it's supposed to do--entertain, it does a decent job. *** (out of) ****

"Matchstick Men": Lie, cheat, steal, rinse, repeat. That's the very appropriate tagline of Ridley Scott's latest film, "Matchstick Men." Nicholas Cage stars as Roy Waller, a man with an assortment of oddities and obsessive-compulsive behavior. He's also a con-man; one of the best. Roy boasts that he doesn't steal. People give things to him. Frank Mercer (Sam Rockwell) is his partner-in-crime. Frank idolizes Roy, but has problems adjusting to Roy's odd personality disorders. Enter Angela (Alison Lohman) as Roy's long-lost daughter, who Roy thought was given up by his ex-wife 15 years earlier. Perhaps Angela is the ticket to the restoration of Roy's mental health. Roy warms to her slowly, but as they become closer, he brings her into his professional life. "Matchstick Men" succeeds as a film because it is has a multi-layered story that never loses the viewer. And since it's a film about con-men, intuitively, we're always looking for the con, which in itself, provides entertainment for the viewer. Nicholas Cage, whose recent performance in "Adaptation," proved he COULD act, is terrific as the quirky con-man. Sam Rockwell ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind") is quietly solid as Roy's sidekick, while 24-year-old Alison Lohman is quite good as the teen-age Angela. I also loved the performance from Bruce McGill (one of my favorite character actors) as one of Roy's cons. And I especially enjoyed the script from Nicholas and Ted Griffin (adapting Eric Garcia's novel), as well as Scott's direction, which wasn't easy given the tricky subject matter. Overall, "Matchstick Men" is a satisfying two hours at the movies. *** (out of) ****

"Shattered Glass": In 1998, before anyone had heard of Jayson Blair, Stephen Glass, a reporter for "The New Republic," a publication billed as THE in-flight magazine on Air-Force One, was accused of fabricating parts, or all of 27 out of 41 articles written by him for the magazine. Hayden Christianson (aka Anakin Skywalker) plays the impressionable Glass, who managed to charm his way into his co-workers' hearts (including fellow reporters played by Chloe Sevigny and Melanie Lynskey) and gain the trust of his editor, first Michael Kelly (Hank Azaria), then Chuck Lane (Peter Sarsgaard), who replaced the popular Kelly after a political falling-out. Glass, like the better-known Blair, had a disarming way about him. He was clever, articulate, and very charming. He was also a meticulous person and a notoriously thorough fact-checker, qualities that seemed to intimidate those who tried to verify the information contained within Glass' articles. This allowed Glass to skate virtually unnoticed through 40 articles, that is, until a rival publication questioned an article about computer hackers. It seemed that Glass "made up" the entire piece, and did a slick job of trying to cover his behind. His new editor, Chuck, already painted as conniving because of the way he took over for the previous editor, does his best to defend his reporter, but soon finds he cannot. How writer-director Billy Ray, adapting Buzz Bissinger's Vanity Fair article, handles his two combative characters, Glass and Lane, is what takes this film out of the ashes of TV-movie of the week, and into the category of fascinating thriller. I can scarcely remember the last time I watched such a well-made film in which the sentiment turns so quickly, yet so effectively. Hayden Christianson, who on the surface, can't act, really CAN. His style is perfect for his character. Peter Sarsgaard is absolutely brilliant as the embattled editor. If there's any justice, he will be rewarded for his performance. Sarsgaard was one of the best things about the film "Boys Don't Cry," and he one-ups himself in this film. Big credit goes to Billy Ray, who did a terrific job with the story and the pacing of his film. He takes a sensitive subject, that of a noted liberal publication involved in an embarrassing scandal, and manages to not politicize it. Ray also ignored the traditional deadline cliché, and used the editorial process of producing a monthly publication as a sideline to his character-driven story. And most importantly, through the characters, Ray shows the viewer the restoration of integrity, as well as its loss. "Shattered Glass" is a story about how the deep intoxication of a byline can drive a reporter to fabricate stories. It's also one of the best films I've watched so far this year. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Sylvia": Gwyneth Paltrow plays author-poet Sylvia Plath, whose marriage to British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes (Daniel Craig) formed a pair of creative geniuses who could write, but certainly couldn't behave as normal human beings. The film follows the couple's lives, especially Plath's, whose personal tortures undermine her quest for success. Director Christina Jeffs' film manages to ignore the creative process and looks instead at Plath. This is understandable, but despite her obvious physical beauty (definitely conveyed by Paltrow) and brilliant mind, Plath is a frustrating bore. Yes, this film is called "Sylvia," and not "Typewriter," but a slightly different approach might've worked. Instead we get a film about pretentious, screwed-up poets. Yawn. Paltrow gives an excellent performance, but it's not close to enough. Director Jeffs, who made another ambitious failure ("Rain"), seems to be a magnet for films that don't allow her to properly display her obvious talent. In the end, this film mines much of the same territory as "Pollack," "The Hours," and "Beautiful Mind," but to a degree that's far less successful. * 1/2 (out of) ****

"Kill Bill: Vol. 1": Glorious violence. An oxymoron in the hands of just about anyone, well, except Quentin Tarantino. The charismatic writer-director is back after a six-year absence with perhaps the bloodiest film ever made. Having said that, it's also one of the best B movies I've ever seen. Yes, it was that good, and yes, even a low-dialogue blood-fest could be one of the best at something. I admit I had my reservations about this film, about how the violence might overwhelm any redeeming qualities. Needless to say, my hesitation ended (literally) five seconds into this film. In fact, KB: V1 grabs you from the opening credits (a tribute to old Hong Kong films) and keeps its grip all the way through its breathtaking conclusion. KB: V1 begins with a resounding jolt. A woman known only as The Bride (Uma Thurman) is left for dead at the chapel. Her killers (and of all the others at the chapel) are five members of a Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, and all former associates of her past life. The Bride survives, and after she emerges from a four-year coma, she vows revenge on each member, one at a time. The film starts with victim #2, Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), and ends with victim #1, the enigmatic O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Lui), who comes along after The Bride dispatches O-Ren's 88 (or so) subordinates in a samurai fight that must be seen to be believed. The plot of this film is flimsy and hardly original, but not only does Tarantino sustain it, he gives it his patented stamp, filling it with well-timed music, the occasional stab at humor, a very well-done animé sequence (explaining the origin of O-Ren), and dead-panned performances perfect for his targeted genre. The target? Why, 70s Kung Fu films, of course. Quentin Tarantino begs, borrows, and steals (we'll call it an homage) from every classic chop-socky film of that marvelous decade. As a filmmaker, Tarantino lives up to every bit of his hype. There simply isn't another director alive with his depth of vision, and no one no one, could've taken this script and made it into a better film. Tarantino's modest four film body of work (plus some screenplay work) is an embedded part of our pop culture, and while nothing may top the completeness of Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Volume 1 does nothing to damage Tarantino's shiny professional reputation. His cast is outstanding, from Uma Thurman's badass turn as the mysterious Bride (her real name is bleeped out), to Lucy Liu's surprisingly strong performance as O-Ren Ishii (love those freckles, love that attitude). In fact, save for a memorable cameo from Sonny Chiba and quick turns from David Carradine (as Bill), Michael Bowen, and Michael Madsen, mostly women populate the film's scenes. The film also sports an outstanding score (from hip-hop MC, RZA, plus samples of several other scores), and sumptuous camerawork from Robert Richardson ("Snow Falling on Cedars"). Interestingly, what this film doesn't have is an abundance of snappy dialogue, a typical staple in Tarantino's films. The talk is replaced by action, lots of it. And for a film without much of a plot, it breezes along. The film clocked in at 110 minutes, which is perfect for the casual film-fan who can only handle so many gallons of blood. Volume 2 is due in February 2004, giving us four months to recover, and suffer in anticipation. We have a very good idea how Volume 2 will turn out, but who cares? That's the beauty of Kill Bill. **** (out of) ****

"American Splendor": As a child, I was fascinated by comic books, especially the ones featuring superheroes. Some thirty years later, my four-year old nephew can't get enough of Batman and Superman. Underground comics existed in my day, but their stories were dark and contained few heroes, so I rarely gave them more than a glance. One of the heroes of that movement was Harvey Pekar, creator of the American Splendor series, which celebrated the ordinariness of everyday life, and was based on Pekar's very average life as a file clerk in a Veterans Administration hospital, including his rise to minor fame as a comic book writer. Thirty years after the beginning of his comic series (which was drawn by several artists, including R. Crumb), Harvey's story, warts and all, is celebrated in a film starring Paul Giamatti as Pekar and Hope Davis as his wife, Joyce. The central theme of this film/documentary seems difficult to sustain over a period of 100 minutes, but not only do the husband-wife writing-directing team of Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman pull it off, they turn the hum-bug Harvey into a delight. Giamatti's Harvey Pekar is played with such exuberant flair that we're left wondering how close he is to the real Pekar. That's okay, because American Splendor also features appearances from the real-life Pekar, plus the real versions of several of the other characters, including his wife, daughter, and several quirky co-workers. Its a bit of a gimmick, but it works, and elevates Harvey Pekar's story from almost weird, to charming and touching. American Splendor, for lack of a flashier superlative, is a sweet film. *** 1/2(out of) ****

"Thirteen": It isn't often that a warning message is posted outside a movie theater box office, well at least one that isn't trying to deliberately entice the potential viewer. Before seeing Thirteen, I was warned the film contained situations that may disagree with my value system, that the film's intention was to be controversial without being exploitive. Oh, and I was also warned that no refunds would be given after the first ten minutes. Wow. The film's beginning lives up up to the hype. I didn't want to walk out, but watching two thirteen year-old girls under the influence of a household product was more than a little disturbing. The story of "Thirteen" picks up four months earlier with Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) anxious to change her ordinary appearance in order to impress Evie (Nikki Reed), the local tramp and leader of a clique of popular girls at Tracy's junior high school. Before long, Tracy and Evie are shoplifting and experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and boys --- not a happy mix for Tracy's single mom (played by Holly Hunter). The family's story is a familiar one. The father is out of the picture, while the busy and oblivious mom struggles to make ends meet. What separates "Thirteen" from other similar fare (like this year's "Blue Car") is its honesty. And as the film promises, it isn't exploitive, though there's no shortage of shocking scenes. It does straddle the edge of titillation, but stays grounded within its message. What may be most remarkable about "Thirteen" was that it was co-written by fourteen year-old Nikki Reed, who played the very disturbed Evie. She based the story on her very recent experiences as Tracy's character. Fortunately, she was rescued in time to tell her story. For this viewer, this tidbit definitely gave the film a different perspective. As a writer, Reed has talent. As an actress, she's even better. In fact, "Thirteen" boasts near-flawless performances from its talented cast, including Evan Rachel Wood, and Holly Hunter. The film was directed and co-written by first-timer Christine Hardwicke, who reined in her mostly-young cast and steered the film away from predictability and towards its powerful message. As the warning stated, "Thirteen" may disagree with your value system, but as any hardcore moviegoer can attest, one's mind should always remain wide open when viewing a very good film. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"The Heart of Me": An ironic poem of forgiveness by William Blake serves as the credo for an adulterous couple played by Helena Bonham Carter and Paul Bettany. The well-heeled couple is part of the pre-war 1930s London society scene. Theyre also directly related to Madeleine (Olivia Williams), who happens to be married to Rickie (Bettany) and is sister to Dinah (Bonham Carter). Also complicating the affair is the married couple's young son, who mysteriously ages quicker than the adults. Masterpiece Theater meets Merchant and Ivory? Its more like a bad soap opera set in the thirties, filled with unlikeable characters we're asked to like and a confusing timeline we're asked to understand. Director Thaddeus OSullivan, along with screenwriter Lucinda Coxon (adapting a 40s novel by Rosamond Lehmann) is responsible for this mess. "The Heart of Me" does boast an impressive cast, especially Bonham Carter who seems to take her psychotic character from Fight Club back in time, but the film spends too much time yanking on your heartstrings (it doesn't work when you don't care about the subjects), and too much effort pretending it belongs in the grand tradition of British Heritage films, when it really belongs somewhere in the back of a random video store. If you're fond of this genre, seek out the vastly superior "Nowhere in Africa." * 1/2(out of) ****

"Lost in Translation": Nepotism. In Hollywood, it can be a bad thing. For an example, take Francis Ford Coppola. Thirteen years ago, he miscast his daughter Sofia as Mary Corleone in "The Godfather: Part III." It took Sofia Coppola many years before people stopped thinking of her as daddy's little girl. The 32 year-old actress is now a writer and director of some note, having made the ambitious "The Virgin Suicides" a few years earlier, and now the terrific "Lost in Translation." In "Lost," Bill Murray plays Bob Harris, a washed-up actor who finds he's still popular in Japan. The Japanese love him so much they're willing to pay him $2 million to endorse a brand of whiskey. Bob has reached the proverbial mid-way point of his life and isn't sure what's next. His wife of 25 years would rather pick out carpet samples for their home in California, while he seems content to be away from her as much as possible. During this particular week, he's in Tokyo for the whiskey endorsement, spending his days trying to understand the culture around him, and his evenings test-driving the whiskey in a hotel lounge. In another part of the same hotel, early twenty-something Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and her husband John (Giovanni Ribisi) are on a working vacation. Charlotte's promising Ivy-League life has turned into a boring life as a homemaker. John is a sweet guy, but he's too preoccupied with his budding career as a celebrity-photographer to notice he can't connect with his studious wife on a single level. Two people searching for themselves find each other when Charlotte and Bob meet innocently in the lounge. With plenty of time on their hands, they soon develop a sweet and very platonic relationship. Coppola, working off her original screenplay, weaves together a series of short, and often funny scenes to show how Charlotte and Bob complement each other in a way their spouses cannot. The end result is a beautiful, touching, and altogether great film about simple friendship. Bill Murray is, in a word, wonderful. He may never find another role like this, and if he does, I'll be first in line to see the film. Scarlett Johansson, whom I didn't particularly care for in the otherwise great "Ghost World," gives a very subtle, very understated performance as a young woman in search of herself. "Lost in Translation" works on so many levels, from the very well-handled script and direction, to the acting and beautiful camera-work, and the well-timed and appropriate soundtrack. Cheers to Sofia Coppola, who, with this film, has proven she's no longer Daddy's little girl. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Dirty Pretty Things": is director Stephen Frear's look into the struggles immigrants find once they reach their "dream." Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Amistad") is Okwe, a recent Nigerian immigrant who makes ends meet by driving a cab by day and working as the night clerk at a seedy hotel by night. Okwe has learned to turn a blind eye to unsavory activity, but becomes a little too curious when he discovers the disgusting reason behind a toilet clog in one of the hotel's rooms. The hotel's manager, Sneaky Senor Juan (Sergi Lopez), cautions Okwe to look the other way, but soon finds he needs his help. Frear's film goes a long way to make his point that immigrants, especially of the undocumented variety, will do almost anything to stay in their new home. He fills his film with several examples, including Senay -- a Turkish woman (played by Audrey Tautou) who lives her life moment by moment. She's a housekeeper at the hotel, who also works in a sweatshop where she's forced to perform favors for her boss in exchange for keeping her away from the ever-present immigration officials. Tautou is excellent in a role that's very distant from her part in "Amelie." One of the staples of a Stephen Frears' film is his thoroughly well-written characters, who are usually very sympathetic and just on the outer fringes of society's idea of normal. I'm mentioning this because I just discovered that in 35 years of filmmaking, Mr. Frears has never taken a writing credit, yet his films have a distinct stamp. Clearly, he is a director who surrounds himself with top talent. Steve Knight, who only enhanced Frears' reputation, wrote "Dirty Pretty Things," demonstrating that, surprise, immigrants are people, too. *** (out of) ****

"Seabiscuit": is the big Hollywood production of the famous little racehorse that rose from virtual ashes to the hearts of millions of Americans looking for a hero. "Seabiscuit" is also the story of how a horse helped to resurrect the lives of three people: Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire), a spunky kid who has led a hard life; Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), who is as much at home on the wide open range as he is with training horses, and Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), whose entrepreneurial spirit is exceeded only by the heavy-heart he carries around for his 15 year-old son, whom he lost in a terrible accident. Pollard has a talent for horses, something he's rarely given the chance to pursue because he's a little tall for a jockey. When Howard buys Seabiscuit (after Smith the trainer rescues the horse from a future at the glue factory), he takes a chance with Pollard as his jockey. From there, the film chronicles the rise of the horse--serial style, complete with narration from David McCullough, while slowly showing the stories around the horse. "Seabiscuit" was written and directed by Gary Ross ("Pleasantville"), adapting Laura Hillenbrand's book. As a complete film, "Seabiscuit" begs for more insight into its characters. It runs at 140 minutes, but could use twenty minutes less in some areas, and twenty more in the character-development department. Ross' excellent cast is almost wasted because the writer-director didn't take the time to show what's inside his jockey's (Maguire) head and heart, or what makes the millionaire owner (Bridges) of Seabiscuit tick. And Chris Cooper, who is a wonderful actor, is far too invisible. The film has an impressive supporting cast, led by Elizabeth Banks as Bridges trophy wife, William H. Macy as the omnipresent track announcer, and real-life jockey Gary Stevens as Maguire's rival and closest friend, but even those bit players had few too many moments on the screen. I loved Ross' screenplays for "Dave" and "Pleasantville," but he seems to have given in a little too much with this script (reportedly, Ross took many liberties with the actual events of his characters' lives). In the end, "Seabiscuit" entertains, but is a film with flaws too big to forgive. Seabiscuit is the little horse that could. "Seabiscuit," the movie, could, but didn't. ** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Buffalo Soldiers": "Buffalo Soldiers'" chief fame as a film was that it was pulled from the release schedule after 9/11, in large part because its unflattering portrayal of corrupt soldiers on a military base isn't exactly a pro-American message. The film takes place in West Germany in 1989 during the fall of the Berlin Wall. Joaquin Phoenix is Ray Elwood, a supply clerk on a military base who, like many of the soldiers on the base, was given the choice between jail and serving his country. Since Elwood already had a bit of illegal spirit in him, it didn't take long before he figured out a way to make a nice living selling off the various supplies, including weapons, plus a few drugs. It also helped that he had a dim-witted Colonel (played by Ed Harris) who was more interested in scoring a promotion than watching his charges. Everything's hunky-dory until Sgt. Robert Lee (Scott Glenn) shows up. He knows Elwood is up to no good (the new Mercedes must've been the dead giveaway), which the ever-rebellious Elwood confirms when he decides to pursue the sergeant's beautiful daughter (played by Anna Paquin). The rest of the film is a testosterone contest between the two men with some predictable and not-so-predictable conclusions. "Buffalo Soldiers" was written and directed by Gregor Jordan. His cast is very good, especially Joaquin Phoenix and Scott Glenn, who have an unlikely chemistry. It was also nice to see Ed Harris playing dumb for a change. The film fancied itself as a supply-side version of "M*A*S*H" (down to Harris' character's obvious ode to Colonel Blake), but the difference between "Buffalo Soldiers" and "M*A*S*H*" is the latter was a good film with characters you actually cared about. "Buffalo Soldiers" does have a lot going for it, including a talented, likeable cast, and a witty screenplay, but in the end, you can't help but wonder what you just watched, and whether you cared about who lived and who died. For that reason, I cannot recommend this film. ** (out of) ****

"Swimming Pool": Ah, the French. Say what you will about their politics. You may even re-name or boycott their products, but if you love good films, do not be afraid to jump into the "Swimming Pool." Okay, that was bad, but this film isn't. "Swimming Pool" stars Charlotte Rampling as Sarah Morton, a well-known mystery writer with a very devoted legion of fans. She's becoming a little bored with her most famous character, so at the urging of her publisher (played by Charles Dance), she retreats to his villa in France for a little inspiration. Things are quiet until the publisher's daughter Julie (Ludivine Sagnier, the tomboy in "8 Women") shows up. She uses the house too, much to the dismay of the obviously irritated Sarah, who is trying to concentrate on her next novel. Julie is a sharp contrast to Sarah. Julie is young and sexy, and unafraid to use that to her advantage. The much older Sarah is staid and a bit prudish, and not at all accepting of Julie's wild ways. This changes a little when Sarah sees her as inspiration for an entirely different novel. I'd love to go into greater detail, but let's just say the less you know about this film, the better. I will reveal that it has a great twist; so good it will make the film worth seeing a second time. It's also one of those special films that spark great discussion and multiple theories about its intentions. Yes, it's a bit of a murder mystery, and yes, it's a psychological trip into the mind, but above all, it's a beautifully well-executed thriller. "Swimming Pool" was directed and co-written by Francois Ozon ("8 Women"). As with his work in "8 Women," Ozon used music and style to set his mood (this is a film that could've fit in nicely in the early-60's). The film also features quite a bit of nudity, especially from Sagnier. Initially, the nudity felt gratuitous, but the twist at the end of the film explained its real intentions. In addition to Ozon's excellent direction, the performances are excellent. Rampling is terrific, and Sagnier is very good as the titillating tart, Julie. "Swimming Pool," like its namesake, is kept covered for a good part of the film, but once it's lifted, you're glad you dived in. *** 1/2(out of) **** (In English [mostly], but with some French with English subtitles).

"Blue Car": There's nothing quite like spending 90 minutes watching what appears to be a thoughtful, well-made film, only to discover it's merely a very expensive furthering of the filmmaker's not-so-hidden agenda. "Blue Car" stars Agnes Bruckner as Meg, a very gifted, but troubled high school student. Meg has home problems. Her father left her family when she was little (he left in a blue car, hence the title). Her mom (played by Margaret Colin) is struggling at her job, and her little sister (Regan Arnold) has suicidal tendencies. Meg's gift is that she is able to look at her complex world and put the emotions inside of her to words on paper, specifically, poetry. Her English teacher, Mr. Auster (David Strathairn), sees a special talent in her and goes out of his way (knowing her home situation) to help her break away from her circumstances. All is sweetness and light until Mr. Auster's real intentions become clear. This is an important plot-point and criticism of the film should not be because of this plot-point, but how well, or poorly the filmmaker (writer-director Karen Moncrief) made her point. Men are no angels; they cannot be trusted. That was Moncrief's point; fine, but she took it way too far. When your film doesn't have a single (not one) sympathetic male character, and goes out of its way to show just how evil men can be, that's taking the agenda too far. It's a pity that this otherwise promising, well-acted film, was hijacked by its spiteful director. This is a classic case of a story that would've made a better film if made by someone without a mean-spirited agenda. *1/2 (out of) ****

"Whale Rider": The underdog-wins-in-the-end film has been around since the silent era, but every once in a while a film of that genre comes along that makes you forget that little fact. "Whale Rider" arrives to us by way of the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand, where the Whangara unit of the Maori live. The film begins with the birth of Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), who sadly, is the lone survivor of twins. Her brother, and destined heir to the throne of tribal chief, was stillborn. Her mother also died. This destroys her father (Cliff Curtis), who essentially disappears for years, leaving his father, Koro (Rawiri Paratene), the current chief of the the Maori tribe, to raise Pai. Koro is very aware that the chain (every other male becomes chief) is broken, and he too is mentally destroyed by the death of Pai's brother. Twelve years later, Pai is blossoming. She is the angel is her grandfather's eye, but Koro still sees her as the grandson and future leader he never had, leaving an unspoken, but uncomfortable distance between the two. No matter how hard she tries to prove she can do whatever a boy can do, in her stubborn grandfather's eyes, she fails. It doesn't help that her father, before he left, gave her the name meant for her brother, another reminder to Koro that he doesn't have his future chief. When Koro is forced to break Maori tradition by looking outside the family for the next chief, Pai secretly auditions for the job, and, well, you can probably figure out the rest. How the film resolves the conflict, plus the overall charm of the film, is where "Whale Rider" succeeds. It is also completely engulfed by the performance of Keisha Castle-Hughes, who plays her role to the hilt. "Whale Rider" was written and directed by Niki Caro (adapting Witi Ihimaera's novel). The film won audience awards at Sundance, Toronto, and at several other film festivals. I understand why. Yes, it's formula, but it's a winning formula. *** (out of) **** (In English, with some Maori and plenty of heavy New Zealand accents)

"Finding Nemo": Pixar, in my opinion, is the premium producer of animated films. All they've done in their fairly young history is produce such entertaining fare as the "Toy Story" series, "A Bug's Life, "Monster's Inc.," and now "Finding Nemo." Little Nemo (Alexander Gould) is a clown fish and the lone survivor of a barracuda raid that claimed his mother and all but one of her unhatched eggs. Naturally, Nemo's father, Marlin (Albert Brooks) is protective of his only offspring. When Nemo decides to venture off into deep sea (where he's part of the catch that end up in an aquarium in a dentist's office), a panicked Marlin sets off with a blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) to find his son. Swimming through the swirling vortex of terror that is the deep blue sea, the pair encounter anxious sharks, "cool" turtles (including my favorite character, Crush), and many other unique creatures of the sea. Meanwhile, little Nemo has to contend with the zany characters in the dentist's aquarium, plus his anxiousness to escape. In the end, "Finding Nemo" works not only as entertaining fare for children, but also a great time for adults. Under the direction from Andrew Stanton (whose hands have been in all of Pixar's previous winners), "Finding Nemo" succeeds wildly. It's filled with wonderful characters, well-timed jokes, and of course, incredible computer-animation. If you're seeking a great time at the movies, find "Finding Nemo." *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"The Matrix Reloaded": Ouch. That's the reaction my head got from trying to absorb this complicated film. Yes, I saw the original film in 1999, but that was four years ago. I was told to re-visit the first film before attempting to see the first sequel, but sadly, I ignored the advice. Not seeing it definitely affected my judgment of this film as I found it long, hard-to-understand, and way too…geeky for my tastes. Still, the film was technically impressive, well-acted, well-directed, and clearly had a plan. Neo (Keanu Reeves), aka "The One" returns along with Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). They're still trying to keep the Machines away from the city of Zion, something that requires a whole lot of fancy karate moves, and a bunch of car chase scenes (including one so incredible that it reportedly cost $35 million to film). The Wachowski Brothers (Andy and Larry) are the brains behind the film series, and once again they took their ambitious ideas, threw them into a blender, and came out with a fantastic spectacle of a film series that's was easy to watch as it was as hard to fully understand. For neophytes, this is the kind of film you talk about in terms of scenes ("didja see that amazing highway scene, or the part where Neo takes on all those clones?"). For sci-fi lovers who get it, they'll love the story and will be counting the weeks until the next sequel. I'm a little of both, and I'll be in line when "The Matrix Revolutions" is released this November, only next time I'll be prepared, so perhaps after the experience of the third film, I'll be more "with it." ** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Raising Victor Vargas": I've watched a lot of 'real' films lately; films that portray characters whose situations may seem desperate to others, but to them, it's just a part of their everyday life. "Raising Victor Vargas" is probably the best film I've watched along these lines in a long, long time. It's a simple film about Victor Vargas, a 16 year-old Dominican boy (played by Victor Rasuk) growing up in Manhattan's Lower East Side. He lives in a small one-bedroom apartment with his grandmother and his younger brother and sister. Space is limited so the three children share the same room, with the two brothers in the same bed. But the film isn't about their tough living situation; in fact, it's never mentioned. You see it, but writer-director Peter Sollett preferred to make a simple film about a wannabe street tough falling for another street-wise kid. The difference between his film and the others before it is he skirts the "American Pie" opportunities and shows how the kids transform their street personas into their 'real' sides. "Raising Victor Vargas" begins very ominously as Victor ogles (objectifies is probably a better word) Judy (Judy Marte), the mysterious new girl in the neighborhood. At this point, I had little hope for this film as the supposed hero just came across as a cretin. But again, that was the idea. Victor was all talk, no action, a playa without a play. Our judgment of Victor slowly changes, as his good side is revealed, piece-by-piece. Sollett keeps things interesting with subplots about family loyalty involving Victor's strict, but well-meaning grandmother (the children's legal guardian), and a budding romance for his little sister, who's playing hard-to-get with Judy's little brother. "Raising Victor Vargas" is filled with unknowns (the two brothers are actual siblings) and Sollett is also a first-timer, but the end result is an impressive, sweet film that sticks to your craw--in a nice way. Sollett's script is good--very good, and is filled with tender, sincere moments. The amateur cast is excellent, especially Victor Rasuk in the title role and Judy Marte as the object of his affection. Their scenes together, especially the final scene, bristle with perfect chemistry. See it. See it. See it. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"The Man Without a Past": "If you see me face down in the gutter, turn me over." That great line sums up the feel and intentions of "The Man Without a Past," the latest film from Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki. The film begins with the brutal mugging of a man (Markku Peltola). He's robbed of his meager possessions (including his identification) and left for dead. Naturally, he recovers, but with nowhere else to go and no recollection of who he is or where he came from, the man (now known as "M") wanders into a village populated by people who are victims of Finland's laws. The people of the village live in old railway containers, but they stick together, and are generally happy. It isn't long before "M" finds his identity, but it isn't who he was, but rather who he is. He finds love and happiness, so does it really matter what he had in his past? "The Man Without a Past" is often slow, and with a deadpanned delivery (and an extremely dry wit), but it's filled with an air of quality. Kaurismaki's film (which was a Best Foreign Film nominee at this year's Oscars) is a sweet, optimistic film that shows one can be satisfied with his life no matter how grim it appears to others. Recommended. *** (out of) ****

"All The Real Girls": Paul (Paul Schneider) is the kind of guy you wouldn't want your sister to date. Well, that's exactly what he does with his best friend Tip's (Shea Whigham) younger sister Noel (Zooey Deschanel). Noel is back home for the summer from boarding school, where she did nothing to destroy her virtuous reputation. Paul the player doesn't know what to do when he falls for Noel, who doesn't exactly play hard to get. Is he finally ready to settle down? Can he live down his reputation? Will the townfolk, including Tip, plus some of Paul's previous conquests, allow him to turn over a new leaf? "All the Real Girls" was directed and co-written (along with Schneider) by David Gordon Green ("George Washington"), who continues his Terrence Malick adulation, filling his second feature with a sparse dialogue that's both wise and dumbed-down (a la "Badlands" and "Days of Heaven"). Like "George Washington," "ATRG" takes place in a rural setting in North Carolina that's populated by plenty of interesting characters, confirming the film's intended poor country-setting feel. "ATRG" was photographed by Tim Orr ("George Washington"), taking full advantage of North Carolina's beauty. "All the Real Girls" doesn't mine any new material nor is it especially well-done, but it has enough likeable characters, beautiful scenery, plus the vision of an ambitious young director to afford it a mild recommendation. ** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Better Luck Tomorrow": Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. When you're an overachieving Asian-American from a well-to-do family, what do you do for excitement? Make more money and create lots of senseless violence, of course. "Better Luck Tomorrow" is the first feature from Justin Lin, himself a young ambitious Asian-American who happens to know a little about the shocking culture he illustrates so bluntly in his film. "Better Luck Tomorrow" stars Parry Shen as Ben. Ben's world includes his high school's basketball team, the Academic Decathalon, and anything that will help him get into his college of choice. Ben's best buddy is Virgil (Jason Tobin), an immature hothead, who's anxious to branch out into petty crimes. This is something Daric (Roger Fan) can help him with, through cheat sheets and his association with Steve (John Cho), an older guy who's dating Stephanie (Karin Anna Cheung), who's also Ben's study partner and not-so-secret crush. So what are a bunch of smart high school students doing in their spare time? Besides dispensing cheat sheets, they're also into random violence, drug-dealing, and, of course, murder. "Better Luck Tomorrow" is an interesting film, especially for it's subject matter, but it doesn't know if it's a comedy, a drama, or a black-comedy. Lin took a bunch of his ideas and tossed them into a blender. My favorite actor was Jason Tobin, but he also played Virgil, the film's most annoying character. I liked his talent, but if his character had been played straight (instead of as comedy relief), the film might've had a more defined path and a more cohesive result. Instead, Virgil seemed to exist only for the chance to try out some of the script's silly and very out-of-place one-liners. "Better Luck Tomorrow" was a prudent edit or six away from being a good film. Unfortunately, it didn't happen and what's left is a somewhat promising, but unsuccessful effort. ** (out of) ****

"Nowhere in Africa": During the last ten years, there's been no paucity of films dealing with the Jewish tragedies that occurred just before and during World War II. The latest, and one of the better efforts, is "Nowhere in Africa," German director Caroline Link's film adaptation of Stephanie Zweig's autobiographical novel of a displaced Jewish family who moved to Kenya, East Africa just before Hitler started his atrocities. The father, Walter Redlich (Merab Ninidze), a successful lawyer, leaves first. He settles on a farm where he's paid a modest sum (enough to negatively impact his lifestyle) to manage the crops. Shortly afterwards, he's able to send for his socialite wife Jettel (Juliane Kohler) and young daughter Regina (Lea Kurka, with Karoline Eckertz playing her as a teenager). Predictably, Jettel cannot deal with the shocking change, but little Regina quickly adapts to her new life, in spite of the very obvious differences that surround her. Link's screenplay examines the ironies and parallels between the prejudices suffered by the different cultures, and tends to gravitate towards pure soap (Jettel's roving eye and other family problems), but never loses the interest of the viewer, primarily because of her film's interesting characters. Regina, especially, is wonderful. Wide-eyed and innocent, she's at the center of the story between her father who longs for his homeland, and her mother, who at first is reluctant to part ways with her storybook life, but eventually finds that a socialite can be a socialist. "Nowhere in Africa" clocks in at 141 minutes, but never felt that long; it was that good. *** 1/2 (out of) **** (In German and Swahili with English subtitles).

"Barbershop": Calvin (Ice Cube) is a dreamer. He owns a popular barbershop on Chicago's South Side (he inherited from his father) but wants to open his own recording studio. It isn't enough that his friends either work at, or hang out at the shop, or that his life is the shop; he wants more. That's the main plot in "Barbershop," but director Tim Story keeps things interesting by building several subplots around his host of character actors like Cedric the Entertainer as a nutty barber who can talk the talk, but never seems to cut the cut, or Sean Patrick Thomas as an annoying brainiac who's a little full of himself. And of course, there's a silly robbery of an ATM (and the misadventures of trying to open it) and Calvin's dealings with a seamy loan shark (Keith David). A likeable cast, especially Ice Cube, leads "Barbershop," which does a pretty good job of separating itself from the silly gangsta rap mentality that has plagued Ice Cube's "Friday" films. "Barbershop" is mostly harmless entertainment and a pretty decent rental recommendation. *** (out of) **** (DVD)

"Igby Goes Down": Ah, dysfunctional family theater. Many of our better films fall into this category. "American Beauty" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" are two fairly recent superior examples of this genre. "Igby Goes Down" mines much of this area, plus provides the answer to the never-asked question: "What if Ferris Bueller COMPLETELY lost all respect for authority?" The extremely talented Kieran Culkin plays Igby, the modern version of Ferris. Igby is a rich kid from the Hamptons (or thereabouts) who gets kicked out of prep schools for sport. Igby's dad Jason (Bill Pullman) is in a mental institution, while mom (Susan Sarandon), is doped-up beyond belief. Mom, in fact, is almost at the center of the story, as Igby and his brother Oliver (Ryan Phillippe) blame her for many of their problems. Igby's godfather D.H. Baines (Jeff Goldblum) is always present to lend a hand, and in Igby's case, a place to stay after Igby escapes military school. D.H. also inadvertently provides a love-interest when his mistress (played by Amanda Peet) takes a shining to Igby's sarcastic personality. There are plenty of good characters in "Igby Goes Down" (including Claire Danes as Sookie Sapperstein, part of the Igby love-triangle), but not a whole lot of plot, but that's okay, because what first-time writer-director Burr Steers has going on is still headed in the right direction. In fact, "Igby Goes Down" has a lot going for it, especially its cast. Credit the casting director for finding great roles for Phillippe and Goldblum, who are ordinarily innocuous, but perfect as two rich snobs with different outlooks on life. Kieran Culkin is excellent as the quick-witted Igby, who has a great head on his shoulders but probably needs to be dropped a few more times in order to see it. "Igby Goes Down" is filled with characters I wouldn't want to get too close to, but it's a film with charm to spare. Recommended. *** (out of) **** (DVD)

"Ararat": There is much contention among historians (especially those of Turkish descent) as to whether or not 1.5 million Armenians were systematically exterminated in 1915 during what is now considered the Armenian genocide. Strong evidence points to the event occurring, even though the government of Turkey has denied it for years. Filmmaker Atom Egoyan ("The Sweet Hereafter"), himself of Armenian extraction, has worked for years to bring the event to the big screen. He found it difficult to structure formally, so instead, he invented some additional characters, and created a film-within-a-film, which, though ambitious, doesn't work. Egoyan's wife, Arsinee Khanjian plays Ani, an historian who has written a book on Armenian artist Arshile Gorky. Gorky's mother was a victim of the genocide, and Ani was once married to a man who died trying to assassinate a Turkish official. The man's daughter Celia (Marie-Josee Croze) blames her stepmother for her father's death, leading to her obsession with ruining Ani's life (she frequently shows up at the author's book-signings and lectures just to heckle her theories about the genocide). To add fuel to the fire, Celia has taken her stepbrother (Ani's son) Raffi (David Alpay) as a lover. Raffi is also obsessed with his Armenian heritage. He's an assistant to a filmmaker who's making a film about the Armenian genocide. Raffi travels to his homeland, where he visits Mount Ararat (site of much of the tragedy). He returns with several film cans of material, but is stopped at the airport by a customs agent (played by Christopher Plummer) who isn't convinced the cans contain film. Raffi, who's concerned that opening the cans will expose his film, spends the next several hours trying to win the sympathies of the agent, who is raptured by the story of Raffi's family history. The agent, who's on his last day on the job, would rather deduce what's in the can through psychology instead of using a drug-sniffing dog. This part of Egoyan's story is the strongest (aided by Plummer and Alpay's excellent performances), but his use of flashbacks, plus scenes from the film-within-the-film, cheapen "Ararat" and weaken its intended impact. As a whole, "Ararat" is messy. I expected much more from Egoyan, who's one of my favorite directors. ** (out of) ****

"All Or Nothing": Writer-director Mike Leigh ("Topsy-Turvy") is one of the world's great unknown directors. Sure, he's fairly well known in independent film circles, but not outside it. Leigh is also one of a rare breed, seemingly incapable of making a bad film. His latest effort, "All or Nothing," does nothing to hurt that impressive distinction. The setting is South London. Timothy Spall plays Phil, a quiet and honest man, who seems to exist in a world separate from those around him. He drives a cab for a living and lives with Penny (Lesley Manville), who's a clerk at the local Safeway market. The couple (they never married) has two children. Rachel (Alison Garland), like her father, keeps to herself while she tends to her job (she works at a retirement home). Their teenage son, Rory (James Corden), is the classic good-for-nothing bum, who lips off to his parents and has no respect for authority. Unfortunately, in this family, Rory is the closest thing to an assertive personality. Penny's friends in their housing project community include Maureen (Ruth Sheen), a single mom with a wild daughter, and Carol (Marion Bailey) who has become so diluted by alcohol that she can barely function. All of this makes for what should be a very depressing experience, but Leigh's story, especially his characters, never allows us to feel anything but sympathy for their plights. You want to understand Phil and Penny's pain. Rachel seems like a sweet child, and even the ornery Rory has an anger that a psychiatrist would find fascinating. Like many great directors, Leigh works with a group of actors he trusts. Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen have all appeared in some of his other films. They know Leigh and his improvisational style, and it all shows up in their performances. Spall as Phil the dour cab driver, is remarkable. He's a man of few words, but his expression, especially through his eyes, tell his story --- simply an amazing performance. The rest of the cast, including Lesley Manville's excellent turn as Penny, is very tight. "All or Nothing" isn't the most uplifting experience you'll have at the movies, but if you like well-told stories about the human condition, you'll really like this film. ***1/2(out of) **** (DVD)

"Bend It Like Beckham": Baseball is America's pastime, but around the majority of the rest of the world the sport of choice is football, or as most of us know it, soccer. England's sports hero is David Beckham, whose razzle-dazzle on the football field plus his marriage to a pop star, keeps his name in the local tabloids. One of his secret worshippers is 18-year-old Jessminder "Jess" Bharma (Parminder K. Nagra), who is part of a traditional Punjabi family in the suburbs of London, but doesn't allow her family's strictness to keep her from pursuing her secret passion: playing football with the boys. Jess is good enough to attract the attention of Jules (Keira Knightley), who is a member of a local women's football team. Jules, along with her coach Joe (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), convinces Jess to join the team. Naturally, Jess keeps the whole thing a secret from her family, who are too focused on Jess' older sister's upcoming wedding to really notice. "Bend It Like Beckham" was co-written and directed by Gurinder Chadha ("What's Cooking?") in true 'Bollywood' style. The film is very formula (there's even a big game) and "Beckham" has happy endings from every conceivable character, but who cares? The characters and performances were completely charming, and the film was very entertaining. "Bend It Like Beckham" is a film about family and class structure that's also a fun time at the movies. *** (out of) ****

"The Safety of Objects": Follow the complicated bouncing ball. Promising teenage singer Paul Gold (Joshua Jackson) lies in a coma, the result of a horrific car accident. His next-door neighbor and secret lover Annette Jennings (Patricia Clarkson) is despondent, but not enough to stop chasing young men. Paul's mom Esther (Glenn Close) throws herself into the role of mom and nurse to Paul, which creates a strain on her marriage to Howard (Robert Klein) and to her relationship with her daughter Julie (Jessica Campbell), who has always struggled in the shadow of Paul. Meanwhile, in the same neighborhood, workaholic lawyer Jim Train (Dermot Mulroney) has just lost a shot at partner, so instead of sucking up his pride, he quits his job, but neglects to tell his family right away. Jim has a neglected wife (played by Moira Kelly) and two young children, including a ten-year-old son who treats his sister's plastic doll as a real person. Jim decides his life needs purpose, so he talks his neighbor, Esther Gold, into entering a radio-station contest to win a car. Esther agrees because she sees it as a superficial way to connect with her daughter, who would be gifted with the car. Mary Kay Place plays a neighbor who can't stop flirting with a handyman (Timothy Olyphant), who is a little more interested in Annette's young daughter, though not for the obvious reasons. All this makes for one strange little meatpie, but one that surprisingly works. Writer-director Rose Troche ("Go Fish") adapted A. M. Homes' book of the same name, taking the series of short stories and molding them into a single film. Troche did an incredible job of developing her characters (aided by the very impressive "Match-on" editing technique), and got the most out of her deep cast. Dermot Mulroney (sans mullet haircut!) was the standout, along with the very sad Patricia Clarkson (she is such a wonderful actress!). "The Safety of Objects" is a film about what happens when you invest your priorities in the wrong way, while missing out on the better things. Troche's film is ambitious, sometimes fascinating, and definitely disturbing, something the writer-director wears as a badge of honor. *** 1/2 (out of) ****

"The Quiet American": War is hell. Sometimes, politics are worse. "The Quiet American" is set in 1952 Saigon, a time period when America tried to influence the world (allegedly through terrorist acts) that Vietnam needed help in their fight against the Communists. Michael Caine is Thomas Fowler, a British correspondent whose assignment is covering the festering turmoil in Saigon. There isn't much going on, and Fowler is close to returning to London, that is until he uncovers a possible conspiracy involving an idealistic American named Alden Pyle (played by Brendan Fraser) who may or may not be more than a simple aid worker. Complicating matters is Phuong, a lovely Vietnamese woman (Do Thi Hai Yen) who is Fowler's much-younger mistress, but can't help notice Pyle, who's equally smitten by her. The young girl has a problem. She hasn't a future with the already-married Fowler, but she would be banished from her family and her country if she pursued marriage with the mysterious Pyle. The triangle is a distraction for what should be in better focus: the political strife. "The Quiet American" is based on the novel by Graham Greene and is also a remake of the 1958 film with the same title (featuring Audie Murphy as Pyle and Michael Redgrave as Fowler), but unlike the first film which eschewed Greene's anti-American message, making Pyle the hero and Fowler the villain, this film is truer to Greene's message. Michael Caine, who has been receiving accolades for his performance, is fine, but understated (I preferred him in "Cider House Rules"). Brendan Fraser, whose talents do not include good role selections, is very good as a sort of 'double agent.' "The Quiet American" works as a thriller, but is clumsy when it tries to add romance to the mix. A mild recommendation. ** 1/2 (out of) ****

"Confessions of a Dangerous Mind": I confess -- as a pre-teen, I watched, and was mildly entertained by "The Gong Show." And who hasn't watched "The Dating Game" or "The Newlywed Game"? "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is the story of Chuck Barris, the infamous creator of those shows, as well as several others. The film traces his days on the NBC lot, where he tried to sell his crazy ideas for game shows, to his life during and after his success. The interesting part, of course, is the secret life he reportedly conducted while he was a game show producer. Allegedly (no one except Barris knows for sure), Chuck was a hired killer for the CIA (he claims 33 hits) who actually used his job as a game show producer as a cover for his secret profession. Contestants on his game shows would win trips to exotic locations like Berlin and Helsinki, with Barris chaperoning in order to complete one of his missions, of course. The jobs were set up by his mysterious contact at the CIA, Jim Byrd (George Clooney), who felt the eccentric Barris fit the company profile. Charlie Kaufman adapted "Confessions" from Barris' "unauthorized autobiography." The film also marked the directorial debut by Clooney, who did a solid job with the material he was given. The talent was all there, especially Sam Rockwell as Chuck Barris (Drew Barrymore and Rutger Hauer were also solid in their supporting roles), but "Confessions," like Bob Crane's 'biopic,' just wasn't interesting enough to sustain a (nearly) two-hour film. This material is more appropriate for late-night cable. ** (out of) ****

"The Bread, My Sweet": Okay, I'd never heard of it either. "Bread" stars Scott Baio as Dominic Pyzola, a corporate raider whose true roots lie in his family bakery, which he owns and helps run when he isn't busy firing unproductive workers at his day job. Dominic's brothers Eddie (Billy Mott) and Pino (Shuler Hensley) help run the bakery, which specializes in Italian delicacies (the film is set in the Italian district of Pittsburgh). Living in an apartment that's upstairs from the bakery is a sweet, older Italian couple, Bella (Rosemary Prinz) and Massimo (John Seitz) who sort of adopt the three men as their sons. It's Bella's lifelong dream to see her only daughter, Lucca (Kristin Minter), married. When Bella is diagnosed with inoperable cancer, Dominic decides to make her wish come true. Lucca, who's been away for years, miraculously returns one Christmas Eve. The arrangement is awkward and the differences are obvious, but true to form, a whirlwind courtship begins between Lucca and Dominic and…well, I've already said too much. "The Bread, My Sweet" was written and directed by first-timer Melissa Martin, who also appeared at the screening of the film. She commented that "Bread" was filmed in 23 days for "radically less than $1 million," and was based on a lot of things in her life, including the character of Bella, whose real-life counterpart's funeral procession stretched four miles long. She also regaled interesting stories about her film, which only reinforced the obvious love that went into the making of "The Bread, My Sweet." Like the title implies, the film uses food, specifically bread, as a metaphor. Like other recent films, food is everywhere. This is also a film that will inevitably draw comparisons to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," but you know something? I prefer this film because it's more accessible, and more real. The performances were absolutely wonderful. Scott Baio (surprise!) was very good as the low-key nice guy in wolf's clothing. Baio was supported very nicely by Tony Award-winning actor Shuler Hensley (he won for "Oklahoma!), but Rosemary Prinz, who was completely charming as Bella, stole the film. Ms. Martin is guilty of heavy metaphors and forced waterworks, but this viewer bought it hook, line and sinker. Warning: don't view this film on an empty stomach! "The Bread, My Sweet" is a very small film that plays like a Lifetime movie, but is filled with plenty of heart. *** (out of) ****

"City of God": is the stunning film directorial debut from Fernando Meirelles. "Cidade De Deus" (the Portuguese translation for "city of God") is set in the worst favela (slum) of Rio de Janeiro, where children as young as eight control the streets, where drugs and violence are the norm, and where no tourist dares to tread. Two young men rule the favela: Li'l Ze (Leandro Firmino da Hora) and Carrot (Matheus Nachtergaele). Li'l Ze grew from a little boy with big ideas, but with a bad temper, to a feared adult who bullied his way into near-control of the slums. Carrot started as a peaceful drug dealer who rose to power when others murdered his bosses. He's pushed only when Li'l Ze attempts to seize the rest of the turf. At the heart of "City of God" is Rocket, who also narrates the film. Rocket is a nice kid who dreams of being a photographer. He manages to survive the corruption of his peers because, until his murder, Rocket's older brother used to run with Li'l Ze's gang. "City of God" works in large part because of its structure. It begins at the end, and then takes us to the beginning --- the late sixties, as we meet several characters, most of them between eight and sixteen years of age. The film then takes us through the seventies (showing us the rise of Li'l Ze), and ends in the early eighties. The structure is hardly original, but works almost seamlessly (thanks to some incredible editing), in spite of often going back and forth to properly tell the stories of its many characters. Meirelles unabashedly credits Tarantino, Scorsese, and Altman, as well as the film "Goodfellas," as influences. Ironically, "Gangs of New York" has many similarities to "City of God," but Scorsese can only wish his film was this good. The vision of Fernando Meirelles has to receive top credit for this amazing film. Meirelles' clever use of narration, plus color to distinguish the mood of a scene, and inventive, but not overbearing camerawork, infuses "City of God" with its impressive style, while the innocence (even amongst the corruption) of the characters and their stories, cements the overall impressiveness of the film. Screenwriter Braulio Mantovani adapted Paulo Lins' 700-page book (featuring over 300 characters), which was based on actual people from Lins' childhood neighborhood. If the story was pure fiction, it could be dismissed as yet another violent tale of life in the 'hood, but its realism, plus its use of many of the children of today's cidade de Deus as extras, strongly reinforces its powerful message. In addition to the extras, the majority of the cast, plus some of the leads, are inexperienced actors who hail from the same, gritty turf, making Meirelles' results as a director even more impressive. After my initial viewing of "City of God," I found it difficult to get the film out of my head. I wouldn't be satisfied until I could marvel at it some more. The second time I watched the film only confirmed my belief that "City of God" could not, and should not be dismissed as a pointless, violent film. More and more, foreign films and foreign directors with unique vision rule the film environment. Fernando Meirelles, with his masterful film, "City of God," continues the trend. I don't expect to see a better film this year. **** (out of) **** (In Portuguese with English subtitles)

"The Hours": takes place in three different time periods, darting back and forth throughout the film. The first story is set in England in 1923, where novelist Virginia Woolf (played by Nicole Kidman) is working on a book called "The Hours," but will eventually be titled "Mrs. Dalloway." In between chapters about her heroine's party preparations, she's also helping to prepare her own little party for her sister's family. The eccentric Woolf is certainly a gifted writer, but her ability to maintain her mental state has proven to be a challenge to those around her, especially her devoted husband Leonard (Stephen Dillane). The second story is set in Los Angeles in 1951. Like Virginia Woolf, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) is preparing a cake for her husband's (John C. Reilly) birthday party. Laura, blessed with a doting son and loving husband, is still missing something from her life. In many respects, Laura's personality is similar to Woolf's, whose now-classic novel happens to be Laura's current read. The third story in "The Hours" takes place in New York during modern times. Meryl Streep plays book editor Clarissa Vaughan. And like Woolf and Brown, Clarissa is also preparing a party. This particular party is for her friend, Richard (Ed Harris), an acclaimed poet with a terminal illness, who seems bent on mentally destroying those around him, especially Clarissa. Like Leonard Woolf, Clarissa deals with Richard's mental challenges because she loves him. "The Hours," based on Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is brought to cinematic life by David Hare's excellent adaptation. Director Stephen Daldry, working with Hare's complex script and a dream cast, predictably gets some flawless performances from his actors. Meryl Streep is amazing as Clarissa, as a woman who not-so-deep underneath is teetering toward the edge. Julianne Moore, who already gave a tremendous performance in "Far From Heaven," is magnificent as Laura Brown, who cannot accept who she is and what she has. Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf, sets the table not only for Laura and Clarissa, but for the actresses who play them. Of special note is the performance of Ed Harris, the tortured poet. Mr. Harris is such a marvelous actor and does not disappoint in this film. Cunningham's characters (I'm anxious to read the original novel) and Hare's script "The Hours" really make this film. It's obviously intentional the way the three primary characters parallel. How the storytellers and filmmakers are able to smoothly pull it off is what makes "The Hours" such a great film. **** (out of) ****

"Talk to Her": opens with a performance piece. Two women are aimlessly hurling themselves into a wall, while their male companions are helpless to assist them. In the audience, right next to each other, are two men, strangers. One man is moved to tears by the performance, while the other is more amazed that someone could find the act so emotional. The sensitive male is Marco (Dario Grandinetti), a travel writer whose lover Lydia (Rosario Flores) is a famous female matador. The other man is Benigno (Javier Camara), who has spent much of his adult life caring for his ill mother. Across the street from Benigno's apartment is a dance studio where for many months he's watched Alicia (Leonor Watling), a beautiful dancer. Tragedy strikes when a bull gores Lydia, and a car strikes Alicia. The two women and two men are brought together at a clinic where the women, both in a coma, are treated. Benigno, a qualified male nurse, talks himself into the job of caring for Alicia, while Marco devotedly stays by Lydia's side as she battles to emerge from her comatose state. It isn't long before the two men meet formally, develop a friendship, and help each other cope with their individual tragedies. "Talk to Her," set just outside Madrid during modern times, was written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar ("All About My Mother"), who for years has delighted audiences worldwide with his quirky comedies. Almodóvar's character development is so strong, that when he presents his viewers with a dilemma when one of the men is accused of a serious moral transgression (a 180 degree turn from his previous personality), it is not immediately clear where our sentiments should lie. The film's performances were also very strong, especially from Javier Camara as the male nurse who would do anything for his beloved Alicia. "Talk to Her" has been hailed as a black comedy, though aside from a hilarious ode to silent films that (literally) explores love in a new way, I found no humor (dark or otherwise) in the tragedy of the film's story. Instead, Almodóvar shows the deep, sensitive caring and devotion of two men for two women, though perhaps that's the wink, wink joke he's trying to tell us. "Talk to Her" is a beautiful film. ***1/2 (out of) **** (In Spanish with English subtitles)

"Adaptation.": From the mind of Charlie Kaufman, screenwriter of "Being John Malkovich," comes "Adaptation.," the story of…Charlie Kaufman, screenwriter of "Being John Malkovich" as he prepares to write the script for "Adaptation." Huh? Yup. Charlie Kaufman (Nicholas Cage) is a hot Hollywood screenwriter who has agreed to write a script for Susan Orlean's book "The Orchid Thief." Orlean's story is about Florida-based orchid poacher John Laroche (Chris Cooper), who circumvents Florida's laws by having his Native American friends actually pick the prized orchids from protected sanctuaries. Orlean (played by Meryl Streep) is a writer from the New Yorker assigned to write a piece on the eccentric Laroche. The successful article is expanded into a book, and of course, a film. The real-life Kaufman agrees to adapt the book, but finding he can only do so much with a book about orchids, he hits upon the idea of writing a script about the struggles of trying to write a script about…orchids. Meanwhile, Charlie's brother Donald (also played by Cage), also tries his hand at screenwriting, only he's more interested in writing Hollywood thrillers. Donald's ability to get the girl, talk to people, and generally live everyday life on the edge, drives Charlie nuts. "Adaptation," which was directed by Spike Jonze (who also collaborated with Kaufman on "Being John Malkovich") jumps back and forth between the various eccentricities of the Kaufman brothers, and the relation between writer Susan Orlean and her subject John Laroche. While this is technically Jonze's film, there is no doubt he's just the guy steering Charlie Kaufman's brilliant vision. Kaufman's screenplay is sheer genius and about as original (even if the concept of a film-within-a film isn't) as they come. The performances--even the usually hapless Nicholas Cage --- are excellent. Meryl Streep in a comedy role is so refreshing. And Chris Cooper is amazing. I loved him in "America Beauty," where I felt he was robbed of an Oscar (he wasn't even nominated), but thankfully he's winning every award in sight for his portrayal of the crazy poacher, John Laroche. He's won ten so far (including a Golden Globe) and deserves at least one more. As smug as this may sound, "Adaptation." is one of those clever films that one needs to 'get' to thoroughly enjoy. Charlie Kaufman deliberately teases his audience, sprinkling clue after clue of his intentions. Those intentions may be obvious to most, but there's so much more that's not so obvious. Like the fairly recent "Memento" and "Mulholland Drive," "Adaptation." is a film that should be seen twice. It's also a film worthy of serious discussion, as you'll likely have multiple theories about the characters. Ah, the gift that keeps giving. "Adaptation." is an exhilarating ride into the head of Charlie Kaufman. ***1/2 (out of) ****

"25th Hour": I've never been a fan of Spike Lee. In fact, I've been more of a sharp critic of his narrow-minded work, but with "25th Hour," Lee seems to be stepping outside his world a little. Okay, just a little. It's still a "Spike Lee Joint" and his little (and totally unnecessary) artistic flourishes still remind us why liking him can be a challenge. All that aside, Lee's latest film "25th Hour" pushes him a little closer to Edward Burns territory, albeit from a more violent angle. "25th Hour" is the story of the last free day (well, for the next seven years) for newly convicted drug dealer Montgomery "Monty" Brogan (Edward Norton). Monty has to report to prison the next morning, so he decides to spend his 'last day' with the people who are most important in his life, including his father (played by Brian Cox), girlfriend (Rosario Dawson) and his two best friends (Barry Pepper and Philip Seymour Hoffman). The film examines why Monty did what he did, and the effect his actions had upon these important people. What helps "25th Hour" work as a film is David Benioff's story (adapted from his novel). Benioff's script really develops his characters, allowing the actors to convey the proper emotions. Edward Norton is a very good actor, but doesn't step too far out of his usual range with this role. He's still terrific as the drug dealer who's ready to atone for his terrible mistake. Spike Lee, multiple-shot scenes aside, does a good job with the story and his talented cast, including the lovely Rosario Dawson and the always interesting Hoffman, Pepper, and Cox. The cinematography was handled by Rodrigo Prieto ("Amores Perros"), whose shots of a post-9/11 New York City duplicate the grittiness of the story. "25th Hour" doesn't break any new ground, but its cast and story make it a worthwhile rental. *** (out of) ****

"Chicago": is Rob Marshall's adaptation of Bob Fosse's popular, long-running Broadway musical. "Chicago" is the story of the rise and fall of two actresses. Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), along with her sister, forms a popular duo in a successful revue, until Velma decides to kill her sibling. Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) is an ambitious young dancer who wants to be like Velma, and follows her career path when she 'accidentally' pops a couple of bullets into her lover. The two young women land in a woman's prison for wayward performers. The facility is run by Mama (Queen Latifah) with a firm hand. For the right price, Mama is able to provide just about any service, including a good lawyer. The best lawyer available is Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), who has a way with women, knows every courtroom trick, and most importantly (especially in Chicago), knows how to manipulate the press. I'm of the opinion that a good movie musical should make you want to jump out of your seat. It should also have a memorable soundtrack. "Chicago" has neither of these qualities. With the exception of "Chicago's" opening number (performed by Zeta-Jones), the film's songs seemed almost improvised (that should get the purists squirming). Musical numbers aside, "Chicago" was seamlessly directed by Rob Marshall, was technically proficient, and was generally well-acted, but actors pretending to be singers performed it. As musical performers, Catherine Zeta-Jones was able to pull if off, as was Queen Latifah (not surprisingly), but Richard Gere, and to a lesser extent, Renee Zellweger, were almost painful to watch. Why Zellweger received great reviews is beyond me. I found her (and her character) to be annoying. "Chicago" played well as a comedy, but it was supposed to be a musical. If professional singers who could act performed the characters, and if "Chicago" had a lot more "WOW" (and better numbers), I'd be able to recommend the film. Instead, "Chicago" is just another failed attempt at trying to make a film musical out of a successful Broadway show. ** (out of) ****

"The Pianist": is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a survivor of the Holocaust. Szpilman was a pianist for Warsaw Radio when the station was bombed during the Warsaw uprising during World War II. His well-to-do family was stripped of what they owned and forced to live in the Warsaw ghetto, pending their eventual destiny. "The Pianist" depicts one man's survival through a combination of luck (he was diverted off the train that would've led to his death) and guts. It's also the story of a man who, in spite of all the adversity around him, including the loss of his entire family, never lost his spirit. Adrien Brody, who is quickly becoming one of our better actors, plays Szpilman with remarkable flair. "The Pianist" was a labor of love (or pain) for director Roman Polanski, who was also one of the few survivors of the Holocaust. Polanski's personal touch is on this film, which probably could not have been handled with greater sensitivity. As someone who deeply appreciates film and is able to recognize a good story, I was able to burrow deep into "The Pianist" and enjoy it from the level for which is was intended: that of someone who survived to tell his important story. *** (out of) ****

"Catch Me If You Can": Steven Spielberg is probably the only filmmaker who can make two good films in one year (well, maybe Steven Soderbergh). First, he gave us the excellent "Minority Report" and now "Catch Me If You Can." Leonardo DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale Jr., infamous forger and impersonator. Abagnale's 'career' starts innocently enough with the gift of 25 checks, which came with his first checking account. When his parent's marriage splits up, the confused Abagnale runs off, checkbook in hand. Several million dollars and a few career impersonations later, young Frank is on the run from FBI agent, Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), who won't rest until the elusive Abagnale is behind bars. Spielberg, working from a script by Jeff Nathanson, takes us through Abagnale's life, from his relationship with his dad (Christopher Walken), his various 'jobs' like a co-pilot, attorney, teacher, and doctor (oh, what a little forgery can make you), to the bond he achieves with his pursuer. The best part? This is all based on a real person. DiCaprio (who looks nothing like the real Abagnale) is very good as Frank Jr., while Tom Hanks is, well, Tom Hanks, good all-around actor. Christopher Walken as Frank Sr. was underwhelming. Sadly, unless he steps completely out of his persona, Walken may never be more than a caricature of himself. If there's a knock on "Catch Me If You Can," it's that it doesn't go to greater lengths to show Abagnale's exploits. In the age of excess (especially from a Hollywood director), there wasn't quite enough. Still, "Catch Me If You Can" rates as good entertainment. *** (out of) ****

"Gangs of New York": If ever there was a director who could pull off an epic about the first gangs who populated our country's greatest city, it would be the man who gave the world "Goodfellas" and "Casino," Mr. Martin Scorsese. Scorsese has been visualizing "Gangs of New York" since he was a young boy, so to say this film was years in the making would be true. "Gangs" begins in 1846 at Five Points, a section of Manhattan. Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson) is the leader of the Dead Rabbits, an early gang on the Lower East side. His chief rival is Bill (the Butcher) Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis), leader of the Natives, who resent the intrusion of their Irish immigrant neighbors. Not so unpredictably, Priest dies by the powerful knife of the Butcher. Lost in the scuffle was Priest's young son, Amsterdam, who escapes to a life of petty crime and reform schools. When he emerges years later, Amsterdam (now played by Leonardo DiCaprio) wants revenge (duh), but is patient enough to take his time (oh, about two-plus hours) to go after Cutting, who is now the defacto King of New York, with his hands in everything, all with the help of the infamous Boss Tweed (Jim Broadbent). Scorsese's film depicts the violent rise of the gangs, who help fuel the vast corruption of the city of New York. Cameron Diaz is added as scenery for DiCaprio and Day-Lewis, but could've been left out altogether. For men, the best thing about this film is the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, who envelops himself into the role of the powerful gang leader. I say without hesitation this man richly deserves an Oscar for his performance. Scorsese, who collected a Golden Globe as Best Director, does an excellent job steering "Gangs of New York," but the film ultimately suffers from excess. What was said in 165 minutes could've been accomplished in 135. The battle scenes between the gangs were well orchestrated, if not excessively bloody (okay, it was realistic), but I never felt fascinated with the era, which admittedly intrigued me before watching this film (which I'd eagerly anticipated). Sadly, my appetite wasn't satisfied. ** 1/2(out of) ****

"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers": Let me start by saying it really isn't fair to compare "The Two Towers," the second film in the "LOTR" trilogy, to the first, "The Fellowship of the Ring," nor should you race out to buy the book before you see this film. These are two separate films with two different styles, even if they feature many of the same characters. While the first film used a more cerebral approach and had plenty of emotional depth, the latest installment relies more on action, effectively "cutting to the chase," though underneath its heavy armor of violence does beat a pulsating heart. "TTT" starts out where the first film left off: the Fellowship, led by Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) trek through Middle Earth on their quest to Mount Doom at Mordor where the dangerous Ring is to be destroyed. The group splits off three ways, with Merry and Pippin encountering a mystical forest (the weakest part of the film, though it does retain the series' light-heartedness). Frodo and Samwise (Sean Astin) move with the Ring, while the others are left to battle the Uruk-Hai warriors, who are led by Saruman (Christopher Lee). "The Two Towers" is a CGI-heavy film, and nowhere is it more apparent than in the Battle of Helm's Deep sequence that dominated the last hour of this film. It is quite simply the most impressive battle ever filmed, and elevates "TTT" to a higher level. The film also introduces Gollum, a pure CGI character (it's voiced by Andy Serkis), who is a sort of cross between Ren Hoek and Jar-Jar Binks, but with an interesting, albeit schizophrenic, personality. Writer-director Peter Jackson continues to deviate from J.R.R. Tolkien's books (from all accounts--I've only read the first), if only to infuse the films with more action, which seems to be what works best. Although I am no longer that wide-eyed 14 year-old, it didn't stop me from enjoying "The Two Towers." Bring on the "The Return of the King," I say! *** (out of) ****

"Narc": Stop me if you've heard this one before. A cop's partner is killed and now he wants revenge. It's been done a thousand times before, right? Yup. So why bother with the one thousand and first version? 'cause it's superior, that's why. "Narc" is much more than good cop, bad cop, dead cop film. It goes deep inside a police investigation. It takes the gloves off and shows its audience the beginning to end. Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) wants out. Nick is a sensitive narcotics officer who is tired of watching people die around him. He's also tired of his wife worrying whether or not he'll come home. Henry Oak (Ray Liotta) is a tough narcotics detective who just lost his partner Michael Calvess (Alan Van Sprang) in a bad drug bust. There are plenty of questions about the killing and Oak's possible involvement. Before Captain Cheevers (Chi McBride) will grant Tellis a desk job, he wants him to partner with Oak to help close the Calvess investigation. The next ninety or so minutes are spent in the psyche of Tellis, Oak, and the police investigation. Writer-director Joe Carnahan pulls zero punches. His film is a violent, gritty depiction of a police investigation. Think of a good 70's crime film (like "The French Connection") and you have a pretty good idea about the look and feel of "Narc." Yes, the film shows the usual clichés, but almost miraculously, it doesn't feel clichéd. You never feel like you're less than a witness to a police investigation. Carnahan does an absolute first-rate job with this film. As the detective torn between duty and family, Jason Patric is excellent. Patric continues to impress, not only with his performances, but with his selection of roles. Ray Liotta's performance isn't a stretch, but he's solid as the hot-headed narcotics detective. The slick, but never over-the-top work of cinematographer Alex Nepomniaschy and editor John Gilroy, complete Carnahan's job. "Narc" uses extreme violence to make its point and if that turns you off, don't see this film. However, if you appreciate a good film, no matter how it's depicted, go see "Narc." ***1/2 (out of) ****

"Tully": Originally released in 2000 to the small film festival circuit (it was then known as "The Truth About Tully"), this small independent film sat on the shelf for two years, the victim of bankruptcy court. When it emerged in the fall of 2002 (in NYC and LA), it was re-titled as simply "Tully." The film is set in Nebraska where Tully Coates Sr. (Bob Burrus) and his two boys, Earl (Glenn Fitzgerald) and Tully Jr. (Anson Mount) tend to the family farm. Tully Sr. hasn't quite gotten over his wife, who left him years earlier (the boys think she died). It seems that his wife is now dying of cancer and her enormous medical bills are now threatening the farm (Sr. neglected to divorce her or take her name off the farm). The film is mainly about Tully Jr. and how his complex personality has a deep effect on the people in his life. Shy Earl would like to be closer to the lovely Ella (Julianne Nicholson) but can't compete with his older, more experienced brother for her affections. Tully is very disaffected by the attention he receives from the opposite sex, and is also oblivious to the mental anguish he inadvertently causes through his actions. First-time director and co-writer Hilary Birmingham benefits from her strong cast (kudos to the casting director), especially with the chemistry between Julianne Nicholson and Anson Mount. "Tully" plays a bit like a grownup version of Robert Mulligan's "Man In the Moon," and straddles a thin line between heavy drama and soap opera, but is still a nice little film that would make a good rental. *** (out of) ****

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