| Alphabetical List of All Films Watched
2000-2010 (2nd Quarter) |
|
| In the years 2000 through the 1st half of 2010, I watched
approximately 4495 films. |
|
| All films are rated on a scale of **** (A+), *** 3/4 (A),
*** 1/2 (A-), *** 1/4 (B+), *** (B), ** 3/4 (B-), ** 1/2 (C+), ** 1/4 (
C), ** (C-) , * 3/4 (D+), * 1/2 (D), * 1/4 (D-), * (F) |
|
| Links are to longer reviews on site. A film defined
as 70 min.+ visual event. |
| The year included with the film is the year I watched
each film. |
| (V) = TV, Video or DVD ( +) =
repeat viewing (W/O)= walked out |
|
| [500] DAYS OF
SUMMER (2009, d. Marc Webb) *** 1/2 |
| [UNTITLED]
(2009,
d.
Jonathan Parker) *** |
| 06/05 THE
SIXTH OF MAY (2005, d. Theo Van Gogh) ** 3/4 |
| 1:1
(2006, d. Annette K. Olesen) *** |
| 10 ITEMS OR
LESS (2006, d. Brad Silberling) ** 1/2 |
| 10 (2003, d. Abbas Kiarostami) Ten
vignettes of lady cab driver & her passengers (including her
son). Static camera, droning voices. I snoozed. * 1/2 |
| 10.5 (2004, d. John Lafia) V. The most
epically ridiculous, scientifically absurd, horribly written &
acted mini-series in tv history. But the f/x were pretty
awesome. * |
| 100 MILE RULE
(2003, d. Brent Huff) Caper film about a salesman at a conference who
is entrapped into an illicit affair. *** 1/4 |
| 101 REYKJAVIK (2000, d. Baltasar
Kormákur) *** 1/4 |
| 101 REYKJAVIK (2001, d. Baltasar
Kormákur) + *** |
| 10th DISTRICT COURT (2005, d. Raymond
Depardon) Docu of the quotidien goings on in a local Parisian court.
Illuminating...better than Judge Judy. *** |
| 11'9''01
(2003,
France
doc. d. various) 11 short films by various
directors based on 9/11. Mostly a waste of celluloid. ** 1/2 |
| 12
HOURS (2001, d. Raul Marchand Sanchez) * 1/2 |
| 12 ROUNDS
(2010, d. Renny Harlin) V.An action flick of desperate unlikliness with
a hero of utter stolidity. But it moves fast enough to be almost
tolerable. ** |
| 12
(2008, d. Nikita Mikhalkov; Russia) *** |
| 12:08 EAST OF
BUCHAREST (2006, d. Camelia Porumboiu) ** |
| 13
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING (2002, d. Jill
Sprecher) *** 1/2 |
| 13 GOING ON 30 (2004, d. Gary Winick)
Another ridiculous kid in a grownup's body fantasy, though Mark Ruffalo
is always worth watching. * 1/2 |
| 13
MOONS (2002, d. Alexandre Rockwell) 0* |
| 13 TZAMETI (2008, d. Géla Babluani) V.
Fr./Georgian variation on Intacto. Suspenseful +Giorgi Babluani is a
find! *** 1/4 |
| 1408 (2007, d. Mikael Hafström) ** 3/4 |
| 17 AGAIN (2009, d. Burr Steers) Absurd
wish fullfilment fantasy revisiting hi-school with hints of
incest. Strangely enjoyable since Zac Efron pulls it off; ** 3/4 |
| 1981 (2010,
d. Ricardo Trogi) ** 1/4 |
| 2 DAYS IN
PARIS (2007, d. Julie Delpy) *** |
| 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (2003, d. John
Stockman) Great action & sound; but the longest 65 minutes
of repetitive testosterone tweaking ever. * 3/4 |
| 2 MINUTES LATER (2007, d. Robert
Gaston) * 1/2 |
| 2:37
(2006,
d.
Murali K. Thalluri) *** 1/2 |
| 20
CENTIMETERS (2006, d. Ramón Salazar) *** |
| 20 FINGERS (2004, d. Mania Akbari) Tight
close-ups of a couple in motion, arguing shrilly, incessantly,
boringly. Like recent Kiarostami, only feminist. * 3/4 |
| 20:30:40
(2004,
d.
Sylvia Chang) Interwoven, soapy comedy about 3 varied aged
women neighbors in modern Taipei. Somewhat superficial and overly
long. * 3/4 |
| 2009
ACADEMY SHORT ANIMATIONS (2010, d. various) Some clever stuff (esp.
Logorama), but a long Wallace & Gromit shows series is played out.
** 3/4 |
| 2009
ACADEMY SHORT FILMS (2010, d. various) 4 serious message films
and one comedy in an average year for this category. ** 3/4 |
| 2046
(2005, d. Wong Kar-Wei) Ravishingly beautiful romantic film, Tony Leung
beds several women and androids, and as usual I lost the narrative
thread. *** |
| 21 GRAMS (2003, d. Alejandro Gonzálas
Iñárritu) Art film about love & dying with a choppy non-linear
narrative & some great acting by all involved. *** 1/2 |
| 21 (2008, d. Robert Luketic) A slam
dunk for me both in subject & Jim Sturgess; but so logically flawed
it's a shame. ** 3/4 |
| 23
(2003, Germany d. Hans-Christian Schmid) True life story of
youg German hackers who provide crucial passwords to the
Russians. *** |
| 24 HOUR PARTY
PEOPLE (2002, d. Michael Winterbottom)
*** 1/2 |
| 24TH DAY,
THE (2004, d. Tony Piccirillo) Excellent 2-person gay-themed
drama with incredibly good acting by Scott Speedman & James
Marsden. *** 1/2 |
| 25 CENT PREVIEW (2007, d. Cyrus Amini)
** |
| 25 DEGREES IN
WINTER (2004, d. Stéphane Vuillet) Fun comedy about a Spanish
family who has an adventure helping a Ukranian illegal immigrée in
Brussels. ** 3/4 |
| 25th HOUR (2002, d. Spike
Lee) *** 1/2 |
| 27 CLUB,
THE (2008, d. Erica Dunton) ** 1/4 |
| 28 DAYS LATER (2003, d. Danny Boyle) DV
looked terrible, but story gripped and terrific visuals. Cillian
Murphy, so great in Disco Pigs, is hot! *** |
| 28 DAYS (2000, d. Betty
Thomas) ** 1/2 |
| 28 WEEKS LATER (2007, d. Juan Carlos
Fresnadillo) Spare, horrifying, pessamistic...Michael Haneke would be
proud. *** |
| 3 LITTLE PIGS, THE (Les 3 p'tits
cochons) (2007, d. Patrick Huard) Fr. Canadian sex comedy which
somehow works. *** |
| 3
NEEDLES (2006, d. Thom Fitzgerald) *** 1/4 |
| 3:30 TO YUMA (2007, d. James Mangold) A
perfect Western, until unmotivated ending spoiled it. *** 1/4 |
| 300 (2007, d. Zack Snyder) Spectacular
design, coherent narrative, even good dialog well presented. Comic book
gore, but wow. *** 1/4 |
| 32A
(2008, d. Marian Quinn) ** 1/2 |
| 36 QUAI DES ORFÈVRES (2005, d. Olivier
Marchal) Auteuil & Depardieu in a French noir that could have been
a Michael Mann film, dark & violent. *** |
| 39 POUNDS OF LOVE (2005, d. Dani
Menkin)V. *** |
| 39 STEPS,
THE (2010, d. James Hawes) V. One of the worst BBC Masterpiece's ever.
No chemistry, plot holes. Why remake perfection? * 1/2 |
| 3-IRON (2005, d. Kim Ki-Duk)
Fascinating, but weird Korean thriller about a silent young guy who
breaks into houses. Very filmic and mysterious. *** 1/4 |
| 3SOME (2010, d. Salvador
Garcia Ruiz) *** 3/4 |
| 4 MONTHS, 3
WEEKS AND 2 DAYS (2007, d. Cristian Mungiu; Romania) *** 1/4 |
| 4
(2005, d. Ilya Khzhanovsky) Allegorical Russian film, lots of symbolism
of items of 4; but stupefyingly repetative, overlong and obscure.
* |
| 4: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER (2007,
d. Tim May) ** |
| 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS (2002, d.
Michael Lehmann) *** |
| 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, THE (2005, d. Judd
Apatow) * 1/4 |
| 4400, THE (2004, d. various)V.
"Limited" tv sf series about returned alien abductees with strange
powers. Compelling serial tv and I hope it continues. *** |
| 49 UP
(2006, d. Michael Apted) *** 1/2 |
| 50 FIRST DATES (2005, d. Peter Segal) V. Adam
Sandler & Drew Barrymore bring out the best of each other. This
film mines gold out of a weird concept. *** |
| 54 (2006, d. Mark Christopher) V.
Finally caught this interesting film. Ryan Phillippe never hotter; Mike
Myers never better. *** |
| 5x2
(2005, d. François Ozon) Unsparing, fascinating film about a dissolving
marriage told in 5 reverse vignettes. Ozon's best in years.
*** 3/4 |
| 66/67 -
FAIRPLAY WAR GESTERN (2010, d. Ludwig & Glaser) ** |
| 6IXTYNIN9 (Ruang talok 69) (2000,
d. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang) ** |
| 6TH DAY, THE (2000, d. Roger
Spottiswoode) ** |
| 7
VIRGINS (2005, d. Alberto Rodríguez) *** 1/4 |
| 7
YEARS (2007, d. Jean-Pascal Hattu) *** 1/4 |
| 8 1/2 WOMEN (2000, d. Peter
Greenaway) * 3/4 |
| 8 MILE (2002, d. Curtis
Hanson) *** |
| 8 WOMEN
(2002, d. François Ozon) **
1/2 |
| 800
BULLETS (2003, d. Alex de la Iglesia) Comedy moden day
homage to spaghetti Westerns & their genre. Funny,
poignant. *** 1/2 |
| 881
(2007, d. Royston Tan; Singapore) W/O |
| 9 SONGS
(2005, d. Michael Winterbottom) Video verité about a couple, she
American, he English, into Sex, Antarctica, and Rock & Roll.
*** 1/4 |
| 9 SOULS
(2004, d. Toshiaki Toyota) A comedy about escaped convicts rampaging. I
was bored and unamused and walked after an hour. W/O |
| 9
(2003, d. Umit Unal) Turkey AFF. Docudrama. Videotaped
interrogation of 6 suspects in murder rape. ** 1/2 |
| 99
FRANCS (2008, d. Jan Kounen) *** |
| 9TH
COMPANY (2006, d. Fyodor Bondarchuk; Russia) *** 1/2 |
| A DIOS
MOMO (2005, d. Leonardo Ricagni) W/O |
| A SIDE, B
SIDE, SEA SIDE (2006, d. Wing-Chiu Chan) ** 1/4 |
| À TOUT DE SUITE (2007, d. Benoît
Jacquot) V. Jacquot doing 60's Godard pretty darn well. *** |
| AACHI &
SSIPAK (2007, d. Joe Bum-jin) 1/2* |
| ABANDON (2002, d. Stephen
Gaghan) *** |
| ABANDONED
(2001,
d.
Arpad Sopsits) *** 1/4 |
| ABBUFFATA
L' (2008, d. Mimmo Colopresti) *** |
| ABOUNA
(2003, d. Mahamet Saleh Haroun) Chad AFF. Two young brothers and
their trials finding their father. ** |
| ABOUT A BOY (2002, d. Chris &
Paul Weitz) *** |
| ABOUT ELLY
(2009, d. Asghar Farhadi) *** |
| ABOUT SCHMIDT (2002, d.
Alexander Payne) *** 1/4 |
| ABOUT THE
LIVING (2002, d. Jorge Aquilera) ** |
| ABSOLUT
(2005,
d.
Romed Wyder) Fascinating, complex thriller about 2 computer
hacker political terrorists & memory restoration. *** 1/4 |
| ACCEPTED (2007, d. Steve Pink) V. ** 1/2 |
| ACCOMPLICES
(Complices) (2010, d. Frédéric Mermoud) . *** 1/2 |
| ACCORDING TO
SPENCER (2001, d. Shane Edelman) *** |
| ACNÉ
(2008, d. Federico Veiroj) *** |
| ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (2007, d. Julie
Taymor) The '60s film I've been waiting 40 years for. **** |
| ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (2008, d. Julie
Taymore) + Even on 2nd view, this is my fave film of decade so far. **** |
| ACTRESSES, THE (2010,
d. E. J-Yong) ** 1/2 |
| ADAM &
STEVE (2005, d. Craig Chester) Silly at times, but also funny
& touching romantic comedy about 2 quirky, mature gay men. **
3/4 |
| ADAM
(2009, d. Max Mayer) *** 1/4 |
| ADAM'S
APPLES
(2005,
d. Anders Thomas Jensen) *** |
| ADAPTATION (2002, d. Spike
Jonze) *** 1/2 |
| ADDICTION
(2005,
d.
Minna Virtanen) ** 3/4 |
| ADMIRAL, THE
(2009, d. Andrei Kravchuck) *** 1/2 |
| ADORATION
(2009, d. Atom Egoyan) + Not quite as stunning the 2nd time
around...but worse: 2nd time this week I went to a film I didn't
realize I'd seen before! *** 1/4 |
| ADORATION
(2008,
d.
Atom Egoyan) *** 1/2 |
| ADVENTURELAND (2009, d. Greg Mottola)
Jesse Eisenberg, like Michael Cera is the ideal pomo hero.
Pleasant, if subdued, rom-com. ** 3/4 |
| ADVENTURES OF
FELIX, THE (2001, d. Olivier Ducastel & Jacques
Martineau) *** 3/4 |
| ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE, THE
(2003, d. Tod Williams) V. Coming of age/disfunctional family story
nicely, if eliptically realized. Adrian Grenier! ** 3/4 |
| AE FOND KISS (2005, d. Ken Loach) Ill
fated love of a young 2nd generation Paki for a white woman in today's
Scotland. Subtle & affecting. *** |
| AFFAIR OF LOVE, AN (2000, d. Frédéric
Fonteyne) *** |
| AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE, THE
(2001, d. Charles Shyer) ** 3/4 |
| AFGHAN STAR
(2009, d. Havana Marking) *** |
| AFTER INNOCENCE (2005, d. Jessica
Sanders; docu) V. *** 1/4 |
| AFTER
MIDNIGHT (2005, d. Davide Ferrario) Whimsical paean to film à la
Amélie without the irony, a charmingly cockeyed love triangle.
*** 1/4 |
| AFTER THE
WEDDING (2006, d. Susanne Bier; Denmark) *** 1/2 |
| AFTERLIFE
(2003,
d.
Alison Peebles) Affecting drama: ambitious man forced to care
for Down's Syndrome sister. Tear jerker, never goes over the top.
*** 1/4 |
| AFTERMATH
(2004,
d.
Paprika Steen) Emotionally shattering, beautifully acted
chamber drama about the affects of grief on a couple & the people
around them. *** 1/2 |
| AFTERSCHOOL
(2008,
d.
Antonio Campos) *** 1/4 |
| AFTERWARDS
(2008,
d.
Gilles Bourdos) ** 1/4 |
| AGAINST THE
CURRENT (2009, d. Peter Callahan) *** 1/2 |
| AGENT CODY BANKS 2 (2004, d. Kevin
Allen) Silly, but coherent kids film. At least miles better than
Inspector Gadget, which is saying something. ** 1/4 |
| AGITATOR
(2002,
d.
Miike Takashi) ** 3/4 |
| AGORA (2010, d. Alejandro
Amenábar) ** 3/4 |
| AGRONOMIST, THE (2004, d. Jonathan Demme) V.
Doc. about Haitian radio radical good guy Jean Dominique. Interesting,
but slow mid-section disappoints. ** 3/4 |
| AGUA
(2007, d. Verónica Chen) *** |
| AHEAD OF
TIME (2005, d. Ágúst Güdmundsson; Iceland) * 3/4 |
| AHEAD OF TIME (2010, d.
Bob Richman) *** |
| AHIMSA STOP
TO RUN (2006, d. Leo Kittikorn; Thailand) * |
| AI (2001, d. Steven
Spielberg) **** |
| AIME TON
PERE (2003, d. Jacob Berger) Swiss AFF. High gloss road picture
about Literature Nobelist and his estranged son. *** 1/4 |
| AIMÉE & JAGUAR (2000, d. Max
Färberböck) ** 3/4 |
| AIMÉE,
L' (2008, d. Arnaud Desplechin) ** 1/4 |
| AIN'T
SCARED (2008, d. Audrey Estrougo) ** |
| AIR DOLL (2010, d.
Hirokazu Kore-eda) ** |
| AIRES
DIFICILES, LOS (2006, d. Gerardo Herrera) ** 3/4 |
| AJAMI
(2009, d.Scandar Copti & Yaron Shani; Israel) *** 3/4 |
| AKA (2004, d. Duncan Roy)V.+ Complete
re-edit from multi-screen festival version 2 years ago. Well done
British lower class gay imposter story. ** 3/4 |
| AKEELAH AND THE BEE (2006, d. Doug
Acheson) Predictable, manipulative, moving film about an 11 yr. old
black girl spelling genius. ** 1/2 |
| AL FRANKEN:
GOD SPOKE (2006, d. Nick Doob, Chris Hegedus) *** 1/4 |
| ALAMO, THE (2004, d. John Lee Hancock)
Mediocre script with too many levels of flashbacks; but otherwise
fairly well made historical pic. ** 1/2 |
| ALATRISTE
(2006,
d.
Augustin Diaz Yanes) ** 3/4 |
| ALBINO ALLEGATOR (2005, d. Kevin
Spacey)V. Hostage film in a bar with some good perfs, but pretty
average script and direction. ** 1/2 |
| ALCATRAZ AVE. (2000, d. Tom
Edgar) *** |
| ALEGRE MA NON TROPPO (2004, d. Fernando
Colomo) Slick, high gloss '94 Spanish sex farce on confused sexuality
with clever plot and some fine acting. *** |
| ALEX & EMMA (2003, d. Rob Reiner)
Romantic comedy. A novelist & a steno who are writing and acting
out a novel. A real turkey, both novel and script. * |
| ALEXANDER (2004, d. Oliver Stone) Epic
with a confusingly constructed script but some great battle scenes.
Jolie's accent inexplicable; but Farrell is pretty good. ** 3/4 |
| ALEXANDRA
(2008,
d.
Alexander Sokurov) *** |
| ALFIE (2004, d. Charles Shyer) Jude Law
is an attractive star playing a cad in this somewhat boring, mediocre
comedy. Shyer is a hack director; but his casting works. ** 1/4 |
| ALI ZAOUA, PRINCE DE LA RUE (2000, d.
Nabil Ayouch) *** |
| ALI (2001, d. Michael
Mann) *** 1/2 |
| ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL (2003, d. W.R.
Fassbinder) V. Indictment of conformest, xenophobic German character;
old woman marries nice young Moroccan. *** |
| ALIAS BETTY (2002, d. Claude
Miller) *** |
| ALICE AND MARTIN (2000, d. André
Téchiné) *** |
| ALICE IN
WONDERLAND (2010, d. Tim Burton) Visually inventive, story
deficient. ** 1/2 |
| ALICE UPSIDE
DOWN (2008, d. Sandy Tung) ** 3/4 |
| ALICE
(2006, d. Marco Martins; Portugal) ** 3/4 |
| ALIVE
(Zhivoy) (2007, d. Alexander Veledinsky) ** 3/4 |
| ALIVE!
(2009, d. Artan Minarolli; Albania) ** 3/4 |
| ALL ABOUT
LILY CHOU CHOU (2002, d. Shunji Iwai)
** |
| ALL HAT
(2007, d. Leonard Farlinger) ** 3/4 |
| ALL IN (2008, d. Nick Vallelonga) V. I
usually like poker movies; but this barely watchable drama was
terrible. * |
| ALL OR NOTHING (2002, d. Mike
Leigh) ** 3/4 |
| ALL OR NOTHING (2004, d. Mike Leigh) V.
Finally caught Leigh's miserabilist version of Life is Sour. As
usual, fine filmmaking; but depressing. *** |
| ALL OVER THE
GUY (2003, d. Julie Davis)+ V. One of the better gay
films...bittersweet romantic comedy which has the ring of truth and
originality. *** 1/4 |
| ALL OVER THE
GUY (2001, d. Julie Davis) *** 1/4 |
| ALL THAT I LOVE (2010, d.
Jasek Borcuch) *** |
| ALL THE KING'S MEN (2006, d. Steven
Zaillian) Why was this film critically savaged? Maybe a little
over-ripe; but fantastic drama. *** 1/2 |
| ALL THE PRETTY HORSES (2000, d. Billy
Bob Thornton) ** 1/2 |
| ALL THE REAL GIRLS (2003, d. David Gordon
Green) Appalachian love story; poetry of the ordinary. Schneider &
Deschanel are great. *** 1/2 |
| ALL WILL BE
WELL (Wszystko Bedzie Dobrze) (2008, d. Tomasz Wiszniewski) ***
1/2 |
| ALLEGRO
(2006, d. Christoffer Boe) ** |
| ALMOST
ADULT (2007, d. Yousaf Ali Khan) ** 1/2 |
| ALMOST
BROTHERS (2005, d. Lúcia Murat) Confusingly structured Brazilian
story mixing City of God with Carandiru and inferior to both. ** |
| ALMOST FAMOUS (2000, d. Cameron
Crowe) *** 1/4 |
| ALMOST
ORDINARY STORY, AN (2003, d. Milos Petricic) Romantic comedy
about a couple who may or may not be fated to marry. ** 3/4 |
| ALMOST PEACEFUL (2003, d. Michael
Deville) Post WWII Jews trying to return to normal life in Paris
dressmaking atelier. Gentle, pastoral, slow. ** 3/4 |
| ALONE IN FOUR
WALLS (Allein in vier wanden) (2008, d. Alexandra Westmeier) ***
1/4 |
| ALONE
(2005, d. Thomas Durschschlag) 2nd film in a row about a wounded girl:
this one a German who cuts herself from psychotic low self
esteem. ** 3/4 |
| ALONG CAME POLLY (2004, d. John Hamburg) Big
stars, but a terribly tasteless script...even Philip Hoffman overdid
his slob schtick. * 1/2 |
| ALONG THE
RIDGE (2007, d. Kim Rossi Stuart) *** 1/2 |
| ALPHA DOG (2007, d. Nick Cassavetes)
Better than expected. Timberlake & especially a game Ben Foster
outstanding. *** |
| ALQUIMISTA
IMPACIENTE, EL (2003, d. Patricia Ferreira)
Thriller/policier...lurid murder of a nuclear plant worker. ** 3/4 |
| ALTIPLANO (2010, d. Peter
Brosens & Jessica Woodworth) *** 1/4 |
| ALZHEIMER
CASE, THE (2005, d. Erik Van Looy) Polished thriller about a
French mafia assassin whose Alzheimers is affecting his contract hit in
Antwerp. *** |
| AMANDLA! A REVOLUTION IN FOUR-PART
HARMONY (2001, d. Lee Hirsch) ** 3/4 |
| AMATEURS, THE (2007, d. Michael
Traegar) A silly comedy with a fine cast, mostly wasted. * 3/4 |
| AMATI GIRLS, THE (2001, d. Anne
DeSalvo) ** |
| AMAZING GRACE (2007, d. Michael Apted)
Earnest, but sort of boring film with great perf by Ioan
Gruffuid. ** 3/4 |
| AMAZING MRS. PRITCHARD, THE (2007, d.
var.) V. Involving, realistic British political what-if fantasy
miniseries. *** |
| AMELIA (2009, d. Mira Nair)
Straightforward romantic biopic which informs rather than
involves. Borderline boring for a Hollywood pic. ** 1/2 |
| AMÉLIE
(2001, d. Jean-Pierre Jeunet) *** 1/4 |
| AMEN (2003, d. Costa-Gavras) Shattering
Holocaust drama from pov of conscientious SS Lt. and an Italian priest
with the ear of the pope. *** 1/2 |
| AMER (2010, d. Hélène
Cattet) * |
| AMERICAN
COUSINS (2003, d. Don Coutts) The mob (Ukraine and New Jersey
versions) come to Glasgow. ** |
| AMERICAN
FORK (2007, d. Chris Bowman) ** |
| AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007, d. Ridley
Scott) A classic gangster flick, reminiscent of Heat. ***
1/2 |
| AMERICAN
GUN (2002, d. Alan Jacobs) ** 3/4 |
| AMERICAN
HAUNTING, AN (2005, d. Courtney Solomon) * 3/4 |
| AMERICAN JOBS (2004, d. Greg Spotts) V.
Informative, reasoned docu about the effect of NAFTA etc. on the
American worker. Good polemics and filmmaking. *** |
| AMERICAN OUTLAWS (2001, d. Les
Mayfield) * |
| AMERICAN PIE 2 (2001, d. J.B.
Rogers) * 3/4 |
| AMERICAN
PRIMITIVE (2009, d. Gwen Wynne) ** 1/2 |
| AMERICAN RHAPSODY, AN (2003, d. Éva
Gárdos) V. Maladjustment of child of Hungarian emigres. Well acted,
subtle, true to '50s & a little stolid. ** 3/4 |
| AMERICAN RULING CLASS, THE (2005, d.
John Kirby) V. *** 1/2 |
| AMERICAN
SHOPPER (2007, d. Tamas Bojtor & Sybil Dessau) *** 3/4 |
| AMERICAN
SON (2008, d. Neil Abramson) *** 1/2 |
| AMERICAN
SPLENDOR (2003, US d. Shari Springer Berman, Robert
Pulcini) Clever biopic/documentary about Harvey Pekar, comix
writer. *** 3/4 |
| AMERICAN
TEEN (2008, d. Nanette Burstein) *** 1/4 |
| AMERICAN VIOLET (2009, d. Tim Disney)
Prdictable "based on true" story of ACLU victory over Texas racial
injustices. Good intentions & acting; but so so. ** 3/4 |
| AMERICAN
VISA (2006, d. Juan Carlos Valdivia; Bolivia) ** 3/4 |
| AMERICAN WEDDING (2004, d. Jesse Dylan)
V. A new scatological nadir for this series; but I have to admit that I
laughed at some situations despite myself. * 1/4 |
| AMERICANESE
(2006,
d.
Eric Byler) ** 3/4 |
| AMERICANO
(2005,
d.
Kevin Nolan) Contrived travelog with little plot (young
Americans in Spain finding themselves) and some poor acting. * 1/2 |
| AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS (2001, d. Joe
Roth) ** |
| AMNESIA - THE JAMES BRIGHTON ENIGMA
(2006, d. Denis Langlois) Dusan Dukic shines, based on true
story. ** 3/4 |
| AMNESIA ( 2004, d. Nicholas Laughland) V. BBC
mystery-thriller about an amnesiac cop on the trail of a possible wife
murderer. Nice script, but too pat. ** 3/4 |
| AMORES PERROS (aka "Love's a Bitch")
(2000, d. Alejandro González Iñárritu) *** 1/2 |
| AMREEKA
(2009, d. Cherien Dabis) *** 1/2 |
| AMY'S
ORGASM (2001, d. Julie Davis) *** 1/4 |
| ANALYZE THAT (2002, d.
Harold Rntwamis) ** |
| ANARCHIST
COOKBOOK, THE (2002, d. Jorday Susman) *** |
| ANARCHIST'S
WIFE, THE (2009, d. Marie Noelle, Peter Sehr) *** |
| ANATOMY OF
HELL (2004, d. Catherine Breillat) Opaque narrative about a girl
who hires a "gay" man to ravage her. Squickily sexually explicit. ** |
| ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY
(2004, d. Adam McKay) Totally unfunny (for me) silly, even stupid
comedy take on '70s newscasters. * |
| AND ALONG
CAME TOURISTS (Am Ende Kommen Touristen) (2007, d. Robert
Thalheim) *** |
| AND
NOW...LADIES AND GENTLEMEN (2003, France d. Claude
Lelouch) Fine, lush melodrama about a jewel thief & a
chanteuse each with memory blackouts. *** |
| ANDER (2009, d. Roberto Caston)
Closeted Basque farmer tenderly falls for Peruvian immigrant. Slow, but
well observed & touching. *** 1/4 |
| ANGEL
(2010, d. François Ozon)V. Ozon's English lang. bodice ripper: great
cast; despite Romola Garai's technique in despicable title role film is
eye rollingly ridiculous. ** 1/4 |
| ANGEL AT SEA
(2010, d. Frédéric Dumont) *** 1/4 |
| ANGEL
EXIT (2001, d. Vladimir Michalek) ** 1/4 |
| ANGELA
(2003, Italy d. Roberta Torre) Slow, impressionistic drama based
on the true story of a drug running family in Sicily-a torrid love
triangle. ** 3/4 |
| ANGELS IN AMERICA: MILLENIUM APPROACHES
(2003, d. Mike Nichols) V. Superb adaptation, utterly absorbing,
fabulous acting. Great tv. **** |
| ANGELS IN AMERICA: PARESTROIKA (2003,
d. Mike Nichols) V. Uneven...some parts superlative, some long
political speeches I phased out. I'm in lust with Patrick Wilson. ***
1/2 |
| ANGELS OF THE UNIVERSE (2000, d.
Fridrik Thor Fridriksson) *** 1/2 |
| ANGER MANAGEMENT (2003, d. Peter Segal)
Star power. Nicholson mugs & Sandler is quite fine. Embarrassingly
bad script & even worse direction! * 1/4 |
| ANGST
(2003, d. Oskar Roehler) Drama about a failing marriage, he has sex
problems, she's an hysteric. Well acted, if over-the-top, hard to
watch. ** 1/2 |
| ANIMAL FACTORY (2000, d. Steve
Buscemi) ** 1/2 |
| ANIMAL
KINGDOM
(2010,
d. David Michôd) *** 1/2 |
| ANIMATRIX
(2003,
US/JAPAN
d. Various) 9 animated shorts from
the Matrix universe. Some better than others. ** 3/4 |
| ANITA TAKES A CHANCE (2001, d.
Ventura Pons) *** |
| ANNAPOLIS (2006, d. Justin Lin) An
average, predictable film with another charismatic perf by James Franco
as a boxer-plebe. A guilty pleasure. ** 1/4 |
| ANNIVERSARY PARTY, THE (2004, d. Leigh
& Cumming) V. An almost perfect video film of today's Hollywood
creative types & their screwed-up fabulous lives. *** 1/2 |
| ANNIVERSARY PARTY, THE (2001, d.
Jennifer Jason Leigh & Alan Cumming) ***
1/2 |
| ANONYMOUS (2004, d. Todd Verow) Verow
tries arty French porn (a la Porn Theater). He's not up to it as
director or actor. Degrading, despicable disaster. 1/2* |
| ANOTHER GAY
MOVIE (2006, d. Todd Stephens) * 1/2 |
| ANOTHER LIFE
(Ovunque Sei) (2008, d. Michele Placido) *** |
| ANOTHER
LIFE (2005, d. Michele Placido) Stephano Accorsi's makes it worth
sitting through this strange, eerie romantic film. ** 3/4 |
| ANSWER MAN,
THE (2009, d. John Hindman) *** |
| ANTARCTICA (2008, d. Yair Hochner)
Multi-character Israeli gay story of hot men & their sex lives.
Well acted, somewhat involving. *** |
| ANTARES
(2005,
d.
Götz Spielmann) Circularly constructed, sexually explicit
slice of life drama about denizens of a Vienna housing
development. *** |
| ANTIBODIES
(2005,
d.
Christian Alvart) *** 1/2 |
| ANTITRUST (2001, d. Peter
Howitt) * 1/2 |
| ANTWONE FISHER (2002, d. Denzel
Washington) ** 3/4 |
| ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (2009, d.
Sasha Gervasi) V. Real life version of Spinal Tap, sort of sad, sort of
involving; but by the end I was unaccountably moved. *** |
| ANYTHING ELSE (2003, d. Woody Allen) A
failure. Occasionally funny romantic comedy; but Allen's dialog seems
false coming from 20-somethings. ** 1/4 |
| ANYTOWN
(2009, d. Dave Rodriguez) ** 3/4 |
| APARTMENT, THE (2008, d. Billy Wilder)
+ Holds up remarkably, still Lemmon's and MacLaine's triumph; but also
a fine original script. *** 1/4 |
| APOCALYPTO (2006, d. Mel Gibson) Gotta
hand it to him, an art film with stretches of boredom; but overall it
worked as an action film. ** 3/4 |
| APPALOOSA (2008, d. Ed Harris) I like
westerns; but despite a fine cast this one seems derivative (e.g. 3:10
to Yuma) & lacking convincing motivations. ** 1/4 |
| APRÈS
VOUS (2004, d. Pierre Salvadore) Annoying and contrived French
farce. * 3/4 |
| ARARAT (2002, d. Atom
Egoyan) *** |
| ARCHANGEL (2008, d. Jon Jones) V.
TV thriller from Robert Harris book with a dead fish Daniel Craig perf.
pre-Bond, but quite authentic Soviet feeling. *** |
| ARCHANGEL'S
FEATHER, THE (2003, d. Louis Manzo) Venezuela AFF.
Allegory, maybe about Archangel Gabriel vs. Big Brother.. ** 3/4 |
| ARDILLA ROJA,
LA (2003, d. Julio Medem 1993) Romantic thriller about a
man's fascination with an amnesiac woman. *** |
| ARISTOCRATS,
THE (2005, d. Paul Provenza) 100 great standup comedians do
history's worst dirty in-joke. 90 minutes of constant wracking
laughter. *** 3/4 |
| ARMIN
(2007, d. Ognjen Svilicic) ** 3/4 |
ARMY OF CRIME, THE (2010,
d. Robert Guédiguian) *** 3/4
|
| ARMY OF SHADOWS (2009, d. Jean-Pierre
Melville) Eerily austere depiction of French resistance cell in Lyon,
fascinating and strangely moving. *** 1/2 |
| ARO
TOLBUKHIN, EN LA MENTE DEL ASESINO (2003, d. Agusti Villaronga etc.)
Faux documentary about mass murderer in Guatemala. ** |
| AROUND THE BEND (2004, d. Jordan
Roberts) 4 generation of a family's secrets made into a road picture,
similar to Last Orders, but rather pedestrian. ** 1/4 |
| AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (2004, d.
Frank Coraci) A ridiculously overblown remake of a movie which didn't
need to be remade. * 1/4 |
| ARSÈNE LUPIN (2005, d. Jean-Paul
Salomé) Big film, bigger mess. Anachronistic narrative, a lead actor
without enough gravitas, but gorgeous production design. * 1/2 |
| ART AND COPY
(2009, d. Doug Pray) *** |
| ART OF
CRYING, THE (Kunsten at Graede I Kor) (2006, d. Peter Fog) *** 1/4 |
| ART OF
NEGATIVE THINKING, THE (Kunsten A Tenke Negativt) (2008, d. Bard
Breien) *** |
| ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL (2006, d. Terry
Zwigoff) Amusing black comedy satire. Broadbent is great; but this is
no Ghost World. *** |
| ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES (2006, d. Luc
Besson) Luc should stick to live action; predictable, badly acted &
animated. * 1/2 |
| ARYAN COUPLE, THE (2004, d. John Daly)
Sometimes cheesy melodramas just work, as this well-cast, politically
incorrect Holocaust story does for me. Judy Parfitt is wonderful.
*** |
| AS GOD
COMMANDS (Come Dio comanda) (2010, d. Gabriele Salvatores)
*** 1/2 |
| AS IT IS IN
HEAVEN (2004, d. Kay Pollak) Uplifting & emotionally
satisfying drama about an artist who brings enlightenment to his
backwater Swedish home town. *** 1/2 |
| AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (2005, d. Kay
Pollack)+ Watched again; some of the plot manipulations more obvious a
2nd time; but still fine, affecting film. *** 1/4 |
| ASH WEDNESDAY (2002, d.
Edward Burns) ** 3/4 |
| ASOKA
(2002,
d.
Santosh Sivan) *** |
| ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES (2007, d.
Andrew Dominik) Great looking; but the narrator on downers annoyed. **
3/4 |
| ASSASSINATION
OF RICHARD NIXON, THE (2004, d. Niels Mueller) Sean Penn is
remarkable as a '70s loser who becomes a plane hi-jacker. *** |
| ASSASSINATION TANGO (2003, d. Robert
Duvall) Thriller on valium. Duvall is a fine actor; but lousy
writer/director from this film. * 3/4 |
| ASTRONAUT FARMER, THE (2008, d. Michael
Polish)V. Subdued Thornton in gentle mode; pretty, feel-good fantasy
not typical of Polish Bros. ** 1/2 |
| ASTRONAUTS
(2004,
d.
Santi Amodeo) Slight, wry romantic comedy about an ex-junky
and a 16 yr girl. Not as cute as it tries to be. ** |
| ASYLUM (2005, d. David Mackenzie) ** 3/4 |
| AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR (2008, d.
Gilbert & James) Low key docu about former Texas death row
chaplin, esp. his remorse over past injustices & the penalty
itself. ** 3/4 |
| AT WEST OF
PLUTO (2009, d. Myriam Verreault & Henry Bernadet) *** |
| ATANARJUAT:
THE FAST RUNNER (2001, d. Zacharias
Kunuk) *** 1/2 |
| ATHLETE, THE (2010, d.
Danny Frankel and Rasselas Lakew) ** 3/4 |
| ATONEMENT (2007, d. Joe Wright)
Wright's direction & McAvoy's acting make this a special
tearjerker. Oscar? Maybe. *** 1/2 |
| AU REVOIR TAIPEI (2010,
d. Arvin Chen) *** 1/4 |
| AUBERGE
ESPAGNOLE, L' (2003, France-Spain d. Cedfric Klapisch)
Crowd pleasing comedy about a young Frenchman's defining school year in
Barcelona. *** |
| AUDITION
(2001,
d.
Takashi Miike) * |
| AUGUST RUSH (2007, d. Kirsten Sheridan)
As delirious & affecting as Sheridan's Disco Pigs, but too many
plot holes. *** |
| AUGUST
(2008, d. Austin Chick) *** 1/4 |
| AURA,
EL (2005, d. Fabián Bielinsky; Argentina) *** 1/4 |
| AURORA
(2007, d. Oxana Bayrak; Ukraine) ** 1/2 |
| AUSTRALIA (2008, d. Bazz Luhrmann)
Reminiscent of Giant, a gigantic, yet intimate epic focusing on
ranching & a country's ethos. Ambitions almost fulfilled. *** |
| AUTISM: THE MUSICAL (2007, d. Tricia
Regan) Moving, heart-rending docu...nice editing & photog.
*** 3/4 |
| AUTO FOCUS (2002, d. Paul
Schrader) * 1/2 |
| AUTUMN
BALL (2007, d. Veiko Ounpuu ) * 1/2 |
| AUTUMN IN NEW YORK (2000, d. Joan
Chen) ** |
| AUTUMN OF THE
MAGICIAN (2009, d. Vaheh & Reuben Gevorkyants; Armenia)
Fascinating docu about artist screenwriter Tonino Guerra who should be
world famous. *** |
| AUTUMN
SPRING (2003, d. Vladimir Michátek) Czech comedy/drama about an
old couple. Academy bait...so why did Czechoslavakia nominate
another film? *** |
| AVATAR
(2009, d. James Cameron: 3D) The most sense-of-wonder instilling
film since 2001:Space Odyssey; a visual triumph with story to match.
Bravo! Cameron. **** |
| AVATAR
(2010, d. James Cameron) + Still amazing 2nd time around. No other film
in memory provided me with such a pleasurable immersive experience. **** |
| AVELLANEDA'S
MOON (2005, d. Juan José Campanella) Long, high-gloss social
comedy about an Argentine social club & its member's struggles to
survive. ** 1/2 |
| AVENUE
MONTAIGNE (Fauteuils d'orchestra) (2006, d. Daniele
Thompson; France) + *** 1/2 |
| AVIATOR, THE (2004, d. Martin Scorsese)
Powerful biopic, visually splendid with great perfs by Di Caprio and
Blanchett. Too sprawling, but it worked magic for me. *** 1/2 |
| AWAKE
(2010, d. Joby Harold) V. Thriller with a truly absurd claptrap plot,
but involving, gotta give it that. I like Hayden Christensen, even if
he's remarkably wooden. ** |
| AWAY FROM HER (2007, d. Sarah Polley)
Julie Christie is aging gorgeously. And her Alzheimer's is totally
convincing. *** 1/2 |
| AWAY WE GO (2009, d. Sam Mendes) Wildly
variable road flick, social satire. John Krasinski is becoming a major
star. ** 3/4 |
| BAADER
MEINHOF COMPLEX, THE (2008, d. Uli Edel; Germany) *** 1/4 |
| BAARIA
(2009, d. Giuseppi Tornatori; Italy) *** 1/2 |
| BABEL (2006, d. Alejandro González
Iñárritu) Circular script like Before the Rain. Fabulous direction. Gut
wrenching tension. Great film. *** 1/2 |
| BABY BOY (2001, d. John
Singleton) *** |
| BABY LOVE
(2009, d. Vincent Garenq) *** |
| BACK SOON (2007, d. Rob Williams) ** 3/4 |
| BACKSTAGE
(2006,
d.
Emmanuelle Bercot) ** 3/4 |
| BACK-UP PLAN, THE (2010, d. Alan Poul) J-Lo overacts
terribly. Alex O'Loughlin is sexy & wonderful. Film is
a clichéd stinker. * 3/4 |
| BACKYARD
(2009, d. Carlos Carrera; Mexico) *** 1/4 |
| BAD BOYS II (2003, d. Michael Bay) A
new morally reprehensible low for the Hollywood mega-violent
film. Only Jordi Molla, a kick-ass baddy is worth it. 0* |
| BAD DAY FOR
FISHING (2009, d. Alvaro Brechner;Uruguay) *** |
| BAD EDUCATION (2004, d. Pedro
Almodovar) Pedro's gayest film since Law of Desire. Silly noirish plot;
but total fun with an extraordinary Gaël Bernal. *** |
| BAD FAITH
(Mauvaise foi) (2007, d. Roschdy Zem) *** |
| BAD GUY
(2003, S. Korea d. Kim Ki-duk) Circular, confusing story: ruthless pimp
subjugates a college girl & makes her into a cooperative
prostitute. ** 3/4 |
| BAD SANTA (2003, d. Terry Zwigoff)
Funny, profane, wonderfully perverse comedy about group of innately bad
losers. Kid who could see no evil was great! *** |
| BAD SPELLING (2005, d. Jean-Jacques
Zilbermann) Fun, homoerotic black comedy, a French boys school where
students rebel led by the weird son of the headmasters. *** |
| BADLAND (2007, d. Francesco Lucente)
Except for the overamped score a fine film with a searing perf by Jamie
Draven. *** 1/4 |
| BAGHDAD, TX
(2009, d. David H. Hickey) * 1/2 |
| BAJARSE AL MORO (2004, d. Fernando
Colomo) A low-budget '88 comedy about Madrid druggies. Even a young
Antonio Bandares couldn't elevate it. ** |
| BALIBO
CONSPIRACY, THE (2010, d. Robert Connolly) *** 1/4 |
| BALL IN THE HOUSE (2005, d. Tanya
Wexler) V. *** |
| BALLAST
(2008, d. Lance Hammer) ** 1/2 |
| BALSEROS (2004, d. Bosch and Doménech)
V. Absorbing doc. which explores the lives of several Cuban raft people
who eventually come to the U.S. over 9 years. *** 1/4 |
| BANDE À PART (2003, d. Jean-Luc
Goddard) V. A '60s version of the gang who couldn't shoot
straight, a cockeyed noir which holds up well. *** |
| BANDITS (2001, d. Barry
Levinson) ** |
| BAND'S VISIT, THE (2007, d. Eran
Kolirin) ** 3/4 |
| BANDSLAM (2009, d. Todd Graff) Sweet,
fun coming of age/forming a rock band film. Gaelan Connell is LaBeouf
lite...very likable. GREAT rock score. Predictable plot. *** 1/4 |
| BANG BANG
YOU'RE DEAD (2002, d. Guy Ferland) *** 3/4 |
| BANGER SISTERS, THE (2002, d. Bob
Dolman) ** 1/2 |
| BANISHMENT
(Izgnamie) (2007, d. Andrey Zvyagintsev) *** 1/4
|
| BANK JOB, THE (2008, d. Roger
Donaldson) Surprisingly predictable, I've seen this heist film several
times before. ** 1/4 |
| BANLIEU
13 (2005, d. Pierre Morel) Fast paced, superior martial arts
action film set in a lawless 2010 Paris. Vivid, realistic
characters. *** 1/4 |
| BANQUET AT
TETLAPAYAC, A (2001, d. Olivier Debroise)
* |
| BANQUET,
THE (2007, d. Feng Xiaogang; Hong Kong) ** 1/4 |
| BARAN
(2001,
d.
Majid Majidi) *** |
| BARBARIAN
INVASIONS, THE (2003, d. Denys Arcand) + Worth a 2nd viewing,
just for the philosophy. *** 3/4 |
| BARBARIAN
INVASIONS, THE (2003, d. Denys Arcand) Art film about love and
dying, literate script, excellent ensemble acting, enormously
moving *** 1/2 |
| BARBERSHOP (2002, d. Tim
Story) ** 1/2 |
| BARS IN THE
MEMORY (2005, d. Manuel Palacios) Dry Spanish docu about the
concentration camps and privations during the Franco years. ** 1/2 |
| BARTLEBY
(2001,
d.
Jonathan Parker) ** 1/2 |
| BASAIN
(2007, d. Subash Prasad Gajural; Nepal) W/O |
| BASED ON A TRUE STORY (2005, d. Walter
Stokman) Partially successful doc about the "real" story behind Dog Day
Afternoon. ** 1/2 |
| BATMAN BEGINNINGS (2005, d. Christopher
Nolan) Noisy comic entertainment with a narratively cohesive plot &
great design. *** |
| BATTLE FOR TERRA (2009, d. Aristomenis
Tsirbas) Excellent 3D animation plus superior SF script with subtle
issues of loyalties & humanity. *** 1/4 |
| BATTLE IN
SEATTLE (2008, d. Stuart Townsend) ** 1/2 |
| BATTLE OF SHAKER HEIGHTS (2003, d.
Potelle & Rankin) Indispensible companion to Proj Greenlight. Shia
Lebeuf incredible, movie better than expected. ** 3/4 |
| BATTLE OF
WITS (2007, d. Jacob Cheung) *** |
| BE CALM AND
COUNT TO SEVEN (2009, d. Ramtin Lavafipour) ** 1/2 |
| BE COOL (2005, d. F. Gary Gray) Hipper
than thou spoof of gangsta music biz and Hollywood. Enjoyed the
settings (around the corner from my apartment). ** 1/4 |
| BE KIND REWIND (2008, d. Michel
Gondrey) Gondrey's silly creativity works here. Mos Def surprised
me. *** |
| BE LIKE
OTHERS (2009, d. Tanaz Eshaghian) *** 1/4 |
| BE WITH
ME (2005, d. Eric Khoo; Singapore) ** 3/4 |
| BEACH, THE (2000, d. Danny
Boyle) ** 1/2 |
| BEACHES OF AGNES, THE (2009, d. Agnès
Varda) What treasures Agnes Varda's mementos are. Her docus are moving
& strangely beautiful. Et j'adore Jacques Demi. *** 1/2 |
| BEAR CUB (2004, d. Luis Miguel
Albaladejo) An honest, moving, straightforward Spanish film about a gay
man thrust into caring for his 9 yr old nephew. *** |
| BEAST
STALKER, THE (2009, d. Dante Lam) *** |
| BEAT THAT MY
HEART SKIPPED, THE (2005, d. Jacques Audiard) Frenetic
drama based on Fingers with a magnetic perf by Romain Duris. *** |
| BEAU TRAVAIL (2000, d. Claire
Denis) *** |
| BEAUFORT
(2008,
d.
Joseph Cedar; Isreal) *** 1/2 |
| BEAUTIES AT
WAR (La Guerre des miss) (2009, d. Patrice Leconte) ** |
| BEAUTIFUL
COUNTRY, THE (2005, d. Hans Petter Moland) Involving, well
acted adventure of a half-American Vietnamese boy's emigration to the
US. *** |
| BEAUTIFUL
MEMORIES (Se souvenir des belles choses) (2009, d. Zabou
Breitman) *** 1/2 |
| BEAUTIFUL MIND, A (2001, d. Ron
Howard) *** 1/4 |
| BEAUTIFUL
OHIO (2006, d. Chad Lowe) ** 3/4 |
| BEAUTIFUL (2000, d. Sally
Field) ** |
| BEAUTY IN
TROUBLE (Kraska V Nesnazich) (2007, d. Jan Hrebejk) *** 1/4 |
| BEAUTY
REMAINS (2006, d. Ann Hu) ** 1/2 |
| BECOMING JANE (2007, d. Julian Jarrold)
** 3/4 |
| BEDAZZLED (2000, d. Harold
Ramis) ** |
| BEE SEASON (2007, d. McGehee and
Siegel) V. Involving, well acted family drama with not well defined
spiritual mysteries. *** |
| BEESWAX (2009, d. Andrew Bujalski)
Mumblecore madness right up to very (startlingly unsatisfying) ending.
Successful character study, in any case. *** |
| BEFORE FLYING
BACK TO EARTH (2006, d. Arunas Matelis; Lithuania) *** |
| BEFORE I
FORGET (Avant que j'oublie) (2008, d. Jacques Nolot) ** 3/4 |
| BEFORE NIGHT FALLS (2000, d. Julian
Schnabel) ** 1/4 |
| BEFORE
SUNSET (2004, d. Richard Linklater) Talky sequel to one of my
all-time fave films. Satisfying in context; but not as good a
film. *** |
| BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD
(2007, d. Sidney Lumet) Tight thriller- 2 brothers and the "perfect"
robbery. *** 1/2 |
| BEFORE THE
RAINS (2008, d. Santosh Sivan) ** 3/4 |
| BEFORE THE STORM (Före stormen)
(2000, d. Reza Parsa) *** 1/2 |
| BEHIND ENEMY LINES (2001, d. John
Moore) ** 1/2 |
| BEHIND THE RED DOOR (2003, d. Matia
Karrell) (V) Showtime Aids drama. Kyra and Kiefer are 2 of
my least favorite actors. * 1/2 |
| BEHIND THE
SUN (2001, d. Walter Salles) ** 3/4 |
| BEING JULIA (2004, d. Istvan Szabo)
Overwrought, entertaining period melodrama about a monster actress in
1938 London. Benning's performance: Oscar bait tour de force. *** |
| BELIEVER, THE (2004, d. Henry Bean) V.+
I appreciated the quality of the filmmaking more the 2nd time around.
One hell of a script, well executed. *** 1/2 |
| BELIEVER, THE (2002, d.
Henry Bean) *** 1/2 |
| BELLA
(2006, d. Alejandro Monteverde) ** |
| BELLE
PERSONNE, LA (2009, d. Chrisophe Honoré) *** 1/4 |
| BELLE
TOUJOURS (2007, d. Manoel de Oliveira; Portugal) ** |
| BELOVED/FRIEND (2000, d. Ventura
Pons) ** 1/2 |
| BEN X
(2007, d. Nic Balthazar; Belgium) *** 1/2 |
| BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (2003, d. Gurinder
Chadha) Feel good Indian girl's soccer story set in Britain.
Predictable script saved by fine direction. *** |
| BENEATH HER
WINDOW (2004, d. Metod Pevec) Screwball Slovenian comedy about a
30ish woman's romantic entanglements whose evident charms escaped
me. ** 1/4 |
| BENEDICT ARNOLD: QUESTION OF
HONOR (2003, d. Mikael Salomon) (V) A&E
historical movie. Unwatchably bad. WO |
| BEOWULF &
GRENDEL (2006, d. Sturla Gunnarsson) ** 1/4
|
| BEREFT (2004, d. Tim Daly, Clark
Mathis) + Oops! I forgot I'd seen this grief drama at SIFF and was
unimpressed. Here the beauty of the images made up somewhat. **
3/4 |
| BEREFT
(2004, d. Tim Daly, Clark Mathis) Overwrought drama about a young woman
driven crazy with grief by the auto accident death of her husband. **
1/2 |
| BERGA: SOLDIERS OF ANOTHER WAR
(2003, d. Charles Guggenheim) (V) docu. on valium about American
WWII POWs. ** 1/4 |
| BERLIN IS IN
GERMANY (2001, d. Hannes Stohr) *** 1/4 |
| BERNARD AND DORIS (2008, d. Bob
Balaban) V. Exquisitely acted (Finnes & Sarandon) but sorta boring
biopic. ** 3/4 |
| BERTIE AND ELIZABETH (2005, d. Giles
Foster) Masterpiece Theater schlock. Fine acting, good script. **
3/4 |
| BEST DAY OF MY LIFE (2004, d. Cristina
Comencini) Splendid and moving, complex Italian disfunctional family
saga, 2 sisters and gay son & their lives and loves. *** 1/4 |
| BEST IN SHOW (2000, d.
Christopher Guest) *** |
| BEST MAN, WORST FRIEND (2006, d. Stefan
Schwartz) V. Guilty pleasure romantic comedy; Stuart Townsend &
Seth Green fine. ** 3/4 |
| BEST OF TIMES
(2010, d. Yongyoot Thongkongtoon; Thailand) ** |
| BEST OF
TIMES, THE (2003, d. Chang Tso-Chi) Taiwan AFF. Family
drama, kitchen sink style. *** 1/2 |
| BEST OF YOUTH
#1 (2004, d. Marco Giordana) Part one of this sprawling family
saga propulsively sets up the drama & characters. *** |
| BEST OF YOUTH
#2 (2004, d. Marco Giordana) In part two the emotional rewards so
carefully plotted are huge. A totally satisfying 6 hour epic
of late 20th Century Italy. **** |
| BEST OF
YOUTH, THE 1 & 2 (2005, d. Marco Tullio Giordana) + Liked
part 1 better than originally, and part 2 dragged a little.
Still, overall fabulous film. **** |
| BEST OF YOUTH, THE (2008, d. Marco
Giordano) V.+++ Still the most emotionally resonant film I've ever
watched. **** |
| BET
COLLECTOR, THE (2007, d. Jeffrey Jeturian) ** |
| BETRAYAL, THE (Nerakhoon) (2008, d.
Kuras & Phrasavath) Docu of Laotian family uprooted to U.S. after
"secret" war. Moving, but confusingly cut with overdone music. ** 1/2 |
| BETRAYAL, THE (2006, d. Philippe
Faucon) ** 1/2 |
| BETTER LUCK TOMORROW (2003, d. Justin
Lin) Well directed, but confusing, Asian-American teenage gang
film...only the actors looked too old. ** 1/2 |
| BETTER THAN
SEX (2001, d. Jonathan Teplitzky)
*** |
| BETTER
THINGS (2008, d. Duane Hopkins) ** 1/2 |
| BETWEEN LAND
AND SKY (2003, d. Guiseppe Feruto ) Italian political satire
about media overkill. ** 1/2 |
| BETWEEN LOVE AND GOODBYE (2009,
d. Casper Andreas) Gay relationship drama; mediocre direction
& acting...but vital, sexy & powerfully realistic. ** 1/2 |
| BEYOND
HATRED (2006, d. Olivier Meyrou) ** 1/4 |
| BEYOND OUR KEN (2005, d. Pang
Ho-Cheung) Frothy, insubstantial girl buddy and revenge (against common
boyfriend) comedy from Hong Kong. * 3/4 |
| BEYOND THE
CIRCLE (2009, d. Golam Rabbani Biplob; Bangladesh) ** |
| BEYOND THE MAT (2000, d. Barry W.
Blaustein) *** |
| BEYOND THE SEA (2004, d. Kevin Spacey)
The most off the wall musical biopic since Delovely. Spacey makes a
better lounge singer than director! ** 1/4 |
| BHAJI ON THE BEACH (2003, d. Gurinder
Chadha) V. Chadha handles ensembles well; but this Indian woman's lib
story was clichéd and obvious. ** |
| B-HAPPY
(2004, d. Gonzalo Justiniano) Another periled latina teen girl film,
this time a poor girl whose father is in prison. Simple, effective
filmmaking. *** |
| BICKFORD
SHMECKLER'S COOL IDEAS (2006, d. Scott Lew) ** 1/2 |
| BIG ANIMAL, THE (2000, d. Jerzy
Stuhr) * 1/2 |
| BIG BANG
LOVE, JUVENILE A (2006, d. Takashi Miike) *** |
| BIG DREAM,
THE (2010, d. Michele Placido) ** 1/2 |
| BIG DREAMS,
LITTLE TOKYO (2006, d. David Boyle) *** |
| BIG EDEN (2001, d. Thomas
Bezucha) ** 3/4 |
| BIG EMPTY,
THE (2003, d. Steve Anderson) Mixed genre. Is it a noir?
Alien abduction flick? Black comedy? An honorable failure at all
three. ** |
| BIG FISH (2003, d. Tim Burton) Story of
fabulist (convincingly played by Ewan McGregor & Albert Finney).
Burton's most appealing and "normal" film. *** |
| BIG GAY
MUSICAL (2010, d. Andreas & Caruso) *** |
| BIG KAHUNA, THE (2000, d. John
Swanbeck) ** |
| BIG RIG
(2007, d. Doug Pray) ** 1/2 |
| BIGGIE AND
TUPAC (2002, d. Nick Broomfield)
*** |
| BILINGUAL
LOVER, THE (El Amante Bilingue) (2007, d. Vicente Aranda) ** |
| BILL
(2007, d. Melisa Wallack, Bernie Goldmann) ** |
| BILLY ELLIOT (2000, d. Stephen
Daldry) *** 3/4 |
| BIRTH (2004, d. Jonathan Glazer) Heavy
duty, eerie psychological drama. Nicole Kiddman fine here, script has a
nicely satisfying ambiguity & interesting direction. *** 1/4 |
| BIRTHDAY GIRL (2002, d. Jez
Butterworth) ** 1/2 |
| BIRTHDAY,
THE (2006, d. Diane Kurys) *** 1/4 |
| BLACK AND WHITE (2000, d. James
Toback) ** 1/2 |
| BLACK BALLOON, THE (2008, d. Elissa
Down) Australian family with autistic son from pov of younger brother.
Well observed, tough, truthful. *** 1/4 |
| BLACK
BOOK (2007, d. Paul Verhoeven; Netherlands) *** |
| BLACK DAHLIA, THE (2006, d. Brian de
Palma) Fine cast, terrible script, fake noir. How can such a
promising film go so wrong. ** |
| BLACK DOG BARKING (2009, d. Mehmet
Bahadir Er & Maryna Gorbach) * 1/2 |
| BLACK HAWK DOWN (2001, d. Ridley
Scott) *** 1/2 |
| BLACK
ICE (2003, d. Mikhail Brashinsky) Incoherent film about something
or other. Jittery camera and unengaging plot were too much to
stick around. W/O |
| BLACK
IRISH (2007, d. Brad Gann) *** 1/4 |
| BLACK
IRISH (2007, d. Brad Gunn) + *** 1/2 |
| BLACK ROBE (2004, d. Bruce Beresford)
V. Gut-wrenching '91 film with Lothar Bluteau playing a jesuit priest
in New France pre-revolution. *** |
| BLACK SNAKE MOAN (2008, d. Craig
Brewer)V. Ricci's perf is brave, Jackson is fine, Timberlake less
so. Film: clichéd mishmash. ** 3/4 |
| BLACK SUN (2006, d. Gary Tarn) V.
Expressionistic docu about a man (writer & narrator) blinded in the
'70s. *** |
| BLACK WHITE +
GRAY (2007, d. James Crump) *** 1/4 |
| BLACKBOARDS (2000, d. Samira
Makhmalbaf) ** |
| BLACKMAIL BOY (Oxygono) (2006, d.
Papathanasiou & Rappas) Over-the-top melodrama about money
corrupting a family with a beautiful bisexual scion. * 3/4 |
| BLACKWATER LIGHTSHIP (2004, d. John
Erman) V. An Early Frost, updated...but still a little out of date. I'm
too emotionally fragile for AIDS stories like this. *** 1/2 |
| BLADERUNNER (Final Cut) (2007, d.
Ridley Scott) I had forgotten how fabu the production design was! New
ending: eh!? *** 1/4 |
| BLADES OF GLORY (2008, d. Gordon &
Speck)V. Heder is fine, Ferrell barely ok in this surprisingly funny
comedy. Dumb but trenchant. ** 3/4 |
| BLEAK HOUSE (2007, d. various; w.
Andrew Davis) Superb adaptation of complex Victorian novel. The Brits
do it again. *** 1/2 |
| BLESSED BY
FIRE (2006, d. Tristan Bauer) *** 3/4 |
| BLESSED IS THE MATCH: The Life & Death of
Hannah Senesh (2008, d. Roberta Grossman) Enormously moving docu
re: Hungarian/Palistinian WWII heroine. *** 3/4 |
| BLESSING
BELL, THE (2003, Japan d. Sabu) A formally beautiful,
but boring, slow paced day in the life. *** |
| BLIND
LOVES (2008, d. Juraj Lehotsky; Slovakia) *** 1/4 |
| BLIND
MOUNTAIN (2007, d. Li Yang) *** |
| BLIND SIDE,
THE (2010, d. John Lee Hancock) Not a bad film, but Oscar
calibre? Polar opposite of Precious, in any case, and quite
classist. ** 1/2 |
| BLIND
SUNFLOWERS, THE (Los girasoles ciegos) (2008, d. Joeé Luis
Cuerda; Spain) *** |
| BLIND
(2007, d. Tamar van den Dop) *** 1/4
|
| BLINDNESS (2008, d. Fernando Meirelles)
Unrealistic, but strong catastrophe film (like 28 Days Later) about
mystery blindness illness & society throwing victims away. ** 1/2 |
| BLINDSIGHT (2006, d. Lucy Walker) V.
Blind children overcoming peril, gorgeous mountain photography,
uplift...admirable docu. *** 1/2 |
| BLISS
(2008, d. Abdullah Oguz) *** 1/4 |
| BLOOD AND
BONES (2005, d. Yoichi Sai) ** 1/2 |
| BLOOD APPEARS
(La Sangre Brota) (2008, d. Pablo Fendik) ** 1/2 |
| BLOOD
BROTHERS (Tiantang Kou) (2008, d. Alexi Tan) * 1/2 |
| BLOOD DIAMOND (2006, d. Edward Zwick)
Despite overlength, this is a winner. Prediction: multiple
Oscars. *** 1/2 |
| BLOOD OF THE
LOSERS (Il sangue de vinti) (2008, d. Michele Soavi) *** 1/2 |
| BLOOD
RAIN (2006, d. Kim Dae-seung, LeeWon-jae) ** 1/2 |
| BLOOD WORK (2002, d. Clint
Eastwood) ** 3/4 |
| BLOODY SUNDAY (2002, d. Paul
Greengrass) *** |
| BLOOM
(2004, d. Sean Walsh) Earnest adaptation of the unadaptable Ulysses,
using lots of voiceovers for interior monologue. Well made; but not my
cuppa. ** 1/2 |
| BLOSSOMING OF
MAXIMO OLIVEROS, THE (2006, d. Aureas Solito) ** 1/4 |
| BLOW DRY (2005, d. Paddy Breathnach) V.
Funny slice of life (e.g. Full Monty) British comedy about hair
contest. Note Bill Nighy & Josh Hartnett as cockney. ** 3/4 |
| BLOW DRY (2001, d. Paddy
Breathnach) *** |
| BLOW (2001, d. Ted
Demme) ** 1/2 |
| BLUE CAR (2003, d. Karen Moncrieff)
Viscerally disturbing story-troubled teenage girl and troubled broken
family. Understated, with subtle acting. *** 1/2 |
| BLUE CHA
CHA (2006, d. Cheng Wen- tang) *** 1/4 |
| BLUE CRUSH (2002, d. John
Stockwell) *** |
| BLUE DINER,
THE (2001, d. Jan Egleson) ** |
| BLUE GATE
CROSSING (2002, d. Chih-yen Yi) ** 1/2 |
| BLUE
MOON (2003, Austria d. Andrea Maria Dusi) Road
picture about a man on a quest to re-find a woman he meets by
chance. ** 1/4 |
| BLUE TOOTH
VIRGIN, THE (2009, d. Russell Brown) + *** 1/2 |
| BLUEBERRY
(2004,
d.
Jan Kounen ) A psychedelic westen which, though overlong and
undiciplined, delivers the goods with fabulous f/x & a superb
Vincent Cassell. *** |
| BLUEBIRD
(2005,
d.
Mijke de Jong) Emotionally shattering, excellent drama about
a 12 year old girl who is the brunt of bullies in her jr. high
class. *** 1/2 |
| BLUES,
THE (2003, d. various) PBS series edited down to 5 ahortened
sequences about the blues music. Some sequences worked, some
didn't. ** 3/4 |
| BLUETOOTH
VIRGIN, THE (2008, d. Russell Brown) *** 1/2 |
| BOATS OUT OF
WATERMELON RINDS (2005, d. Ahmet Uluçay) A Turkish Cinema
Paradiso, terrible digital photography, but the 2 boys were
charming. ** 1/4 |
| BOBBY
(2006, d. Emelio Estevez) *** |
| BODY OF LIES (2008, d. Ridley Scott)
Entertaining star driven CIA vs. terrorist contempo thriller.
Scott is a director in control of the medium. *** 1/4 |
| BODY OF WAR (2007, d. Ellen Spiro &
Phil Donahue) Another successful docu: Robert Byrd, such a hero.
*** 1/2 |
| BODYGUARDS &
ASSASSINS (2010, d. Teddy Chen) *** 3/4 |
| BODYSONG (2004, d. Simon Pummell) V.
Hypno-docu, sort of a Family of Man of found film clips to music (cf
Koyaanisqatsi). Fascinating and a little boring. ** 1/2 |
| BOILER ROOM (2000, d. Ben
Younger) *** |
| BOLT (2009, d. Howard & Williams)
OK if predictable script. Good vocal acting. But ultimately
mediocre. Lousy year for Academy animated features. ** 1/2 |
| BOMB THE SYSTEM (2005, d. Adam Lough)
Mark Webber is outstanding in this arty, nicely made indy about radical
grafitti artists in NYC. *** |
| BOMBÓN, EL
PERO (2005, d. Carlos Sorin) Like director's Historias Minimas, a
fun film without irony about a poor man who is given a show dog. *** |
| BON
VOYAGE (2003, d. Jean-Paul Rappeneau) Big French WWII melodrama,
hugely entertaining & wellmade throwback to old-fashioned classic
French cinema. *** 1/4 |
| BONAERENSE,
EL (2003, Argentina/Chile d. Pablo Trapero) Naive
country bumpkin makes good in the big city police department. **
3/4 |
| BONJOUR M.
SHLOMI (2004, d. Shemi Zarhin) A superbly observed film about a
16 year old boy whose specialness has been hidden in his disfunctional
family. *** 3/4 |
| BOOK OF
ELI, THE (2010, d. Hughes Brothers) Another dystopian future post-war
road pic. Denzell is really fine; but Bible thumping message a little
much. ** 3/4 |
| BOOK OF LOVE (2006, d. Alan Brown) V.
Younger man (Gregory Smith). Older married woman. Clichés; but
very nicely acted. ** 3/4 |
| BOOK OF
REVELATION, THE (2007, d. Ana Kokkinos) *** |
| BOOKIES (2005, d. Mark Illsley) V. **
3/4 |
| BOOTMAN (2000, d. Dien
Perry) ** |
| BORAT (2006, d. Larry Charles) Cohen is
impressive in creating consistent character; funny in a wildly
tasteless way. *** |
| BORDER WAR: THE BATTLE OVER ILLEGAL
IMMIGRATION (2006, d. Kevin Knoblock) V. Docu looks great,
too polemic. ** 3/4 |
| BORED IN
BRNO (2004, d. Vladimir Moravek) An earthy Czech multi-character
sex comedy which got better as it went along. Too bread for my
tastes. ** 1/4 |
| BORN AND BRED (2006, d. Pablo Trapero)
** 1/2 |
| BORN IN 68
(2009, d. Olivier Duscastel, Jacques Martineau) *** 1/2 |
| BORN INTO BROTHELS (2005, d. Kaufmann
& Briski) Kids born in Calcutta brothels get a chance for a life
through photography. Interesting & well edited. *** |
| BORN RICH (2003, d. Jamie Johnson) V.
Doc by millionaire heir about his wealthy contemporaries. Mostly talk;
but inherently interesting & well made. *** 1/4 |
| BORN
ROMANTIC (2001, d. David Kane) ** 1/2 |
| BORN TO SUFFER (2010, d.
Miguel Albaladejo) ** 3/4 |
| BORSTAL
BOY (2001, d. Peter Sheridan) *** |
| BOSS OF IT
ALL, THE (2007, d. Lars von Trier) *** |
| BOSSA NOVA (2000, d. Bruno
Barreto) * |
| BOSTA
(2006, d. Philippe Aractingi; Lebanon) * 1/2 |
| BOTHERSOME
MAN, THE (Den Brysomme Mannen) (2006, d. Per Schreiner) *** 1/4 |
| BOTTLE SHOCK (2008, d. Randall Miller)
Napa vintage 1976 & wine growing. Looks good; but terrible on the
palate. Terrible script. * 1/2 |
| BOUNCE (2000, d. Don
Roos) *** |
| BOURNE IDENTITY, THE (2002,
d. Doug Liman) *** |
| BOURNE SUPREMACY, THE (2004, d. Paul
Greengrass) Superior thriller, greatest auto chase scene since Ronin.
Some plot holes; but editing pace hides them. *** 1/4 |
| BOURNE ULTIMATUM, THE (2007, d. Paul
Greengrass) *** 1/2 |
| BOW,
THE (2006, d. Kim Ki-duk) *** |
| BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE (2002, d.
Michael Moore) *** 1/2 |
| BOX, THE (2009, d. Richard Kelly) Don't
ask me to explain it...but I liked the mood and look of Kelly's film,
this one murkier than either of his others. ** 3/4 |
| BOY
(2009, d. Aureaus Solito) *** |
| BOY A
(2007, d. John Crowley) *** 3/4 |
| BOY A
(2008, d. John Crowley) *** 3/4 |
| BOY
CULTURE (2006, d. Q. Allen Brocka) ** 3/4 |
| BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS, THE (2008,
d. Mark Herman) Emotionally affecting, well acted (Farmiga and the two
boys especially). Too pat. *** |
| BOY INTERRUPTED (2009, d. Dana Perry)
V. Filmmaking parents make exhaustive study of their depressed, 15 year
old suicide son. Moving & insightful. *** 1/2 |
| BOYFRIEND FOR
MY WIFE, A (Un novio para mi mujer) (2008, d. Juan Taratuto) **
3/4 |
| BOYNTON BEACH
BEREAVEMENT CLUB (2006, d. Susan Seidelman) ** 3/4
|
| BOYS AND GIRLS (2000, d. Robert
Iscove) *** |
| BOYS ARE BACK, THE (2009, d. Scott
Hicks) Clive Owens is remarkable as a lost father (of 2 boys) after his
wife dies. Predictable plot, but emotionally powerful. *** 1/4 |
| BOYS FROM
COUNTY CLARE (2004, d. John Irvin) Predictable, clichéd Irish
trifle about dueling traditional Irish bands. * 3/4 |
| BOYS LIFE 3 (2000, d. David
Fourier/Bradley Rust Gray/Jason Gould/Lane Janger/Gregory
Cooke) ** |
| BOYS OF BARAKA, THE (2005, d. Heidi
Ewing, Rachel Grady; docu) V. *** 3/4 |
| BOYS (2004, d. Stacy Cochran)V. A TiVo
loser. Mysterious Winona Ryder ends up in a boys boarding school dorm
tempting rebellious Lucas Haas. No chemistry. * 1/2 |
| BOYSTOWN
(2008,
d.
Juan Flahn) ** 3/4 |
| BRAN NUE DAE (2010, d.
Rachel Perkins) ** 1/2 |
| BRAND NEW
LIFE, A (2010, d. Ounie Lecomte) *** |
| BRAVE ONE,
THE (2007, d. Neil Jordan) *** 1/4 |
| BREACH (2007, d. Billy Ray) Well acted
(esp. Chris Cooper) true story of bringing down a spy. Also Ryan
Phillippe's best work in ages. *** |
| BREAD &
TULIPS (2001, d. Silvio Soldini) *** 1/4 |
| BREAD AND ROSES (2001, d. Ken
Loach) *** 1/4 |
| BREAKFAST ON PLUTO (2005, d. Neil
Jordan) *** |
| BREAKFAST
WITH SCOT (2007, d. Laurie Lynd) ** 3/4 |
| BREAKING AND ENTERING (2006, d. Anthony
Minghella) I loved this film despite flaws, became emotionally involved
with characters. *** |
| BREAKING THE SILENCE (2000, d. Zhou
Sun) *** |
| BREAK-UP, THE (2006, d. Peyton Reed)
Fairly clever by-the-numbers romantic dramady. No chemistry
between leads. ** 1/2 |
| BREATHLESS
(2009, d. Yang Ik-june) ** 1/4 |
| BRICK
LANE (2008, d. Sarah Gavron) *** |
| BRICK (2006, d. Rian Johnson) Overly
complex, familiar noirish plot; but topflight young cast and zingy
script really work. *** |
| BRIDE AND
PREJUDICE (2004, d. Gurinder Chadha) Hollywood meets Bollywood,
and I suspect becomes a surprising hit. It works after a fashion.
*** |
| BRIDE
FLIGHT (2010, d. Ben Sombogaart) *** 3/4 |
| BRIDE OF THE WIND (2001, d. Bruce
Beresford) ** 3/4 |
| BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (2008, d. Julian
Jarrold) Over-amped but curiously passionless & unnecessary redo of
a definitive miniseries. ** 1/4 |
| BRIDGE
BETWEEN TWO SHORES, A (Un pont entre deux rives) (2000, d.
Gerard Dépardieu & Frédéric Auburtin) *** 3/4 |
| BRIDGE TO TARABITHIA (2007, d.
Gabor Csupo) Xtian propaganda in a totally wonderful disguise. Moving,
grounded fantasy. Hurrah! *** 1/2 |
| BRIDGET JONES: EDGE OF REASON (2004, d.
Beeban Kidron) Dreadful film. Poor Renée Zellweger wasted all that
weighty effort. Horrendous script, no romantic chemistry. ** |
| BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY (2001, d. Sharon
Maguire) *** 1/4 |
| BRIGHT
FUTURE (2004, d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa) A straightforward (for this
director) slacker story about disaffected youths in Japan. ** 1/4 |
| BRIGHT LEAVES (2004, d. Ross McElwee)
V. Personal docu about McElwee's family connection to tobacco. Slowly
paced, but interesting & beautifully shot. *** |
| BRIGHT STAR (2009, d. Jane Campion)
Weepy, authentic costume romance with an amazingly affecting perf by
Ben Winshaw as John Keats. *** 1/4 |
| BRIGHT YOUNG
THINGS (2004, d. Stephen Fry) Fast paced story of the mad
upperclass in England just pre-WWII. Gorgeous period stuff, well
played. *** |
| BRING IT ON (2000, d. Peyton
Reed) *** |
| BRITNEY BABY,
ONE MORE TIME! (2002, d. Ludi Boeken) ** 3/4 |
| BRITZ (2008, d. Peter Kominsky) V.
Shattering, scary story of Pakistani/Brit brother & sister caught
up in modern terrorism on opposite sides. *** 1/2 |
| BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005, d. Ang
Lee) *** 1/2 |
| BROKEN EMBRACES (2009, d. Pedro
Almodovar) Typical Almodovar. Over plotted, gorgeous, a little long.
Some breathtakingly original shots, but ultimately disappointing **
3/4 |
| BROKEN
ENGLISH (2007, d. Zoe Cassavetes) *** 1/2 |
| BROKEN FLOWERS (2005, d. Jim Jarmusch)
*** 1/2 |
| BROKEN HEARTS CLUB, THE: A ROMANTIC
COMEDY (2000, d. Greg Berlanti) ** 1/4 |
| BROKEN
PROMISE (2009, d. Jill Chlumský; Slovakia) *** 1/2 |
| BROKEN SKY (El Cielo Dividido) (2006,
d. Julián Hernández) Gorgeously photographed and scored gay art film of
gestures. *** 1/4 |
| BROKEN
WINGS (2003, d. Nir Bergman) Israel AFF. Drama about family
riven by grief after father's death. *** 1/4 |
| BROKEN
(2006, d. Alan White) ** 1/4 |
| BRONSON
(2009, d. Nicolas Winding Refn) *** |
| BRONZE
SCREEN, THE (2001, d. Alberto Dominguez, Nancy de los Angeles) **
1/4 |
| BROTHER BEAR (2003, d. Blaise, Walker)
Traditional Disney animation with overly simplistic amerind legend
theme. Still, I was move. Good kid film. ** 3/4 |
| BROTHER
(2001, d. Takeshi Kitano) ** 3/4 |
| BROTHER
(2002,
d.
Yan Yan Mak) |
| BROTHERHOOD
(2010, d. Nicolo Donato) ** 3/4 |
| BROTHERS (2009, d. Jim Sheridan) Superb
adaptation to a truthful American war story, changing emphasis of
original, maybe for the better. Maguire is great! *** 1/2 |
| BROTHERS AT WAR (2009, d. Jake
Rademacher) V. Affecting and illuminating documentary by one filmmaker
brother embedded in Iraq while 2 other brothers are serving. *** 1/4 |
| BROTHERS BLOOM, THE (2008, d. Rian
Johnson) Silly, slapsticky, anachronistic fantasy which wastes a good
cast. A strange comedown for the director of Brick. * 1/4 |
| BROTHERS GRIMM, THE (2005, d. Terry
Gilliam) * 3/4 |
| BROTHERS OF THE HEAD (2006, d. Keith
Fulton, Louis Pepe) ***1/4 |
| BROTHERS
(2005,
d.
Susanne Bier) Shattering drama about a good man who commits
an act beyond redemption. Incredible acting and fine
direction. *** 3/4 |
| BRÜNO (2009, d. Larry Charles) Über
confrontationalist Cohen manages ütter tastelessness. Funny in a
transgressive way, but sort of a mess. * 3/4 |
| BRUNO (2003, d. Shirley MacLaine)
V. Limp, soppy comedy - 8 year old spelling genius boy (phenom
kid actor Alex Linz) who needs to compete in a dress. * 3/4 |
| BUBBA
HO-TEP (2003, d. Don Coscarelli) Horror comedy in an old-folks
home: Elvis & JFK take on an Egyptian mummy. Silly
fun. ** 3/4 |
| BUBBLE BOY (2001, d. Blair
Hayes) * 3/4 |
| BUBBLE,
THE (2006, d. Eytan Fox) *** 1/4 |
| BUCKET LIST, THE (2007, d. Rob
Reiner)V. Only for old folks; but a great travelogue. ** 3/4 |
| BUDDENBROOKS
(2009, d. Heinrich Breloer) *** 1/4 |
| BUDDHA
COLLAPSED OUT OF SHAME (2008, d. Hana Makmalbaf) *** 1/4 |
| BUDDY
(2003, d. Marten Tyldum) Young guy turns his & 2 eccentric
roommates liver into a commercially successful video journal.
Touching, fun comedy. *** |
| BUFFALO
BOY (2005, d. Minh Nguyen-Vo; Vietnam) *** |
| BUFFALO
SOLDIERS (2004, US d. Gregor Jordan) Glossy, high-budget,
somewhat over-the-top satire about army corruption in German occupation
in '89. *** 1/2 |
| BUKOWSKI: BORN INTO THIS (2004, d. John
Dullighan) V. I've never much been into Bukowski; but this compelling
docu presents him well. ** 3/4 |
| BULGARIAN LOVERS (2003, d. Eloy de la
Iglesia) Tongue in cheek drama about a straight Bulgarian expat in
Madrid taking advantage of a gay Spaniard. ** 1/4 |
| BULLY (2001, d. Larry
Clark) *** 1/2 |
| BUM'S NAME,
THE (Civico 0) (2008, d. Citto Maselli) *** |
| BUNGALOW
(2002, d. Ulrich Kohler) *** |
| BURLESK KING (2000, d. Mel
Chionglo) * |
| BURMA VJ: REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY
(2009, d. Anders Ostergaard) V. Astonishing docu footage of
government repression of populace. *** 1/2 |
| BURN AFTER READING (2008, d. Joel &
Ethan Coen) Silly, but quite entertaining farce about CIA snafu
involving a computer disk & some greedy Washingtonians. *** |
| BURNING IN
THE WIND (2003, d. Silvio Soldini) Bleak but well acted
story of East Euro life transported into France along with ill-fated
love ***. |
| BURNING
PLAIN, THE (2009, d. Guillermo Arriaga) *** 1/4 |
| BURNT
MONEY (2001, d. Marcelo Piñeyro) *** 1/2 |
| BURNT
OUT (2006, d. Fabienne Godet) *** |
| BUS 174 (2004, d. José Padilha) V.
Brazilian doc which examines thoroughly the background of a publically
televised bus hijacking and relives the tragic events. *** |
| BUS PALLADIUM (2010, d.
Christopher Thompson) *** 1/4 |
| BUSINESS OF STRANGERS, THE (2001,
d. Patrick Stettner) *** |
| BUT FOREVER
ON MY MIND (Come te nessuno mai) (2000, d. Gabriele
Muccino) *** 1/2 |
| BUT FOREVER
ON MY MIND (2005, d. Gabriele Muccino) V. Finally this 1999
coming of age masterpiece about youthful exhuberance is out on
DVD! *** 3/4 |
| BUTTERFLY
(Lea legua de las mariposas) (2000, d. Jose Luis
Cuerda) ** 1/2 |
| BUTTERFLY
SMILE (2002, d. He Jianjun) * 1/2 |
| BUTTERFLY,
THE (2004, France d. Philippe Muyl) Sappy, Kolya type
drama about old butterfly collector & the little girl who runs away
with him. ** 1/2 |
| BÜYÜK ADAM
KÚÇÜK ASK (2001, d. Handan Ipekçi) ** 3/4 |
| BYRON (2005, d. Julian Farino) V.
** 3/4 |
| C.R.A.Z.Y.
(2005,
d.
Jean-Marc Vallée; Canada) *** 3/4 |
| C.R.A.Z.Y.
(2006,
d.
Jean-Marc Vallée) V. 2nd time around this time on
video. Why is this masterpiece not getting released in the U.S.?
*** 3/4 |
| C.R.A.Z.Y. (2007, d. Jean-Marc Vallée)
V.+++ Still one of the best coming-of-age gay films ever made. *** 3/4 |
| CAB FOR
THREE, A (2001, d. Orlando Lübbert) ** |
| CABALLERO DON
QUIXOTE, EL (2003, d. Manuel Gutierrez Aragon) Boring sequel to
Don Quixote. * 3/4 |
| CA-BAU-KAN
(2003,
d.
Nia Dinata) Indonesia AFF. Historical drama about a
beautiful pleasure girl who marries a shady businessman. * 1/2 |
| CABBIE,
THE (2001, d. Yiwen Chen and Huakun Zhang) ** 1/2 |
| CADILLAC RECORDS (2008, d. Darnell
Martin) Interesting biopic of Chess recording artists. Nice musical
numbers, esp. Beyoncé's Etta James. ** 3/4 |
| CAESAR (2005, d. Uli Edel) V. ** 3/4 |
| CAIRO TIME (2010, d. Ruba
Nadda) ** 1/2 |
| CAJA 507,
LA (2003, d. Enrique Urbizu) Thriller about a meek bank
director who gets involved in a huge Mafia inspired international
conspiracy. ** 3/4 |
| CAKE EATERS, THE (2009, d. Mary Stuart
Masterson) Quirky, realistic contemporary heart tugger with some really
wonderful perfs & assured direction. *** 1/4 |
| CALENDAR GIRLS (2004, d. Nigel Cole) Mediocre
female version of The Full Monty. ** |
| CALIFORNIA
DREAMIN' (ENDLESS) (2008, d. Cristian Nemescu) *** 1/4 |
| CALL ME
TROY (2008, d. Scott Bloom) *** |
| CAMARATE
(2001,
d.
Luis Filipe Rocha) *** 1/4 |
| CAMILLE
(2008, d. Gregory Mackenzie) * 3/4 |
| CAMP HOLLYWOOD (2005, d. Steve
Markle)V. Superb personal DV docu about a nearby hotel & its
denizens, many trying to make it in Hollywood. *** 1/2 |
| CAMP
(2003, d. Todd Graff) + Just hits me squarely in my wheelhouse. 2nd
viewing confirms its cleverness & skills of the cast despite
inherent clichés. *** |
| CAMP
(2003, US d. Todd Graff) Aimiable, but predictable (we've
seen it before), musical comedy about a summer camp for budding
entertainers. ** 1/2 |
| CAMP (2007, d. Todd Graff) V.++ Still
more entertaining than American Idol! Guilty pleasure; but very
much a pleasure. *** |
| CAMPFIRE
(2004,
d.
Joseph Cedar) Involving family drama about a woman with 2
daughters coping with social and relational problems. Nicely
acted. *** |
| CAN GO
THROUGH SKIN (2009, d. Esther Rots) ** 1/2 |
| CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON ANY
MORE? (2006, d. Frank Popper) V. Absorbing docu of empassioned
run for Congress. *** 1/2 |
| CANONE
INVERSO ("Making Love") (2001, d. Ricky
Tognazzi) ** 1/4 |
| CAPE NO.
7 (2008, d. Te-Sheng Wei; Taiwan) ** |
| CAPE OF GOOD
HOPE (2005, d. Mark Bamford) Harmless S.African ecuminical
romantic comedy, sort of predictable. ** 1/2 |
| CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (2009,
d. Michael Moore) In your face docu, always interesting even though
Moore's opinions often rankle this time around. ** 3/4 |
| CAPITOL CRIMES (p. Bill Moyers) V. Surgical
dissection of the Jack Abramoff/Tom de Lay scandals. Great tv
journalism. *** 1/4 |
| CAPONE
(2004, d. Jean Marc Brandolo) Buddy road trip film...two lost souls
taking a race horse from Paris to Finland. Good film, but I
dozed. ** 3/4 |
| CAPOTE (2005, d. Bennett Miller) *** 1/4 |
| CAPTAIN ABU
RAED (2008, d. Amin Matalqa) *** |
| CAPTAIN AHAB (Captaine Achab) (2008, d.
Philippe Ramos) ** 1/4 |
| CAPTAIN'S
DAUGHTER, THE (2001, d. Alexander Proshkin) *** |
| CAPTIVE
(2004, d. Gastón Biraben) Moving & beautifully acted film about an
Argentine teenage girl who discovers her parents are not her real
parents. *** 1/4 |
| CAPTIVE
(2009, d. Aleksei Uchitel) ** 3/4 |
| CAPTURE OF THE GREEN RIVER KILLER, THE
(2008, d. Norma Bailey) V. Zodiac lite. Very well made &
acted. *** |
| CAPTURING THE
FRIEDMANS (2003, US doc. d. Andrew Jarecki) A great
documentary which peels the layers off of a family's secrets &
justice mislaid. **** |
| CARAMEL
(2007, d. Nadine Labaki; Lebanon) ** 1/2 |
| CARANDIRU
(2004,
d.
Hector Babenco) A Brazilian prison worse than Oz, from
doctor's pov. Involving, occasionally wrenching, well acted, nicely put
together. *** 1/4 |
| CARD PLAYER,
THE (2004, d. Dario Argento) Ludicrous, but well directed Italian
policier about a maniac serial woman killer using the internet to play
games with police. * 1/2 |
| CARGO (2010, d. Ivan
Engler) *** |
| CARMEN IN
KHAYELITSHA (2006, d. Mark Dornford-May) ** 1/2 |
| CARMO HIT THE
ROAD (2009, d. Murillo Pasta) ** 1/4 |
| CARNAGE (2004, d. Delphine Gleize) V.
Visually stunning film about, well, bull. And how all is
connected in the world. Or something. *** |
| CARS (2007, d. John Lassiter) Inventive
animation, got better as it went along, but just not up to its
rep. ** 3/4 |
| CASA DE LOS BABYS (2003, d. John
Sayles) Intermittently interesting Mexican baby mill story,
unexpectedly flawed by a poorly structured script. ** |
| CASANEGRA
(2009, d. Nour Eddine Lakhmari; Morocco) ** 1/4 |
| CASANOVA (2005, d. Lasse Hallström) *** |
| CASH
TRUCK (2004, d. Nicolas Boukhrief) Effective, beautifully shot
film noir, violent and unpredictable. *** |
| CASHBACK (2006, d. Sean Ellis) *** |
| CASINO JACK
AND THE UNTIED STATES OF MONEY (2010, d. Alex Gibney) Fast paced,
scattered & unfocused docu about Jack Abramoff & govt.
corruption. ** 1/4 |
| CASINO ROYALE (2006, d. Martin
Campbell) Nice new Bond; nice physical action stunts. But the
film is as ridiculous as ever. ** 1/4 |
| CASSANDRA'S DREAM (2007, d. Woody
Allen) Hitchcockian film with a little Purple Noon thrown in. **
3/4 |
| CAST AWAY (2000, d. Robert
Zemeckis) *** ri |
| CATCH A FIRE (2006, d. Phillip Noyce)
Excellent "making of a terrorist/freedom fighter" film from So. Africa.
Derek Luke fine. *** 1/4 |
| CATCH AND RELEASE (2007, d. Susannah
Grant) Predictable but well acted chick flick which involved me.
** 3/4 |
| CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002, d.
Steven Spielberg) *** |
| CAUCASIA
(2008,
d.
Farid Gumbatov; Azerbaijan) * 1/4 |
| CAVE OF THE
YELLOW DOG, THE (2006, d. Byambasuren Davaa; Mongolia) |
| CAVEDWELLER
(2004,
d.
Lisa Cholodenko) Sometimes annoying but satisfying drama
about woman who ran away with a rock band returning home to
Georgia. ** 3/4 |
| CAYO
(2006, d. Vincente Juarbe; Puerto Rico) * 3/4 |
| CECIL B. DEMENTED (2000, d. John
Waters) ** 1/4 |
| CECILIE
(2007, d. Hans Fabian Wullenweber) ** 3/4 |
| CELESTE IN THE CITY (2004, d. Larry Shaw) V.
Queer Eye for Straight Girl makeover ABC Family film abounding with
simplistic stereotypes. Another great Ethan Embry role. ** |
| CELL 211 (2010, d. Daniel
Monzón) *** 1/2 |
| CELL, THE (2000, d. Tarsem
Singh) ** 1/2 |
| CELLULAR (2004, d. David Ellis) More
plot holes than Swiss cheese in this silly variant on Phone Booth; but
Chris Evans is going to be a star. * 3/4 |
| CENTER STAGE (2000, d. Nicholas
Hytner) ** 3/4 |
| CENTURION (2010, d. Neil
Marshall) ** 3/4 |
| CÉZANNE
AFFAIR, THE (L'uomo nero) (2010, d. Sergio Rubini) ** 1/4 |
| CHACUN SA
NUIT (2006, d. Jean-Marc Barr, Pascal Arnold) *** 1/4 |
| CHAMELEON
(Kaméleon) (2009, d. Kristzina Goda; Hungary) *** 1/4 |
| CHAMPAGNE
SPY, THE (2007, d. Nadav Schirman) *** |
| CHANGE OF
ADDRESS (Changement d'adresse) (2007, d. Emmanuel Mouret) ** 1/2 |
| CHANGELING, THE (2008, d. Clint
Eastwood) Schocking true story resonates emotionally. Jolie's
over-the-top perf. is Oscar bait; but Eastwood's clear vision
holds. *** |
| CHANGING DESTINY (2005, d. Daniele
Gaglianone) Jagged, cutty, edgy story of 3 teenage northern Italian
boys who drop out and get into various kinds of trouble. *** |
| CHANGING LANES (2002, d. Roger
Michell) ** 1/2 |
| CHANGING
TIMES (Les Temps qui changent) (2006, d. André Téchiné) ***
1/4 |
| CHAOS AND
DESIRE (2002, d. Manon Briand) ** 3/4 |
| CHAOTIC ANA
(Caótica Ana) (2007, d. Julio Medem) *** 3/4
|
| CHARITON'S
CHOIR (2007, d. Grigoris Karantinakis; Greece) * 3/4 |
| CHARLEY AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
(2006, d. Tim Burton) V. Amusing with impressive effects. *** |
| CHARLIE BARTLETT (2007, d. Jon Poll)
Anton Yelchin great as a preppy Ferris Bueller type undermining public
school authority. *** |
| CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (2007, d. Mike
Nichols) Simplistic demonizing of enemy turned me off. ** 3/4 |
| CHARLIE: THE LIFE & ART OF CHARLES
CHAPLIN (2004, d. Richard Schickel) V. Fascinating, if facile doc
about the great film artist. *** 1/4 |
| CHARLIE'S ANGELS FULL THROTTLE (2003,
d. McG) Some inventive stuff, though the CGI was cheesy; but
ultimately tedius and familiar action thriller. ** 1/4 |
| CHARLIE'S ANGELS (2000, d.
McG) * |
| CHARLOTTE GRAY (2001, d. Gillian
Armstrong) *** |
| CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES (2003, d. Eric
Byler) 4 Asian-American characters and their tangled
relationships. Haunting, eliptical, subtle, well played.
*** 1/4 |
| CHARLOTTE'S WEB (2006, d. Gary Winick)
Nice voice acting, good f/x and a moving story make for a pleasant
film. *** |
| CHASER,
THE (2008, d. Na Hong-jin) *** 1/2 |
| CHÂTEAU, THE (2002, d. Jesse
Peretz) ** |
| CHE Part 1 (2008, d. Steven Soderbergh)
Light on exposition, too many characters to keep straight, still
interesting as docudrama. ** 3/4 |
| CHE Part 2 (2008, d. Steven Soderbergh)
Same problesm; but it just works better as futility and defeat is just
more interesting than victory. *** |
| CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (2004, d. Shawn
Levy) I expected to hate it; but instead I was enchanted by the story
& actors. Funny and emotionally satisfying. *** |
| CHEF OF SOUTH POLAR, THE
(2010, d. Shuichi Okita) *** 1/4 |
| CHEF'S
SPECIAL (2009, d. Nacho Velilla) ** 1/4 |
| CHELSEA WALLS (2002, d. Ethan
Hawke) ** |
| CHÉRI (2009, d. Stephen Frears)
Outstanding, lavish evocation of Belle Epoque; Pfeiffer is radient,
Rupert Friend fabulously epicene. Literate script. *** 1/2 |
| CHERISH
(2002, d. Finn Taylor) ** 1/2 |
| CHERRY
BLOSSOMS - HANAMI (2008, d. Dorris Dorrie) *** 1/4 |
| CHERRY (2010, d. Jeffrey
Fine) *** 1/2 |
| CHIAVI DI
CASA, LE (2007, d. Gianni Amelio) V.+ Wonderful, moving film with
sublime performances by Rampling, Stuart & Rossi. *** 1/2 |
| CHICAGO hicago (2002, d. Rob
Marshall) *** 3/4 |
| CHICKEN RUN (2000, d. Peter Lord &
Nick Park) ** 1/2 |
| CHICKEN UNDERGROUND (2001, d.
Edet Belzberg) ** 1/2 |
| CHIHWASEON
(2002,
d.
Im Kwon-taek) *** 1/4 |
| CHILD, THE
(L'enfant) (2005, d. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne) *** 1/4 |
| CHILDHOOD OF
MAXIM GORKY (2005, d. Mark Donskoy) Classic Russian film
from the writer's memoire of his peasant Volga family. *** |
| CHILDREN OF DIYARBAKIR,
THE (2010, d. Miraz Bezar) *** |
| CHILDREN OF
HUANG SHI, THE (2008, d. Roger Spottswoode) ** 3/4 |
| CHILDREN OF MEN (2006, d. Alfonso
Cuaron) Masterpiece of Gazaian dystopia, Nativity allegory & Time
of the Wolf rolled into one. *** 1/2 |
| CHILDREN OF THE CENTURY (2002, d.
Diane Kurys) [1999] *** |
| CHILDREN OF
WAR (2007, d. Alexandre Fuchs) ** 1/4 |
| CHILDREN
(2007,
d.
Ragnar Bragason; Iceland) *** 1/2 |
| CHILDSTAR
(2005,
d.
Don McKellar) Funny, trenchant and occasionally silly satire
about a 12 yr. old movie star & his kooky mom. *** |
| CHILL
OUT (2001, d. Andreas Struk) ** 1/2 |
| CHIMP,
THE (2001, d. Aktan Abdykalykov) ** 1/4 |
| CHINAMAN (Kinamand) (2006, d. Henruk
Ruben Genz) Wry Danish comedy. Plumber divorced by wife marries younger
Chinese woman. *** |
| CHINESE
ODYSSEY: 2002 (2003, Hong Kong d. Jeff Lau) Funny and
assured satire of a martial arts, Chinese Emperor's court film.
*** 1/4 |
| CHLOE (2010, d. Atom Egoyan)
Julianne Moore better than ever in.remake of Nathalie with more
psychologically sound script. Lesbionics not my thing; but Max Thieriot
is! *** |
| CHOCOLAT (2000, d. Lasse
Hallström) *** |
| CHOK-DEE (2005, d. Xavier Durrenger)
The French Rocky, a French street criminal becomes a world champ Thai
boxer...written & acted by the guy himself. ** 1/2 |
| CHOKE
(2008, d. Clark Gregg) * 1/2 |
| CHOP
SHOP (2007, d. Ramin Bahrani) *** |
| CHOP SUEY (2001, d. Bruce
Weber) ** 3/4 |
| CHOPPER
(2001, d. Andrew Dominik) *** |
| CHORISTES,
LES (2004, d. Christophe Barratier) Franch AFF: moving drama of a
teacher who tames the boys in a reform school through music. ***
1/2 |
| CHRIS &
DON: A LOVE STORY (2008, d. Guido Sante) *** 1/2 |
| CHRISTMAS
TALE, A (Un conte de Noël) (2008, d. Arnaud Desplechin) *** 1/4 |
| CHRISTMAS
TREE UPSIDE DOWN (2007, d. Ivan Cherkelov and Vassil Jivkov) *** |
| CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS (2004, d. Joe
Roth) Horrendous, embarrassing, utterly offensive (to this Jewish
observer), silly, unfunny. Did I love it? 1/2* |
| CHRONICAL OF
AN ESCAPE (2006, d. Israel Adrián Cactano) ** 3/4 |
| CHRONICALLY
UNFEASIBLE (2001, d. Sergio Bianchi) W/O |
| CHRONICALS OF NARNIA (2005, d. Andrew
Adamson) ** |
| CHRONICALS
(2004,
d.
Sebastian Cordero) Equador's Acad. entry is a superb
psychological thriller about a child serial killer's manipulation of tv
pop news. *** 1/4 |
| CHRYSALIS
(2007,
d.
Julien Leclercq) ** 1/2 |
| CHRYSTAL
(2004, d. Ray McKinnon) Southern gothic story of the effects of an auto
accident on a couple after 20 years of the husband in prison. **
3/4 |
| CHUCK AND
BUCK (2000, d. Miguel Arteta)
*** |
| CHUMSCRUBBER, THE (2005, d. Arie Posin)
Wonderful suburban satire cult-type film in Donnie Darko mode. Jamie
Bell: #1 actor of his generation. *** 1/2 |
| CHUNHYANG (2000, d. Im
Kwon-taek) *** 1/2 |
| CIAO (2008, d. Yen Tan) Touching, arty
(in a good way) American indie gay film...Italian man meets friend on
net. *** |
| CINDERELLA MAN (2005, d. Ron Howard)
Moving story of James Braddock with a searingly honest portrayal by
Russell Crowe. *** 1/2 |
| CINEMA,
ASPIRIN & VULTURES (Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus) (2006, d.
Marcelo Gomes) ** 1/4 |
| CIRCLE ROUGE, LE (2003, d. Jean-Pierre
Melville) 1970 noir, typical Melville which means lean and taut.
Montand & Delon great. *** 1/4 |
| CIRCLE, THE (2001, d. Jafar
Panahi) *** 1/2 |
| CIRCUIT (2002, d. Dirk
Shafer) ** |
| CIRCUIT
(2001,
d.
Dirk Shafer) * 1/2 |
| CITIZEN
DUANE (2006, d. Michael Mabbott) ** 3/4 |
| CITY BY THE SEA (2002, d. Michael
Caton-Jones) *** 1/2 |
| CITY
ISLAND (2010, d. Raymond De Felitta) Family dramedy where
everybody lies. Original idea, great script, wonderful acting
ensemble. *** 1/2 |
| CITY OF
BORDERS (2009, d. Yun Suh) *** |
| CITY OF EMBER (2008, d. Gil Kenan)
Superb dystopian heroic fantasy, a live action Wall*E with the visual
panache of Brazil. *** 1/2 |
| CITY OF GHOSTS (2003, d. Matt Dillon)
Pseudo Graham Greene. Stifling atmosphere well done, as were
characterizations. Story falls down. Good try. ** 1/4 |
| CITY OF
GOD (2002, d. Fernando Meirelles) *** |
| CITY OF LIFE
AND DEATH (2009, d.Lu Chuan) *** 1/4 |
| CITY OF MEN (2008, d. Paolo Morelli)
Much better than City of God, imho. Emotionally affecting,
driving narrative. *** 1/4 |
| CITY OF NO
LIMITS (2002, d. Antonio Hernandez) *** 1/4 |
| CITY OF THE
SUN, THE (Slunecný Stát) (2006, d. Martin Sulík; Slovak
Republic) ** |
| CITY OF
YOUR FINAL DESTINATION, THE (2010, d. James Ivory) Well made
& acted, if old fashioned romantic melodrama; but plot just
meanders & doesn't resolve. ** 3/4 |
| CLAIM, THE (2001, d. Michael
Winterbottom) *** 1/2 |
| CLAPHAM JUNCTION (2008, d. Adrian
Shergold) Terrific British TV movie about contrasts in modern society
(marriage & bashing). *** 1/2 |
| CLASH OF
THE TITANS (2010, d. Louis Leterrier) Post-prod. 3D better than
expected. Film even worse: repetitive turgid battle scenes, wooden
acting. Ugh. * 1/2 |
| CLASS, THE
(Entre les murs) (2008, d. Laurent Cantet; France) *** 3/4 |
| CLASS,
THE (2008, d. Ilmar Raag; Estonia) *** 1/2 |
| CLASSE TOUS RISQUE (2006, d. Claude
Sautet) A terrific classic noir with a star-making Belmondo perf (if
Breathless hadn't hit first). *** 1/2 |
| CLAY BIRD,
THE (2003, d. Tareque Masud) Bangladesh AFF. A family
uprooted by political upheaval in '68. ** 3/4 |
| CLEAN
(2005, d. Olivier Assayas) Maggie Chung is superb as a junkie trying to
go clean to reclaim her son from her inlaws in this wonderful
drama. *** 1/2 |
| CLEARING, THE (2004, d. Pieter Jan
Brugge) Hi-gloss kidnap film, Redford victim, Mirren the suffering
wife. "Without a Trace" does it better. ** |
| CLICK (2006, d. Frank Coraci) Good F/X,
lousy script, sort of an It Might Have Been a Wonderful Life. Not
Sandler's finest. * 3/4 |
| CLOCKSTOPPERS (2002, d. Jonathan
Frakes) ** 3/4 |
| CLOSER (2004, d. Mike Nichols) Four
loathsome characters well acted and beautifully photographed (cf
similar Carnal Knowledge!) Portman & Owen never better.
** 3/4 |
| CLOSET, THE (2001, d. Le Placard)
(2001, d. Francis Veber) ** 1/2 |
| CLOUD 9 (2009, d. Andreas Dresan)
German septuagenarians screw like rabbits in an attack on filmic taboo
against showing wizened bods. VERY true to life, though. ** 3/4 |
| CLOUD,
THE (2007, d. Gregor Schnitzler) ** 3/4 |
| COAL COUNTRY (2009, d. Mari-Lynn Evans
& Phylis Geller) V. Alarming and reasonably even-handed docu about
dangers & destruction of coal industry In Appalachia. ** 3/4 |
| COAST GUARD,
THE (2003, d. Kim Ki-duk) Overwrought drama about the soldiers
who guard the Korean coastline from spy incursions. Way over the
top. * 3/4 |
| COAST TO COAST (2004, d. Paul Mazursky)
V. Judy Davis & Richard Dreyfuss are excellent in this moving,
adult drama about a couple devastated by their son's death. *** 1/2 |
| COCHOCHI
(2008,
d.
Israel Cárdenas & Laura Amelia Guzmán) *** 1/4 |
| COCK COLLEGE
(short films) (2009, d. various) |
| COCKETTES,
THE (2002, d. Bill Weber and David Weissman) ** 3/4 |
| COCO BEFORE CHANEL (2009, d. Anne
Fontaine) Tatou has matured into a superb actress. Great costumes
& sets; but a tad overlong and just didn't involve me. *** |
| CODE 46 (2004, d. Michael Winterbottom)
One, of the greatest examples of cyberpunk ever put on film.
Winterbottom's future imagery is amazing. *** 3/4 |
| CODE UNKNOWN (2001, d. Michael
Haneke) ** 3/4 |
| COFFEE DATE (2006, d. Stewart Wade)
Amusing comedy about sexual confusions, really well written
script. *** |
| COLD
LIGHT (2004, d. Hilmar Oddsson) Iceland's AFF is a dour tragedy
about a 40ish man finally facing a tragedy of his youth. *** |
| COLD MOUNTAIN (2003, d. Anthony
Minghella) Fine production, good acting, but the "well made" story was
too predictable. Jude Law is a bonafide star. *** |
| COLD SHOWERS
(Douches froides) (2006, d. Antony Cordier) *** |
| COLD SOULS
(2009, d. Sophie Barthes) ** 1/2 |
| COLDEST DAY,
THE (2004, d. Xie Dong) A somewhat boring film about mutual
infidelity in a modern Chinese marriage. ** |
| COLLATERAL (2004, d. Michael Mann) L.A.
is the star here; and Mann doesn't cheat the geography. Mann's best
film in a while. *** |
| COLLECTOR,
THE (Komornik) (2005, d. Feliks Falk; Poland) ** 1/4 |
| COLLISION
(2010, d. Marc Evans) V. Intriguing, fairly predictable Brit tv serial
of a police investigation into a multi-car hiway accident with twists
& turns. ** 3/4 |
| COLMA: THE MUSICAL (2006, d. Richard
Wong) Strictly amateurville musical, but charming, simple story.
** 1/2 |
| COLOR OF
FAME, THE (2008, d.Alesandro Bellame Palacios; Venezuela) *** |
| COLOR OF PARADISE, THE (2000, d. Majid
Majidi) *** 1/4 |
| COMANCHE MOON (2008, d. Simon Wincer)
V. Nicely played, if choppy, miniseries. Val Kilmer? weird.
** 3/4 |
| COMBAT
(2006, d. Patrick Carpentier) * |
| COME EARLY
MORNING (2006, d. Joey Lauren Adams) *** |
| COME INTO THE
LIGHT (Alla Luce Del Sol) (2005, d. Roberto Faenza) ** 1/2 |
| COME UNDONE
(Presque rien) (2001, d. Sébastien
Lifshitz) ** |
| COME UNDONE (2010, d.
Silvio Soldini) *** |
| COMEDY OF
POWER, A (2006, d. Claud Chabrol) ** 3/4 |
| COMIC
EVANGELISTS (2006, d. Daniel Jones, Dann Sytsma) *** |
| COMMITTED (2000, d. Lisa
Krueger) ** |
| COMPANY, THE (2003, d. Robert Altman)
Little narrative, lots of good dancing. Neve impresses, and James
Franco underplays to splendid effect. *** 1/4 |
| COMPANY, THE (2007, d. Mikael Salomon)
V. *** 1/2 |
| CONCERT, THE (2010, d.
Radu Mihaileanu) *** 1/2 |
| CONDOR: AXIS
OF EVIL (2003, d. Rodrigo Vasquez) A doc linking the U.S. to
South American dictators and disappearances of the '70s. Too
unstructured. ** 1/4 |
| CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND (2002,
d. George Clooney) *** |
| CONFESSIONS
OF PAIN (2007, d. Andrew Lau & Alan Mak) *** 1/4 |
| CONFIDENCE (2003, d. James Foley) Foley
has style to burn. Too bad he didn't burn this derivative script.
Why I like Ed Burns is the question. ** 1/2 |
| CONFUSION DES
GENRES, LA (2001, d. Ilan Duran Cohen) *** |
| CONGORAMA
(2006,
d.
Philippe Falardeau) ** 3/4 |
| CONNIE AND CARLA (2004, d. Michael
Lembeck) Silly, if intermittantly funny, script. I liked the music; but
the film is excessivly clichéd. * 3/4 |
| CONSPIRACY OF
SILENCE (2003, d. John Deery) Ernest, polemic drama: celebacy and
the Catholic church. Nice production, but too on-point for good
drama. ** |
| CONSTANT GARDNER, THE (2005, d.
Fernando Meirelles) *** |
| CONSTANTINE (2006, d. Francis Lawrence)
V. Looks good with graphic novel feel, nice f/x, absurd plot. **
1/4 |
| CONTAINER
(2006,
d.
Lukas Moodysson) * 3/4 |
| CONTENDER, THE (2000, d. Rod
Lurie) *** |
| CONTINENTAL,
A FILM WITHOUT GUNS (2008, d. Stéphane Lafleur) ** 1/2 |
| CONTROL ALT DELETE (2008, d. Cameron
Labine) ** 3/4 |
| CONTROL
ROOM (2004, d. Jehane Noujaim) Doc. about Al-Jezeera's coverage
of the current Iraq War. Good footage, though repetitive. ** 3/4 |
| CONTROL
(2007, d. Anton Corbijn) *** |
| CONVERSATIONS
WITH OTHER WOMEN (2006, d. Hans Canosa) *** 1/4 |
| COOL MONEY (2005, d. Gary Burns ) V.
Modestly involving TV caper film about some losers knocking off N.Y.
hotels. ** 1/2 |
| COOLER, THE (2003, d. Wayne Kramer) The
acting's pretty good, especially Alec Baldwin; but the plot, direction
& cinematography pretty well suck. ** |
| COPYING BEETHOVEN (2006, d. Agnieszka
Holland) Overwrought, overacted. Sublime music (though weirdly
edited). ** |
| CORALINE (2009, d. Henry Selick)
Incredible 3D animation. Fantasmagorical plot not my cuppa; but the
imagery is superb & expands the art of cinema. *** 1/4 |
| CORE, THE (2003, d. Jon Amiel)
F/x end-of-world flick fun enough to overcome implausibilities.
First hour great & then film degrades to clichés. ** 3/4 |
| CORONATION (2000, d. Silvio
Caiozzi) *** |
| CORPORATION,
THE (2004, d. Achbar & Abbott) Overlong but fascinating
Canadian documentary about "corporations" as psychotic people.
*** 1/2 |
| CORRECTION
(Diorthosi) (2008, d. Thanos Anastopoulos, Greece) ** 1/4 |
| CORTEX
(2008, d. Nicolas Boukhrief) *** |
| COST OF
LIVING (2004, d. Phillippe Le Guay) Vivid, beautifully realized
multi-character story connected by the theme money for love. ***
1/4 |
| COTE
D'AZURE (2005, d. Ducastel & Martineau) Entertaining French
farce about an family on vacation whose sexuality is mutable &
evolving. ** 3/4 |
| COUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (2009,
d. Lord & Miller) Clever, fun 3-D animated kids film with enough
in-humor to amuse adults. *** |
| COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE
(2002, d. Kevin Reynolds) *** |
| COUNTDOWN TO ZERO (2010,
d. Lucy Walker) *** |
| COUNTER
INVESTIGATION (Contre-enquête) (2007, d. Franck Mancusco) *** 1/2 |
| COUNTERFEITERS,
THE
(Die
Falscher) (2007, d. Stefan Ruzowitzky; Austria) *** 1/2 |
| COUNTRY
TEACHER, THE (2008, d. Bohdan Sláma) *** 3/4 |
| COUNTRY
WEDDING (2009, d. Vladis Öskarsdóttir) *** |
| COUPERET, LE (2005, d. Costa-Gavras)
More black comedy than the usual Costa-Gavras, entertaining film which
takes Time Out to a higher level. *** |
| COVE, THE
(2009, d. Louie Psihoyos) ** 3/4 |
| COVERBOY
(2009, d. Carmine Amoroso) *** |
| COWBOYS AND ANGELS (2004, d. David
Gleeson) Beautifully written & acted Irish coming-of-age
gay/straight romantic comedy. Michael Legge is wonderful. *** 1/4 |
| COWBOYS AND ANGELS (2005, d. David
Gleeson)V.+ *** |
| COYOTE UNLY (2000, d. David
McNally) * 3/4 |
| CQ
(2002, d. Roman Coppola) * |
| CRACKER: A NEW TERROR (2006, d.
Antonia Bird) V. Excellent tv film about a killer British cop
driven crazy in the "troubles". *** |
| CRANE
WORLD (2005, d. Pablo Trapero) Slow, Argentine neo-realist
B&W film about a 49 yr. old construction worker ex-rock
guitarist. ** 1/2 |
| CRANFORD (2008, d. Simon Curtis) V.
Superb British early Victorian mini-series which just got better &
better. The final part blew me away. *** 1/2 |
| CRASH (2005, d. Paul Haggis) Superb
Short Cuts type multi-character, roundabout drama...modern day L.A. as
racial dystopia. I need to leave L.A.! *** 1/2 |
| CRAYFISH (2010, d.
Ivan Cherkelov) * 1/4 |
| CRAZIES,
THE (2010, d. Breck Eisner) Convincing bio-eco-disaster flick with one
wonderful perf by Joe Anderson and some effectively directed horror
tropes. *** |
| CRAZY HEART (2009, d. Scott Cooper)
Almost makes me love country music. Bridges is great, iconic.
Nicely realized love story plus the music...winning como. *** 1/4 |
| CRAZY
LOVE (2007, d. Dan Klores & Fisher Stevens) *** 1/4 |
| CRAZY
(2001,
d.
Hans-Christian Schmid) *** 1/4 |
| crazy/beautiful (2001, d. John
Stockwell) *** 1/4 |
| CREATION (2009, d. Jon Amiel) Earnest,
boring costumer biofilm...Bettany is good as Darwin; but I never
believed the film was true to the real characters. ** 1/2 |
| CREATIVE
NATURE (2008, d. John Andres) ** 1/4 |
| CREW, THE (2000, d. Michael
Dinner) ** 1/2 |
| CRIME + PUNISHMENT IN SUBERBIA (2000,
d. Rob Schmidt) ** 1/2 |
| CRIME
NOVEL (2006, d. Michele Placido) *** 1/4 |
| CRIMEN DEL
PADRE AMARO, EL (2003, d. Carlos Carrera) Mexico AFF.
Anti-clerical satiric melodrama in small Mexican parish. *** 1/4 |
| CRIMINAL LOVERS (2000, d. Francois
Ozon) *** 1/2 |
| CRIMINAL
(2004,
d.
Gregory Jacobs) A faithful remake of Nine Queens, which means
a good, if familiar script. A sympathetic cast, still this one doesn't
quite jell. ** 1/2 |
| CRIMSON
RIVERS (2001, d. Mathieu Kassowitz) *** |
| CROOKED E, THE (2003, d. Penelope
Spheeris) V. CBS film docudrama about fall of Enron.
Predictable script, Christian Kane actor to watch. ** |
| CROSSING A
SHADOW (2007, d. Augusto Tamayo; Peru) ** 1/2 |
| CROSSING BORDERS (2008, d. Arnd
Wächter) Hopeful, moving docu feels like "Real World Morocco", 4
American & 4 Moroccan students live together for a week and keep it
real. *** 1/4 |
| CROSSING HENNESSY (2010,
d. Ivy Ho) ** 1/2 |
| CROSSING OVER (2009, d. Wayne Kramer)
Like Crash, only better, this is an involving ensemble drama about
distressed immigrants in L.A. *** 1/4 |
| CROSSING THE
BORDER (Un Franco 14 Pesetas) (2007, d. Carlos Iglesias) *** |
| CROSSING THE BRIDGE: THE SOUND OF
ISTANBUL (2006, d. Fatih Aiken) V. Music docu, sporadically good
music, nice photog. ** 1/2 |
| CROSSING
(2009,
d.
Kim Tae-kyun; Republic of Korea) ** 3/4 |
| CROSSING, THE
(Bocu no ojison) (2000, d. Yoichi Higashi) ** |
| CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000,
d. Ang Lee) *** 3/4 |
| CROUPIER (2000, d. Mike
Hodges) *** 1/4 |
| CRUDE
(2003, Turkey d. Paxton Winters) Road film about 2 young
American guys and their travels through Turkey looking for fame &
fortune. ** 3/4 |
| CRUEL BUT
NECESSARY (2005, d. Saul Rubinek) Innovative video about a woman
secretly recording her life for 2 years on a hidden camera. ** 3/4 |
| CRUEL
JOYS (2003, d. Juraj Nvota) Slovakia AFF. Relationship
drama in pre-war small Slovak town. ** 3/4 |
| CRUSH (2002, d. John
McKay) ** |
| CRYING
LADIES (2005, d. Mark Meily) Three Philippine women hired as
cryers for a Chinese funeral. I was uninvolved; but the film wasn't
that bad. W/O |
| CSI: GRAVE DANGER 1 & 2
(2005, d. Quentin Tarantino) V. ** 3/4 |
| CUBA
LIBRA (2004, d. Juan Gerard) Nostalgic, but too pat, reminiscence
of an 11 yr. old boy coming of age in '58 small town Cuba prior to
revolution. ** |
| CUCKOO,
THE (2002, d. Alexander Rogozhkin) *** |
| CUP, THE (2000, d. Khyentse
Norbu) *** |
| CURE
(2001, d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa) [1997]
*** |
| CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, THE
(2009, d. David Fincher) + Even more moving 2nd time around.
Epic, emotional, great film. *** 3/4 |
| CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, THE
(2008, d. David Fincher) Moving, epic filmmaking which works at all
levels. Nearly a masterpiece. *** 1/2 |
| CURSE OF THE
GOLDEN FLOWER (2007, d. Zhang Yimou; China) *** |
| CURSE OF THE JADE SCORPION, THE
(2001, d. Woody Allen) ** |
| CURSED (2009, d. Wes Craven) V. Campy
parody of werewolf stories with a great cast (Jesse Eisenberg &
Milo Ventimiglia are wonderful). Ridiculous; but clever & fun. *** |
| CUT SLEEVE BOYS (2007, d. Ray Yeung) **
3/4 |
| CUTTING EDGE 3, THE (2008, d. Stuart
Gillard) V. Surprisingly not bad, although predictable. Matt
Lanter is good! ** 1/2 |
| CUTTING EDGE, THE (2008, d. Paul
Michael Glaser) V. Moira Kelly & D.B. Sweeney have good chemistry.
Otherwise clichéd. ** 1/2 |
| CYCLES
(2009, d. Cyril Gelblat) *** 1/2 |
| CYRUS (2010, d. Jay
Duplass & Mark Duplass) ** 3/4 |
| DA VINCI CODE, THE (2006, d. Ron
Howard) The con of film. Turgid, overlong...nice historical f/x,
though. ** 1/4 |
| DADDY &
PAPA (2002, d. Johnny Symons) *** 1/2 |
| DALECARLIANS,
THE (2005, d. Maria Blom) Involving family drama about 3
sisters and the small Swedish town that the youngest returns to.
*** |
| DAMNED UNITED, THE (2009, d. Tom
Hooper) Good script & fine perfs (especially Michael Sheen)
in a sports biopic more about people than sports. *** 1/4 |
| DAMNED, THE (2010, d.
Isaki Lacuesta) * |
| DAN IN REAL LIFE (2007, d. Peter
Hedges) Emotionally satisfying, breakthru film for Hedges (and for me,
Carell). *** 1/4 |
| DANCER AND
THE THIEF, THE (2009, d. Fernando Trueba; Spain *** 1/4) |
| DANCER IN THE DARK (2000, d. Lars von
Trier) *** 1/2 |
| DANCER
UPSTAIRS, THE (2002, d. John Malkovich) ** 3/4 |
| DANCERS
(2009, d. Pemille Fischer Christensen) ** 1/2 |
| DANCING
ACROSS BORDERS (2009, d. Anne H. Bass) *** |
| DANDELION
(2004,
d.
Mark Milgard) Well acted, somewhat pointless coming of age
story of boy who sacrifices much for his dysfunctional family. **
3/4 |
| DANGEROUS
LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS, THE (2002, d. Peter Care)
** |
| DANIKA
(2006, d. Ariel Vromen) * 1/2 |
| DANS
PARIS (2007, d. Christophe Honoré) ** 1/2 |
| DARE (2009, d. Adam Salky) High school
sexual angst film which nails situation & characterizations (though
actors are too old). Zach Gilford has genuine star qualities. *** 1/4 |
| DAREDEVIL (2003, d. Mark Steven
Johnson) Better stunts than Spiderman; but rather wan story. I
enjoyed it, especially Affleck. ** 3/4 |
| DARJEELING LIMITED, THE (2007, d. Wes
Anderson) Better than his last one; but I need more than a train &
exotica. ** 3/4 |
| DARK AGES, THE (2007, d. Chris Cassel)
V. Standard issue History channel docu. Lots of info well
presented. ** 3/4 |
| DARK BLUE
WORLD (2001, d. Jan Sverak) *** 1/4 |
| DARK HARBOR
(2009, d. Naito Takasugu) *** |
| DARK HORSE
(Voksne Mennesker) (2005, d. Dagur Kári) ** |
| DARK KNIGHT, THE (2008, d. Christopher
Nolan) Surprisingly dark and dense, some narrative glitches, but Ledger
is as good as the hype. *** 1/4 |
| DARK STREETS (2008, d. Rachel Samuels)
Rarely has so much stylishness been put in aid of such a lame story.
Only singers & prod. designers come out ok. ** |
| DARK
WATER (2002, d. Hideo Nakata) *** |
| DARKBLUEALMOSTBLACK
(2006,
d.
Daniel Sánchez Arévalo) *** 1/2 |
| DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE (2005, d. Hubert
Sauper; docu) V. *** |
| DASEPO
NAUGHTY GIRLS (Dasepo Sonyo) (2007, d. E J-yong) * |
| DATE NIGHT
(2010, d. Shawn Levy) Sporadically funny couple-in-jeopardy farce, but
just too ridiculous & unlikely for my tastes, Marky Mark's pecs
excepted. ** 1/4 |
| DAUGHTER FROM DANANG (2003, d. Dolgen
and Franco) (V) docu. Mixed race Viet Nam war child sent to US at
7 meets her mom. *** 1/4 |
| DAVID COPPERFIELD (2009, d. Simon
Curtis) V. The first half, Daniel Radcliffe as young Copperfield, is
fine. Then it all turns to treacle and sentiment. ** 1/2 |
| DAWSON, ISLA
10 (2009, d. Miguel Littin; Chile) *** |
| DAY A PIG
FELL INTO THE WELL, THE (2003, S. Korea d. Hong Sang-soo)
Muddled story of multiple affairs going nowhere. Film does
too. 1/2* |
| DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE (2004, d.
Roland Emmerich) Cliché story (though involving & well done),
fantastically realistic special f/x. ** 3/4 |
| DAY AT THE
MUSEUM, A (Musée haut, musée bas) (2009, d. Jean-Michel
Ribes) ** 1/4 |
| DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, THE (2008,
d. Scott Derrickson) Good f/x; but sappy, incredulous script a million
times inferior to original.* 1/2 |
| DAY
WATCH (2007, d. Timur Bekmambetov) *** |
| DAYBREAK
(2004,
d.
Bjorn Runge) Three cleverly interwoven stories of strange
relationship angst in Sweden. I couldn't relate to the stories.
** 3/4 |
| DAYS AND
CLOUDS (2008, d. Silvio Soldini) *** |
| DAYS AND
HOURS (2005, d. Ademir Kenovic) Talky, slow paced slice of life
story about family coping with consequences of Bosnian war 7 years
earlier. * 3/4 |
| DAYS OF BEING WILD (2004, d. Wong
Kar-wei) I was carried away by the plot, actors & especially the
cinematography. Now I must reassess In The Mood For Love. *** 1/2 |
| DAYS OF
DARKNESS (2007, d. Denys Arcand; Canada) *** |
| DAYS OF
GLORY (2006, d. Rachid Bouchareb; Algeria) *** |
| DEAD GIRL,
THE (2006, d. Karen Moncrieff) *** 1/4 |
| DEAD MAN'S
HAND (2003, d. Boon & Brandenbourger) Luxembourg AFF.
High gloss consumerist satire. ** 3/4 |
| DEAD MAN'S
SHOES (2005, d. Shane Meadows) Paddy Considine is the nemesis of
group of guys who tortured his brother. Violent and bloody. ** 1/2 |
| DEAD SILENCE (2008, d. James Wan)V.
Stylish horror flick with ridiculous seen-before "dummy" plot. Looks
great, less filling. ** 1/4 |
| DEADGIRL
(2009, d. Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel) ** 1/2 |
| DEAL (2008, d. Gil Cates, Jr.)
Predictable, but the poker was realistic & Bret Harrison is a
winning actor. ** 3/4 |
| DEAL,
THE (2004, d. Harvey Kahn) Wall Street shenanigans in the oil
patch in the near future. Slickly made, good cast, but probably
straight to video. ** 1/2 |
| DEAL, THE (2007, d. Stephen Frears) V.
British political true story, Labour deal to share power. Too parochial
for U.S. ** 1/2 |
| DEAR
FRANKIE (2004, d. Shona Aurbach) Tender and moving drama of deaf
boy's bonding with a surrogate father. *** 1/4 |
| DEAR JOHN
(2010, d. Lasse Hallström) A little sappy; but Hallström does a good
job with Tatum, nice chemistry between leads & good enough romance,
if barely. *** |
| DEAR WENDY (2005, d. Thomas Vinterberg)
*** |
| DEATH AND
TEXAS (2004, d. Kevin DiNovis) Satiric, pointed but understated
mockumentary about a famed football player on death row in Texas. ***
1/4 |
| DEATH AT A
FUNERAL (2007, d. Frank Oz) *** |
| DEATH DEFYING ACTS (2008, d. Gillian
Armstrong) Excellent period piece; strong acting by Guy Pierce &
Zeta-Jones! *** 1/4 |
| DEATH IN LOVE (2009, d. Boaz Yakin)
Good cast mostly wasted on incoherent
effects-of-Holocaust-on-2nd-generation-family sexually explicit
melodrama. ** 1/4 |
| DEATH IN
VENICE (2007, d. Luchino Visconti) ** 3/4 |
| DEATH OF A
PRESIDENT (2006, d. Gabriel Range) *** 1/2 |
| DEATH OF MR.
LAZARESCU, THE (Moartea domului Lazarescu) (2005, d. Cristi
Puiu; Romania) *** 1/2 |
| DEATH SENTENCE (2007, d. James Wan) ** |
| DEATH TO SMOOCHY (2002, d. Danny
De Vito) ** 1/2 |
| DEBUTANTES,
LOS (2004, d. Andres Waissbluth) Strong, multi-POV, sexy drama
about 2 naive brothers who become involved with a porn boss and his
mistress. *** |
| DECEMBER BOYS (2007, d. Rod Hardy) Good
performances, but a predictable clichéd script. ** 1/2 |
| DECEMBER HEAT
(Detsembrikuumus) (2009, d. Asko Kase; Estonia) *** |
| DEEP
BREATH (2004, d. Parviz Shahbazi) Iran's AFF is a road picture
about disaffected college students, amazingly secular for an official
submission. ** 1/2 |
| DEEP END, THE (2001, d. Scott
McGehee & David Siegel) **
1/2 |
| DEEP WATER (2007, d. Osmond &
Rothwell) Disquieting, excellent docu: 1969 around world boat
race. *** 1/2 |
| DEEPWATER
(2005,
d.
David Marfield) A superior psychological thriller disguised
as a gothic noir. Great performance by Lucas Black. *** 1/4 |
| DEFENDERS OF
RIGA (Rigas Sargi) (2008, d. Algars Grauba; Latvia) ** 1/2 |
| DEFIANCE (2008, d. Edward Zwick)
Involving, well directed...but somewhat clichéd and old
fashioned. *** |
| DÉFICIT
(2007, d. Gael García Bernal) *** 1/4 |
| DEFINITELY, MAYBE (2009, d. Adam
Brooks) V. Fine romcom with intriguing premise & a remarkable perf
by Ryan Reynolds, whom I am coming to appreciate! *** 1/4 |
| DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD (2009, d.
Stefen Brogren) V. The nextgen Degrassi kids grown up &
unrealistically placed in a Jason Mews directed film. Bizarrely
fun. ** 1/2 |
| DÉJÀ VU (2006, d. Tony Scott) A
superior, timebending thriller which, while totally absurd, amazingly
almost holds together! *** 1/4 |
| DEKADA
'70 (2004, d. Chito Rono) Melodramatic saga of 15 years of a
Philippine family, 5 boys & Ozzie & Harriet parents. Too
long and overamped. ** |
| DELIRIOUS
(2007,
d.
Tom Dicillo) *** |
| DELIVER US FROM EVIL (2006, d. Amy
Berg) V. Gripping docu about Catholic church coverup of pederast
priest. *** 1/2 |
| DE-LOVELY (2004, d. Irwin Winkler)
Massively over-written Cole Porter biopic. Good music and singer
cameos; but otherwise bloated and pretentious. ** 1/4 |
| DEMONLOVER
(2003,
France
d. Olivier Assayas) Stylish, mysterious
business scullduggery among the rich and successful international
cyber-crowd. *** 1/4 |
| DENIAS,
SINGING ON THE CLOUD (2007, d. John de Rantau; Indonesia) ** 1/2 |
| DEPARTED, THE (2006, d. Martin
Scorsese) Fabulously cast, but script too eliptical...Infernal Affaires
made more sense. *** 1/4 |
| DEPARTURES
(Okuribito) (2008, d. Yojiro Takita; Japan) *** 3/4 |
| DEPENDENCIA
SEXUAL (2003, d. Rodrigo Bellott) Sexual adventures of youths in
Bolivia & U.S. done in split screen. Wildlly uneven, but also a
turn-on. *** |
| DESTINÉES,
LES (2001, d. Olivier Assayas) *** 1/2 |
| DEUCES WILD (2002, d. Scott
Kalvert) ** |
| DEVDAS
(2003, d. Sanjay Leela Bhansali) India AFF. Bollywood
musical: overblown tragic love story. * 3/4 |
| DEVDAS (2002, d. Sanjay Leela
Bhansali) ** |
| DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON, THE (2005,
d. Jeff Feuerzeig) V. *** |
| DEVIL WEARS PRADA, THE (2006, d. David
Frankel) Well acted (Hathaway finally grows up, Streep perfect),
funny. *** |
| DEVIL'S BACKBONE, THE (2001, d.
Guillermo Del Toro) *** 1/4 |
| DEVIL'S TOWN (2010, d.
Vladimir Paskaljevic) *** |
| DEVOTEE (2008, d. Rémi Lange) French
drama about a thalidomide 40-ish gay man (no limbs) used as a fetish
object. ** 1/2 |
| DEXTER: Season 1 (2006, d.
various) V. Sympathetic serial killer sociopath...stylish, Michael C.
Hall is simply amazing. *** 3/4 |
| DHAMMA BROTHERS, THE (2008, d. Jenny
Phillips) Hopeful, thoughtful docu of Alabaman prisoners who find peace
thru Buddhist meditation. *** |
| DIABLES, LES (2003, d. Christophe
Ruggia) Harrowing story of 2 abandoned children, incredible
acting. Hard to do this one justice in a line. *** 1/2 |
| DIAMOND 13 (2010, d.
Gilles Béat) *** 1/4 |
| DIAMOND MEN (2001, d. Daniel M.
Cohen) *** 1/2 |
| DIAMONDS (2009, d. Andy Wilson) V.
Sprawling TV mini-series melodrama of world of diamonds, wastes Judy
Davis and a scowling James Purefoy. ** 1/4 |
| DIARY OF A
CHAMBERMAID (2001, d. Luis Buñiel) ** 3/4 |
| DIARY OF A
WIMPY KID (2010, d. Thor Freudenthal) Zach Gordon is fine, if not very
wimpy. Amusing enough, good animation, just not very original. ** 3/4 |
| DIAS DE
SANTIAGO (2006, d. Josué Méndez; Peru) ** 1/4 |
| DICKIE ROBERTS: FORMER CHILD STAR
(2003, d. Sam Weisman) Infantile, arrested-development story,
occasionally funny, very meta, embarrassing to watch. * |
| DIE, MOMMIE, DIE (2003, d. Mark Rucker)
Camp take-off on Mommy Dearest, a showcase for tranny Charles Busch,
which just didn't cut it. ** 1/4 |
| DIFFERENT
FROM WHOM (2010, d. Umberto Carteni) *** |
| DIG!
(2004, d. Ondi Timoner) Extraordinary video documentary about two
current retro 60's underground bands. Fabulous footage well
edited. *** 1/4 |
| DIGGERS
(2006, d. Katherine Dieckmann) ** 1/2 |
| DINOSAUR (2000, d. Ralph Zondag &
Eric Leighton) ** 1/2 |
| DIRT
BOY (2001, d. Jay Frasco) * 3/4 |
| DIRT
(2003, US d. Nancy Savoca) Entertaining humanist drama
about an undocumented Salvadorian family...mother a cleaning
woman. *** 1/4 |
| DIRTY DANCING: HAVANA NIGHTS (2004, d.
Guy Ferland) Pretty much cookie cutter plot, but fun. Diego Luna:
Latin lover for the 2000's. ** 1/4 |
| DIRTY DEEDS (2006, d. David Kendall) V.
Stupid high school caper film. Watched for Milo Ventimiglia, who is
worth watching. * |
| DIRTY PRETTY
THINGS (2003, Great Britain d. Stephen Frears)
Excellent romantic drama about refugees living and being exploited in
London. *** 1/4 |
| DIRTY SHAME, A (2004, d. John Waters)
Utterly transgressive sex farce which takes Waters' anarchic style to
its untoppable culmination. Still, never boring. ** 3/4 |
| DIRTY WAR (2005, d. Daniel Percival) V.
Dirty bomb terrorist attack on central London. BBC film, a good
suspenser and scary as hell, though nothing special filmwise. ** 3/4. |
| DISAPPEARANCES
(2006,
d.
Jay Craven) ** 1/4 |
| DISCO
PIGS (2001, d. Kirsten Sheridan) *** 1/4 |
| DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2009, d.
Robert Zemeckis) The 3D f/x & motion capture wonderful, seminal.
Story too familiar & over ripe. Best as a theme park ride. **
1/2 |
| DISNEY'S THE KID (2000, d. Jon
Turteltaub) ** |
| DISTANT
LIGHTS (2003, Germany d. Hans-Christian Schmidt) Hand held,
documentary feel: about refugees trying to get to Germany. *** 1/4 |
| DISTANT
(2003, d. Nuri Bilge Ceylan) Arty Turkish film about alienating effects
of big city on two men, one older & established, other new to town.
*** 1/4 |
| DISTRICT
13: ULTIMATUM (2010, d. Patrick Alessandrin) Boy, does Philippe
Torreton class up an action flick? This is a more than worthy sequel
with *great* parkour. *** 1/4 |
| DISTRICT 9 (2009, d. Neill Blomkamp)
Smart, inventive alien invasion actioner, subtly moving & lacking
Hollywood bombast. *** 1/4 |
| DISTURBIA (2007, d. D.J. Caruso)
Despite a star making turn by Shia LaBeouf this Rear Window update is
ridiculously over the top. ** 1/4 |
| DISTURBING BEHAVIOR (2004, d. David
Nutter) V. Mind control '98 horror flick, a teenage Stepford High, good
cast, well directed, but way over the top. ** |
| DIVIDED WE FALL (2000, d. Jan
Hrebejk) *** 1/2 |
| DIVINE
INTERVENTION (2003, d. Elia Suleiman) Palestine's AFF nomination
is an unfunny absurdist comedy which didn't work for me. ** |
| DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, THE
(2007, d. Julian Schnabel) Most expressive eye in film history. Amalric
amazing! *** 3/4 |
| DIVING SECRETS OF THE YA-YA
SISTERHOOD (2002, d. Callie Khouri)
** |
| DIVORCE, LE (2003, d. James Ivory)
Something between glowing romantic comedy and lame farce re: culture
clash between France & America. Guilty pleasure. *** |
| DO NOT GO
GENTLE (2001, d. Emlyn Williams) *** |
| DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (2005, d. Giacomo
Campiotti) V. Why the David Lean film needed a remake is questionable;
but this one is well made, intimate & emotional. ** 3/4 |
| DODGEBALL (2004, d. Rawson M. Thurber)
Silly, amiable entertainment. I didn't find it funny; but it sure
tries hard enough. Stiller still has "it". ** 1/2 |
| DOG EAT DOG
(2009, d. Carlos Moreno; Columbia) * 3/4 |
| DOG
POUND (2006, d. Manuel Nieto Zas) W/O |
| DOGHEAD
(2007, d. Santi Amodeo) *** 1/4 |
| DOGHEAD
(2007, d. Santi Amodeo) + *** 1/4 |
| DOGTOWN AND
Z-BOYS (2001, d. Stacy Peralta) *** 1/2 |
| DOGVILLE (2004, d. Lars von Trier) A
malevolent Our Town, more tv throwback than film, Kidman and Bettany
are really good. *** |
| DOING TIME ON MAPLE DR. (2005, d. Ken
Olen) V. *** 1/4 |
| DOING
TIME (2003, Japan d. Sai Yoichi) Intelligent comedy
about regimented life in a modern Japanese prison. *** |
| DOL
(2007, d. Hiner Saleem) ** 3/4 |
| DOLLS
(2003, d. Takeshi Kitano) Gorgeously photographed, metaphorically
opaque. Three stories of regret that I regret that went over my
head. ** |
| DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE (2001, d. Harold
Becker) ** 1/2 |
| DONAU, DUNA,
DUNAJ, DUNAV, DUNAREA (2004, d. Goren Rebic) Beautiful;y done
story of a "ship of fools" and romantics heading down the Danube.
*** |
| DONKEY
(2009, d. Antonia Nuic; Croatia) ** 1/2 |
| DONKEY
SKIN (2004, d. Jacques Demy) A gentle fairy tale. Demy has style
to spare; but other than the costumes I wasn't blown away. ** 1/2 |
| DONNIE DARKO (2001, d. Richard Kelly)
+ Worth a 2nd watch. *** 1/2 |
| DONNIE DARKO (2001, d. Richard
Kelly) *** 1/4 |
| DONNIE DARKO:
DIRECTOR'S CUT (2004, d. Richard Kelly) Improved
comprehensibility; but I really missed some scenes. Still a fantastic
film. *** 1/2 |
| DON'S PLUM (2005, d. R.D. Robb) V.
B&W indie near masterpiece, a 20-something My Dinner With André
with a hard edge. Why is it banned? *** 1/2 |
| DONSOL
(2007, d. Adolfo Alix, Jr.; Philippines) ** 1/2 |
| DON'T BURN IT
(2010, d. Dang Nhat Minh; Vietnam) ** 1/2 |
| DON'T LET ME
DOWN (2009, d. Cruz Angeles) *** |
| DON'T MOVE (2005, d. Sergio
Castellitto) Obsessive adultry-romance with a superb perf by Penelope
Cruz. Involving and interestingly structured. *** |
| DON'T SAY A WORD (2001, d. Gary
Fleder) * 3/4 |
| DON'T TELL
(La bestia nel cuore) (2006, d. Cristina Comencini; Italy) *** 1/2 |
| DOOMED LOVE
(Um Amor de Perição) (2009, d. Mário Baroso; Portugal) *** |
| DOOR IN THE FLOOR, THE (2004, d. Tod
Williams) Superbly acted drama of a family's corrosive grief & a
boy's (the promising Jon Foster) coming of age. *** 1/2 |
| DOOR TO
DOOR (2002, d. Stephen Schachter) *** |
| DOPAMINE
(2010, d. Mark Decena) V. + I knew immediately that I'd already seen
this quietly touching, romantic, truthful 2003 film; but got hooked
again. *** 1/4 |
| DOPAMINE (2003, d. Mark Decina) Indie
romantic comedy; 3geeky programmers in S.F. Genuine characters, well
written, actors have real chemistry. *** 1/4 |
| DORA-HEITA
(2001,
d.
Kon Ichikawa) ** 1/4 |
| DORIAN BLUES (2004, d. Tennyson
Bardwell) A genuinely funny coming out comedy, a crowd pleaser with a
brilliant script and assured acting & direction. *** 1/4 |
| DOS TIPOS
DUROS (2004, d. Juan Moreno) A Guy Richie type bloody,
gang-who-couldn't-shoot-straight comedy, only totally diverting. Jordi
Vilches wonderful. *** |
| DOT THE I (2005, d. Matthew Parkhill)
Clever script with double & triple crosses galore a la Nine Queens.
Bernal is a star in English, too. *** 1/4 |
| DOUBT (2008, d. John Patrick Shanley)
Major acting kudos (esp. Viola Davis), but film's ambiguity and murky
central thesis a problem for me. ** 3/4 |
| DOWN BY LOVE (2003, d. Tomás Sas)
Weird, annoying one-actor monologue of effects of child sexual abuse.
Ultimately pays off. Patricia Kovács amazing. ** 3/4 |
| DOWN IN THE VALLEY (2006, d. David
Jacobson) Weird, wonderful; Ed Norton his usual amazing. E.R.Wood more
beautiful than ever. *** 1/4 |
| DOWN TO THE
BONE (2004, d. Debra Granik) Bare bones video verité of a woman
drug addict that spares nothing. Some incredible acting here. *** |
| DOWN TO YOU (2000, d. Kris
Isacsson) ** |
| DOWN WITH LOVE (2003, d. Peyton
Reed) Retro, ironic '60s sex comedy, gorgeous production design,
often ridiculous script but fun and truly hip. *** 1/4 |
| DOWNFALL
(2005,
d.
Oliver Herschbiegel) Well made drama of last days of 3rd
Reich in Hitler's bunker. Bruno Ganz is amazing. Authentic,
gripping. *** 1/4 |
| DR. BRONNER'S MAGIC SOAPBOX (2007, d.
Sara Lamm) V. ** 1/4 |
| DR. T AND THE WOMEN (2000, d. Robert
Altman) *** |
| DRAFT
DODGERS (Réfractaire) (2010, d. Nicolas Steil; Luxembourg) ** 3/4 |
| DRAMA/MEX
(2007,
d.
Gerardo Naranjo) *** 1/2 |
| DREAM
BOY (2008, d. James Bolton) ** 1/2 |
| DREAM WEAVERS
(2009, d. Jun Gu; China) ** 1/2 |
| DREAMCATCHER (2003, d. Lawrence Kasdan)
Absurd Stephen King story, 4 boys/men against familiar movie
aliens. Scary, funny, overwrought. ** 1/4 |
| DREAMERS, THE (2004, d. Bernardo
Bertolucci) I just about lived this movie 5 years earlier...and this
excellent film couldn't be more true to life. *** 3/4 |
| DREAMGIRLS (2006, d. Bill Condon)
Better than average musical with fantastic casting. *** |
| DREAMING OF
SPACE (2006, d. Alexei Uchitel) ** 3/4 |
| DREAMLAND
(2006,
d.
Jason Matzner) *** |
| DRIFTERS
(2004,
d.
Wang Xiaoshuai) Slow drama about a Chinese guy who had a kid
as an illegal in the U.S. and then is kept from his son when he's
deported. ** |
| DRIFTING (2010, d.
Ventura Pons) ** 1/2 |
| DRIVING LESSONS (2006, d. Jeremy Brock)
Bad coming-of-age film with over-the-top Julie Walters & a pretty
good Rupert Grint. * 3/4 |
| DRUMLINE (2002, d. Charles Stone
III) *** 1/4 |
| DRUMMER, THE
(2009, d. Kenneth Bi) *** 1/4 |
| DRY LAND, THE (2010, d.
Ryan Piers Williams) *** 1/4 |
| DUCHESS OF
LANGEAIS, THE (Ne toucher pas la hache) (2007, d. Jacques
Rivette) ** 1/2 |
| DUCHESS, THE (2008, d. Saul Dibb)
Excellently made, authentic seeming, gorgeous and even moving
historical epic with great perfs by Keira and Ralph. *** 1/2 |
| DUCK
SEASON (2004, d. Fernando Eimbcke) Two 14 year old boys left
alone in an apartment on a Sunday get into trouble. Wonderfully
observent and affecting. *** 1/4 |
| DUETS (2000, d. Bruce
Paltrow) ** 1/4 |
| DUMA (2006, d. Carroll Ballard) V.
Predictably beautiful but predictable. ** 3/4 |
| DUMMY
(2003, U.S. d. Greg Pritikin 90 min.) Adrien Brody is
incredible as a shy ventriloquist in this touching, truly funny
romantic comedy. *** 1/2 |
| DUNYA &
DESIE (2008, d.Dana Nechushtan; Netherlands) ** 3/4 |
| DUPLICITY (2009, d. Tony Gilroy) Script
double crosses itself once too many times, but stars have chemistry
& it's slick. ** 3/4 |
| DUSKA
(2007, d. Jos Stelling) The Netherlands foreign film submission.
* 3/4 |
| DUST TO GLORY (2005, d. Dana Brown
)V. ** 1/2 |
| DYING GAUL,
THE (2005, d. Craig Lucas) Until a very unsatisfying ending this
was an extraordinary noir with fabulous acting (Sarsgaard! Scott!
Clarkson!) *** 1/4 |
| EAGER
BODIES (2004, d. Xavier Giannoli) Love Story with a particularly
French twist. Great acting. *** 1/2 |
| EAGLE EYE (2008, d. D.J. Caruso) Absurd
script well executed. Raises paranoia quotient and chase sequence
destruction derby games to new, ridiculous high. Shia is fine. **
1/2 |
| EAGLE VS.
SHARK (2007, d. Taika Waititi) ** 3/4 |
| EAMON (2010,
d. Margaret Corkery ) *** 1/4 |
| EARLY IN THE
MORNING (2006, d. Gahité Fofana) * 3/4 |
| EARTH AND
ASHES (2005, d. Atiq Rahimi) Wide screen Afghanistan AFF plays
like a despairing Irani film: old man & young boy war victims
wandering desert. *** |
| EARTHLING
(2005,
d.
Tristan & Wolfgang Bayer) Stunning, fascinating docu
about family of nature photogs on a 7 year adventure journey. ***
3/4 |
| EARTHLINGS (2006, d. Shaun Monson) V.
Hard to watch docu about human speciesism: abuse of animals for food,
clothing, science etc.. *** 3/4 |
| EARTHSEA (2004, d. Robert Lieberman) V.
Surprisingly together, if hokey, sf miniseries, mediocre acting...but
the f/x are fine and the project works. ** 1/2 |
| EASIER WITH
PRACTICE (2009, d. Kyle Patrick Alvarez) *** |
| EAST IS EAST (2000, d. Damien
O'Donnell) ** 1/2 |
| EAST/WEST (L'est/ouest) (2000, d.
Régis Wargnier) *** 1/2 |
| EASTERN PLAYS (2010, d.
Kamen Kalev) ** 3/4 |
| EASTERN PROMISES (2007, d. David
Cronenberg) Stylized violence...best Mortensen tattoos since
Indian Runner. *** 1/4 |
| EASY
VIRTUE (2008, d. Stephan Elliott) *** |
| EAT THIS NEW YORK (2004, d. Novack and
Rossi) V. Pre-The Restaurant docu about building a neighborhood bistro
in Brooklyn & the viscissitudes of the big NYC chefs. *** |
| EATING OUT 2: SLOPPY SECONDS (2006, d.
Phillip Bartell) Funny gay farce, well acted with a fairly novel
script. ** 3/4 |
| EATING OUT (2004, d. Q. Allan Brocka)
Sparkling, well cast lo-budget gay/straight sex farce. Emily Stiles'
clever faghag steals the movie from some good looking guys. ** 3/4 |
| EATING OUT: ALL YOU CAN EAT (2009, d.
Glenn Gaylord) Clichéd gay romantic comedy; but sweet and sexy, albeit
with mediocre, if attractive, actors. ** 1/2 |
| EBAN AND CHARLIE (2002, d. James
Bolton) ** 3/4 |
| ECLIPSE, THE
(2010, d. Conor McPherson) ** 1/2 |
| EDEN IS WEST
(Eden à l'ouest) (2009, d.
Costa-Gavras) ** 3/4 |
| EDEN (2008, d. Declan Recks) Intimate,
disturbing, well played drama of a marriage troubled by the 10 year
itch. *** |
| EDEN'S CURVE (2005, d. Anne Misawa) V.
1/2* |
| EDGE OF HEAVEN, THE (2007, d. Fatih
Akin; Germany) *** 3/4 |
| EDGE OF LOVE, THE (2009, d. John
Maybury) Fine cast, nice evocation of blitz England and arty
circle doings; but turgid drama doesn't spark. ** 1/2 |
| EDI
(2003, d. Piotr Trzaskalski) Poland AFF Drama about a down
and outer in present day Poland. *** |
| EDUART
(2007, d. Angeliki Antoniou; Greece) *** 1/4 |
| EDUCATION OF CHARLIE BANKS, THE (2009,
d. Fred Durst) Fascinating character study of nerd vs. charismatic
sociopath (and Jason Ritter is amazing.) *** 1/4 |
| EDUCATION OF
GORE VIDAL, THE (2003, US doc. d. Deborah Dickson)
Fine, intelligent documentary about Vidal through his words &
work. *** 1/2 |
| EDUCATION, AN (2009, d. Lone Scherfig)
Superb '60s character study of a 16 yr. old English girl & her
family who are seduced by an older, romantic roué. *** 3/4 |
| EDUKATORS,
THE (2005, d. Hans Weingartner) Gripping drama of 3 foolish young
German revolutionaries & their caper gone wrong. *** 1/2 |
| EDY (2006, d. Stephan Guérin-Tillié)
Cool, noirish film about killer insurance scammers. ** 3/4 |
| EFECTO
IGUAZÚ, EL (2004, d. Pere Joan Ventura) Doc. about 1800 striking
Spaniards who camped out in a Madrid shanty town for 6 months in 2001.
*** 1/4 |
| EGOISTE: LOTTI LATROUS (2007, d.
Stephan Anspichler) Harrowing docu: Swiss nurse's AIDS hospice in Ivory
Coast. ** 3/4 |
| EIGHT BELOW (2006, d. Frank Marshall)
Deserted dogs in the Antarctic winter do their thing. Pretty (Paul
Walker especially), but vapid. ** 1/4 |
| EIGHTEEN
YEARS LATER (18 anni dopo) (2010, d. Edoardo Leo) W/O |
| EKLAVYA
(2007, d. Vidhu Vinod Chopra; India) *** |
| EL
ALAMEIN (2004, d. Enzo Monteleone) Spare and powerful story of
Italian platoon on the losing side at the battle of El Alamein. *** |
| EL
BENNY (2007, d. Jorge Luis Sanchez) ** 3/4 |
| EL BOLA (2002, d. Achero
Mañas) *** 1/2 |
| EL CANTANTE (2007, d. Leon Ichaso) **
3/4 |
| ELDORADO (2009, d. Bouli Lanners;
Belgium) ** 3/4 |
| ELDRA
(2003, d. Tim Lyn) UK AFF. Charming story about a young gypsy
girl's coming of age. *** |
| ELECTION
2 (2006, d. Johnny To) *** |
| ELECTION
(2006,
d.
Johnny To) *** |
| ELEGY (2008, d. Isabel Coixet) Superb
acting by entire company, lovely, moving adult plot. Cruz should win
actress Oscar. *** 3/4 |
| ELEPHANT AND
THE SEA, THE (2007, d. Woo Ming Jin) * 1/2 |
| ELEPHANT (2003, d. Gus Van Sant) I'm
still reeling from the cumulative effect of this ephebiphile's dream.
Shot amazingly like Le Fils, stomach churning *** |
| ELEVEN MEN OUT (2006, d. Róbert
Douglas) Predictable troubles for Iceland gay soccer team. ** 1/4 |
| ELINA
(2004, d. Klaus Haro) Like Evil, a story of schooling in Sweden in the
'50's, only this time a stubborn little girl vs. a stubborn teacher.
Academy bait left me cold. ** 3/4 |
| ELITE
SQUAD (2008, d. José Padhila) *** 3/4 |
| ELIZABETH I (2006, d. Tom Hooper) V.
Historical epic, good but histrionic perf by Helen Mirren. Drama over
historicity. *** |
| ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (2007, d.
Shekhar Kapur) Bombastic, overdone, disappointing bodice ripper.
** 1/4 |
| ELIZABETHTOWN (2005, d. Cameron
Crowe) ** 3/4 |
| ELLE
S'APPELLE SABINE (2008, d. Sandrine Bonnaire) *** |
| ELLIE
PARKER (2005, d. Scott Coffey) Home movie quality video with a
stupendous performance by Naomi Watts which lifts the film to
watchability. *** |
| ELLING
(2001, d. Petter Næss) *** 1/2 |
| ELSA &
FRED (2006, d. Marcos Carnevale) *** 3/4 |
| EM
(2008, d. Tony Barbieri) ** 3/4 |
| EMBRUJO DE
SHANGHAI, EL (2003, d. Fernando Trueba) Drama of post-WWII in
Barcelona from a teenage boy's pov. Pretty but confusing. ** |
| EMMA (2009, d. Diamuid Lawrence, 1996)
V. The Kate Beckinsale/BBC version. Not my favorite Austin story,
but Andrew Davies' scenario quite good. *** |
| EMMA (2010,
d. Jim O'Hanlon) V. Nicely done...yet another Austen adaptation; but
ideal casting & gorgeous production got me involved. *** 1/4 |
| EMMANUEL
JAL: WAR CHILD (2008, d. C. Karim Chrobog) *** |
| EMMA'S
BLISS (2007, d. Sven Taddicken) *** 1/4 |
| EMPEROR'S CLUB, THE (2002, d.
Michael Hoffman) ** 1/2 |
| EMPEROR'S NEW
CLOTHES, THE (2002, d. Alan Taylor) **
1/4 |
| EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE, THE (2000, d.
Mark Dindal) ** |
| EMPEROR'S
WIFE, THE (2004, d. Julian Vrebos) Stylized modern dress story of
court intrigue. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers charismatic as chancellor to Max
Beesley's emperor. ** 1/2 |
| EMPIRE (2002, d. Franc
Reyes) ** 1/2 |
| EMPIRE FALLS (2005, d. Fred Schepisi)
V. HBO family saga of small town New England doings. Fine cast,
sprawling, unfocused script. ** 3/4 |
| EMPTIES
(2008, d. Jan Sverak) *** |
| EMPTY NEST
(El Nido Vacio) (2008, d. Daniel Burman) *** |
| EN LA
CAMA (2006, d. Matías Bize; Chile) *** 1/4 |
| ENCARNATION
(2008,
d.
Anahi Berneri) ** 1/4 |
| ENCHANTED (2007, d. Kevin Lima) Fun
script, flaccid direction. Too bad Julie Taymore didn't get a
chance with this script. ** 3/4 |
| ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
(2009, d. Werner Herzog) + Fascinating docu footage of Antarctica
& modern scientific explorers. *** 1/2 |
| ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
(2008, d. Werner Herzog) Fascinating footage of Antarctica & modern
scientific explorers. *** 1/2 |
| END OF LOVE, THE (2009, d. Simon Chung;
Hong Kong) Mediocre digital film: story of young gay hustler/druggie
involved with Christian sect. Nicely acted. ** 1/2 |
| END OF THE CENTURY (2004, d. Fields
& Gramaglia) V. The Ramone's were never my cuppa musicwise; but
this informative, of uninspired docu about group digs deep. *** |
| ENDGAME
(2010, d. Pete Travis) V. Fine, if very low key, historical
semi-thriller about negotiations leading to end of Apartheid. Miller
& Hurt are especially good. *** |
| ENDURING LOVE (2004, d. Roger Michell)
Dynamite, kinetic opening leads to a story of divinely inspired
romantic obsession. Daniel Craig is wonderful. *** 1/4 |
| ENEMY AT THE GATES (2001, d.
Jean-Jacques Annaud) ** 3/4 |
| ENGLAND!
(2001,
d.
Achem Von Borries) *** |
| ENIGMA (2002, d. Michael
Apted) ** 3/4 |
| ENRICO
MATTEI: THE MAN WHO LOOKED AT THE FUTURE (2010, d. Giorgio Capitani) *** |
| ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM
(2006, d. Alex Gibney) V.Well made docu about complexity, maybe not as
informative as it might have been.*** 1/4 |
| ENVY (2004, d. Barry Levinson) It
started ok, clever with some good yuks. Black & Stiller are a great
comedy team & Walken rules; but the film totally falls apart in 3rd
act. ** |
| EPITAFIOS (2006, d. Alberto Lecchi
& Jorge Nisco) V. HBO miniseries à la SE7EN from Argentina.
Literally the best tv series I've ever seen. **** |
| ERAGON (2006, d. Stefen Fangmeier) It's
supposed to be bad; but try as I might I couldn't fail to enjoy
it...nicely paced, good f/x. *** |
| ERES MI
HEROE (2004, d. Antonio Cuadri) Excellent coming of age story of
13 year old boy during the death of Franco era. Manuel Lozano is
great as the kid. *** 1/2 |
| ERIN BROKOVICH (2000, d. Steven
Soderbergh) *** 1/4 |
| ESCAPE, THE
(2009, d. Kathrine Windfeld) *** |
| ESTHER KAHN (2002, d. Arnaud
Desplechin) *** 1/2 |
| ÉTÉ SANS
POINT NI COUP SUR, UN (A No-hit, No-run Summer) (2008, d. Francis
Leclerc) ** 3/4 |
| ETERNAL
SUMMER (2007, d. Leste Chen and Patrick Mao Huang) * 3/4 |
| ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
(2004, d. Michel Gondry) Writing, acting, directing, f/x tour de force;
also an affecting love story. **** |
| ETHAN
MAO (2004, d. Quentin Lee) Involving drama in the Araki mode of a
Gay Asian boy kicked out of home into life of street hustler. **
3/4 |
| EUGENE
(2009, d.Jake Barsha) * 3/4 |
| EULOGY (2004, d. Michael Clancy) A
screwball family comedy with an outstanding cast, entertaining, but a
ridiculous script and only intermittently funny. ** 1/4 |
| EUPHORIA
(Ejfroija) (2007, d. Ivan Vyrypaev) ** 1/2 |
| EUREKA (2001, d. Shinji
Aoyama) *** 1/4 |
| EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007, d. Tom Shadyac)
Good f/x money shot; but that's about it for this bloated, unfunny
"comedy". ** |
| EVELYN (2002, d. Bruce
Beresford) ** 3/4 |
| EVENING
(2007, d. Lajos Koltai) *** 1/2 |
| EVENT,
THE (2003, Canada d. Thom Fitzgerald) Emotionally
shattering AIDS drama about a sick man whose friends throw an assisted
suicide party *** 1/4 |
| EVERGREEN
(2004,
d.
Edid Zentelis) A low-budget Seattle HD video/film about a
lower class girl who is ahamed of her family. Good acting. ** 1/4 |
| EVERLASTING
MOMENTS (2008, d. Jan Troell; Sweden) *** |
| EVERY DAY (2010, d.
Richard Levine) ** 3/4 |
| EVERY LITTLE STEP (2009, d. James Stern
& Adam Del Deo) Superb meta-docu (film about trying out for a
musical about trying out). Riveting & emotional. *** 3/4 |
| EVERY OTHER
WEEK (2006, d. various) ** 3/4 |
| EVERY
STEWARDESS GOES TO HEAVEN (2002, d. Daniel Burman) **
3/4 |
| EVERYBODY'S FAMOUS (2000, d. Dominique
Deruddere) *** 1/4 |
| EVERYBODY'S FINE (2009, d. Kirk Jones)
I'm not a father; but DeNiro's situation is one that hit me with
particular emotional wallop. Fine script, rings true, engrossing.
*** 1/2 |
| EVERYDAY
PEOPLE (2004, d. Jim McKay) Pleasant enought HBO tv movie about a
Brooklyn deli and the consequences of its closing. ** 3/4 |
| EVERYONE ELSE
(2009, d. Maren Ade) *** 1/4 |
| EVERYTHING IS
FINE (2008, d. Yves Fournier) *** |
| EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED (2005, d.
Liev Schreiber) ** 1/2 |
| EVERYTHING
STRANGE AND NEW (2009, d. Frazer Bradshaw) *** |
| EVERYTHING'S
GONE GREEN (2006, d. Paul Fox) ** 3/4 |
| EVIL (2004,
d. Maiael Hafström) A 50's Swedish boarding school's sadistic system
and its affect on a rebellious kid. A cross of If and Rebel Without a
Cause. *** 1/2 |
| EVIL (Ondskan) (2008, d. Mikael
Håfström) V. + One of the best depictions of boarding school sadism
ever filmed. *** 1/2 |
| EX
DRUMMER (2007, d. Koen Mortier) * 1/4
|
| EX, THE (Jesse Peretz) Unfunny comedy. Braff
and Bateman are worth admission; but the plot has holes & doesn't
hold together. ** |
| EXCITED (2010, d. Bruce
Sweeney) *** |
| EXILED
(2007, d. Johnny To) ** 1/4 |
| EXIT
THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (2010, d. Banksy) Controversial docu about
street art & L.A. hipster art scene. I had no idea all this was
happening. *** 1/2 |
| EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE, THE (2005, d.
Scott Derrickson) ** 3/4 |
| EXPERIMENT,
DAS (2001, d. Oliver Hirshbiegel) *** 1/2 |
| EXPIRATION
DATE (2006, d. Rick Stevenson) *** |
| EXPIRED
(2007, d. Cecilia Miniucchi) ** 1/2 |
| EXPLICIT ILLS (2009, d. Mark Webber)
Somewhat muddled continuity, but a quite moving anti-poverty drama with
some memorable perfs. *** |
| EXPLODING
GIRL, THE (2009, d. Bradley Rust Gray) *** 1/4 |
| EXTRA MAN, THE (2010, d. Shari
Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini) ** 1/4 |
| EXTRACT (2009, d. Mike Judge) Often
funny comedy with iconic Jason Bateman perf. Judge replaces biting edge
satire with more traditional farce structure. *** 1/4 |
| EXTREME OPS (2004, d. Christian
Duguay)V. Silly, unlikely action film: extreme sports vs.Serbian
terrorists. Good cast (Devon Sawa, Rupert Graves, Rufus Sewell)
wasted. ** 1/4 |
| EXTREME OPS (2002, d. Christian
Duguay) ** 1/2
|
| EYE,
THE (2003, Thailand d. Danny & Oxide Pang) Horror film,
not especially scary, blind woman cured with a corneal transplant who
sees dead people. ** 1/2 |
| EYES WIDE
OPEN (2010, d. Hair Tabakman) *** 1/4 |
| FACING ALI
(2010, d. Pete McKormack) Quite interesting docu featuring interviews
with fighters who fought Muhammad Ali plus great boxing footage.
*** 1/2 |
| FACING
WINDOWS (2004, d. Ferzan Ozpetek) Resonant, multilevel story of a
modern day couple who become involved with a Holocaust survivor.
*** 1/4 |
| FACTOTUM
(2006,
d.
Bent Hamer) ** 3/4 |
| FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004, d. Michael
Moore) Slam dunk politically; but doc could be structured better for my
taste. *** 1/4 |
| FAILURE TO LAUNCH (2006, d. Tom Dey)
Reasonably original romantic comedy...Justin Bartha should be given a
leading role! ** 3/4 |
| FAIR
PLAY (2007, d. Lionel Bailliu) *** 1/4 |
| FAIRY TALE OF
KATHMANDU (2008, d. Neasa Ni Chianain) ** |
| FALKENBERG
FAREWELL (2006, d. Jesper Ganslandt; Sweden) ** |
| FALL,
THE (2008, d. Tarsem Singh) ** 3/4 |
| FALLEN GODS
(2009, d. Ernesto Daranas; Cuba) * 3/4 |
| FALLEN (2006, d. Mikael Salomon) V.
Good TV movie with series possibilities. ** 3/4 |
| FAME (2009, d. Kevin Tanchardoen) The
cast is attractive and talented, the singing & dancing well
done. Too bad there was no real story. Greatly inferior to the
original. ** 3/4 |
| FAMILY FRIEND
(L'Amico di Famiglia) (2007, d. Paolo Sorrentino) W/O |
| FAMILY HERO
(Le héros de la famille) (2007, d. Thierry Klifa) ** 3/4 |
| FAMILY
LAW (2006, d. Daniel Burman; Argentina) *** 1/2 |
| FAMILY MAN, THE (2000, d. Brett
Ratner) ** |
| FAMILY STONE, THE (2005, d. Thomas
Bezucha) ** 1/2 |
| FAMILY
TIES (2006, d. Kim Tae-yang) ** 1/2 |
| FAMILY TREE, THE (2010,
d. Vivi Friedman) *** |
| FAMILY, A (2010, d. Pernille
Fischer Christensen) *** 1/2 |
| FANTASIA/2000 (2000, d.
Committee) *** |
| FANTASTIC FOUR (2005, d. Tim Story)
Fun, if silly super-character comic story. Chris Evans is a star.
** 3/4 |
| FANTASTIC
MR. FOX, THE (2010, d. Wes Anderson) It must just be me; but the
whimsey escaped me, the characters annoyed, it all seemed a little
silly. ** 1/4 |
| FANTASTIC
PARASUICIDES (Fantastic Ja-sal-so-dong) (2008, d. Kim, Park &
Jo) ** 3/4 |
| FANTASTICKS, THE (2000, d. Michael
Ritchie) [1995] ** 1/4 |
| FAQS (2006, d. Everett Lewis)
Militantly gay romance. Fine performance by perky newcomer Joe Lia.
Oddly, I enjoyed this terribly written & shot digital film. * 3/4 |
| FAR FROM
HEAVEN (2002, d. Todd Haynes) *** 1/2 |
| FAR SIDE OF
THE MOON (2005, d. Robert Lepage) Quirky comedy based on 1-man
play. Lepage plays 2 leading roles & he must be an acquired taste
that I don't share. ** |
| FAREWELL
(L'Affaire Farewell) (2010, d. Christian Carion) *** 1/4 |
| FARSAN (2010, d. Josef
Fares) *** |
| FASHION VICTIMS (2008, d. Ingo Rasper)
Intermittently funny & clever German farce: two dress salesmen
battle. ** 3/4 |
| FAST AND FURIOUS (2009, d. Justin Lin)
Testosterone soaked film with some nicely edited & conceived auto
stunts; but ridiculous and predictable script. ** 1/2 |
| FAST AND THE FURIOUS, THE (2001,
d. Rob Cohen) *** 1/2 |
| FAST FOOD NATION (2008, d. Richard
Linklater) Exploited Mexicans, slaughtered cattle, great cast, tough
sell! *** |
| FAT GIRL (À ma soeur) (2001, d.
Catherine Breillat) *** 1/2 |
| FAT GIRLS (2006, d. Ash Christian)
Inventive if juvenile gay comedy by a talented writer/director. ** 1/2 |
| FATE AS A
RAT (2001, d. Ivan Pavlov) * 1/2 |
| FATELESS
(Sorstalanság) (2005, d. Lajos Koltai; Hugary) *** 3/4 |
| FATHER &
SONS (2004, d. Michael Boujenah) A feel good, amusing French
comedy road picture about a father and his squabbling sons. Beautifully
acted. *** |
| FATHER OF MY
CHILDREN, THE (2010, d. Mia Hansen-Løve) ** 3/4 |
| FATHER, A SON, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD,
A (2004, d. Lee Grant) V. Insider docu about Kirk and Michael
Douglas, interesting but not great. ** 3/4 |
| FATHERS AND SONS (2005, d. various) V.
** 3/4 |
| FAUBOURG
36 (2008, d. Christophe Barratier) ** 3/4 |
| FAVELA RISING (2005, d. Mattt Mochary,
Jeff Zimbalest; docu) V. *** |
| FAVOR, THE (2008, d. Eva Eridjis) Fine
lost indie film with interesting perfs by Frank Woods & Ryan
Donowho *** |
| FAY GRIM (2007, d. Hal Hartley) Wildly
uneven comedy/thriller. Posey is fine, but writing not up to
former Hartley films. ** 3/4 |
| FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (2003,
d. Terry Gilliam) V. Like watching a lurid train wreck & almost
needing to turn away. Depp & del Toro are amazing. ** |
| FEAR AND
TREMBLING (2004, d. Alain Corneau) A fascinating French office
film set in a Japanese office. Sylvie Testud is wonderful. *** 1/4 |
| FEAR ME
NOT (2009, d. Kristian Levring) ** 3/4 |
| FEAST OF LOVE (2007, d. Robert Benton)
Emotionally affecting; but I need to read the book, which is obviously
richer. *** |
| FEATHERS IN
MY HEAD (2004, d. Thomas de Thier) Compelling, beautifully shot film
about a family torn by the consequences of a missing child. *** |
| FEELING FACTORY, THE (La Fabrique des
sentiments) (2008, d. Jean-Marc Moutout) V. ** 1/2 |
| FEELING MINNESOTA (2004, d. Steven
Baigelman)V. '96 Keanu Reeves/Cameron Diaz screwball dumb guy/bad
girl comedy. Watchable, but ridiculous plot. ** |
| FELIX AND
LOLA (2001, d. Patrice Leconte) ** |
| FEMALE AGENTS
(Les Femmes de l'ombre) (2008, d. Jean-Paul Salomé) ** 1/2 |
| FEMME DE GILLES, LA (2005, d. Frédéric
Fonteyne) Formally terrific, if slow, drama about a laborer obsessed by
his plain wife's beautiful sister. Emmanuel Devos rules. *** |
| FEMME FATALE (2002, d. Brian De
Palma) *** 1/4 |
| FERMAT'S ROOM
(2010, d. Piedrahita & Sopeña) V. Overly intellectualized Spanish
thriller like Intacto: 4 people trapped in a room forced to solve
enigmas or die. ** 3/4 |
| FERPECT
CRIME (2004, d. Alex de la Iglesia) Another zany film by Iglesia,
high gloss comedy about a Lothario salesman's comeuppence. Good fun,
but a trifle obvious. ** 3/4 |
| FESTIVAL
EXPRESS (2004, d. Bob Smeaton) Wonderful footage of 1970 rock
festival train across Canada. Great The Band & Janis performances.
*** 1/2 |
| FEVER OF '57 (2007, d. David Hoffman)
*** 1/4 |
| FEVER PITCH (2005, d. Farrelli Bros.)
Gets everything right in a delightful romantic comedy. Fallon is a star
in the Hanks mode. *** 1/4 |
| FEVER, THE
(La Febbre) (2008, d. Alessandro d'Alatri) *** 1/4 |
| FIDEL (2004, d. David Attwood)V.
TV mini-series biopic of the Cuban revolution...diffuse script, but
good performances by Victor Martin and, of course, Gael Bernal as
Che. ** 1/4 |
| FIELDS OF
FUEL (2008, d. Josh Tickell) *** 3/4 |
| FIFTEEN MINUTES (2001, d. John
Herzfeld) *** |
| FIFTY DEAD
MEN WALKING (2008, d. Kari Skogland) *** |
| FIFTY PILLS (2008, d. Theo Avgerinos)
V. Monumentally stupid film; but Lou Pucci is my type of leading
man. * 1/4 |
| FIG TREES
(2009, d. John Greyson) ** 3/4 |
| FIGHT TO THE FINISH: STORIES OF POLIO,
A (2001, d. Ken Mandel) **
1/2 |
| FIGHTER PILOT: OPERATION RED FLAG
(2005, d. Stephen Low) V. ** 3/4 |
| FIGHTING (2009, d. Dito Montiel)
Clichés abound & Montiel's mis-en-scène just seems confused. Tatum
isn't a convincing actor; but he sure looks the part. ** 1/4 |
| FILME FALADO,
UM (2003, d. Manoel de Oliveira) Travelogue cum philosophical
meditation on feminism and language. Interesting, if
unsatisfying. ** 1/2 |
| FINAL
ARRANGEMENTS (Bouquet final) (2009, d. Michel Delgado) ** 3/4 |
| FINAL CUT, THE (2004, d. Omar Nïam)
Unsatisfying, psychological sci-fi melodrama about saving
memories. Poor Robin Williams comes a cropper again. ** |
| FINAL DESTINATION 3 (2007, d. James
Wong) V. Surprisingly stylish horror thriller; but when Jesse Moss was
killed off I bailed. W/O |
| FINAL DESTINATION (2000, d. James
Wong) * 1/2 |
| FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN
(2001, d. Hironobu Sakaguchi) ** |
| FINAL
(2001,
d.
Campbell Scott) *** |
| FINDERS
FEE (2001, d. Jeff Probst) *** |
| FINDING AMANDA (2008, d. Peter Tolan)
Faintly amusing dramady...witty about the tv game, but the rest not so
good. ** 1/4 |
| FINDING BLISS
(2009, d. Julia Davis) ** 1/2 |
| FINDING FORRESTER (2000, d. Gus Van
Sant) *** |
| FINDING NEMO (2003, d. Andrew
Stanton) Another engaging Pixar/Disney film with superb 3-D
animation but a fairly simplistic plot. ** 3/4 (REV. *** 1/4) |
| FINDING NEVERLAND (2004, d. Marc
Forster) Emotionally powerful, unlikely romantic film based on J.M.
Barrie's life. Depp is outstanding in a muted perf. *** |
| FINE DEAD
GIRLS (2002, d. Dalibor Matanic) *** 1/2 |
| FIREDANCER
(2002,
d.
Jawed Wassel) 1/2* |
| FIREFLY
DREAMS (2002, d. John Williams) ** |
| FIRM LAND,
THE (2009, d. Chapour Haghighat) * 1/4 |
| FIRST $20 MILLION IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST,
THE (2002, d. Mick Jackson)
*** |
| FIRST DAUGHTER (2004, d. Forest
Whitaker) Utterly predictable, slick romantic comedy. I like Marc
Blucas; but Katie Holms is awfully plastic. * 1/2 |
| FIRST DAY OF
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE (Le premier jour du reste de ta vie) (2009,
d. Rémi Bezançon) *** 3/4 |
| FIRST NIGHT,
THE (2004, d. Luis Restrepo) Columbian AFF about the uprooting
effects of a local rebellion on a rural family. Somewhat overamped, but
moving. ** 1/2 |
| FIRST SNOW (2007, d. Mark Fergus)
Pedestrian, twisty Amer. Indy with a great Guy Pearce perf.** 3/4 |
| FIRST TIME I WAS TWENTY, THE (2005, d.
Lorraine Lévy) Enormously entertaining coming of age in mid '60s of a
portly girl jazz musician. *** 1/2 |
| FISH
DREAMS (2007, d. Kiril Mikhanovsky) ** 1/2 |
| FISH TANK
(2010, d. Andrea Arnold) 15 yr.old girl's coming of age in lower class
Brit family. Michael Fassbender impressive as mom's boyfriend who
crosses line. *** 1/4 |
| FIVE DAYS IN
SEPTEMBER (2006, d. Barbara Sweete) **** |
| FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN (2009, d. Oliver
Hirschbiegel) Moral Dilemmas 'R Us. Reconciliation in N. Ireland
with 2 great performances, esp. James Nesbitt. *** 1/4 |
| FIVE
OBSTRUCTIONS, THE (2004, d. Lars von Trier, Jorgen Leth) Von
Trier as tyrant making Leth redo his seminal short 5 times. Both boring
& interesting. ** 1/2 |
| FIVE SENSES, THE (2000, d. Jeremy
Podeswa) ** 3/4 |
| FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006, d. Clint
Eastwood) Overly complex; but moving despite. Spectacular action
direction. *** 1/4 |
| FLAME &
CITRON (Flammen & Citronen) (2008, d. Ole Christian Madsen)
*** |
| FLAQUEZA DEL
BOLCHEVIQUE, LA (2004, d. Manuel Cuenca) Luis Tosar shines again
as conflicted man who gets involved with teenage girl. ** 3/4 |
| FLATS,
THE (2002, d. Kelly and Tyler Requa) *** 1/4 |
| FLEEING BY
NIGHT (2001, d. Hsu Li-kong & Yin
Chi) *** 1/4 |
| FLEUR DU MAL, LA (2007, d. Claude
Chabrol)V.+ Incestuous hijinx among the French bourgeoisie. Cool &
intriguing. *** |
| FLICK (2000, d. Fintan Connolly)
*** |
| FLICKERING LIGHTS (2003, d. Anders T.
Jensen) Clever Danish caper film about gang who can't shoot straight
trying to go straight. *** |
| FLIGHT TO
FREEDOM (Fuga per la libertà) (2009, d. Carlo Carlei) ** 1/2 |
| FLIGHTPLAN (2005, d. Robert Schwentke)
** 3/4 |
| FLOOD (2007, d. Tony Mitchell) V.
Tacky, convincing British disaster drama about 1,000 year flood of
London. ** 1/4 |
| FLOWER OF EVIL, THE (2003, d. Claude
Chabrol) Skewering the haut bourgeoisie, a winner. Magimel is sexiest
actor alive and Suzanne Flon magnificent! *** 1/4 |
| FLUFFER, THE (2001, d. Richard
Glatzer & Wash West) *** |
| FLYBOYS (2006, d. Tony Bill)
Astoundingly good aerial f/x. Utterly predictable, lame script. James
Franco fine, as usual. ** 1/2 |
| FLYING SCOTSMAN, THE (2007, d. Douglas
Mackinnon) Jonny Lee Miller & Billy Boyd are good; but film
predictable sports bio. ** 1/4 |
| FOCUS (2001, d. Neal
Slavin) ** 1/2 |
| FOG OF WAR, THE (2004, d. Errol Moris)
More than a talking head doc, the film is a valuable primer on the
responsibilities of leadership and frailty of human nature. ***
1/2 |
| FOOD INC
(2009, d. Robert Kenner) ** 1/2 |
| FOOD OF LOVE (2002, d. Ventura
Pons) *** |
| FOR A MOMENT
FREEDOM (2010, d. Arash T. Riahi; Austria) *** 1/2 |
| FOR THE BIBLE
TELLS ME SO (2007, d. Daniel Karslake) *** 3/4 |
| FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS
(2010, d. Oskar Santos) *** 1/4 |
| FORASTERS
(2009, d. Ventura Pons) ** 3/4 |
| FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, THE (2008, d. Rob
Minkoff) Angarino is good, action direction ok; but too
predictible. ** 1/2 |
| FOREST
(2003, d. Benedek Fliegauf) Boring, pretentious ordeal of a film...7
droning vignettes vaguely connected by people's proximity in a shopping
mall. * |
| FOREVER
ENTHRALLED (2009, d. Chen Kaige) ** 1/2 |
| FOREVER
FLOWS (2007, d. Abu Sayeed; Bangladesh) ** |
| FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008, d.
Nicholas Stollar) Sweet & surprisingly smart comedy . *** 1/4 |
| FORGIVEN
(2006,
d.
Paul Fitzgerald) *** |
| FORGOTTEN WOMAN, THE (2008, d. Dilip
Mehta) Docu based on plight of widows in India (non-fiction version of
Water). Intrinsically horrifying; but film meanders. *** |
| FORGOTTEN, THE (2004, d. Joseph Rubin)
Eerie, scary psychological sci-fi melodrama about losing memories, very
effectively filmmaking. Julianne Morre simply great. *** 1/4 |
| FORMULA 17 (2004, d. D.J. &
Yin-Jung Cheng) V. Silly gay Taiwanese comedy with lavish photography,
but dreadful acting and line readings. * 3/4 |
| FORSYTE SAGA, THE: TO LET (2004, d.
Andy Wilson) V. Incredibly involving 5 hour followup to original.
Glorious production, superb acting. **** |
| FORTAPASC
(2010, d. Marco Risi) ** 3/4 |
| FORTRESS
(2008,
d.Shamil
Nacafzada; Azerbaijan) * 1/2 |
| FORTRESS, THE
(2009, d. Fernand Melgar) ** 1/2 |
| FORTY SHADE OF BLUE (2005, d. Ira
Sachs) *** |
| FOSTER
CHILD (2008, d. Brilliante Mendoza) ** 3/4 |
| FOUNTAIN, THE (2006, d. Darren
Aronofsky) Pretentious & arty. Jackman & Weisz and f/x are
great, but script annoyingly obscure. ** 1/4 |
| FOUR BOXES
(2009, d. Wyatt McDill) *** |
| FOUR BROTHERS (2005, d. John
Singleton) * 1/2 |
| FOUR DOGS
PLAYING POKER (2000, d. Paul Rachman) 1/2* |
| FOUR FEATHERS, THE (2002, d.
Shekhar Kapur) ** |
| FOUR
MINUTES (2006, d. Chris Kraus) *** 1/4 |
| FOUR
STARS (2006, d. Christian Vincent) ** 1/4 |
| FRACTURE (2007, d. Gregory Hoblit)
Clever story, acting tour de force. Gosling is a star. *** 1/4 |
| FRAILTY (2002, d. Bill
Paxton) *** |
| FRAMED (2003, d. Daniel Petrie,
Jr.) (V.) TNT tv movie about NYC cop (Rob Lowe) vs. classy mob
squealer (Sam Neill). Predictable. * 1/2 |
| FRANCE
BOUTIQUE (2004, d. Tonie Marshall) Fast paced but empty comedy
about the people doing a French cable tv shopping channel. ** |
| FRANK MILLER'S SIN CITY (2005, d.
Robert Rodriguez) Super stylish pop-art graphic novel the way it should
be filmed. But I was bored. ** 1/2 |
| FRANK THE RAT
(2009, d. Jim Cozza) *** 1/4 |
| FREAKY FRIDAY (2003, d. Mark Waters)
Enjoyable, but empty change-of-identity comedy with some nice acting by
Jamie Lee Curtis & Lindsay Lohan. ** 1/2 |
| FREDDY GOT FINGERED (2001, d. Tom
Green) * |
| FREE
RADICALS (2003, d. Barbara Albert) Interconneced year-in-the-life
story of capricious fate. Confusingly written and edited, but nicely
directed. ** 3/4 |
| FREEBIE, THE (2010, d.
Katie Aselton) ** 3/4 |
| FREEDOM WRITERS (2008, d. Richard
LaGravenese)V. Surprisingly moving true story of teacher vs. gangs. ***
1/4 |
| FRENCH FOR BEGINNERS (Französisch für
Anfänger) (2007, d. Christian Ditter) *** |
| FRENCH
GIGOLO, A (Cliente) (2009, d. Josiane Balasko) *** 1/4 |
| FRENCH
KISSERS, THE (Les beaux gosses) (2010, d. Riad Sattour) ** 1/4 |
| FREQUENCY (2000, d. Gregory
Hoblit) ** 1/2 |
| FRESH AIR
(Friss levegö) (2007, d. Agnes Kocis and Andrea Roberti) *** |
| FRIDA (2002, d. Julie
Taymor) *** 1/4 |
| FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004, d. Peter
Berg) One of the all-time great sports films, wonderfully directed and
edited (great music, too). Thornton & Lucas Black shine. ***
1/2 |
| FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004, d. Peter
Berg) V.+ Even more impressive on video, certainly the best sports film
I've ever seen and the best edited film of the year. *** 3/4 |
| FRIEND OF
MINE, A (2007, d. Sebastian Schipper) *** 1/4 |
| FRIEND, THE
(Der Freund) (2008, d. Micha Lewinsky, Switzerland) *** 1/4 |
| FRIENDS AND
FAMILY (2001, d. Kristen Coury) ** |
| FRIENDS WITH MONEY (2006, d. Nicole
Holofcener) Ensemble film, well observed, nicely acted...ending left me
wanting more. *** |
| FROM BEGINNING TO END
(2010, d. Aluizio Abranches) *** 1/4 |
| FROM HELL (2001, d. The Hughes
Brothers) * 1/4 |
| FROM THE EDGE OF THE CITY (2000, d.
Constantine Giannaris) ** 1/2 |
| FROM TIME TO TIME (2010,
d. Julian Fellowes) *** 1/2 |
| FROST/NIXON (2008, d. Ron Howard)
Surprisingly fascinating middlebrow film, with a career perf. by
Longella. *** 1/2 |
| FROZEN
CITY (2007, d. Aku Louhimies) ** 1/4 |
| FROZEN DAYS
(Yamin Kfuim) (2006, d. Danny Lerner) ** 3/4 |
| FROZEN
RIVER (2008, d. Courtney Hunt) *** 1/2 |
| FROZEN
(2005,
d.
Juliet McKoen) Mysterious, sort of pointless English film
with Shirley Henderson as a woman mourning her lost, presumed dead
sister. ** 1/2 |
| FUGITIVAS
(2001,
d.
Miguel Hermoso) *** |
| FUGITIVE
PIECES (2007, d. Jeremy Podeswa) *** |
| FULL FRONTAL (2002, d. Steven
Soderbergh) *** |
| FULLTIME
KILLER (2001, d. Johnnie To and Wie Ka-Fai) * 3/4 |
| FUNNY PEOPLE (Judd Apatow) Well written &
acted dramedy; could have benefited from tightening, but much genius is
on display here. *** 1/2 |
| FUSE
(2004, d. Pjer Zalica) A confusing, but effective satire about post-war
reconciliation in Bosnia. ** 3/4 |
| G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA (2009, d.
Stephen Sommers) Truly dreadful, bombastic, empty-headed actioner which
wastes every actor, tho the f/x are pretty good. * 1/2 |
| GABRIELLE (2006, d. Patrice Chéreau)
Edwardian film of manners; pretty, talky and boring with good perfs by
Isabelle Huppert & Pascal Greggory. ** |
| GAGARIN'S GRANDSON (2007, d. Andrey
Panin) ** 1/2 |
| GAMBLER
(2006, d. Phie Ambo) ** 1/2 |
| GAMER (2009, d. Neveldine & Taylor)
F/x galore can't save this future death game film from its ridiculous
over-the-top (but predictable) premise. ** |
| GAMES OF LOVE
& CHANCE (2005, d. Abdellatalfi Kechiche) Teenagers in
the projects in Paris, variation of Romeo & Juliet...talkiy but
fun. ** 3/4 |
| GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002, d.
Martin Scorsese) *** 1/2 |
| GANGSTER NO. 1 (2000, d. Paul
McGuigan) *** |
| GARAGE
DAYS (2003, d. Alex Proyas) Familiar rock film about a garage
band trying to get established in Australia. Sometimes clever
direction, clichéd. ** 1/4 |
| GARAGE (2007, d. Lenny Abrahamson) *** |
| GARBAGE
DREAMS (2009, d. Mai Iskander) ** 3/4 |
| GARBO THE SPY (2010, d.
Edmon Roch) *** 1/4 |
| GARÇON STUPIDE (2005, d. Lionel Baier)
** 1/2 |
| GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS, THE
(2003, d. Vittorio De Sica) V. Gorgeous, subtle, inscrutable. Jews in
facist Italy, more thwarted love than political. *** |
| GARDEN
PARTY (2008, d. Jason Freeland) *** |
| GARDEN
STATE (2004, d. Zach Braff) Likable young man comes home to N.J.
when his mother dies and finds himself. Inventive details, I just like
this film. *** |
| GARDEN, THE (2008, d. Scott Hamilton
Kennedy) Infuriating docu about a disputed S. Central L.A. parcel of
land which is political dynamite. *** 1/2 |
| GARPASTUM
(2006,
d.
Alexey Guerman) *** |
| GAUDI
AFTERNOON (2001, d. Susan Seidelman) ** 3/4 |
| GAY HOLLYWOOD (2003, d. Jeremy Simmons)
V. Doc. notable since I'm acquainted with 2 of the subjects. Dustin
Lance Black is a personal fave. ** 3/4 |
| GAY LIVES
(2008, short program, various directors) (average: ** 1/2) |
| GAY
SHORTS (2005, d. various) 6 quite ordinary to poor gay short
films. Only "Postmortem" and "Just Pray" were worth watching.
** |
| GEBIRTIG
(2003,
d.
Lukas Stepanik, Robert Schindel) Austria AFF. Drama
about present day Holocaust participants. ** 1/2 |
| GEMINIS
(2005, d. Albertina Carri) ** 3/4 |
| GENERAL, EL
(2009, d. Natalia Almada) * 3/4 |
| GENOVA
(2008, d. Michael Winterbottom) *** |
| GEORGE
MICHAEL - A DIFFERENT STORY (2006, d. Southan Morris) *** 1/4 |
| GEORGE WASHINGTON (2000, d. David
Gordon Green) ** 3/4 |
| GEORGIA
O'KEEFFE (2010, d. Bob Balaban) V. Despite convincing perfs by Joan
Allen & Jeremy Irons, sappy Lifetime tv movie is
unwatchable. W/O |
| GERRY (2003, d. Gus Van Sant) Boring
existential drama about 2 dumb guys metaphysically lost in the
desert. Great steady-cam. ** |
| GET OVER IT (2001, d. Tommy
O'Haver) ** 1/4 |
| GETTING HOME
(Luo ye gui gen) (2007, d. Zhang Yang) *** 1/4 |
| GETTING MY
BROTHER LAID (2002, d. Sven Taddicken) * 1/2 |
| GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI
(2000, d. Jim Jarmusch) *** |
| GHOST
WORLD (2001, d. Terry Zwigoff) ***
1/2 |
| GHOST
WRITER, THE (2010, d. Roman Polanski) Since I'd read the book, few
surprises; but Polanski knows how to construct an effective thriller.
*** 1/4 |
| GHOSTS OF CITÉ SOLEIL (2006, d. Leth
& Loncarivic) V. Scattered docu; a Haitian City of God. Rappers in
the slums get screwed. *** |
| GIE
(2005, d. Rira Riza) ** 3/4 |
| GIFT TO
STALIN, THE (2009, d. Rustem Abdrashev) *** 1/2 |
| GIFT,
THE (2003, US doc. d. Louise Hogarth) Important documentary
about some gays, especially the young, who purposely contract
HIV. *** 1/2 |
| GIFT, THE (2001, d. Sam
Raimi) ** |
| GIGANTIC
(2010, d. Matt Aselton) V. Strange mumblecore romantic comedy. Dano is
stolid & Zooey D. wacky. Sort of annoying, but likable.
** 1/2 |
| GIGLI (2003, d. Martin Brest) An
embarrassing film for all, especially Affleck and Brest. Tacky,
squicky, homophobic; but Justin Bartha a find. 1/2* |
| GIGOLOS,
THE (2005, d. Richard Bracewell) ** 1/2 |
| GIRL BY THE
LAKE, THE (La Ragazza del Lago) (2008, d. Andrea Molaioli) ** 1/2 |
| GIRL CUT IN
TWO, A (La fille coupée en deux) (2007, d. Claude Chabrol) *** |
| GIRL FROM
MONACO, THE (La fille de Monaco) (2008, d. Anne Fontaine)
** 1/4 |
| GIRL FROM
PARIS, THE (2003, France d. Christian Carion) + Lovely
movie about a woman who forsakes the city and buys and runs a mountain
farm. *** 1/2 |
| GIRL IN THE CAFÉ, THE (2005, d. David
Yates) V. Bill Nighy is great as a financial dweeb. But simplistic
politics sink this Richard Curtis written romance. ** 1/4 |
| GIRL IN THE
PARK, THE (2007, d. David Auburn) *** 1/4 |
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