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The Movie Micro-Reviews of Steven T Will

 

Ratings: A rating of 50 is just barely recommendable.  In fact, between 50 & 70, I would probably recommend this movie to certain people, based on the kinds of things they like.  Under 50, I would not recommend.  With a rating of 70-85, I’d recommend unless you hate this “Type” of movie.  With a rating of 86 or more, I think this is worth recommending, even to people who might not normally like the genre of film into which this movie falls.

 

Title

Rating

Type

Date

Actors

Notes

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,000 BC

48

F

10/15/08

 

Almost worth a viewing for its atmosphere and visuals.  The story was mostly predictable, but there were a couple of surprises that made it mildly interesting.  I won’t recommend it, though.

12 Monkeys

69

SF

03/22/09

Bruce Willis

Madeleine Stowe

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt steals the scenes he’s in, but Bruce Willis holds his own.  But it’s Madeline Stowe who plays the “audience hero,” and she does it very, very well. From the start, you know this is a strange sci-fi story, and if you like that kind of thing, you’ll enjoy this.

16 Blocks

71

A

9/x/06

Bruce Willis

Mos Def

David Morse

More serious than some Willis films.

2001: A Space Odyssey

89

SF

 

 

I still like the symbolism and mystery, though the silence is tough to take.  Did Frank ever say "It's full of stars."

2010

77

SF

 

Roy Scheider

John Lithgow

A more "Hollywood" movie, but still some good messages, and definitely some good drama.

21

70

D

04/29/09

Jim Sturgess

Kate Bosworth

Kevin Spacey

Lawrence Fishburne

Aaron Yoo

Liza Lapira

Definitely worth a viewing.  Yes, they changed the story from the real thing to make it Hollywood, but it’s still fun, and the core of it is there.  No corporation, but oh well.  Very intriguing.

27 Dresses

68

C

6/10/08

Katherine Heigl

James Marsden

Good timing because of the imminent weddings; this was fun.  Catherine Heigl is easy to like, and James Marsden was really good – far better than his Cyclops.  OK, some predictability, but hey, it’s a romantic comedy.  This is a pretty good score for a romantic comedy!

3:10 to Yuma

69

W

1/9/09

Christian Bale

Russell Crowe

Pretty darn good; by the end, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.  I like that in a story. Not quite as immersive as “Open Range” and not as many likeable characters as “Silverado.”  But worth a viewing.

300

73

D

04/03/09

Gerard Butler

Lena Headley

David Wenham

The visual style of this movie was perfect for its subject.  Everything tinted in a golden hue, like the age of heroes should be.  Very bloody, but in a graphic-novel atmosphere.  And all the people were so perfectly sculpted.

40-Year-Old Virgin (The)

57

C

04/04/09

Steve Carell

Katherine Keener

Seth Rogen

Better than I thought, but still with more super-crude humor than I appreciate.  Still, I laughed some, and enjoyed it.  Once.

7 Pounds

72

D

1/11/09

06/28/09

Will Smith

Rosario Dawson

It’s better if you know nothing of the plot when you see this movie.  I’ll say that Will Smith is good again in a dramatic role, and, yet again, Rosario Dawson is the best actor we see too infrequently.  She moved this into the “70s” for my ratings.

A Beautiful Mind

91

D

08/04/02

03/20/07

Russell Crowe

Jennifer Connelly

Connelly certainly deserved this Oscar.  Ron Howard deserved one, too, though not against Peter Jackson - he had me going.  Amazing that they made a mathematician's story so gripping.

A Bug’s Life

86

C

08/18/00

David Hyde Pierce

etc.

Wonderful animation, laughs to be had every minute from clever dialogue.  And the “out-takes” are priceless.

A History of Violence

68

D

6/3/06

Viggo Mortensen

Not a typical Hollywood movie – the focus on the relationships was better (first ¾ of the film) than the necessary violence near the end.  But the final scene was really good.

A Knight’s Tale

91

A

06/24/07

Heath Ledger

Paul Bettany

I loved the “knights as pop stars/athletes” and the mixing of modern with medieval.  And the story is stirring and fun, if completely impossible.  Chaucer almost steals the show.

A League of their Own

83

C

08/09/01

Geena Davis

Tom Hanks

A really fun film.  The end was actually unpredictable.  Hanks' character was pretty unlikable, for a reason.  Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell had perfect characters.  A real ensemble.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

49

H

10/19/06

 

I never knew Johnny Depp was in this.  Almost recommendable.

A Prairie Home Companion

56

C

6/12/08

Meryl Streep

Lily Tomlin

Woody Harrelson

John C Reilly

Funny how I didn’t know what to expect, and yet when it was done, I felt like that was just what I should have expected.  I liked the characters, the down-to-earth mixed with the art, the symbolic with the real.  Not an Oscar winner, and not for everyone, but I liked it.  Once.

A Walk to Remember

62

D

02/14/09

Mandy Moore

Shane West

A nice story.  It starts as if it will be a typical teen romantic comedy.  It takes a nice dramatic turn.

Abyss (The)

67

SF

07/05/09

Ed Harris

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

We saw the “Director’s Cut” which was long.  It starts as a disaster movie.  The science fiction is much later.  Cool concepts.  Harris and Mastrantonio are good.  The “bad guys” are too artificial. 

Across the Universe

82

M

03/08/08

 

Excellent use of Beatles music to tell a story; very well performed.  I liked all the new faces, and the way the story flowed with the music.  Fun, touching, sad, happy.  Good cinema.

Aeon Flux

69

SF

6/10/06

Charlize Theron

Better than I expected.  The concepts were not all that innovative these days, but it was well done.

AI

70

SF

06/17/02

Haley Joel Osment

I think they added a Hollywood ending to a good SF story, but I still liked the movie overall.

Airplane!

78

C

07/26/01

Robert Hays

Leslie Nielsen

Well, this IS in fact a funny movie.  The comedy was not as low-brow as I expected, and it surprised me with its targets.  Well worth the viewing!

Akeelah and the Bee

82

D

1/25/07

Laurence Fishburne

Angela Bassett

Keke Palmer

OK, so it was somewhat predictable, and some of the conflict relied on a too-detached single mom, but the acting was very good, and the emotional payoff was great.   And “Javier” was priceless.

Ali

78

D

08/14/02

Will Smith

Quite good, though it was heavy on images and mood and less interested in connected story-telling.  Will Smith did a great job "being Ali" rather than "impersonating Ali."  I'm more curious than before about the relationships between influential African-Americans in the 60s.  And I want to know if Ali and Frazier really set up the fight themselves.

Aliens

85

A

03/17/07

Sigourney Weaver

Michael Biehn

Lance Henriksen

Paul Reiser

A sequel which is better than the original.  Suspenseful, fun.  OK, so the mystery factor is lower, and that helped the first film.  But the action and character interaction are superior.

All the Pretty Horses

58

D

07/05/01

Matt Damon

Henry Thomas

Not what I expected.  Reminiscent of Midnight Express, but in 1940's TX and Mexico

American Beauty

79

D

 

Kevin Spacey

Some real truth in this.  But I admit my bias against pessimistic films.  Truly fine performances.

American Pie

73

C

10/19/06

 

One of the sexiest scenes of all time.  I could not quite get over the fact that the teenagers all looked 25.  Liked the Dad. 

Amistad

83

D

12/2x/08

Matthew McConnaughey

Morgan Freeman

Djimon Hounsou

Anthony Hopkins

 

Excellent historical drama.  All adults should know the parts of our history represented here, and the characters make it real.

Amy Grant: Greatest Videos 1986-2004

 

M

 

 

Love the music.  Visuals are beautiful and romantic and mood setting.  On which CD did she ever sing “The Things We Do For Love” and “Simple Things”?

And Inconvenient Truth

94

Doc

1/4/07

Al Gore Jr.

A call to action.  Clearly the finest documentary I’ve ever seen – and while that’s not saying much, I give it a very high rating.  I must act.  How?

Angels & Demons

70

M

05/21/09

Tom Hanks

Pretty darn good.  Wonderful setting.  Interesting sci-fi idea, and it fit well with the “Science and Religion” course I’m listening to.  Not as good as “DaVinci Code” but worth seeing, for sure.

Animal House

91

C

7/xx/06

Tim Matheson

John Belushi

A classic.  I still laugh.  Belushi was a comic genius.  But Tim Matheson made the story.

Anna and the King

79

D

08/01/01

Jodie Foster

Chow Yun Fat

The story was familiar, but perhaps more true to reality -- though I have suspicions about the final conflict.  In any case, the acting was great, and the scenery was lush and beautiful.

Apocalypse Now

83

D

1/9/09

Martin Sheen

Marlon Brando

Robert Duvall

Laurence Fishburne(!)

Though not as graphic as some war films, perhaps the most intense and disturbing in its  characters.  Sheen’s Willard doesn’t know who he is if he doesn’t have a mission.  Brando’s Kurtz is the best at what he does, but his country won’t let him.  Duvall’s Kilgore is certifiable, but unflappable in battle.  Amazing imagery, an epic journey, and unpredictable characters.

Apollo 13

88

D

09/07/08

Tom Hanks

Gary Sinese

Kevin Bacon

A story told extremely well.  Riveting in parts.  It’s amazing how many individuals has to do just the right thing to avert disaster.

As Good As It Gets

88

D

C

06/25/00

Jack Nicholson

Helen Hunt

Greg Kinnear

What a gem!  Greg Kinnear was such a surprise.  Some truly wonderful lines, and true-to-themselves characters.

Atonement

78

D

6/28/08

Keira Knightley

James McAvoy

Actions have consequences, and sins might be forgivable (or they might not) but they still effect irrevocable changes.  Reality is messy.  I recommend to drama lovers.  Strong performances.

August Rush

70

D

08/20/08

Keri Russell

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Freddie Highmore

Robin Williams

A fairy tale, with edginess provided by New York City, and magic provided by music, and a child’s perspective.  See it once, and I bet you’ll want to see it again someday.

Austin Powers in Goldmember

40

C

08/09/02

Mike Myers

OK, there were some really funny moments, but most of the humor was too vulgar or crude or both.

Australia

60

D

03/26/09

Hugh Jackman

Nicole Kidman

David Wenham

It’s two movies, with the same characters.  A sweet near-comedy, followed by a serious drama.  Strange construction, somewhat predictable, but I’m glad I saw it.  Good music. 

Babel

78

D

04/02/07

Brad Pitt

Kate Blanchett

Many more

OK, reminiscent of “Crash” with interwoven stories.  And I certainly appreciated the fine performances from actors I wouldn’t normally see.  The themes of misunderstanding and impossible choices were well done.  I wonder if I ought to give it a higher rating.

Back to the Future

89

C

07/05/05

12/23/08

Michael J Fox

Christopher Lloyd

Fun, well put together, many fun things to see on each re-viewing, excellent music, and a take on time travel that makes me smile.  Love this movie.

Back to the Future 2

79

C

07/05/05

Lea Thompson

Crispin Glover

 

Back to the Future 3

81

C

 

Michael J Fox

Christopher Lloyd

 

Batman

80

A

07/20/08

Michael Keaton

Jack Nicholson

Kim Basinger

This film proved superheroes could be serious.  Though a bit aged in effects, it’s still a satisfying experience, with plenty of subtlety.  That “Batman Begins” outclassed it 16 years later does not diminish this one.

Batman Begins

91

A

10/29/05

07/17/08

Christian Bale

Michael Caine

Liam Neeson

Katie Holmes

Wow!  This is such an excellent origin story.  Particularly intriguing, to me, was the origin of all of Metropolis’s super villains from the events of this story.  And the Ra’s Al Ghul framework was a great touch.

Batman Forever

58

A

06/24/05

Val Kilmer

Jim Carrey

Nicole Kidman

Chris O’Donnell

Carrey as The Riddler steals the show, but Kilmer didn’t put up much of a fight.  Robin was a better character, and had more punch.  Nicole Kidman’s character was just plain wrong.  Oh, and they set up Billy Dee Williams to be Two-Face in the original Burton Batman – why is Tommy Lee Jones doing it now?

Battle for the Planet of the Apes (#5 - 1973)

40

SF

08/10/01

Roddy McDowell

Paul Williams

I think they better have been trying for camp, because that's what they got.  Still, some entertainment value, and it finally ends the saga.

Becoming Jane

67

D

08/17/09

Anne Hathaway

James McAvoy

For a biographical movie, it was remarkably like a Jane Austen novel.  It’s clear how Austen came to write on the subjects she did.  Hathaway was good,   McAvoy fit his part.  And it’s always nice to see James Cromwell.

Behind Enemy Lines

50

A

08/30/02

Owen Wilson

Gene Hackman

Truly hard to believe Wilson has the smarts to be a pilot, but the story was good, and the reality of war was shown enough, but not too much.

Bend it Like Beckham

70

D

03/21/07

Parminder Nagra

Keira Knightley

Easily recommendable.  A story with enough inherent truth to resonate with many people, and a view into a couple of cultures I hadn’t seen: British Football, and Indian.

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

40

SF

07/28/01

James Franciscus

Continuity be darned.  If the movie didn't move so slowly, perhaps they could have explained the humans better, but I don't think they had anything in mind.

Benny & Joon

70

D/C

07/17/09

Johnny Depp

Mary Stuart Masterson

Aidan Quinn

A delightful treat: a movie that doesn’t try too hard to be too funny or too serious.  Depp’s character was like someone you wish you could meet.

Beowulf

72

F

6/15/08

Ray Winstone

Robin Wright Penn

For many sequences, the animation disappeared.  For some, it was important to know it was not real.  Loved that dragon battle.  Good story.  Hero and Tragic Hero at the same time.

Best in Show

73

C

07/xx/01

 

Quite clever.  It gets funnier the longer I think about it.  And the story was surprising, too.

Bewitched

53

C

1/xx/06

Nicole Kidman

Will Ferrell

 

A definite case of “better than I expected” makes this marginally recommendable.

Bicentennial Man

72

SF

07/01/00

Robin Williams

What is a man?  Pinnochio the android.

Big Fish

86

C

03/xx/05

1/27/06

08/05/07

Ewan McGregor

Albert Finney

Billy Crudup

What a Tale!  Finney and McGregor were wonderful as a larger-than-life man.  Fantasy and family.  Loved it.  Clever and funny and fun – and I suspect there are some men who are very much like this – or I hope there are.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

73

C

08/02/02

Keanu Reeves

Alex Winter

George Carlin

I had always heard this was funny.  The Matrix might be Reeves' favorite work of mine, but he plays Ted to perfection.  Time paradoxes, silliness and plain fun.

Billy Elliot

76

D

08/06/01

 

Subtitles would have helped early on, but the characters were well done, and the growth was nice to see.

Bolt

68

C

04/17/09

John Travolta

Mylie Cyrus

Clever and sweet and funny.  I laughed.  It was fun to watch with kids (David and Nora) and that helped.  Not “The Incredibles” but still worth the viewing.

Boondock Saints

71

D

07/31/05

Willem Dafoe

This movie really makes a case for vigilantism.  And the Willem Dafoe character is SO well-conceived and well-acted.  A great movie to have seen, but I doubt I would ever watch it again. 

Bourne Ultimatum (The)

68

A

07/07/08

Matt Damon

Joan Allen

Julia Stiles

For pure secret-agent action, Bourne beats everyone else. And in this film, he beats them senseless.  Would he be as interesting if he were not the hunted?  Probably not. 

Breach

77

D

10/04/07

Chris Cooper

Laura Linney

Ryan Phillippe

The story of Robert Hanssen’s capture, and the story of the agent who was right in the middle of it.  Believable performances.  I hope reality was close to this. 

Breaking Away

72

D

03/23/07

 

Coming of Age.  Well done.

Bridge to Terabithia

71

F

10/02/07

 

Not what I expected, but well worth the watching.  Reminds me of Fifth Grade, Gus Bro, and the tree by the railroad tracks.

Bridget Jones’s Diary

54

C

09/12/09

Renee Zelwegger

Hugh Grant

Colin Firth

I’m not much of a Romantic Comedy guy, but this was OK.  Still, when we finished it, we happened to see the end of “The Holiday” which was similar, but funnier and better.

Bucket List (The)

87

D

04/03/09

Morgan Freeman

Jack Nicholson

Loved the characters, and with actors like this, that is already enough.  “Seize the Day” and buddy movie and life lesson.  How would I handle this situation?  Makes you think.

Cars

75

C

1/5/07

Owen Wilson

Paul Newman

Bonnie Hunt

Larry the Cable Guy

 

Quite cute.  I laughed quite a bit.  Predictable, but enough was unexpected to make it fun.

Casablanca

92

D

06/17/07

Humphrey Bogart

Ingrid Bergman

Paul Henreid

Finally, I’ve seen this film.  And, yes, it’s a bit slower than modern films, but by 30 minutes in, Sarah was not looking at her laptop anymore, and we were fully engaged.  So many quotes!  And why are they quotes?  Because they are great lines, with memorable moments attached.

Casino Royale

70

A

05/26/07

Daniel Craig

Really a pretty good “origin” story.  But Craig isn’t sophisticated and handsome, so it’s going to be interesting to see whether they can make him Bond-like with future movies.

The movie itself was a little long, as they weaved more into the origin than we expected.

Cast Away

83

D

01/xx/01

07/xx/06

Tom Hanks

Helen Hunt

I still wonder about the long set-up.  But contrary to some in my family, I really liked the ending, and I think that might be because of the set-up.

Cellular

59

A

08/20/05

Kim Basinger

Chris Evans

Jason Statham

William H. Macy

Plot makes more sense than you think it will when you hear the teaser.  But when the mystery is revealed, it leaves other plot points weak.  Still, entertaining.

Changeling

74

D

03/27/09

Angelina Jolie

The story would be jarring enough if it were pure fiction, but knowing that the authorities can be so powerful, and that men can be so destructive, in real life – it’s disturbing.  Jolie was remarkable in her vulnerability and strength.

Charlie Wilson’s War

73

D

6/10/08

Tom Hanks

Julia Roberts

Philip Seymour Hoffman

OK, so heroes don’t have to be completely heroic, and history can turn on a few people who do what they have to do.  Alternately funny and sad and scary.  Will we learn our lessons?  As the Zen master says – “We’ll see.”

Charlie's Angels

52

A

04/06/01

Drew Barrymore

Lucy Liu

Cameron Diaz

Fun fighting, silly camp, but they knew what they were doing.

Chicago

91

M

10/21/06

04/11/08

04/11/09

Renee Zelwegger

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Richard Gere

Queen Latifa

Fantastic music.  Hard to believe these actors were not singers before being cast (except for Queen Latifa, of course.) 

Chicken Little

71

C

6/3/06

 

Funny!  Not as amazing as other Pixar stuff (The Incredibles) but fun.

Chicken Run

70

C

08/05/01

Mel Gibson

I laughed more often than at most live-action comedies.  Bad puns.  Funny complex situations.  Great spoofs.

Children of Men

79

S

05/xx/07

Clive Owen

Michael Caine

Julianne Moore

This is old-fashioned sci-fi.  A bit tough to follow at times, but I think that was part of the appeal.

Chocolat

84

C

2/28/09

Juliette Binoche

Alfred Molina

Judi Dench

Lean Olin

Johnny Depp

A sweet fantasy.  A creamy fable.  A luscious tale.  Judi Dench can be so many different characters, and all well.  I want to see more of Juliette Binoche.  Alfred Molina’s role clearly led to his role in “The Da Vinci Code.” The chocolate creations made my mouth water.  I will own this.  If only to look at the tantalizing candy.

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

91

F

5/06

07/06

2/07

3/07

 

They got it right.  The children were perfect – especially Lucy.  The world was small enough, and the inhabitants fanciful enough, and the Queen evil enough.

Chronicles of Riddick

54

A

05/14/05

Vin Diesel

Lots of atmosphere (in which Diesel doesn’t fit well) and some cool worlds.  Sci-fi lovers will enjoy.

Cider House Rules (The)

71

D

05/31/09

Tobey Maguire

Charlize Theron

Michael Caine

Delroy Lindo

Not what I expected, but a very good movie.  Life was different in the early part of the 20th century, though the life lessons are the same.  What would have been better?  An actor I believed more than Tobey Maguire.

Cinderella Man

79

D

04/05/09

Russell Crowe

Renee Zelwegger

Paul Giamatti

One great thing about true stories put to film is knowing that Hollywood can’t change the ending.  Crowe was understated, Zelwegger a completely convincing Depression-era wife, and Paul Giamatti was, once again, perfect.  A message for our times, too.

City of Angels

76

D

06/14/00

Nicolas Cage

Meg Ryan

Mood wonderful; Ryan not “too perky”  Dennis Franz stole it.

Clear and Present Danger

62

A

11/xx/06

Harrison Ford

 

Click

46

C

1/25/07

Adam Sandler

Christopher Walken

Kate Bekinsale

If only Sandler weren’t so enamored with the crude humor, I could have liked this enough to recommend it.  Honestly, how funny is it seeing a dog humping a stuffed animal?  Again.  And Again?

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

95

SF

06/2x/01

Richard Dreyfuss

Was there ever a better, more hopeful first-contact movie?  I don't think so.  "Contact" maybe, but this was first.

Collateral

72

A

08/29/05

Tom Cruise

Jamie Foxx

Jada Pinkett Smith

Cruise was a good bad-guy.  Foxx played his part well.  In the end, above average story was made better because of the actors.  Still, a view-once movie.

Collateral Damage

66

A

08/02/02

Arnold Schwarzenegger

A decent action thriller.  The twist was well thought out.  And the motivations of the terrorists were well presented.

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (#4 - 1972)

30

SF

08/07/01

Ricardo Montalban

Roddy McDowell

This was clearly the worst of the series.  No explanations for big sci-fi points.  And the humans were dumb, dumb, dumb.  The final speech at the end was rambling and ultimately pointless.

Contact

96

SF

08/25/00

06/4/06

Jodi Foster

Matthew McConaughey

Simply one of the best science fiction films ever made.  Emphasis on the “science.”  Great performances and true-to-life politics.

Coyote Ugly

50

D

08/12/01

Piper Perabo

Adam Garcia

Maria Bello

John Goodman was the best part of this.  The female lead had a strange mix of fear (most of the movie) and confidence (see the seduction scene).  But I have to admit it was better than I thought.

Crash

84

D

6/5/06

Don Cheadle

The interconnected nature of our lives, the hidden and overt prejudices which influence our paths, the sad state of life for many – well put together.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

64

A

07/0x/01

Chow Yun Fat

Amazing action, decent acting, plot so-so.

Curious Case of Benjamin Button (The)

77

F

05/05/09

Brad Pitt

Cate Blanchett

Tilda Swinton

This is speculative fiction couched in mainstream romance.  Amazing job of make-up and effects.  Story was intriguing.  Imagine having the wisdom of age without the experience.  P.S. Imagine the two loves of your life being Jadis and Galadriel.  J

Dan in Real Life

73

C

04/23/09

Steve Carrell

Juliet Binochet

Dane Cook

I’m really beginning to like to see Steve Carell.  Here, a normal, likeable guy in a hard situation, but handling it well until … well, you’ll see.  His character may have over-reacted, but it was understandable.  And Carell did not over-act.  Oh, and what guy above the age of 30 wouldn’t fall for Juliet Binochet?

Dante’s Peak

51

A

06/10/00

Pierce Brosnan

Linda Hamilton

Campy; formulaic; “yeah, right!” scenes.  But some tension.

Dark City

73

SF

3/7/09

Rufus Sewell

Jennifer Connelly

Keifer Sutherland

William Hurt

In many ways, as imaginative as the Matrix, or any of the best pure sci-fi.  How does Man react to being the subject of an experiment?  What is reality?  What is “self?”

The atmosphere is excellent, but the execution is just a tad jarring.  Still, worth a viewing for most people, and certainly for sci-fi fans.

Dark Knight

95

A

07/27/08

12/26/08

Christian Bale

Heath Ledger

Aaron Eckhart

A triumph!  Joker was maniacal and diabolical.  Harvey spent long enough as a good guy that we felt bad for his transformation.  Bale was able to be Batman, and Batman was the hero Gotham really needed.  So many things were perfect there’s one word that applies:  Brilliant!

Day After Tomorrow (The)

76

A

6/20/08

Dennis Quaid

Jake Gyllenhall

Emmy Rossum

We’ve seen this a lot; amazing that I haven’t reviewed it before.  The science may be suspect, but the visuals are fun, and the message is clear.  Like most Hollywood disaster movies, the audience is left happier than we have a right to be, but it’s a good ride.

Dead Poets Society

83

D

1/19/09

Robin Williams

Ethan Hawke

Robert Sean Leonard

The themes are familiar, but the methods are unique.  Robin Williams was understated, but perfectly cast as a teacher introducing free thought and the meaning of humanity to the buttoned-up boys-becoming-men.  Moving. Inspiring.

Deep End of the Ocean

59

D

09/03/00

Michelle Pfeiffer

Treat Williams

Whoopi Goldberg

All-in-all, entertaining.  It did not make me feel for the family the way it could have, and the reactions at the end were a bit unbelievable.  But the good elements outweighed the bad.

Deep Impact

78

D

06/xx/07

Morgan Freeman

Elijah Wood

Tea Leoni

Robert Duvall

 

Two movies in the same year with the same premise.  This one is much deeper than “Armageddon” – the acting is better, and the situations more realistic.  And we all wish Morgan Freeman could be our President – if he’s not too busy being God.  J

Déjà vu

70

T

05/25/07

Denzel Washington

Pretty darn good.  The “déjà vu” was not mystical or haphazard, and I liked the sci-fi nature of the result.

Deterrence

57

D

08/07/01

Kevin Pollack

Timothy Hutton

We rented it because it was by the same guy who did The Contender.  I can see it, but it was basically a one-act play.  I thought the set-up so implausible, and the reaction of the president so extreme, it lost something.  But the twists were clever and there were some interesting points.

Die Hard

85

A

08/19/07

01/26/08

Bruce Willis

Alan Rickman

Excellent comic-book-like action film.  Smart.  You can clearly see why people wanted more installments.

Die Hard 2: Die Harder

79

A

1/27/08

Bruce Willis

Being the “worst” of the “Die Hard” saga is not a very good way to say it – it’s the “least good.”  Some gory parts, but some really fun action and plot points.

Die Hard: With a Vengeace

85

A

09/02/00

01/28/08

Bruce Willis

Jeremy Irons

Really clever bad guys; a good episode

Dinner with Friends

55

D

08/28/05

Dennis Quaid

Andie MacDowell

Greg Kinear

Toni Collette

Excellent at finding common issues in married couples, and raises good questions about how to deal with them.  Also has a nice emphasis on how a break-up affects other relationships.

Dirty Dancing

73

M

09/08/00

03/08/08

08/18/09

Patrick Swayze

Jennifer Gray

Still some great music, but the story aged.  I liked it more in memory.  The dancing is pretty cool, though!

Disney's "The Kid"

73

F

04/05/01

Bruce Willis

This was SO much better than it looked in previews. 

Disturbia

67

T

11/21/07

Shia LaBouf

Carrie Anne Moss

David Morse

Obvious comparisons to “Rear Window” but with some modern twists.  Good suspense, little gore.  Worth the watch, if you’re in the mood.

Doctor Zhivago

68

D

06/27/00

Julie Christie

Omar Sherif

Interesting period drama, but while Christie was amazing, Zhivago never seemed like a real person.

Dolores Claiborne

75

D

04/01/09

Kathy Bates

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Christopher Plummer

Much less like “Misery” than it is like “Shawshank” and I guess not quite as good as either, but plenty good.  A mystery with deep, well-acted characters.

Donnie Darko

74

Sci

Xx/xx/06

Jake Gyllenhall

Weird.  But good.  Sci-fi, but hidden.  Or maybe horror, but hidden in sci-fi.

Doubt

55

D

07/20/09

Meryl Streep

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

How can a movie with such wonderful performances be rated so low?  The pacing.  I would get engrossed in one scene, and then totally get pulled out of the atmosphere by time the next one happened.  The climactic scene between Hoffman and Streep was thrilling, but not enough.

Dr. Strangelove

53

D

08/xx/07

Peter Sellers

George C Scott

Sorry – it didn’t hold up over time.  It was worth seeing again, once.  Wish I hadn’t bought it.

Dr. T and the Women

15

C

08/04/01

Richard Gere

Helen Hunt

Oh, was this bad.  With the huge cast of female stars, I kept thinking it had to get better.  It never did.  And what was the point of showing the birth?  This movie is not worth the time, even to see pretty women.  You want that, see "Pretty Woman" again.

Dreamer

64

F

9/12/06

Kurt Russell

Dakota Fanning

David Morse

Almost exactly what you expect.  A small twist, but really just a wholesome family film. 

Drumline

50

D

08/28/09

Nick Cannon

Zoe Saldana

Leonard Roberts

The only thing that made this sort of interesting was the music and the drums.  I guess I did enjoy a couple of the actors.  Leonard Roberts was in Heroes – good there and here. Zoe Saldana was bright, but I couldn’t see why she was attracted to Nick Cannon’s hero.  Still, it was a step on the way to Uhura.

Dune (miniseries)

86

SF

11/22/07

Alec Newman

William Hurt

At this length, the story can make sense, unlike the 80’s movie.  Though almost all the actors were unknown to me, the stars were excellent, particularly Newman as Paul/Muad’Dib.  Easily re-watchable.

Dungeons & Dragons

45

A

07/01/01

Jeremy Irons

Some fine bits with lots of poor acting and wastes of characters.  Did the dwarf do anything?  And why not keep the original ending?  Can’t recommend to non-D&D fans.

E.T.

92

SF

12/20/07

 

Ageless, timeless, and touching.  Drew Barrymore really is a treat.  It’s too bad the girls were scared by it when they were young. 

Eagle Eye

63

SF/A

10/28/08

Shia LaBeouf

Michelle Monaghan

Rosario Dawson

Billy Bob Thornton

Another “Big Brother” “I, Robot” and not as good as those but certainly worth one watching.  More in line with the latter than the former in atmosphere.  I liked LaBeouf and Monaghan together, but Rosario Dawson was the best character, and probably actor, in the thing.  But then again, I don’t care for Billy Bob Thornton.

EdTV

72

CR

08/03/01

Matthew McConneghy

Jenna Elfman

Woody Harrelson

One can see why they compared it to Truman, but it was much different, and I really enjoyed the characters. 

Eight Below

66

F

9/1/06

Paul Walker

A fun film, very watchable, and not as predictable as I expected.

Elektra

52

Co

06/10/05

Jennifer Garner

Some very nice martial arts, and some cool villains near the end.  But too weak on the story.  Still, Garner is quite attractive in every outfit she wears.

Elizabeth

81

D

08/23/00

Cate Blanchett

Geoffrey Rush

Joseph Fiennes

Did it really happen that way?  “It’s good to be the king” doesn’t really work for unmarried queens.

Elizabethtown

64

D

8/30/06

Orlando Bloom

Kirstin Dunst

A non-traditional romance.  Dealing with grief and stress and friendship.  I liked this a lot more than I expected.

Ella Enchanted

86

C

10/15/06

03/08/07

Anne Hathaway

So much background comedy, and such good music.  This is a bright film with a beautiful actress.  I like it.  A lot!

Emma

38

C

06/24/00

Gwyneth Paltrow

How did society survive with people who never spoke the truth, but were expected to behave as if everyone did?

Enchanted

60

C

6/28/08

Amy Adams

Patrick Dempsey

James Marsden

Fun, and sometimes funny.  Disney pokes fun at itself, while also showing us life can learn from fairy tales.  Worth a viewing.

Eragon

67

A

12/24/07

11/07/08

Jeremy Irons

A fun, if fluffy, fantasy.  The dragon was very nicely done.  Jeremy Irons added some meat to the otherwise ordinary performances.  I really liked the costuming/effects of the deathly hunters used by the Shade.  Worth seeing.  I hope the sequel is at least as good.

Escape from the Planet of the Apes

42

SF

07/30/01

Roddy McDowell

Kim Hunter

Oh, at least this one had some moral points.  But the pace and the lack of music looked so very 60's TV.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

80

D

08/22/09

Jim Carrey

Kate Winslet

What a find!  Never heard of this movie, and it was so creative, imaginative, and well-made.  A tiny bit of “what if?” that would be science fiction in a different movie.  See this.

Ethan Frome

66

D

06/28/00

Liam Neeson

Outstanding feel to the movie; good view of life in those times, in that place.  Surrounding frame was weak.

Excalibur

82

D

11/3/07

 

Though a bit disconnected, the elements and the atmosphere carry the themes.  It’s not as accessible as “Camelot,” darker and more symbolic.  I like them both.

Family Man

70

CR

01/xx/01

Nicolas Cage

Tea Leoni

Aside from the fact that it's hard to believe any man would not want to be married to Tea Leoni, the actions/reactions of Cage's character were spot-on.

Fantastic Four

67

A

Xx/xx/xx

Jessica Alba

Michael Chiklis

For an origin story, it’s middle-of-the road.  Good effects.  I liked it.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

69

A

06/21/07

06/14/08

07/05/08

Ioan Gruffud

Chris Evans

A Super-Sized issue.  It was only 90 minutes long, but it didn’t feel too short.  The effects were good, the story very comic-book.  OK, the Surfer didn’t get to philosophize and pontificate, but he was mysterious.  And they did the right thing with the Galactus visuals.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

86

C

04/05/09

Matthew Broderick

Alan Ruck

Mia Sara

Jennifer Grey

OK, so the adults are clueless, but this is told from the point of view of high school seniors.  The “Day Off” is a fantasy we all had at that point.  We all wished we could be Ferris, but we were Cameron.   Cameron needed this day with Ferris so much! 

Fiddler on the Roof

92

M

11/21/06

Topol

Most of us non-Jews learned about Judaism here first.  Most of the music is excellent.  The story certainly is.

Field of Dreams

83

D

3/7/09

Kevin Costner

Amy Madigan

James Earl Jones

Ray Liotta

“Is this heaven?”  “No.  It’s Iowa.”  Is this perfect?  No, but it’s engaging, full of flavor, and a fantasy that fills empty spaces we didn’t know we had. 

Fight Club

91

S

9/22/06

06/06/07

12/29/07

Edward Norton

Brad Pitt

 

Rule Number 1 is you never talk about Fight Club.  So I can’t.  But it was amazingly good – and while Fight Club was integral to the movie, the story was about so much more!

Finding Forrester

86

D

5/19/08

Sean Connery

Rob Brown

Jamal is such a genuine character, and Brown plays him with great subtlety.  The interplay and mutual mentoring is touching and strong.  A film worth many viewings.

Finding Neverland

86

D

05/14/05

Johnny Depp

A touching and magical story.  It’s hard for modern Americans to understand how upper-class British society forced decisions – and in this regard, Depp again plays a rebel, doing what is right, and inspired, rather than acceptable.

Firewall

64

D

03/xx/08

Harrison Ford

Paul Bettany

Virginia Madsen

Well, I don’t quite buy Ford as a computer geek, but this was entertaining. His family were very good, and Paul Bettany has been good in everything.

Footloose

74

M

12/07/07

Kevin Bacon

John Lithgow

Shows its age, but it’s still a fun coming-of-age show.  Lithgow’s character is great, and he’s so good at it.

Forget Paris

48

CR

09/09/00

Billy Crystal

Debra Winger

Romantic comedy with some real fun moments.  Winger was not given much to work with.  I’m glad I saw it.

Forrest Gump

96

D

10/13/07

Tom Hanks

Robin Wright

Gary Sinese

“Original” and “Unique” don’t do it justice.  Tender, Sweet, Meaningful and Entertaining. Success without ambition; love without expectation; grace without pretense.  Wonderful.

Galaxy Quest

82

C

08/13/09

Tim Allen

Sigourney Weaver

Alan Rickman

See, this movie is funny on so many levels.  It’s not for everyone, but it pokes fun at Star Trek while at the same time being like Star Trek.  I laugh and laugh.

Game Box 1.0

34

SF

05/17/07

Danielle Fishel

Not a good movie.  One or two interesting concepts, but poorly written and executed.

Garden State

  68

D

6/29/08

Zach Braff

Natalie Portman

If your life is full of pain, do you want to live it, or get through it?  What makes you feel “home?”  I don’t need to see it again, but I’m sure glad I saw it.

Gattaca

88

SF

06/??/00

01/18/09

Ethan Hawke

Uma Thurman

Extremely well done sci-fi fable about prejudice and reaching beyond your limitations.

Get Shorty

61

C

1/10/09

John Travolta

Gene Hackman

Rene Russo

Dennis Farina

Danny DeVito

Travolta can play such charismatic characters.  Silly movie, Hollywood insiders must have loved making it.  Still some nagging questions:  what was the $10,000 for?  How long would those agents really wait?  Are producers really that dumb?  Still, glad I saw it.

Get Smart

80

C

1/1/09

Steve Carrell

Anne Hatheway

Funny!  Really!  There was plenty of the old humor, but lots of new action, and a modern take on the Smart/99 relationship. I laughed and laughed.  I might have to own this one.

Ghost

84

F

03/23/07

Patrick Swayze

Demi Moore

Whoopi Goldberg

Excellent concept.  Good plot.  Attractive stars.  And Whoopi is so funny!  The effects are less than super, but still cool.

Ghost Rider

41

A

07/23/07

Nicholas Cage

Well, for completeness sake, I’m glad I saw it.  And the chains were cool.  But the story was weak, it was hard to follow, and the logic didn’t work.

Gladiator

91

D

4/26/08

Russell Crowe

Joaquin Phoenix

Great battles, big and small.  Despicable villain.  Strategy and tactics, with a coherent plot and meaningful motivations.  Bloody, but with a purpose.

Glory Road

80

D

9/x/06

Josh Lucas

Another film which demonstrates the power of sport, and its inherent attributes, as a microcosm of culture, and as an agent for change.

Goldeneye

70

A

05/29/07

05/11/08

Pierce Brosnan

Sean Bean

A very good installment.  It would benefit from more action music, but the opening stunts are spectacular, and the grand scheme of the villain was good, if not quite as over-the-top as the traditional villains.

Gone in Sixty Seconds

66

A

04/22/07

Nicholas Cage

Robert Duvall

Better than I expected.  But I was playing Magic Online for much of it.

Good Night and Good Luck

76

D

9/11/06

David Strathairn

George Clooney

Very interesting, nice acting and mood setting.  But not as dramatic as I expected – where drama involves tension and character exploration.

Gran Torino

81

D

07/21/09

Clint Eastwood

How can such an unlikeable character be so, well, likeable?  Walt has prejudices on top of his racism, his angry exterior hides an angrier inner core.  And yet; and yet.  Deep down inside he knows good and evil.  In many ways, he’s comparable to Streep’s character in Doubt.  Gran Torino flowed better.  And had humor.  Uncomfortable humor, to be sure.

I won’t own it, but I’m sure glad I saw it.

Great Escape (The)

83

D

11/15/08

Richard Attenborough

Steve McQueen

James Garner

Charles Bronson

It’s amazing I hadn’t seen this before, but I sure am glad it was on PBS when I had time to watch it.  Some of the third act was surprising, but then I learned it was based on a true story, and that made the whole thing even better.  I really liked a young Richard Attenborough.

Guys and Dolls

64

M

1/20/07

Frank Sinatra

Marlon Brando

Brando is excellent, despite his lack of singing ability.  Some good songs.  Too much dancing.

Hancock

80

A

07/26/09

Will Smith

Justin Bateman

Charlize Theron

So glad I saw this!  So glad it wasn’t what it looked like in previews.  Well, it was, but it was more! 

Happening (The)

52

S

11/23/08

Mark Wahlberg

Zooey Deschanel

Worth seeing once; M. Night Shyamalan knows how to film suspense.  But the story hinged on a sci-fi concept that could have been told much more effectively.  “We’ll never really know” can be spooky, but here, it wasn’t.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

88

F

Xx/xx/07

07/15/09

 

Harry still discovers the wonders of the magical world, along with us.  But he begins to take ownership of his life, and the story provides plenty of chance for him to grow.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

92

F

6/2006

12/30/06

07/18/09

Daniel Radcliff

An excellent adaptation of a very long book.  I really liked the relationship emphasis for Hermione and Ron.  They got the critical story elements right.  The challenges were particularly well done – dragons, merfolk, maze – and OH that confrontation at the end!

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

90

F

07/16/09

07/30/09

Daniel Radcliff

Emma Watson

Rupert Grint

Michael Gambon

 

Oh, they did this well.  Plenty of humor and teen angst, but not too much.  Plenty of darkness, but not too much.  The young actors are growing well.  Harry on Felix – precious!  Hermione crying – very believable.  Ron lovedumb – so silly!

The only problem was the way the ending was handled, which was not as dramatic as the story deserved.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

94

F

07/11/07

07/15/07

06/26/08

Daniel Radcliffe

Emma Watson

Rupert Grint

 

The best yet.  The young actors have grown, and are equal to the task.  The effects are wonderful – especially the final spell battle.  The review in the blog:

http://snippetsandwisps.blogspot.com/2007/07/fantastic-five-or-phoenix-is-phabulous.html

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

93

F

06/22/07

07/17/09

Daniel Radcliffe

Emma Watson

Rupert Grint

 

An excellent story, and they told the best parts of it, and did it well!  These young actors are growing into their roles, and the fantasy continues to grow.  The dementors were scary!  Lupin was wonderful.  And Gary Oldman as Sirius?  Perfect!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

93

F

11/??/01

06/26/02

07/15/09

Daniel Radcliffe

Richard Harris

Maggie Smith

A delight!  Had I not read the book, I would still have followed the story perfectly.  Since I had read it, I was amazed at how perfectly they hit the characters and setting.

Hellboy

70

A

07/19/08

Ron Perlman

John Hurt

Selma Blair

Paul’s recommendation, and a good one.  The characters are broad, but that’s typical of a comic book movie.  Cool concepts, interesting heroes. Own?  Maybe not.  See the sequel?  For sure.

Highlander

33

A

 

 

Boy, was this a disappointment.

Hitch

78

C

06/26/05

Will Smith

A romantic comedy that really is funny!

Holes

83

C

03/20/07

05/25/08

Shia LaBeouf

Jon Voight

Sigourney Weaver

What fun!  All the connections.  Bad guys who are bad enough, but not too bad.  Heroes who are fun.

Hoosiers

86

D

03/10/07

01/18/09

04/06/09

Gene Hackman

Redemption. Everyman. David & Goliath. One of the best sports movies ever.

Hotel Rwanda

79

D

1/xx/06

Don Cheadle

The sort of thing everyone should know about.  Powerful.  Shows a normal guy in a terrible situation.  Stay away if you can’t handle man’s inhumanity.

Hulk

45

Co

06/10/05

Jennifer Connelly

Nick Nolte

Too long, and strayed quite far from the true story.  Some nice effects, and the ending villain would have been OK, if the rest of the movie had been more comic-bookish.  As it was, it was silly.

I Am Legend

78

SF

12/21/07

Will Smith

I quite liked it.  I need to read the original now.  And probably see the Vincent Price version.  In any case the way Smith’s character behaved was very believable.   Not a great movie, but worth seeing with surround sound and a big screen.

I, Robot

80

SF

11/06/08

Will Smith

Bridget Moynahan

While not true to the original Asimov story, the concepts translated well, the characterization of Sonny was believable, and Will Smith was just the right choice for the role of a robot-wary detective. 

I’ve Loved You So Long

60

D

07/30/09

Kristin Scott Thomas

Elsa Zylberstein

Though it was paced pretty slowly, the characters were believable, and we really come to appreciate the main character, very subtly played by Kristin Scott Thomas. Probably more moving in its original language.

(Yes, we watched a foreign film.  We did it with English dubbing.  Worked pretty well.)

Importance of Being Earnest (The)

44

C

07/31/09

Colin Firth

Some shows are just better as plays, and not as movies.  Yawn.

In Good Company

67

C

07/02/05

Dennis Quaid

Topher Grace

Better than I expected.  More real, less comedy.

Independence Day

87

SF

08/19/00

07/03/01

07/03/05

07/02/06

07/04/07

12/06/08

01/1609

Jeff Goldblum

Will Smith

Randy Quaid

Fantastic blockbuster FX film, with real heroes, tension, laughs.  Faulty science drops it below 90, for me.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

82

A

5/25/08

10/30/08

08/12/09

Harrison Ford

Shia LeBouf

Well worth the viewing.  Plenty of action.  Good laughs.  Indiana had some excellent lines.  OK, so it wasn’t quite as fulfilling as 1 & 3, but it’s still better than most movies, and lots of fun.  Oh, and people who complain about Shia’s character’s entrance just need to get over themselves – it’s a tribute!

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

91

A

06/24/05

06/09/06

Harrison Ford

Sean Connery

As always, non-stop action, but this adds an “origin” and has the father/son relationships.  Plus, they go after the ultimate artifact.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

86

A

6/8/08

Harrison Ford

Kate Capshaw

Pure adventure; pure fun.  With a few hinted impurities – “I’m right here!”  Indiana is most like Han Solo in this film.  Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Iris

79

D

07/13/02

Judi Dench

On the plane for our Norway trip.

Iron Man

83

A

05/03/08

10/18/08

Robert Downey Jr.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Jeff Bridges

Terrance Howard

What fun!  I believed Stark could make it, and make it fly.  Downey had just the right confidence.  Paltrow as Pepper was excellent.  Howard’s line as Rhodes – “Next time” – perfect!  The updated origin was very close to the original, and worked.  And comic relief!  Way to go. 

Jarhead

75

D

6/6/06

Jake Gyllenhall

Jamie Foxx

So this is what war was like for the Desert Storm soldiers?  And this is what being a Marine really means? 

Jaws

96

A/S

06/17/01

Roy Scheider

Richard Dreyfuss

Still the finest of the genre.  It suffers only from the "mayor is too dense" syndrome.  But the last hour is perfection.

Jesus Christ Superstar

91

M

2/23/07

3/13/09

Ted Neely

Carl Anderson

Yvonne Elliman

What can I say.  Excellent music.  Great setting.  I always want to see it during Lent, and it never disappoints.

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

78

C

08/02/02

 

Surprisingly funny.  This was another fine example of how a kid-oriented story can be fun for adults.  Lots of  laughs in our viewing audience.  And the voices of Patrick Stewart and Martin Short!

Journey to the Center of the Earth (3D)

71

A

07/11/08

Brendan Fraser

Story was what you’d expect, but familiarity is not a bad thing for a summer action flick.  The effects were great (yes, we saw it 3-D) and the personalities were fun.  Cotton candy – not much there, but sweet.

Juno

83

D

05/05/08

08/29/09

Ellen Page

Jason Bateman

Jennifer Garner

Allison Janney

J K Simmons

A good film.  Believable characters.  Teenagers who acted like teenagers.  Parents who weren’t caricatures.  Can’t say I liked the music, but it fit.  We’ll see Ellen Page (Juno) again.

Jurassic Park

90

A

03/xx/01

07/xx/06

05/26/08

Sam Neil

Jeff Goldblum

Even ten years later, the effects are great.  The story is tight, and the characters well played.  Now if only anyone would ever get the computer stuff right.

Karate Kid

70

A

04/07/07

Ralph Macchio

Pat Morita

This is a fun movie, even 25 years removed.

Karate Kid 2

68

A

04/21/07

Ralph Macchio

Pat Morita

A fine follow-up.  And the Okinawan love interest for Daniel is very pretty.

Keeping the Faith

84

CRD

08/13/01

Edward Norton

Jenna Elfman

Ben Stiller

The first movie of Stiller’s where he did not play someone really strange.  I really liked this one.  It said something, the characters were believable.  And one scene between Norton and his priest was wonderful in explaining commitment.

Kelly's Heroes

80

A

03/31/01

Clint Eastwood

Telly Savales

Donald Sutherland

The right amount of suspense, tragedy, and comedy. The kids even liked it.

Kill Bill vol. 1

69

A

9/22/06

Uma Thurman

Lucy Liu

Vivica A Fox

OK, this is bloody, comic-book violence.  Because I don’t have the experience of seeing the films to which this pays tribute, I didn’t find it quite as compelling.  But I definitely wanted to see the end.

Kill Bill vol. 2

84

A

9/22/06

Uma Thurman

Keith Carridine

Daryl Hannah

Michael Madsen

 

And the end was VERY satisfying.  Not so bloody, but definitely character-driven.  I’m SO glad I saw it.

King Kong (2005)

51

A

6/7/06

Jack Black

Glad I saw it – once.  There was one, really long, really good action sequence.  The rest was just too slow, or too redundant.

Kingdom of Heaven

65

D

1/xx/06

Orlando Bloom

Visually excellent.  Story was OK.

Kiss the Girls

68

T

08/16/02

Morgan Freeman

Ashley Judd

For a murder mystery/thriller in the modern era, this did a great job of generating suspense without gore.  Good misdirection, Judd is believable.  Freeman, as always, is sincere.  I'll be glad for the sequel.

K-Pax

80

D

05/??/02

Kevin Spacey

Jeff Bridges

Many good characters.  Glad I didn’t know much about the story before I saw it.

LA Confidential

80

S

08/21/00

Kim Basinger

Russell Crowe

Kevin Spacey

Bloodier than expected.  Not a single noble character.  But in the end, you were pulling for the best of them.

Ladder 49

78

D

05/13/05

Joaquin Phoenix

John Travolta

Probably the best film I’ve ever seen for getting the chaos, danger and bravery associated with battling fires.  Travolta is almost supporting here – this is Joaquin Phoenix’s film.

Lady in the Water

76

T

1/1/07

6/21/09

Paul Giamatti

Engaging myth, cool characters you can care about.  And surprises enough.

I liked it more the second time around.

Lars and the Real Girl

87

D/C

07/08/08

Ryan Gosling

Emily Mortimer

Patricia Clarkson

What a strange, wonderful, sweet film! If you hear the premise and assume it’s the kind of thing Adam Sandler or Ben Stiller would do, you’re completely wrong.  Lars is genuine, Karin is the kind of sister-in-law we all need.  And the community is just so, well, real, in the best possible way.

Lean On Me

71

D

06/30/09

Morgan Freeman

Robret Guillaume

As with all “real life” stories brought to the big screen, I wonder how much of the plot was real.  But one thing that was clear – Joe Clark was not a saint, but he got the job done.  I hope he really did eventually start treating his teachers as teammates.

P.S. It’s amazing how a good song at just the right point in a movie can give me goosebumps.

Lemony Snickett’s A Series of Unfortunate Events

72

C

06/03/05

08/07/07

08/29/09

Jim Carrey

Well put together, with an eerie mood.  Carrey was very convincing.  I think the director did not focus enough on the kids, but when he did, they were up to the task.

Lethal Weapon

74

A

1/3/09

Mel Gibson

Danny Glover

More drama than the later “action only” episodes.  I like it.  Fun like “Die Hard” but with a “buddy movie” aspect that differentiates it nicely.  Gibson and Glover have good chemistry.

Lilo & Stitch

72

C

07/23/05

 

I liked this better with this, my second, viewing.  And we saw it at “The Lake” with no power, on my laptop and then Leah’s.

Little Children

70

D

10/28/07

Kate Winslet

Patrick Wilson

Jennifer Connelly

Jackie Earle Haley

Noah Emmerich

Reminiscent of “American Beauty” with its look at the lives of disconnected suburban “adults.”  You could picture every plot point happening, but it still wasn’t predictable, because life isn’t.  This is not for everyone.

Little Miss Sunshine

72

C

04/04/07

Greg Kinnear

Steve Carrell

Toni Collette

Abigail Breslin

This was a very strange movie.  Almost the entire film, you’re thinking “I couldn’t stand living with these people.”  But the payoff at the end was really quite satisfying.

Live Free or Die Hard

81

A

07/17/07

01/29/08

09/06/08

07/06/09

Bruce Willis

Justin Long

A fun, action-filled movie.  It’s not as good as “Die Hard: With a Vengeance” but I had fun, and there were some spectacular stunts.  When we saw "16 Blocks" this is sort of what we were expecting.

Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Disk 1 – Best of Bugs Bunny

 

C

 

 

Lots of wonderful Bugs Bunny cartoons.  “Rabbit Seasoning” with Elmer and Daffy.  “Long-Haired Hare” and “Rabbit of Seville” for classical music fun.  And “Of course you know, this means war.”

Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Disk 2 – Best of Daffy & Porky

 

C

 

 

Daffy and Porky shorts.  I don’t know why, but when I was growing up, I never noticed how frequently the two were paired.  The majority of the cartoons on this disk had both, from general comedy like “Duck Amuck” to famous pairings such as “Duck Dodgers in the 24½ Century.”

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

100

D

12/??/01

01/??/02

04/??/02

08/06/02

08/26/02

Elijah Wood

Ian McKellan

What can I say.  The mood is perfect.  The story hangs together.  The characterizations are charming and thrilling.  The effects enhance and draw you in, rather than amaze or distract.  Fantastic.

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

98

D

10/23/07

Viggo Mortensen

Orlando Bloom

 

The Ents are not silly!  The orcs are mean.  The slightly lower rating is for confusion they could have worked a bit harder to clear up.  But still near perfection!

Lords of the Rings: Return of the King

100

D

11/10/07

03/01/09

Sean Astin

What can I say?  Probably the best film (series) ever.  One point people miss – there are six or seven “endings” (they don’t miss that) because that’s how Tolkien made it, and the filmmakers built to that point.  It had to be. 

Love in the Time of Cholera

39

D

11/23/08

Javier Bardiem

Giovanna Mezzogiorno

Benjamin Bratt

John Leguizamo

Hector Elizondo

I suspect this was a good adaptation of a story other people would like quite a bit – it was an Oprah Book Club book, after all.  Unfortunately, the story was not very interesting and the kind of consuming love represented in the hero looked more like obsession and craziness to me.  I imagine it’s recommendable to some class of viewer – I just don’t know who.

Lucky Number Slevin

72

A

09/11/09

Josh Hartnett

Bruce Willis

 

I liked it!  Yes, most of its characters are bad guys, but the dialog was smart and there were enough mysteries to unravel. 

Mad City (partial)

xx

D

08/12/01

John Travolta

Dustin Hoffman

I wish I had seen it all (second half was on after a movie completed).  Cautionary tale of the power of the media to make a story and harm innocents.

Magnificent Seven (The)

72

W

04/03/09

Yul Brynner

Steve McQueen

Eli Wallach

A classic I had never seen.  I understand why Vogler used it in “The Writer’s Journey.”  Just think what a great actor like Yul Brynner could have done these days with more sophisticated direction and modern scripts.  Biggest problem for me – the Western genre doesn’t connect with me.

Mamma Mia!

74

M

08/11/08

08/06/09

Meryl Streep

Christine Baranski

Amanda Seyfried

Pierce Brosnan

This was fun!  It took a few moments to get going, but once it started, it kept delivering: smiles, laughs and songs.  Stay through the first set of end credits!

Man of the Year

58

C/D

03/29/07

Robin Williams

Laura Linney

Christopher Walken

Not what I expected --- less comedy, more serious.  Impossible – as with so many stories which rely on computers messing things up.

Manchurian Candidate (The)

77

S

06/12/05

Denzel Washington

Excellent conspiracy story.

Master and Commander

76

D

9/19/06

Russell Crowe

Ralph Bellamy

Very interesting!  Good story; character dynamics were excellent.  And there was history to learn everywhere – I hope it was accurate.

Meet the Parents

50

C

03/31/01

Ben Stiller

Robert DeNiro

Comedy is so subjective.  I just can't feel for someone who gets into messes because he lies.  It's the sit-com formula that I hate, stretched to two hours.  Some funny bits, and De Niro makes a scary future father-in-law.

Meet the Robinsons

75

C

05/07/08

 

This was fun!  And its characters are from a children’s book Adam owned in 1992.  OK, somewhat predictable, but excellent animation and imaginative characters.

Memoirs of a Geisha

73

D

9/2/06

Ziyi Zhang

Ken Watanabe

Excellent mood.  Educational.  Not easy to identify with the culture, but we do feel with the main character.

Men In Black

68

SF

10/15/07

Will Smith

Tommy Lee Jones

Fun, light, action – some neat ideas.  I didn’t know it was from a comic book.

Men of Honor

66

D

07/04/01

Cuba Gooding

Robert DeNiro

The only problem with historical dramas like this is when they don't quite give you enough of the mood to understand why racism was tolerated so much.  But it was a good story, well acted.

Milk

73

D

06/20/09

Sean Penn

James Franco

This was all happening when I was in high school.  I remember Anita, and the “Twinkie Defense.”  Shameful to see what was happening.  I don’t have to think Milk was a saint to appreciate what he did.  Oh, and I respect James Franco’s acting abilities far more than I did when he was just Harry Osborne.

Million Dollar Baby

87

D

08/28/05

Clint Eastwood

Morgan Freeman

Hillary Swank

The relationships developed well.  And that’s good, because otherwise the moral dilemma at the end would have had no punch. 

Miracle

83

D

11/10/07

Kurt Russell

Truly an inspiring movie, telling a stirring story very well.  Sports stories, done well, can create exultation like little else.

Miss Congeniality

57

C

07/27/01

Sandra Bullock

Michael Caine

This is a comedy, not a romantic comedy.  The FBI are really idiots, but beyond that, the setup is fun, and the characters OK.  We never do see Bullock in the bikini, but we laugh.

Mission to Mars

74

SF

 

Gary Sinese

Nice job.

Moby Dick

68

D

07/25/01

Patrick Stewart

Henry Thomas

Made-for-TV version.  The scene transitions showed it.  I really enjoyed my first-ever viewing of the whole story.  But it's hard to believe a culture existed that would make sailors obey a mad captain so far.

Monster House

67

C

1/6/07

Steve Buscemi

Fun.  Scary images, but not over the top (since it was PG.) 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

83

C

10/07/06

08/13/09

 

And now for something completely Python.  Actually, it’s less Pythonesque than one might expect – there is a story running through it.  But there was plenty of irreverent nonsense!

Monty Python’s Life of Brian

82

C

1/26/07

Graham Chapman

John Cleese

Eric Idle

Michael Palin

Still funny after all these years.  The humorous takes on the infighting are some of the best parts.  But the very best part is the ending song!

Moulin Rouge!

94

M

10/21/06

9/13/08

Nicole Kidman

Ewan McGregor

John Leguizamo

Jim Broadbent

Truly one of the best films I’ve ever seen, yet I completely understand how the direction can put people off.  The first 15-20 minutes are so filled with quick cuts, it’s like watching a Pee-Wee’s Playhouse on speed.  I just happen to like that, so when the story slows down a bit, I’m excited, and it just gets better.  And the music – fun and excellent.  The “Elephant Love  Medley,” “Come What May,” and “One Day I’ll Fly Away” – as well as “The Show Must Go On.”  Powerful.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

62

A

03/10/07

Brad Pitt

Angelina Jolie

Pure action, with pretty people.

Music Man

92

M

07/20/02

9/22/06

8/29/08

Robert Preston

Shirley Jones

Is there a better pure musical than this?  Some of the most FUN stage music ever.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

62

C

05/27/09

Nia Vardalos

John Corbett

Michael Constantine

Sweet and very familiar to people with real families (all of us.)  This might be a once-in-a-career movie for Nia Vardalos (but I hope not.)  Funny and loveable. 

My Fair Lady

89

M

2/24/07

12/21/07

Rex Harrison

Audrey Hepburn

Such clever lyrics.  A fine message about language.  If only Eliza had found a man good enough for her.  I hadn’t noticed the similarities in goals between Higgins and Eliza’s dad before!

National Treasure

81

A

06/11/05

07/xx/06

Nicholas Cage

A clever action mystery.  Fun clues.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

82

A

12/22/07

05/24/08

08/xx/08

10/12/08

Nicolas Cage

Jon Voight

Ed Harris

Another well-written mystery.  They followed the formula they created in the first movie, and it worked.  Fun!  We will own it.

Negotiator (The)

70

A

2/28/09

Samuel L Jackson

Kevin Spacey

Definitely worth seeing, with a mystery that’s intriguing, and once of Spacey’s typical excellent performances.  Just get past the action of the main character that seems so out of character – that starts the main action.

Nell

80

D

7/xx/06

Jodie Foster

Liam Neeson

 

Could this really happen?  Seems like it.  If it did, wouldn’t it be just like this?  Excellent, understated performances.

Never Been Kissed

51

C

09/01/00

Drew Barrymore

Moderately entertaining, but we’re supposed to hope the hero can become one of the mindless, narrow-minded superficial popular ones.  Rubs me wrong.

Next

57

A

07/06/08

Nicolas Cage

Jessica Biel

Julianne Moore

Good concept.  Well told for most of the movie.  Moore was a good FBI agent; I want to see more of her films.  But, sadly, the ending fell short.  A shame.  Three more lines of dialogue and one more scene; that’s all it would have taken.  High 70s down to mid 50s.

Night at the Museum

62

C

11/1/07

Ben Stiller

Carla Gugino

Dick Van Dyke

Stiller didn’t do his normal character, so that was a positive.  They didn’t drag out the premise, and that was nice.  A fun, family fantasy.  Once.

Noise

58

D

11/26/08

Tim Robbins

Bridget Moynahan

What if something that happens every day drove you to distraction?  That’s the problem Tim Robbins’ character has with noise.  Car alarms in particular.  Not good if one lives in New York City.  How he doesn’t deal with it, and then tries to deal with it, make for an interesting story.  It’s not for everyone – it’s rated R for a reason – but it’s well told.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

80

C

07/--/01

George Clooney

A true surprise.  It started good, and got better and better.  Clooney let loose and was truly funny!

Ocean’s Thirteen

55

A

07/20/08

George Clooney

Brad Pitt

Al Pacino

Serviceable, worth a viewing, but the humor was lighter, the scams not as cool.  I think they are done.  If you liked the first ones, you’ll like it, but you won’t say “Let’s see it again!”

Ocean’s Twelve

75

A

06/01/07

George Clooney

Brad Pitt

Matt Damon

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Caper films are best when you like the thieves (we did,) they pull off complex heists (they did,) and there are surprising payoffs (there were!)

Ocean's Eleven

74

A

06/16/02

03/08/08

George Clooney

Brad Pitt

Matt Damon

Julia Roberts

Sorry, Sherry, but I like caper movies.  This was not as good as "The Sting" but certainly had the style.  And wow, lots of actors:  Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Roberts,  Garcia, Reiner, Gould, Cheadle.

Office Space

67

C

07/18/08

Ron Livingston

Jennifer Aniston

I completely understand why people expected me to like this, and I did!  Much smarter than most comedies.   Apt use of rap music! 

Oliver!

87

M

12/20/07

Ron Moody

One excellent song after another.  Comedy and tragedy and atmosphere!

Once

65

M

06/21/09

 

“It was like they took a camera into someone’s life.”  Yep, and he was a musician, so the music (which was good) made sense.  The realism was entertaining.  The pacing will not please the action-oriented.

Once Upon a Mattress

51

M

11/xx/08

Carol Burnett

Tracy Ulmann

Zooey Deschanel

Not particularly well done.  The musical itself is just a middling effort (though it has a special place in my heart) but the best parts are left out or lost in other aspects in this TV-special version.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

78

D

04/04/09

Jack Nicholson

Louise Fletcher

Brad Dourif

Will Sampson

A flawed hero, and Nicholson plays those well – of course, this was one of his most famous. Hubris and compassion.  I’m glad I saw it the same weekend as “The Bucket List.”  Louise Fletcher was perfect as Nurse Ratched, and now I know why she played Winn on DS9.

One True Thing

77

D

06/22/00

Meryll Streep

William Hurt

Renee Zellwegger

A story with real truth about finally growing up and knowing who you and your parents are.  Touching.  Streep is great.

Open Range

82

W

07/20/08

Robert Duvall

Kevin Costner

Annette Bening

I’m amazed.  A Western, and I really enjoyed it.  They drew me back into that time.  Light on dialogue.  Heavy on character, nonetheless.  This is writing, acting and directing done right.

Over the Hedge

68

C

10/27/07

Bruce Willis

Garry Shandling

William Shatner

Pretty fun.  I laughed a few times.  Not quite as edgy as the comic strip, but fun characters that were similar enough for a fan.

P.S. I Love You

85

D

6/15/08

5/22/09

07/22/09

Hilary Swank

Gerard Butler

Lisa Kudrow

Gina Gershon

Kathy Bates

Harry Connick Jr.

What an excellent story.  This is a “romantic comedy” because they don’t have a phrase for its type.  Yeah, there’s romance; yeah, there’s comedy.  But it’s a drama about life and dealing with loss and, wow.

Pan’s Labyrinth

74

D

10/28/07

 

I didn’t know anything about this movie, other than not to expect a fun fantasy.  So I didn’t know it was foreign (Spanish).  Moving story, more fantasy than I expected, intense.  Worth it, if you want some serious fare.

Patriot Games

67

A

11/xx/06

12/19/08

Harrison Ford

Anne Archer

Sean Bean

OK, but not gripping.  Ford is good as Ryan, Bean’s a good bad guy, Archer is pretty and smart, but the plot is just OK.

Pay It Forward

78

D

06/13/01

Haley Joel Osment

Helen Hunt

Keving Spacey

Three of the best actors around gave good performances.  The concept was great, and based on a true story.  I'd have loved to have seen more of Spacey and Hunt, but the story wouldn't let it happen.

Perfect Stranger

73

D

10/27/07

Halle Berry

Bruce Willis

Giovani Ribisi

This was a nice mystery/drama/suspense story.   They built the plot well, and the characters made sense in it.

Phantom of the Opera

70

M

1/xx/06

Emmy Rossum

I expected more.  It will probably grow on me.

Pirates of the Caribbean

94

F

05/xx/07

05/24/08

Johnny Depp

Orlando Bloom

Keira Knightley

Set the bar for adaptations of concepts into story.  Casting Depp was critical to the success, and he created a character which will live forever. 

Pirates of the Caribbean 3

80

F

05/27/07

12/xx/07

03/01/09

Johnny Depp

Orlando Bloom

Keira Knightley

A bit complicated, but quite satisfying as a final (?) episode.  Action and characters and visuals all mixed well.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

89

A

12/27/06

05/27/07

Johnny Depp

A very good sequel, with non-stop action.  Elizabeth is not as believable, but the villains are wonderful.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

54

C

05/xx/07

Steve Martin

John Candy

A couple truly hilarious scenes, and then the rest.  I liked the movie, really.  And it’s not TOO long.  But a few more laughs would have been good.

Planet of the Apes

68

90

SF

07/11/01

Charleton Heston

The lower rating is a "compared to today's SF" rating.  But it was thought-provoking and dramatic, in its time; that's the higher rating.

Planet of the Apes (2001)

77

SF

08/10/01

07/31/01

Matt Wahlberg

Helen Bonham-Carter

I liked this.  Oh, there were some troubling technology points, and I would have preferred it to end five minutes earlier, but by and large it was more cohesive than the original, and the acting by the villain, and the make-up were something!

Pleasantville

84

D/C

??

07/19/02

07/xx/06

Toby Maguire

Reese Witherspoon

Great concept.  Great fable.  Well done, all around.  Some slight inconsistencies in the transformation fundamentals, but those are easily overlooked.  Just don't watch it with commercials!

Pollock

51

D

07/28/09

Ed Harris

Marcia Gay Hardin

 

As a biopic, it was honest.  As a film, it wasn’t very gripping.  Can only recommend to people really interested in the artist behind the art.

Powder

87

SF

 

Jeff Goldblum

Worth owning, and seeing from time to time.  Simon Birch meets X-Men.

Premonition

68

D

10/02/07

Sandra Bullock

Well constructed time-shifting “mystery” story.  The payoff was not quite enough for my sci-fi mind, but really pretty good.  Were there inconsistencies?  Maybe, but I was not distracted by them.

Pride and Prejudice

74

D

06/29/09

Keira Knightley

Matthew Macfadyen

It took a while to get used to the formal, structured personal interactions of the British aristocracy, but once I did, I saw the walls they built.  The “pride” was clear, the “prejudice” was limiting.  And, oh, the things we do for love.

Producers (The)

70

M

11/27/08

Nathan Lane

Matthew Broderick

Uma Thurman

Will Ferrell

Quite funny, with songs to make you laugh, and performances that are just right.  At times Broderick sounded just like Gene Wilder, but for the most part, he was his own Leo Bloom.  Uma was a knockout!

Pursuit of Happyness

82

D

12/27/06

Will Smith

Extremely well told, and the interactions are excellent.

Quantum of Solace

62

A

06/03/09

Daniel Craig

This is not the old Bond.  Still good action sequences, but the fun is gone.  OK for what it is.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

95

A

10/27/07

Harrison Ford

Karen Allen

John Rhys-Davies

Seriously fun!  Never stops moving.  An achievement and a classic from the day it was released.

Random Hearts

58

D

06/07/00

Harrison Ford

Kristin Scott Thomas

Good characters who never seem to grieve enough. At least there’s no “pat” ending.

Ray

84

D

Xx/xx/05

Jamie Foxx

Well played.  I liked the music.  Cautionary and biographical.

Reader (The)

80

D

04/18/09

Kate Winslet

Davind Kross

Ralph Fiennes

“It’s the secrets that we keep that drive our stories.”  This story starts with the intensity of a teenage boy’s love, and then takes astonishing, heart-wrenching turns.  Draining and ambiguous; some lives are forever defined by one short summer, by one secret kept.

Reign Over Me

77

D

03/24/07

05/03/08

Don Cheadle

Adam Sandler

Liv Tyler

Jada Pinkett Smith

Cheadle was great, as expected.  Sandler was up to the task, which was a surprise.  Excellent interweaved themes.  I think it was satisfying, despite the review I saw.  Oh, and the title of the game in the movie “Shadows of the Colossus” is perfect.

Remember the Titans

90

D

04/06/01

Denzel Washington

I could watch this again and again.  Inspiring, and true to life characters.  There were no saints, and darn few devils.

Rent

78

84

M

6/11/06

04/11/08

 

Loved the story.  Loved the characters.  Loved the primary songs.  So what was wrong?  Well, if you’re going to do a rock opera, there should be no un-sung dialog.  However, this was NOT a rock opera, and I agree with that choice.  So why was there so much singing of dialog?  Most of the Mimi/Roger relationship was sung, but most of it was not a song – just sung dialog.  Considering that a main plot point was that Roger could not write a song, it seemed incongruous.  Still, “525,600 Minutes” is excellent, and I had never heard “La Vie Boheme” and it was fantastic.  Mark, Angel, and Maureen are the best characters.

Resident Evil

67

A

4/11/08

Milla Jovovich

Michelle Rodriguez

For what it was – a zombie movie – it was quite good.  I blogged about it as I watched it.  Not great, but fun.

Resident Evil – Apocalypse (2)

25

H

04/05/09

Milla Jovovich

 

This was just bad.  Fell asleep in the first hour-plus, because there was no story, just zombie violence.  It finally got interesting in the final 10 minutes, as it set up for a sequel.  Why should I trust they can make a sequel any better?

Road to Perdition

78

D

07/19/08

Tom Hanks

Paul Newman

Daniel Craig

Which is more important, loyalty or family?  What is the definition of a “good” man?  Simple questions, complicated answers. 

Romancing the Stone

71

A

6/17/08

Kathleen Turner

Michael Douglas

Shows its age a bit, but still a fun story with real heroes and fun comic relief.

Romeo and Juliet

82

D

12/05/08

Olivia Hussey

The Zeffirelli classic from 1968.  Though a few important lines are left out for the sake of a two-hour film, the core is there.  Whiting is just wonderful as a love-sick teen, and there is just no Juliet like Hussey; pretty, vulnerable, sexy, bright.  We still love her.

Rounders

78

D

10/21/05

Matt Damon

Edward Norton

I knew it was a Texas Hold ‘Em movie, and that’s all.  It was more than that.  Liked it a lot.

Rules of Engagement

76

A

03/xx/01

Samuel L Jackson

Tommy Lee Jones

Was he guilty?  I'm still not quite sure.  But it was a fun plot with characters you cared about.

Runaway Bride

72

CR

06/??/00

Julia Roberts

Richard Gere

While the ultimate result was never in doubt, the road they took was unpredictable.  Fun!

Rush Hour

51

AC

07/24/01

Jackie Chan

Chris Tucker

Fun fight scenes, but I never liked the Chris Tucker character.  Chan was funny, though, and the outtakes are worth staying to the end.

Save the Last Dance

70

D/M

07/10/01

05/31/08

Julia Stiles

Sean Patrick Thomas

Intelligent teenagers, seemed realistic. 

Schindler’s List

95

D

2006

Liam Neeson

Ben Kingsley

Everyone should see this.  Everyone.  And we should never forget.

School of Rock

56

C

5/13/08

Jack Black

I’m going to forgive the predictability because of the fun kid characters.  Man, could that guitar player play!

Secretary

65

D

1/10/09

Maggie Gyllenhaal

James Spader

Mike is right – Maggie Gyllenhaal is great in this!  I believed her from the beginning.  I’m sure glad she’s not my daughter.  Hard to recommend (and hard to rate) due to its subject matter, but the performances – brilliant.  Spader, once seen in this, had to become Alan Shore.  Not the same as his Mr. Grey, but a less twisted take on a flawed but keen character.

Seeker (The): The Dark Is Rising

55

F

07/06/08

Christopher Eccleston

I had low expectations, and they were exceeded quite well.  Visuals were quite good; story was predictable, but fun; supporting “reality” characters were solid, but the fantasy ones were cardboard.  See it once if you like fantasy.

Sense and Sensibility

73

D

07/18/09

Emma Thompson

Kate Winslett

Alan Rickman

Once again, the chains of aristocracy are on display, with matters of the heart pitted against the values of honor and decency.

The story is well formed, and I think I liked it much better as a movie that I would have in a book.

P.S. Amazing how many of these actors appear in Harry Potter later.

Sentinel (The)

64

A

6/18/08

Michael Douglas

Keifer Sutherland

Eva Longoria

Kim Basinger

Good suspense and mystery.  View once for a fun time. 

Serenity

80

A

5/10/08

 

Now I wish I had seen “Firefly” and that it had lasted.  Lots of actors we like.  The story kept me interested.  The bad guy was intriguing.  We saw it in Mike & Tracy’s theater room – what an experience!

Seven

73

D

1/10/09

Morgan Freeman

Brad Pitt

Disturbing.  As expected.  Well done.  As expected.  I don’t want to see it twice.  As expected.  I’m going to let my daughter live in that city?  I hope reality isn’t as bleak as this.

Shakespeare in Love

92

D

??

06/09/02

08/23/05

07/xx/06

06/07/09

Gwyneth Paltrow

Joseph Fiennes

Tremendous weaving of what might have been with what probably was with what never could have happened.

Shanghai Noon

77

C

08/14/01

Jackie Chan

Owen Wilson

Lucy Liu

This was truly funny.  The situations made it so, sorta like Blazing Saddles, but I really liked the interplay between Chan and Wilson.  I forgot Wilson was in Meet the Parents.  There he was a small caricature.  Here he was a misplaced surfer dude.  Stunts and action were wonderful.

Shaun of the Dead

73

C

1/9/09

Simon Peg

Nick Frost

Kate Ashfield

A hoot!  Thanks for the recommendation, Pete.  Lots of laughs, but none bigger than … wait – that would spoil it!  “Ed” is wonderfully portrayed.  [Stay away if you don’t like gore, but it really is fun and funny.]

Shawshank Redemption (The)

94

S

07/05/08

Tim Robbins

Morgan Freeman

Wow.  I’ve never reviewed this?  Here goes:

 

Stephen King can flat-out tell a story, if he tries.  Director Darabont made it better.  This movie is nearly perfect.  We end up inside that prison, and we yearn for freedom and justice.  What’s truly amazing, from a writing viewpoint, is the strong existence of two heroes.  And the more important one is Red.

Shrek

84

C

??

07/21/02

Mike Myers

Cameron Diaz

Eddie Murphy

John Lithgow

One of the funniest animated movies ever.  Maybe one of the funniest movies, period.  Poking fun at the genre while being a great example of it at the same time.

Sideways

74

D

10/18/05

Paul Giamatti

Thomas Haden Church

Caught it on HBO while in San Francisco.  I don’t hate it, and don’t love it.  Some really funny parts, and some definitely “real” parts.  But I don’t know anyone like these guys.

Signs

80

SF

06/05/05

07/xx/06

12/20/08

Mel Gibson

Joaquin Pheonix

Gripping, suspenseful.  A message, too – and some nice surprises.

Silverado

75

W

09/13/08

Kevin Kline

Scott Glenn

Kevin Costner

Danny Glover

Hey, thanks, Shawn!  And Mike!  Another Western definitely worth watching.  I liked the characters, and the many famous actors. Linda Hunt might have been the best.  Good one.

Simon Birch

80

D

06/23/00

 

Feel-good tear-jerker at its best.  Everyone has felt like Simon at times, and none of us handles it as well as he did.

Sin City

84

A

10/22/05

Bruce Willis

So much atmosphere!  The gore was off-putting, but I could stand it because of the presentation in comic book visuals – white blood and so on.  It’s interesting that, as I look back on it, I remember the scenes as frames of a graphic novel – exactly what Miller intended, I bet.

Sister Act 2

69

C

03/17/07

Whoopi Goldberg

Lauryn Hill

Fun.  Love that music!  Predictable, but I still love seeing it – or having it on in the beackground.  That last piece is awesome.

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (The)

87

D

11/28/08

Amber Tamblyn
Alexis Bledel

America Ferrera

Blake Lively

Jenna Boyd

Bradley Whitford

Excellent!  Touching.  Real; coming of age in the 21st century, and the power of friendship.  Each of the young actresses demonstrated range; made me believe and made me care.  The stories fit together without being TV-drama parallels.  Easily one of the best movies I’ve seen recently.  Worth owning.

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (The)

70

D

03/30/09

Amber Tamblyn
Alexis Bledel

America Ferrera

Blake Lively

 

Though the magic of the first movie was lacking, the characters were still very real, and the emphasis on friendship wove the stories together well.  Entertaining.

Sleepy Hollow

77

F

10/21/07

Johnny Depp

Christina Ricci

Love the atmosphere.  So many excellent actors, and such a deep, dark mood.  And a fun mystery, too.

Sliding Doors

65

D

05/26/09

Gwyneth Paltrow

A very interesting concept – how different would Helen’s life be if only she had/had not gone through those sliding doors?  Are some things “meant to be” no matter what?  Is delaying bad news better for you, or worse?  A good movie to see once.

Slumdog Millionaire

81

D

3/5/09

 

We should be thankful this movie was made.  American studios seem to think we only want to see pretty white actors.  The actors, young and younger, in this shocking but touching story made the film special.  Certain scenes will stick with me.  Maybe for the rest of my life.

Snake Eyes

46

T

08/25/02

Nicholas Cage

Gary Sinese

Started well.  Then got more and more far fetched.

Snatch

55

D/C

07/21/02

Brad Pitt

Some really dark humor, in a very stylized movie.  How can you pull for any of these guys?  Pitt's accent performance was something, though!

Soloist (The)

70

D

08/20/09

Robert Downey Jr.

Jamie Foxx

One of the best things about a “based on a true story” movie is that you don’t know when the plot will take a non-Hollywood turn.  This is a very interesting movie about a person who steps out of his comfort zone to try to help.  And it’s a story about a person dealing with psychological problems in his own way.

 

Another note, interesting to me: This is the first movie I ever put on my Netflix queue before it even came out in theaters.  I’ll do it more!

Sound of Music

81

M

9/22/06

 

Some of the best stage music ever, but without the setting of the wonders of Austria, it could not be as powerful. 

Sound of Thunder (A)

47

SF

03/14/09

Ben Kingsley

Expectations were low, so this was passable.  Interesting concepts, but in the end, you could read the classic Bradbury story in less time and be more entertained.

Spanglish

80

C/D

05/31/05

Adam Sandler

Paz Vega

Tea Leoni

A story about love, and parenting, and responsibility, and longing.  Quite good!

Speed

66

A

08/21/09

Keanu Reeves

Sandra Bullock

Dennis Hopper

 

Non-stop action helps obscure the impossibility of the action itself.  Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper have good characters, and Keanu Reeves is passable as a brash action cop.  Candy, but tasty.

Sphere

48

SF

07/21/01

Samuel L Jackson

Dustin Hoffman

Sharon Stone

Oh, this could have been so much better.  The premise was fun, and funny.  The science and reasoning were weak and, in the end, anticlimactic.  Can’t quite make the “recommend” list.

Spiderman 2

81

A

03/18/07

01/15/09

Tobey Maguire

Kirsten Dunst

Alfred Molina

Great fights.  Superior effects of web-swinging.  Great villain.  Peter’s a bit too “wimpy” at times, and I still don’t like “Raindrops.”

Spiderman 3

67

A

05/xx/07

01/15/09

Toby Maguire

Glad I saw it, and I’ll own it, but…  But, there were too many long stretches of weak character development.  And two of the three villains deserved a longer story than they got.  Venom should have been a major story.  Still, the action was good.  In the category of “King Kong” in that respect.  But “Kong” had too little character.

Spiderwick Chronicles (The)

68

F

08/29/08

Freddie Highmore

Creative children’s fantasy with enough drama for adults.

Spirited Away

48

F

12/29/06

 

Lots of interesting ideas, but the plot does not flow, and the characters are uneven.  Sorry Paul, it just doesn’t trip my trigger.

Spy Games

62

A

06/21/02

Robert Redford

Brad Pitt

Everything worked, plot-wise.  Hard to take Redford being so cold, but great to have him calculating. 

Spy Kids

55

F

04/06/01

Antonio Banderas

So little violence with so much action.  Cute and fun.  A kiddie ride, but a fun one.

ST:tNG “Inner Light”

92

SF

07/04/00

 

Perhaps the single best story told in this series.

Star Trek

90

A

05/08/09

Zachary Quinto

Chris Pine

Bruce Greenwood

Zoe Saldana

A thrill-ride.  By the time we were 30 minutes in, I was already convinced I want to see more of this cast in these characters.  Yes, it’s a re-visioning of the characters.  But it fits.  It’s great fun!

Star Trek 2: the Wrath of Khan

85

SF

07/xx/06

William Shatner

Leonard Nimoy

Ricardo Montalban

Probably the best of the original cast movies.

Star Trek 3: the Search for Spock

83

SF

07/xx/06

 

A good episode.

Star Trek IV – The Voyage Home

72

SF

1/30/08

William Shatner Leonard Nimoy

Save the Whales.  A fun little episode that gives each of the regulars something good to do.  And some really funny stuff.  I had forgotten that “Annie Camden” (Catherine Hicks) was in it.

Star Trek: First Contact

89

SF

06/19/00

07/xx/01

08/21/05

05/xx/06

ST:tNG cast

Alfre Woodard

Characters shine with a good plot. Patrick Stewart does some of his best work. 

Star Trek: Generations

82

SF

06/18/00

12/19/07

ST:tNG cast

William Shatner

Fine first outing for the Next Generation crew; Data is funny.

Star Trek: Insurrection

87

SF

06/20/00

08/xx/05

06/xx/06

06/17/07

12/19/07

09/07/08

ST:tNG cast

For pure fun, great effects, episode-like story, this was wonderful.  Not so much acting, and a few story-logic problems.

Star Trek: Nemesis

89

SF

08/19/05

Patrick Stewart

A very good episode; dark and purposeful.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

47

SF

6/9/06

William Shatner

Leonard Nimoy

 

I have to own this for completeness, and it wasn’t awful – but it certainly was slow.  It had been so long since I had seen it, I actually forgot about V-ger.  Until Spock’s mind contacted it, and then “Oh, yeah….”  Not recommendable to non-Trek folks.

Star Wars

99

SF

06/25/05

04/xx/06

Mark Hamill

Alec Guinness

Simply the best.

Star Wars Episode 1: the Phantom Menace

78

SF

05/29/05

03/xx/06

09/29/07

Natalie Portman

Ewan McGregor

Liam Neeson

Very pretty, and the strong female lead is welcome.  Jar-Jar was a mistake, as were “midichlorians”.  But a fun film.

Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

80

SF

05/30/05

03/xx/06

Natalie Portman

Hayden Christensen

Ewan McGregor

Annakin can’t decide what to be, or Christensen can’t decide how to act.  The love story doesn’t resonate, but again the action is good – great to see so many Jedi in battle.

Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

90

SF

05/21/05

03/xx/06

Hayden Christensen

Ewan McGregor

Natalie Portman

OK, this is what we were waiting for.  All the threads tied up in a very exciting way.  Regrets?  Padme had nothing to do, and Christensen had no clear point at which he gave in to the Dark Side.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

99

SF

06/27/05

08/xx/07

Mark Hamill

Harrison Ford

Triumphant, heroic, hopeful – and fun!

Star Wars: the Clone Wars

53

A

05/08/09

 

OK, the animation was good.  But that doesn’t make it good enough.  Action is not enough if you don’t care about the characters, or believe there’s any real danger.  Saw it once.  That’s enough.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

99

SF

06/25/05

07/xx/06

Harrison Ford

Carrie Fisher

The single best sequel ever.  Tension, characters, surprises.

Stardust

76

F

4/6/08

Michelle Pfeiffer

Claire Danes

Robert De Niro

A light fantasy that had plenty of interesting ideas mixed in with the comfortable fairy-tale frame.  De Niro was quite good, but I enjoyed Claire Danes even more. 

Stargate: Continuum

72

SF

08/09/08

Amanda Tapping

Ben Browder

Michael Shanks

It’s nice to see what this group can do with a larger budget.  Essentially, a prettier, cooler two-part episode.  Time travel is good.  Facing the Goa’uld is good.  Letting all the key players be involved is good. Jack O’Neill is very good.

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

77

SF

4/x/08

Amanda Tapping

Michael Shanks

Christopher Judge

Ben Browder

Claudia Black

Wonderful to see the gang again, and to wrap up the unfinished storyline.  Every major character got to do something important, and the effects were wonderful.  Nothing was quite as “Oh Cool!” as in the best episodes, but if I can’t have the series, give me more movies like this.

Starship Troopers

28

SF

 

 

The first two thirds of this movie was drek,, awful, stupid.  Once they finally engaged the bugs in battle, there was finally something worth watching.  Most of the effects were good – especially the bugs.  But, oh, the dialog was bad, the acting was wooden, the set was weak, the costumes unimaginative.  The book was probably good, but this movie is bad.

Story of Us

67

D

06/13/00

Bruce Willis

Michelle Pfeiffer

Some relationship insights spot-on; ending was out of line with characters

Stranger Than Fiction

69

D/C

05/17/07

Will Ferrell

Emma Thompson

Hey, here’s a movie with Will Ferrell that I actually liked.  The comedy came from how a real person would react to an impossible situation, not from silly Ferrell characterizations.

Sum of All Fears (The)

72

A

07/03/09

Ben Affleck

Morgan Freeman

I guess I wasn’t paying attention when this came out that it was a Jack Ryan story.  They did this one very well – showing real dangers.  Shocking at times, in fact.  They did that?

Superman Returns

77

A

03/xx/07

 

A fun action movie, with many “tip of the hat” moments to the Reeve films.

Superman: the Movie

70

88

A

08/06/07

Christopher Reeve

Margot Kidder

Another movie that was significantly better originally, but it’s still quite good.  Reeve really had the best feel for what Superman was like (though I still prefer Dean Cain’s Clark Kent, Reeve had a good take on him too.)  And the romance scenes were great.  Add the comedy of Hackman as Luthor (which was an interesting way to go, but it worked) and you have a fun film, even 29 years later.

Sweeney Todd

77

M

12/30/07

Johnny Depp

Helena Bonham Carter

Alan Rickman

 

I’m having trouble rating this.  An intense film, done very well.  The cast was perfect for the material.  The blood was overwhelming, though, and will likely cause me to never see it again.

Sydney White

67

C

07/29/08

Amanda Bynes

I had no interest until I was informed this was “Snow White” updated.  With “Seven Dorks!”  They were so funny!  Want something light and cute?  Try this.

Take the Money and Run

50

C

08/16/00

Woody Allen

Some funny bits, funnier in the remembering.  Probably “classic Woody Allen” but slower than my modern tastes like,

Taken

73

A

06/04/09

Liam Neeson

Get over the fact that Liam Neeson’s daughter just happens to have an ex-CIA father who is as good as Bond, as ruthless as Jack Bauer, and as resourceful as John MacLain – but without the humor.  This was a thrill ride, once it started.  I hope the evil he fought does not exist in the real world, but if it does, it’s easy to pull for the hero wiping out the villains.

Taking Chance

61

D

09/16/09

Kevin Bacon

Very moving.  Honestly.  A simple film, based on a real event, that touches on honor and respect for our fallen military personnel.  Kevin Bacon did a great job.  I wonder if there were even 1000 words of dialog?  Even 500?

Tale of Desperaux (The)

50

K

09/16/09

Matthew Broderick

Dusting Hoffman

Emma Watson

Quite pretty, and the story was OK.  Sometimes it felt like there were too many storylines.  And one of the “heroes” got pretty un-heroic for a while and that bugged me.  Still, OK.

Terminal (The)

81

C/D

06/13/05

Tom Hanks

The story was really fun – and it took pains to resist the predictable.

Terminator (The)

83

R

6/19/08

Linda Hamilton

Arnold Schwarzennegger

Michael Biehn

Even 24 years later, this is a good science fiction story.  Hollywood almost seems unwilling to allow senseless death in mainstream movies.  Well, I guess at the time, no one knew Arnold would become the Governator, or that a trilogy would result.

Thank You for Smoking

53

C

04/07/07

 

Interesting concept.  Glad I saw it.  But I wouldn’t see it again.

The 6th Day

67

SF

05/19/01

Arnold Schwarzenegger

I barely remember seeing it, and since I didn’t “review” it right away – not memorable!

The Aviator

81

D

07/06/05

Leonardo DiCaprio

Kate Blanchett

By the time I heard of Howard Hughes, when I was a boy, he was already a crazy recluse.  This movie did a good job of informing while entertaining.  DiCaprio was believeable, and Blanchett as Hepburn was a treat.

The Big Lebowski

48

C

10/22/05

Jeff Bridges

John Goodman

Steve Buscemi

Was probably funnier than I thought – I was gaming while watching it.  “The Dude Abides” is a nice sentiment.

The Blue Butterfly

60

D

9/1/06

William Hurt

A nice find.  Hurt was good again, in a simple movie that told a simple story quite well.

The Blues Brothers

91

C

08/22/05

04/03/09

John Belishi

Dan Akroyd

One of my all-time favorite comedies, and Great Music!

The Brothers Grimm

59

F

3/31/06

Matt Damon

Heath Ledger

Choppy story-telling; hard to follow.  But the last 45 minutes hold together well enough to satisfy.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

83

F

5/19/08

12/04/08

12/25/08

Skandar Keynes

Georgie Henley

Ben Barnes

Though not as visually stunning as the first film, the story allowed us to see the maturing of the characters.  Edmund is great!  The best part of a good movie.

The Contender

84

D

07/31/01

Jeff Bridges

Joan Allen

Gary Oldman

I saw the ending coming, but was proud of it.  The intrigue might have packed more punch if I had seen it before "West Wing" existed.  Nevertheless, a fine film, with terrific acting. 

The Da Vinci Code

83

D

6/3/06

Tom Hanks

Ian McKellan

Cool concepts, great use of symbology, a nice conspiracy story.  There were times when it tried too hard to misdirect.

The Dark Crystal

64

F

6/4/06

 

Watching it again after so many years, it’s remarkable how little there is to the story. 

The Day the Earth Stood Still

69

SF

12/22/08

Jennifer Connelly

Keanu Reeves

An extremely good setup, with very human reactions, and characters we could believe.  The end, however, was somewhat ambiguous. 

The Detonator

35

A

06/10/00

Pierce Brosnan

Patrick Stewart

Not convincing; some decent ideas; female lead was WEAK

The Devil Wears Prada

66

C

04/06/07

Anne Hathaway

Meryl Streep

Somewhat formulaic, but a few twists.  And the office politics hit home.

The Emporer's New Groove

69

F

05/11/01

David Spade

John Goodman

Surprisingly funny.  I liked David Spade.  How did that happen?

The Family Stone

79

D

9/7/06

Diane Keaton

Craig T Nelson

Sarah Jessica Parker

Claire Danes

Luke Wilson

What a touching film!  And they advertised it as a comedy.  I’m glad I saw it.  So glad!

 

Oh, and for future reference, I’ve finally enjoyed something with Luke Wilson in it.  And he was good.

The Fifth Element

76

SF

C

08/11/02

Bruce Willis

Ian Holm

As a comedy this works really well.  It's "Stargate" played silly.  And it's silly and fun.  I appreciated Chris Tucker much more this time.  Lots of laughs from our audience.

The Final Season

52

D

5/21/08

Sean Astin

A pretty good story in the vein of “Hoosiers” but with modern issues of small-town life.  Stilted and slow in some spots, but seeing the Luther shirts on Sean Astin, having Cedar Rapids Kennedy appear, and knowing it really happened make it a “recommend.”

The Fountain

66

D

09/28/07

Hugh Jackman

Rachel Weisz

Strangely told.  Worth the viewing.  Hard to follow for the first 10-15 minutes. 

The Game

55

S

06/09/00

Michael Douglas

Sean Penn

Suspense, with enough twists to be smart.  A little “why didn’t he do X?” but not too much.

The Golden Compass

82

F

1/1/08

4/30/08

05/24/08

Nicole Kidman

Daniel Craig

Of course, most of the clever ideas came from the book, but that’s fine, because the film captured them well.  Sure, it’s just part 1, but I liked the casting and the story (Hero’s Journey, for sure.)

 

Now that I’ve read the books: Still a good film, but I don’t see how they can make a sequel.  I really want to see one, but how?  Even ignoring the changes to the plot order, things can’t stay sweet and wholesome, and there are some key elements that should have been introduced in this episode for the future.

The Good Shepherd

73

D

05/28/07

Matt Damon

How much of this was “history?”  I almost don’t want to know.  Cool view of how the CIA got started, and what it meant for one of its key founders.

The Graduate

70

C

08/11/00

Dustin Hoffman

Anne Bancroft

Far more serious than I expected from one of the top comedies.  Extremely well acted, of course.

The Green Mile

91

S

09/08/00

08/xx/06

Tom Hanks

Wow.  I didn’t know what to expect, and it blew me away.  What a setting.  What a story.

The Guardian

63

D

04/04/07

Kevin Costner

Ashton Kutcher

This movie had too many stories it was trying to tell.  The training was cool to see.  The primary story was OK, but lost its impact because of the proliferation of other sub-stories.

The Holiday

75

C

09/29/07

Kate Winslet

Cameron Diaz

Jude Law

Jack Black

There were several nice twists that made this unpredictable.  I liked all the main characters, and I smiled many times.  This was a “comedy” in the classic sense more than the “laughing” sense, and I liked that.

The Hostage

76

A

08/28/05

Bruce Willis

Kevin Pollack

A Willis pic, with more seriousness and heart.

The Hours

87

D

10/20/07

Nicole Kidman

Meryl Streep

Julianne Moore

Ed Harris

 

I never knew anything about Virginia Woolf.  This movie made me want to learn more.  The interweaving stories flowed well.  Each woman, living a life she did not feel was meant for her, dealing with the despair in similar, yet different, ways.

The Hunt for Red October

75

A

11/19/06

Sean Connery

Alec Baldwin

Intrigue, suspense, good acting, drama.  A good time.

The Illusionist

84

D

03/29/07

07/01/08

Edward Norton

Paul Giamatti

Jessica Biel

Mysterious.  Loved the main character.  Jessica Biel can act! Sepia visuals were stunning, and set just the right atmosphere.

The Incredible Hulk

82

A

6/27/08

10/31/08

1/3/09

Edward Norton

Liv Tyler

Why didn’t I want to see this?  Partially because I think the origin is weak.  So what did they do?  Genius!  Don’t tell it!  Get on to the interesting stuff!  Good story.  Love Liv!  Effects were seamless.  Ownable!

The Incredibles

88

A

07/16/05

Craig T Nelson

Holly Hunter

Funny!  Great story!  A send-up of superheroes, while at the same time being a great superhero movie.  What animation!  And who could NOT want to have Elastigirl in their lives?

The Invasion

61

A

4/6/08

Nicole Kidman

Daniel Craig

It’s a zombie movie!  With zombies who can run, but no consumption of brains.  Worth one viewing, if you like that sort of thing.

The Island

82

SF

1/xx/06

Ewan McGregor

Scarlett Johansson

Don’t get a synopsis of the movie before you see it; it’s too easy to ruin the cool twists.  But if you like speculative fiction, see it.

The Italian Job

70

A

03/16/07

Edward Norton

Charlize Theron

Mark Wahlberg

A fun caper movie.  Enough smiles, enough tricks.

The Lake House

68

D

04/01/07

Sandra Bullock

Keanu Reaves

I was expecting comedy.  I’m glad it wasn’t.  Time paradoxes can make your head hurt, but when told well, they can be very interesting ways to examine life.

The Last Mimsy

73

F

09/29/07

 

Very Imaginative!  The use of the kids was not just a “kid movie” template.  Well done!  If you like fantasy, see this film.  If you don’t you still might like it.

The Legend of Bagger Vance

73

C

07/21/01

Matt Damon

Will Smith

It never took itself too seriously, and was told with a tall-tale style that made it unimportant whether it really happened.  Smiles!

The Lookout

67

D

04/05/07

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Jeff Daniels

The trailers made it seem like an action movie.  It was not.  And it was better this way.

The Majestic

70

D

07/19/02

Jim Carrey

They had me wondering.  And Carrey is definitely an actor these days, not just a comedian.

The Matrix

93

SF

11/01/99

03/xx/01

07/29/01

06/09/06

06/xx/07

03/28/09

Keanu Reeves

Laurence Fishburne

New peak in FX; fun concepts; tight story.  The plot moves from one fully-formed environment to another equally satisfying, but very different – and does it many times.  Whoa.  Excellent.

 

Old, initial thoughts:

Reeves took a bit away for me.

(And after a few years, it’s clear – he was born to be Neo.  Will Smith?  No way.)

The Matrix: Reloaded

83

SF

04/xx/05

06/xx/07

Keanu Reeves

Carrie-Anne Moss

A good follow-up to a film which maybe shouldn’t have been followed up.  Moss is even better this time around.

The Matrix: Revolutions

85

SF

05/xx/05

07/02/07

Keanu Reeves

Laurence Fishburne

Exciting, action-packed conclusion.  The characters’ actions made sense.

The Messenger

64

D

 

John Malcovich

Joan was sometimes a saint-to-be, and sometimes a California girl?  But her intensity saved it, and Malcovich was subdued enough not to steal the show.

The Mummy

81

A

06/13/00

Brendan Fraser

FX galore; plot moved; Fraser seriously funny

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

55

A

06/22/09

Brendan Fraser

An OK, soft-serve, treat.  Not luscious, not substantial, but enjoyable.  Fraser is not old enough to have a kid that old, but the story needed it.  Cool use of the Terracotta army. Loved the Yetis.

The Night Listener

46

S

04/06/07

Robin Williams

Toni Collette

I expected more.   OK, but not recommendable.

The Odd Couple

40

C

06/15/00

Walter Matthau

Jack Lemmon

Comedy Classic?  I guess our modern viewing expectations are different.

The Odd Couple 2

30

C

06/22/00

Walter Matthau

Jack Lemmon

So they added some profanity, and made it a “buddies on the road” movie.  Still slow.

The Omen

68

H

04/22/07

Live Schreiber

Julia Stiles

David Thewlis

Very good remake.

The Pacifier

50

C

03/20/05

Vin Diesel

Pretty silly, but fun.

The Patriot

80

A

 

Mel Gibson

Well told; humanity and family and what war does to both.

The Pink Panther

50

C

9/1/06

Steve Martin

I chuckled some, laughed a few times.  I would like to compare with Sellers – I seem to remember a much more subtle humor.

The Prestige

85

D

04/04/07

03/22/08

Hugh Jackman

Christian Bale

Michael Caine

Scarlett Johansson

Obsession.  Magic.  Envy.  Magic.  Competition.  Magic.  Science.  Magic.  Revenge.  Magic.

The Princess Bride

94

C

06/29/05

07/xx/06

06/23/07

04/05/09

Cary Elwes

Robin Wright

Mandy Patinkin

Sweet!  Funny!  And (I know now) based on some history.  Really?  Wow.  So many quotable lines!

The Rainmaker

60

D

08/08/01

Matt Damon

Danny DeVito

Jon Voight

A "film-noir" feel, and really, a different kind of lawyer movie.  Oh, the bad guys were the same, but Damon's character lucked into some things, was carried by DeVito's, and grew in ways few movie lawyers do.

The Replacements

52

CD

08/15/01

Gene Hackman

Keanu Reeves

Brooke Langton

See there were these logical errors in the film, related to football, how it's played, how its players are motivated, etc. But I decided to forgive it for that, and the story was fun.

The Ring

79

H

1/20/07

Naomi Watts

Now this was scary!  I couldn’t watch it straight through; I had to take breaks.  Very intense. 

The Sixth Sense

94

S

03/01/00

06/27/05

Bruce Willis

Engaging characters; well acted; perfectly set-up; great second viewing.

The Skeleton Key

75

H

S

1/20/07

Kate Hudson

Quite gripping.  Scary without being gross.

The Stand

91

SF

?/?/01

06/12/02

02/17/08

Gary Sinese

Rob Lowe

Stephen King's masterpiece.  Some stories are too long for a single movie; a mini-series allowed each act the time it needed.  Gary Sinese is wonderful.  Rob Lowe was excellent as deaf/mute Nick.  Bill Fagerbakke was perfect as Tom Cullen.  Jamey Sheridan still scares me every time I see him because of his role in this apocalyptic tale.

The Thomas Crowne Affair

63

A

06/05/00

Pierce Brosnan

Rene Russo

Some very clever schemes and twists; nudity/sex did not add heat.

The Time Machine

60

SF

08/03/02

Guy Pearce

Really excellent until the end.  Great visuals.  My expectations were exceeded, but just because I was told to expect something sub-par.

The Truman Show

90

D

03/22/08

Jim Carrey

Ed Harris

"How will it end?"  We cared immediately, and Carrey and Harris keep us caring.  Two years later, “Survivor” and “reality TV” began.

The Usual Suspects

74

D

8/21/06

Kevin Spacey

Kevin Pollack

Benicio del Toro

An excellent “noir” mystery, caper.  And now I know where “Keyser Soze” comes from.

The Village

66

S

06/01/05

Joaquin Phoenix

OK, so it wasn’t as good as Shyamalan’s previous movies, but the mood was there for most of the film, and the surprises were OK.  Just kind of anti-climactic.

The Wedding Planner

45

RC

07/28/01

Jennifer Lopez

Matthew McConnaughey

Two very attractive actors with a plot that forced them to play stupid too many times.  But at least there was not a lot of sleeping around!

The Whole Nine Yards

75

C

08/03/00

Bruce Willis

Matthew Perry

In a film with only one mostly moral guy, it’s amazing how much you like the rest.  Must be the humor!

Thirteen Days

81

D

07/20/01

Kevin Costner

Bruce Greenwood

I knew almost nothing about the Cuban missile crisis.  This movie taught me, and engaged me.  Greenwood was very noble as JFK.

Three Kings

73

D

06/12/05

George Clooney

Mark Wahlberg

A fable?  A war movie?  A study in priorities?

Titanic

89

D

03/24/07

Leonardo DiCaprio

Kate Winslet

The re-creation is wonderful.  The love story helps show the class distinctions of the time.  Maybe a bit long, but on the whole, very good.

Tomorrow Never Dies

61

A

11/10/08

Pierce Brosnan

Terri Hatcher

Jonathan Pryce

Choosing a media mogul as a megalomaniacal mastermind makes sense.  We have Rupert Murdoch, after all.  This perhaps was the most believable technological threat in the pre-Daniel Craig Bond movies.  It’s fun, Bond is Bond.  Not particularly memorable , but good for diversion.

Tootsie

82

C

07/02/00

Dustin Hoffman

Jessica Lange

Bill Murray

Still funny after all these years!

Total Recall

76

SF

08/12/01

Arnold Schwarzegger

Ronny Cox

I really, really liked this at one time.  Seeing it again, the gore was too much.  But the story was still fun.

Traffic

85

D

07/08/01

Michael Douglas

Benicio Del Toro

Don Cheadle

The stories wove together so well.  But a pessimistic view, for sure.  Who wins?

Transformers

58

A

05/04/08

Shia LeBouf

Fun parts, silly parts, stupid parts.  Good effects.   More story than I was expecting, but there were too many characters.  Glad I saw it finally, but I won’t likely see it again.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

66

A

06/24/09

Shia La Beouf

Megan Fox

Better than the original, for me.  More story.  I liked the supernatural elements (very Japanese).  And the kids took me for Father’s Day, so that helped.  Not so good: visually confusing – too much motion, hard to tell good robots from bad; too rude/crude in parts. 

Transporter (The)

50

A

04/04/09

Jason Statham

A couple of inventive action sequences, but not much else.  A time filler.

Troy

84

A

07/03/05

03/17/07

Brad Pitt

Eric Bana

Orlando Bloom

Impressive battles, a nice take on the heroes of the Iliad.

True Lies

73

A

1/26/06

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Jamie Lee Curtis

Tom Arnold

This one got lowered over time.  First time I saw it, I loved it.  Re-viewing, it was a little long in places, and the scene I once thought was pure sexy got tainted as I thought about how a real wife would have reacted.  The action was pure fun, though.  And Arnold’s apologetic treatment of the Dobermans is really funny.

Twilight

47

D

04/15/09

Robert Pattinson

Kristen Stewart

Mildly entertaining.  One “new” idea about vampires.  Cullen didn’t look “conflicted” so much as “constipated.”  Bella was on the verge of being interesting, without ever getting there.

Unbreakable

93

S

06/30/01

06/07/05

Bruce Willis

Samuel L Jackson

Robin Wright Penn

Another case of "It makes perfect sense" once you see it.  An "Origin" story for sure.  Gets better with time – I used to rate it an 83.

Untraceable

78

S

07/04/08

Diane Lane

The concept was scary, the social commentary was integral to the story, and Diane Lane’s performance was excellent.  Ultimately, a good movie with a few “yeah, but” items that didn’t interfere with the enjoyment.  Still, be warned: disturbing images!

V for Vendetta

93

SF

2006

10/23/07

11/09/08

Hugo Weaving

Natalie Portman

Such atmosphere!  Such a message!  And “V” is one of the most memorable characters ever.

 

This film gets better each time I see it.  So many lessons about the price of freedom, and the power of fear.

 

It fits so well with my favorite Benjamin Franklin quote:

 

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

 

I have gladly made watching this film a yearly event.  “Remember, remember, the fifth of November…”

Van Helsing

56

A

4/1/06

Hugh Jackman

Fine effects, but the story had lots of incongruities – much of the typical monster mythology was ignored.

Virtuosity

52

SF

06/24/00

Denzel Washington

Russell Crowe

The first thing I saw Crowe in -- played a bad guy very well.  Interesting twist near the end, but pretty pedestrian SF.

Wag the Dog

72

D

06/14/00

Robert DeNiro

Dustin Hoffman

Great characters override implausible plot elements

Waitress

72

D

11/16/08

Keri Russell

Andy Griffith

There are some truths, some lives, some realities, that can be best described through drama.  This film was brimming with them.  Through the pies invented, baked and served by Russell’s character, we got a view of the desperation, sadness, and trampled hopes that filled her life.  Through the people who loved her, we saw her value and tried with them to figure out she might get the life she deserved.  Good writing, good performances, good movie.

Waking Ned Devine

74

C

07/18/05

 

See, this movie proves so many things:  A) you don’t have to be beautiful to be a good actor; B) a story set in a small village in Great Britain can preach truths for anyone; C) Nudity can be funny without being titillating.

Walk the Line

77

D

10/14/06

Joaquin Phoenix

Reese Witherspoon

Entertaining.  It’s always interesting to see how the “big” music stars of the time knew each other and traveled around.  I liked the music – during the film.  Unlike “Ray,” I did not find myself wanting to listen to it afterwards, however.

Wall E

81

C

11/27/08

 

Wonderfully surprising story.  Disney takes the “Last Man on Earth” story from science fiction and produces a fun, beautiful film which builds in interest and drama.  Not just for kids, but certainly appropriate for everyone.

Wanted

58

A

04/31/09

James McAvoy

Angelina Jolie

Morgan Freeman

Why, in some venues, does over-the-top impossible-to-achieve action work OK (James Bond, Mission Impossible) and in others it doesn’t?  Perhaps it’s my expectations.  Or whether I care about the characters.  Anyway, cool action, but entirely unbelievable.  Characters were OK, but not engaging.  See once if you like action, and don’t mind swearing and blood.

Watchmen

79

A

3/13/09

07/27/09

 

I am impressed.  Dark, graphic, but not as tied to the comic images as I expected from the director of “300.”  I got into it.  But not for the faint of heart, or those wanting a typical hero story.  It’s not Dark Knight, but it’s not Fantastic Four either.

We Are Marshall

68

D

07/26/09

Matthew McConnaughey

Matthew Fox

More than a football movie; that’s true.  McConnaughey got a chance to play someone other than a charming eligible bachelor, and he pulled it off.  I was touched, and I’m glad I saw it.

West Side Story

68

M

02/07/09

Natalie Wood

Rita Moreno

Full of energy.  Some good music and a great performance by Moreno.  If I appreciated dance, I’d like this more, I think.

What Women Want

77

CR

07/07/01

Mel Gibson

Helen Hunt

He pulled it off -- transforming in a comic, yet convincing way.  And Hunt is terrific and sincere, as always.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

80

D

06/06/09

Johnny Depp

Leonardo DiCaprio

So glad we rented this!  Depp was perfect (again) as a young man trapped by his life.  DiCaprio was fantastic as Depp’s “challenged” brother.  I had no idea what would happen, yet when it did, it was perfect.

Where the Heart Is

75

D

08/11/02

Natalie Portman

Ashley Judd

Hey, this was good.  I really believed Portman's character, and she visibly grew through the story.  Great supporting cast.  OK, you could see where you wanted the story to go, and it finally got there, but there were twists and turns along the way.

Wild Hogs

69

C

10/30/07

Tim Allen

William H Macy

John Travolta

Martin Lawrence

I laughed.  I did.  I had low expectations, and I laughed.  It was a lighter take on “City Slickers” but with a similar theme.  Sometimes Travolta is good, sometimes bad.  In this movie, he was both, alternately.  I still recommend it for guys in their 40s-50s, and the women who know them.

Wizard of Oz (The)

95

M

09/14/08

Judy Garland

How do you rate a classic?

Now, after The Writer’s Journey and Wicked, I have even more appreciation for this film.

World Is Not Enough (The)

53

A

11/15/08

Pierce Brosnan

Sophie Marceau

Denise Richards

I think this is the weakest of the Brosnan Bond films.  Confusing story.  Sophie Marceau is a worthy Bond girl, but Denise Richards distracted with a meager performance.  At least “M” got involved, but it didn’t really matter.

X-Files: I want to Believe

38

SF

08/xx/09

 

Bummer.  Just a bad episode in movie format.  It answered one or two things about Mulder & Scully’s relationship, and that’s about it.

X-Men

90

A

12/26/00

11/10/07

Patrick Stewart

OK, Batman was darker, and more stylized.  But I can't say it was better.  Certainly this was more true to the characters.  It whets my appetite for more.  Oh, and I was wrong: Hugh Jackman and Wolverine were the center of the movie for good reason.

X-Men 2: X-Men United (aka X2)

90

A

2/16/08

Patrick Stewart

Hugh Jackman

Ian McKellen

Rebecca Romijn

Alan Cumming

What a fun, intense story!  We get Nightcrawler!  We give Phoenix a reason to arise.  We get some of Logan’s mysterious past, but not all of it.  And we see just how dangerous mutants can really be.  Loved it.

X-Men 3: The Last Stand

85

A

10/07/06

10/15/06

Patrick Stewart

Hugh Jackman

Ian McKellan

Excellent movie for traditional comic book story and action.  Characters sometimes acted out-of-character, though.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

88

A

05/07/09

Hugh Jackman

Liev Schreiber

Very fun, and since I didn’t know most of the story ahead of time, I got to be surprised.  “The best X-Men movie?”  Not quite.  But very good.

XXX

61

A

08/09/02

Vin Diesel

Samuel L Jackson

Sherry will disagree, but I thought the action and stunts were good enough, and the plot hung together well enough, to overlook some language and misogyny.