2003 Movies
OSCARS Won/Nominated
IMDB Top 250
IMDB Top 250
2 Fast 2 Furious
Dir: John Singleton Stars: Paul Walker, Tyrese, Eva Mendes, Ludacris Just like the first movie...this is just a well-crafted adrenaline rush. It is that simple. I actually enjoyed myself a bit more with this sequel, mostly because I don't miss Vin Diesel. I like the opening race, I like the finale conceit, and everything in the middle didn't quite insult me. I guess that is enough. B- |
28 Days Later...
Dir: Danny Boyle Stars: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Christopher Eccleston For the first time in a long time, a zombie movie was high art. Danny Boyle created a masterful exhibition of a viral outbreak that turns the infected into sprinting, terrifying maniacs...and it is almost unbearably exciting. The early scenes of an abandoned London are astonishing, and obviously the inspiration of early The Walking Dead episodes. When the infected start arriving...strap in for utter excitement. A- DVD |
Aileen Wuornos:
The Life & Death of a Serial Killer Dir: Nick Broomfield 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die In 1992, Nick Bloomfield made a documentary called Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, and that was a fascinating look into the abuse of justice and how so many people were trying to profit off of this deranged killer. He returns on the eve of Aileen's execution and delves a bit deeper into her past and really delves into the death penalty and obvious metal instability. It is incredibly effective and to the point that tears kept threatening to run. I believe in the death penalty, but this woman, monstrous as she is, was obviously detached from reality and it makes the entire thing so incredibly sad. Perfect documentaries like this are gems. A |
American Wedding
Dir: Jesse Dylan Stars: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott There was still a bit of life in this franchise. Jim and Michelle are going to get married...and they all face the hi-jinx one would expect. The ring, the dress, the bachelor party...it's all here and its perfectly fine. They kind of force the inclusion of Stifler this time around...but he is still the lifeblood of the series. Finch and Kevin might as well not exist, and Oz not being around is strange and never addressed...but I still had fun. B- |
Anger Management
Dir: Peter Segal Stars: Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholson First of all, this is too obvious. We love seeing Sandler and Nicholson act angry. So let's make a movie where they are angry. Also...is has the same problem as the film Couples Retreat...it manufactures a fake problem with the protagonist and forces them into the situation the movie needs them to be. I hate that. There are SOME laughs but its kind of unpleasant. C+ DVD |
Anything Else
Dir: Woody Allen Stars: Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Stockard Channing, Woody Allen If Woody Allen is not going to star in his own comedy, he has to get an actor that emulates his voice perfectly. Jason Biggs was a great choice. He plays a guy who is head-over-heels in love with a girl who is adorable, sexy, nearly perfect, but completely insane and neurotic to a point of incredulity. It provides a lot of comedy in almost frustrating ways. The smaller roles of Stockard Channing and Danny DeVito are so hysterical and it adds a lot to the movie's success. B DVD |
Bad Boys II
Dir: Michael Bay Stars: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence This is where Michael Bay lost his way...for the most part. Bad Boys was a good time, because Smith and Lawrence were a great combination and Michael Bay gave them some exciting action to go with the comedy. This time around...he went WAY too overboard. There is so much overblown action that my brain become completely saturated and I had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on. Bay didn't realize people liked the original because of the lead duo...not the things that go boom. D |
The Battle of Shaker Heights
Dir: Efram Potelle & Kyle Rankin Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Amy Smart This movie is all over the place. This is a "Project Greenlight" film so the screenplay won a contest in order to be produced. It's about an all-to-clever kid in love with his best friend's older sister...but none of these people act like real people. There is nesting doll obsessions, war battle re-eneactments, and all sorts of stuff that seem like too-clever for its own good and only there to make the screenplay stand out...not to be serviceable to the story. LaBeouf is still pretty entertaining though. C+ |
OSCARS
Best Original Score
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Big Fish
Dir: Tim Burton Stars: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman I love this movie. It takes the theme of a father who has told tall-tales to his son his entire life to the point where when the father is on his death-bed, the son doesn't know what is real and what is fantasy. It is the most emotionally mature movie that Tim Burton has ever done, and it is PERFECTLY suited to his style. When the gothic visuals appear on the screen as part of a story being spun...you know it is fantasy, with a bit of truth behind it...and it just makes your cinematic soul sing. It is such a clever use of Burton's strengths. A- DVD |
Boat Trip
Dir: Mort Nathan Stars: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Horatio Sanz, Roselyn Sanchez This movie thinks gay people are funny. They can be funny but being gay isn't what makes them funny. Also...people's negative reactions to gay people, in today's day and age, just feels bigoted and mean. So when two macho guys accidentally being booked on a gay cruise is played like the worst thing that could ever happen...it isn't easy to laugh. That all being said...there are certainly a FEW laughs to be had but the whole thing is just too mean-spirited and stupid. D+ DVD |
Bringing Down the House
Dir: Adam Shankman Stars: Steve Martin, Queen Latifah Look at the poster. That is about all you need to know what this movie is. Queen Latifah is a sassy black woman. Steve Martin is bothered by her. Some people thought that was enough for a comedy. If such talented people weren't involved...it could have been worse C |
Bruce Almighty
Dir: Tom Shadyac Stars: Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman This is one of the perfect vehicles for goofball Jim Carrey. He has been Ace Ventura, The Mask, a guy who can't lie...might as well give him godly powers. This is a lot of fun, and Morgan Freeman is perfect as the choice to play God...but I guess I miss a little bit of Black Comedy that could be had. The ability to kill or hurt would never be absent in someone given godlike abilities...or at least considered. Still...it is a barrel of laughs...from big to simple. B |
Bubba Ho-Tep
Dir: Don Coscarelli Stars: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis How good can a movie about Bruce Campbell as Elvis and Ossie Davis as JFK, both in a nursing home, and out to defend the Earth from an encroaching mummy spirit? About this good. It's so strange, it's so absurd, but i kind of dug it because of that strangeness and absurdity. B |
Bulletproof Monk
Dir: Paul Hunter Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott This movie is just so stupid, where a Tibetan Monk is out to train and mentor Stifler to protect an ancient scroll, or something. So freaking stupid. BUT...it IS Seann William Scott...and I like him. And it is Chow Yun-Fat...and he is certainly capable. And Jamie King is hot. So there is that. Eh...it's aight C |
Cabin Fever
Dir: Eli Roth Stars: Jordan Ladd Eli Roth didn't really come into his own until he did the Hostel movies...because the gross-out stuff is obviously there with this film, and he is creative (most notably the girl shaving her legs as the flesh sloughs off), but the paranoia and fear that comes from infection horror is all but lost. Still...your blood-lust will be satiated a bit. C DVD |
OSCARS
Best Documentary
|
Capturing the Friedmans
Dir: Andrew Jarecki This is a very disturbing, uncomfortable documentary...because you really don't know if you are supposed to be angry, horrified, sympathetic...or what. It is simultaneously its greatest asset and its obvious weakness. In our society...just being accused of sexual molestation/assault means you are guilty...since you must have been doing SOMETHING for even being accused. We watch a family be destroyed by such allegations without ever having the satisfaction of closure. It is certainly a unique approach but ultimately I was unsure what I was supposed to get out of it. B DVD |
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
Dir: McG Stars: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu McG and the girls are just out to enjoy themselves and have a good time instead of making a good movie. The three leads are great to look at and are funny enough, but McG's direction is so kinetic and chaotic, that it is nearly impossible to enjoy the action or even orient yourself to it. This is so overblown. The film definitely lives up to its "Full Throttle" moniker. I guess Bill Murray was right not to return as Bosley. C DVD |
OSCARS
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Cold Mountain
Dir: Anthony Minghella Stars: Nicole Kidman, Jude Law, Renee Zellweger For some reason, Anthony Minghella is a bit critic proof...because in this movie, he has created a gorgeous snoozefest...similar to his The English Patient. This story about a civil war soldier trying to return home is just a chore to get through...and if it weren't so well acted and so pretty...it would be excruciating. Not sure if Zellweger deserved her Oscar for this one...but she was good. Just nothing about this movie really worked for me. C |
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Dir: George Clooney Stars: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore This was a very confusing movie. I was excited about it because I love Sam Rockwell and the story about famous game-show host, Chuck Barris, and his claims that he worked for the CIA is a cool story. But this movie left me wanting so much more. There isn't enough movie about Chuck Barris the game-show host. There isn't enough movie about Chuck Barris the CIA agent. It just seems meandering and unfocused. This was an early George Clooney directorial effort and he has since done better....but Rockwell makes it worth your while...just barely C+ |
OSCARS
Best Supporting Actor
|
The Cooler
Dir: Wayne Kramer Stars: William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin This is a unique little movie where a poor schmuck is so unlucky, that a casino boss hires him to gamble on hot tables to stop people from winning. This could be played for goofy comedy...but this movie is smart enough to play it for tragedy with a few nuggets of comedy where appropriate. To watch Macy's sad-sack character do what he is good at, while accepting what bad luck he is, is really fun stuff. B |
The Core
Dir: Jon Amiel Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Stanley Tucci, Delroy Lindo, Richard Jenkins This movie is a ridiculous anomaly. I have no idea how they put together a cast like this with what is essentially a Z-grade 1950s sci-fi actioner. The star power is so big that it is obvious that they didn't save enough for the special effects...but there is an undeniable charm to this thing that I really can't get enough of. They even called the material that the subterranean ship is made of that can withstand astronomical pressures and temperatures "unobtanium". It is as if the movie is daring me not to like it. Well...it failed at that. Pun intended...I dug it. B DVD |
Cube 2: Hypercube
Dir: Andrzej Sekula I love me some Cube. The concept of a bunch of stranges effectively trapped inside a Rubik's Cube-style puzzle whereby making a mistake involving moving to the next cube results in an elaborate death, was fascinating. Putting that concept into an arena where all bets are off, and following quantum physics, anything can happen at all, loses a lot. I just liked the simple, rule-based puzzle of the original. When there are no rules, the fear and interest fall considerably. C- |
Daredevil
Dir: Mark Steven Johnson Stars: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell, Michael Clarke Duncan It's just one of those movies I have no business liking but I do. I like all four actors listed above and the action sequences are fine. I especially liked the ways they showed how Matt Murdock DOES see stuff through sound. It is really cool. This was certainly before Marvel really found their cinematic legs and started churning out MUCH better stuff...but I am fine with this one. Too bad the Elektra spinoff was utter and complete trash. B DVD |
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dir: Sam Weisman Stars: David Spade, Mary McCormack, Alyssa Milano After the phenomenal success of the incredibly stupid Joe Dirt, Hollywood was obviously anxious to put David Spade into another stupid persona. This character hires a foster family so he can live a childhood that he never had. It's so dumb. However, if you enjoy David Spade...it is ALMOST an acceptable vehicle for him C |
Down With Love
Dir: Peyton Reed Stars: Ewan MacGregor, Renee Zellweger, David Hyde Pierce, Sarah Paulson This is a fun movie. Its gorgeous to look at, and the actors seem to be having so much fun emulating the hammy 1950s screwball comedies to a point that falls just short of parody. The clever split-screen use, the jovial characters...it is just so pleasant and fun. I especially liked the sexual innuendo during a split-screen phone conversation. The movie is chock-full of those delights. B |
Dreamcatcher
Dir: Lawrence Kasdan Stars: Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Timothy Olyphant, Damien Lewis, Morgan Freeman, Donnie Wahlberg As a book, Dreamcatcher is a sorta sequel to It, with the kids all grown up and connected via telepathy. As a movie, it is a beautiful, moody, mess with blood-thristy aliens running around. Kasdan and this cast is a bit too good for the material so they almost make it watchable...but not quite C DVD |
Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
Dir: Troy Miller Stars: Eric Christian Olsen, Derek Richardson, Eugene Levy This was a losing proposition. Dumb and Dumber was lightning in a bottle that would fail 99 times out of 100. Trying to cash in on that idiocy, especially without Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, can't possibly work...and it doesn't. However, I can't pretend that a lot of the crap in this movie makes me chuckle. It is embarrassing, but I can't pretend it doesn't. C- |
Elf
Dir: Jon Favreau Stars: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel Will Ferrell's exuberance contrasted against James Caan playing James Caan provides for a LOT of laughs. Having a full-grown elf experience the cynicism of New York City is also funny...so as a comedy, it works. As a holiday experience, which it tries hard to portray, falls a bit flat. I like my Ferrell comedy a little darker and R rated...but it's fine. B- DVD |
Final Destination 2
Dir: David R. Ellis Stars: Ali Larter, Tony Todd The Rube Goldberg-eque nature of these movies make them a blast. This time around, the premonition involves a lumber truck losing control on a busy highway and killing everyone. Watching the story progress, with its only point to serve up more and more bodies in more elaborate ways, is exciting and unpredictable. I love this franchise. B DVD |
OSCARS
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Finding Nemo
Dir: Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich Voices: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres IMDB #166 Simply one of the most beautiful animated films ever made. The detail and vibrancy of the sea life in this film are just unprecedentedly perfect. Add into that the laughter, the cries, and the excitement as Marlon and Dory head across the sea to find little Nemo and you have one of the greatest treasures that Pixar ever pulled off. A DVD |
Freaky Friday
Dir: Mark Waters Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon Another body-swap comedy where a parent and their kid switch bodies. Jamie Lee Curtis is so good, it is as if she is like..."So, Lindsay...let me show you how a real comedienne does this!" She is infinitely better than Lohan and makes the movie work. But...we've seen it all before so it doesn't reinvent the wheel. B- |
Freddy Vs. Jason
Dir: Ronny Yu Stars: Robert Englund, Ken Kirzinger This movie is simply lip-service to fans of the horror icons. If you made a movie with James Bond facing off against Indiana Jones...it would be ridiculous fun...but after the novelty wore off, there would still have to be a serviceable story around to make it worth while. Well...in this instance...there is KIND of a reason to have Freddy and Jason fight each other, and there is some good gore and mayhem. You know what? I don't know what else I expected. It does what it sets out to do. B |
Ghosts of the Abyss
Dir: James Cameron James Cameron is such a good filmmaker, that it was a bit frustrating that he was using his time and talents simply expanding on the imagery he captured in the beginning of Titanic. That being said, this is gorgeous, haunting, great in 3D, but ultimately a rehash of what his 1997 opus gave us...even if it was fictionalized then. C+ |
OSCARS
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction Best Costume Design |
Girl With a Pearl Earring
Dir: Peter Webber Stars: Colin Firth, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Wilkinson This is a beautiful piece of cinema, putting a fictional romance and struggle surrounding a famous piece of art, a la Shakespeare in Love. Firth is great as Vermeer and Johansson was a peperfect choice to portray the famous girl in that world famous painting. Looks great, acted great, and just a wonderful experience. B+ |
Gothika
Dir: Mathieu Kassovitz Stars: Halle Berry, Penelope Cruz, Robert Downey Jr. A psychiatrist wakes up in the asylum where she worked with no memory as to why and how she wound up a patient. This is so generic, even with the stellar cast and beautiful presentation, that you will forget the movie a day after you see it. See Shutter Island instead...that one is made by Scorsese. C+ |
The Guru
Dir: Daisy Von Scherler Mayer Stars: Jimi Mistry, Marisa Tomei, Heather Graham Jimi Mistry was ok as a guy who uses his heritage and the gullibility of upper-class women to become a Love Guru. I just can't put my finger on the problem with this movie. Because the pieces are there but it just doesn't quite fit together. Everything wound up being shallow and pointless and forgettable. But it IS better than what Mike Meyers tried to do years later. C+ |
A Guy Thing
Dir: Chris Kotch Stars: Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, Selma Blair I don't know who this movie is for. There is no one to root for. And cheating on your wife is not "A Guy Thing", so it's a dumb title. Maybe it is for guys because it would be fun to sleep with Julia Stiles as a stripper...but that can't be it. But Jason Lee is always entertaining but this is a strange comedy. I could never decide if Lee deserved forgiveness or comeuppance. C |
The Haunted Mansion
Dir: Rob Minkoff Stars: Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp After the rousing success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney obviously set out to adapt their greatest theme park attractions. The Haunted Mansion is loved across the board...so throwing Eddie Murphy in a kid-friendly movie and trying to capture the ride's appeal and magic was ill-advised. It's not funny, it's not scary, and it's not fun. Except Terence Stamp...he is funny. Otherwise, I couldn't wait for it to end. D+ |
Head of State
Dir: Chris Rock Stars: Chris Rock, Bernie Mac There are dozens of common-man-becomes-president movies. This is at least about Chris Rock playing essentially Chris Rock, running for president, and the societal and personal impact that would have. Chris Rock lovers will get a kick out of this, but Bernie Mac completely steals the show at every turn...almost to the detriment of Rock. B- |
House of 1000 Corpses
Dir: Rob Zombie Stars: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, Chris Hardwick This was my first foray into Rob Zombie as a filmmaker. Even though the Firefly family is a bit cartoonish here...the movie is still scary, ridiculous, spooky, and exciting as it taps into the fear or roadside attractions and carney trash. However, the talent that Zombie has behind the camera is blatantly obvious because the film is grotesquely gorgeous in a way that no other horror movie has been in a long time. This set the stage for his masterpiece The Devil's Rejects and it pales in comparison...but it is still great stuff. B Bluray |
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Dir: Donald Petrie Stars: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey So a gossip columnist wants to set up a swinging bachelor to write something juicy for her magazine? You know EXACTLY how this is all going to turn out. Nothing surprises. But even with that...Hudson and McConaughey have good chemistry, there are some nice cute moments, and there is some clever comedy. So it barely gets a pass. C+ |
Hulk
Dir: Ang Lee Stars: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliot This was made well before Marvel set out to make their Cinematic Universe. Ang Lee is the wrong director for a well-established property like this because he is too unique and creative on his won. His attempts to use split-screens to mimic comic books falls flat, and his attempt to inject a bit of artistry into the proceedings make the entire film uneven and often times boring. NOT good for a Hulk movie. It was nice to get the origin story which the 2008 movie does not do...but it is a failure. C |
The Hunted
Dir: William Friedkin Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Benicio del Toro, Connie Nielsen This movie only had one thing going for it...because it is simply about a cop pursuing an assassin through the woods...so it doesn't do anything particularly interesting. What it had going for it was the action and how realistic it was. Most action films have characters that can withstand dozens of punches to the face and move along. These guys' punches have weight, do damage, and the characters move like humans in a way that makes the fighting scenes all the more exciting and believable. But that is about it C+ |
Identity
Dir: James Mangold Stars: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet I just don't know why this movie didn't click with me. The cast is stellar, the director is great, and it has that winning formula of having a group of stranded strangers being killed off and the explanation, when it comes, is off the wall. I just never got over that hump where I was really enjoying myself. I found myself trying to figure it out the entire time, instead of being engaged by the story or the characters, and when the reveal came...I was like, "eh, ok" C+ |
Intolerable Cruelty
Dir: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen Stars: George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Billy Bob Thornton It's amazing that a movie made by the Coen brothers, staring such huge A-listers, can be so predictable. So Jones plays a famous gold-digger with a new mark. Clooney plays a high-powered Beverly Hills divorce lawyer. Take a guess what happens. I guarantee you will be right. But, with this kind of hollywood royalty in the film...it still has its merits. C+ |
The Italian Job
Dir: F. Gary Gray Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Jason Statham Massive cast with a heist genre at the helm. These can be silly or exciting. This one is exciting. No one is breaking any molds here, and Edward Norton seems incredibly bored by his role as the main villain, but that car chase during the climax is, by itself, worth the price of admission. B DVD |
Kill Bill Volume 1
Dir: Quentin Tarantino Stars: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #170 It took me a few watches for me to get this film up to an A. When I first saw it, i thought it was just an action junkie's wet dream. After a few more viewings, I see how amazing the direction, how much old-fashioned style it has, and how superb Uma Thurman is as the bride. Every frame of this film is meticulously constructed and the way the story is told, overexaggerated and non-linearly, makes it high fantasy. A DVD |
OSCARS
Best Supporting Actor
Best Art Direction Best Costume Design Best Sound Mixing |
The Last Samurai
Dir: Edward Zwick Voices: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe If you don't like Tom Cruise, you aren't going to buy him as a Civil War veteran hired to train a Japanese army for the emperor. It is a pretty rich premise, and I like Cruise, so I fell for this movie. It helps that the incomparable Edward Zwick is at the helm, because he injects an atmosphere and authenticity to the film that it feels focused, beautiful, and epic. Many think Cruise swinging a samurai sword is ridiculous. This movie really proves it is not. B+ DVD |
Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Dir: Joe Dante Stars: Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, Steve Martin This is an odd one. Joe Dante is a fun filmmaker, but this film feels like it stars a couple of has-beens at a time when Looney Tunes were a bit irrelevant. Even so...it has the madcap, absurdist humor that Dante is famous for. Most of the greatest stuff comes from Steve Martin and the jokes that come out of the ACME headquarters. That has some laugh out loud moments. B- DVD |
OSCARS
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Dir: Peter Jackson Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #7 Complete and utter perfection to the point that i consider it one of the greatest cinematic experiences of all time. After the near-equal perfection of Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, to have the trilogy end with such a grandiose, epic conclusion is so satisfying. Many detractors will complain about the multitude of endings. I don't. That's because I never wanted it to end. I honestly think we may never see a fantasy epic so extraordinarily done again in our lifetime. A+ Bluray |
Lost in La Mancha
Dir: Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe Stars: Terry Gilliam, Jean Rochefort, Johnny Depp I actually don't think Terry Gilliam is a good director. He has an imagination like no other...but he fails time and time again in having any emotion in his films or even a particularly interesting story. So this documentary about Gilliam failing to bring his story about Don Quixote to the screen is actually a bit dull...because of COURSE he failed. He takes everything and everyone for granted. Wants outlandish sets, costumes, and visuals for almost no reason, and laughs at the prospect that he has half of the money he needs to make the movie. As his production crashes and burns and all of the professionals around him watch how poorly Gilliam manages the ship...I couldn't help but feel a bit of satisfaction to see him fail. But it wasn't really produced with any flair, so it was dull to see it all collapse. C+ |
OSCARS
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Lost in Translation
Dir: Sofia Coppola Stars: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die This is the first drama that I have really embraced with the great Bill Murray...even though he is essentially playing Bill Murray, a comic in the twilight of his relevance and disenfranchised by his own career. To watch this friendship between Murray and Johansson blossom is so touching, funny, and believable as two lost souls finding a bit of refuge in each other in a sea of foreigners. Not knowing what that whisper is is a masterstroke as well. Delicate and powerful. A- DVD |
Love Actually
Dir: Richard Curtis Stars: Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley This is a romatic comedy that is so insanely likable, it is almost irritating. This started a deluge of romatic comedies surrounding a holiday starring everyone under the sun...but none of them can hold a torch to this. Each actor in this film, in their little vignette, show just how great they are. Hugh Grant is perfect as the Prime Minister, all the way down to Rowan Atkinson's single scene as a retailer. I watch this every Christmas and it never, ever gets old. It runs the gambit from goofy, to tragic, to heartwarming, to saccharine sweet. A- DVD |
OSCARS
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Master & Commander:
The Far Side of the World Dir: Peter Weir Stars: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany An astonishingly well-done movie. This is the movie that Russell Crowe should have won his Oscar for, and in another year where it wasn't against the Return of the King behemoth, it probably would have swept almost all of its nominations. Peter Weir really is a master director, finding excitement and passion on a single ship filled with interchangeable men and make the audience fear a ship on the horizon with no human face attached to it. It is simply incredible art A DVD |
Matchstick Men
Dir: Ridley Scott Stars: Nicholas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman It's so nice seeing Ridley Scott make a much smaller movie then we are used to from him and pretty much hit it out of the park Somehow he made a movie about con-men and perfectly unleashed a twist that NO ONE saw coming but was so obvious Nicholas Cage is a crazy person, so he is pretty perfect as a con-man with too much nervous energy. B+ DVD |
The Matrix Reloaded
Dir: The Wachowskis Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving The Matrix is a perfect sci-fi film, so perfectly exhibiting hard solipsism and using mind-boggling special effects to do it. Its sequel, is also grandiose entertainment of the best kind...even if its philosophical ramblings get to be a bit too much. The action and the visuals are worth every penny. The multiple Agent Smith fight and the freeway sequence are some of the best stuff the franchise has to offer. Not having any technical Oscar noms is a travesty. It left us wanting more...and then Revolutions came out. A- DVD |
Matrix Revolutions
Dir: The Wachowskis Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving And then the Wachowskis lost their grip on their wonderful franchise and nearly destroyed the entire thing. After such glorious setup, the 3rd film devolves into an endless-bullet action sequence and a gravity/logic defying Neo/Agent Smith face-off. And that's about it. Gone is the mystique, the fun, and everything we loved in the other films. It is dark, lifeless, and almost bored with itself. This was one of the biggest disappointments of all time when it comes to build up and payoff. C |
OSCARS
Best Actress
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Monster
Dir: Patty Jenkins Stars: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern This is one of those rare films where it earns an "A" simply on the strength of the performance. Charlize Theron is so transformative and amazing that it makes this one of my favorite movies. There is nothing too extravagant with the story. Ricci isn't great, but every single second that Theron is channeling Aileen Wuornos is some of the greatest acting you will EVER see. Its sad, frightening, and funny...almost always at the same time...and that's an amazing accomplishment. A DVD |
OSCARS
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Mystic River
Dir: Clint Eastwood Stars: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laura Linney, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurence Fishburne It started here for me, where I really recognized how serious, poignant, and artistic Clint Eastwood could be as a director. He keeps a tragically sad story exciting, tense, and interesting...while pulling outstanding performances from each and every actor on screen. A- DVD |
Oldboy
Dir: Chan-Wook Park 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #68 I get the chills when I think about this movie. Say what you will about movies like Hostel & Saw and how they portray torture. For my money, this masterpiece exhibits the most excruciating torture I have ever seen in cinema, albeit psychological torture. To see what Dae-Su is put through and how his desparation and need for glimpses of life, feeling, and happiness drive him even one step forward. It is almost unbearable...and that makes it brilliant. A DVD |
Old School
Dir: Todd Phillips Stars: Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell Todd Phillips has his own niche with these kind of masculine comedies. They have an odd, unpleasant, mean-spirited feel to it...but there is usually something great in it that the film can hang its hat on. Will Ferrell as Frank the Tank is pretty much this entire film...because Wilson and Vaughn's characters are pretty unlikable. Even so...there are some classic laughs to be had here. B DVD |
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Dir: Robert Rodriguez Stars: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Johnny Depp When Robert Rodriguez gets to make good, serious, action...he is pretty impressive. I feel like he is usually making movies with an odd gimmick, but this one is straightforward and solid. I never saw El Mariachi & Desperado, but this was exciting enough as a stand-alone. Most of its success comes from Rodriguez's fun direction, but Depp as the villain is fantastic as well. B |
Open Range
Dir: Kevin Costner Stars: Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall, Annette Bening Costner obviously loves this genre. His western looks good, sounds good, and the acting is pretty top notch, but this film is almost completely forgettable. Man picks up arms to defend his land from an evil land baron. It is a plot like a thousand other westerns, and maybe that is the point...but it certainly does not stand out. B |
The Order
Dir: Brian Helgeland Stars: Heath Ledger When you look back on Heath Ledger's career, you see some incredible performances in incredible movies as well as fun performances in fun movies. And then there is this dud. How on earth did he get stuck in this run-of-the-mill religious horror movie? Don't bother unless you are a Ledger completionist...but prepare to be disappointed. D+ |
Paycheck
Dir: John Woo Stars: Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman, Aaron Eckhart I may be one of the only people around who actually like this movie, probably because of my predisposition of liking gimmicky time-travel movies and the fact that I don't hate Ben Affleck the way others do. To watch Affleck go through his seemingly worthless envelope of random crap to assist his investigation of what happened to him holds my interest. I feel affection for this film like I do with The Core. It's absurd and could have been done so much better...but it has a simple, silly charm to it. Maybe it is Aaron Eckhart? B- DVD |
Phone Booth
Dir: Joel Schumacher Stars: Colin Farrell, Keifer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker See? There is still hope for Joel Schumacher. After he made such strange Batman monstrosities, he can pull out a little gem like this, where an entire film takes place at a phone booth where the voice on the other end of the line is a sniper with the booth in his cross-hairs. It is exciting and compact. To handle such limited storytelling takes talent and Schumacher shows he has it. B |
OSCARS
Best Actor
Best Makeup Best Sound Editing Best Sound Mixing Best Visual Effects |
Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Curse of the Black Pearl Dir: Gore Verbinski Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush This is timeless perfection. Making a film based on a beloved Disney ride seemed like a strange idea, but the result is amazing. Johnny Depp created a character in Captain Jack Sparrow that is one of the greatest and most wonderfully realized cinematic characters of all time. The swashbuckling, the supernatural essences, the romance, the comedy...every single aspect fires on all cylinders and makes a movie that is near impossible to dislike. A DVD |
The Recruit
Dir: Roger Donaldson Stars: Colin Farrell, Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan I'm not really sure why I like this movie like I do...but it is probably because I like Colin Farrell. This story about a CIA recruit falling down the rabbit hole of Black Ops is pretty fun. Pacino is in full, charicature HOOAHH mode, but his intensity somehow works. B DVD |
The Room
Dir: Tommy Wiseau Stars: Tommy Wiseau, Greg Sestero In no universe can this thing be anything but an "F" rated movie. But it may be a piece of brilliant expressionism or a piece of post-modern art. It is so aggressively amateur and terrible that it almost elevates itself toward fascination. The story is a simple love-triangle, but it is performed as if an alien race were trying to emulate humans by simply guessing how they would talk, act, and have sex. This is one of the strangest cinematic experiences I have ever had, in a good way, and I understand why this film has become the cult phenomenon it is. F |
Runaway Jury
Dir: Gary Fleder Stars: John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman This is just an actors exhibition. The jury/justice manipulation story is familiar John Grisham stuff...but to watch the giants of Hackman and Hoffman go head to head as litigators across the aisle from each other is a pleasure. Weisz is solid as well, but Cusack seems a bit bored by the actors' exercise...maybe because he can't keep up. B- |
The Rundown
Dir: Peter Berg Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Rosario Dawson, Christopher Walken This movie was before The Rock became the star he was to become, it was the start of Christopher Walken doing nothing but parodying himself, and it was before Seann William Scott slipped into near-obscurity. Luckily, with Peter Berg at the helm, he still provides a pretty fun adventure...even if it is disjointed and unbelievable. B- DVD |
Scary Movie 3
Dir: David Zucker Stars: Anna Faris, Charlie Sheen, Simon Rex, Leslie Nielsen The Wayans brothers stepped away from the franchise, handed the riegns to David Zucker, who has proven his abilities in Spoof cinema impeccably, and does exactly what we wanted him to do. This time around, The Ring & Signs are the focus of the spoof, and they are RIPE with comedy. Anna Faris proved herself and adding Sheen was just genius. B DVD |
School of Rock
Dir: Richard Linklater Stars: Jack Black I love this film. Jack Black can rub people the wrong way sometimes, and he rubs even me the wrong way on occasion, but as this enthusiastic music-lover who tries to inject said enthusiasm to a group of prep-school kids...he has never been better. Linklater brings us such a sweet, funny, and realistic story with a lovable goofball in the forefront. B+ DVD |
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Adapted Screenplay Best Editing Best Cinematography Best Art Direction Best Costume Design Best Sound Mixing |
Seabiscuit
Dir: Gary Ross Stars: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Cooper This is just about everything you would want and expect from an oscar-worthy historical drama. Seabiscuit is a legend in the sporting world, so a "biopic" about the horse and his handlers was inevitable. Gary Ross can make great films, and this is a solid entry into his filmography. it is stylistic, exciting, gorgeous to look at, and tells the story clearly. Solid all around. B+ |
The Singing Detective
Dir: Keith Gordon Stars: Robert Downey, Jr., Robin Wright, Mel Gibson This is an incredibly, unforcused, random, oddly failed experiment of a film. When RDJ entered the Marvel movies, he really exploded as a movie star. He has some charisma here, as a skin condition, hospital-bed-ridden, imagining musical numbers writer. But everything just seems so unimportant and disjointed. It is hard to sympathize or care about delusions. C- |
OSCARS
Best Actress
|
Something's Gotta Give
Dir: Nancy Meyers Stars: Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves All these romantic comedies that Jack Nicholson does, all the way back to Terms of Endearment, all feel the same to me. That is not to say that they aren't charming, but they all blend together and are unoriginal. Diane Keaton is as good as ever and that goes a long way in making the movie work. B- |
OSCARS
Best Documentary
|
Spellbound
Dir: Jeffrey Blitz I have seen documentaries about a LOT of different subjects, many of them about contests or tests that I have virtually no interest in attempting myself. That is why I was so disappointed about how bland, uninspired, and uncreative this documentary was about a bunch of youngsters attempting to enter the National Spelling Bee. There seemed to be no emotion behindthese stories....it was like it was just listing kids and showing them spelling. Nothing to it. C |
Stuck On You
Dir: The Farrelly Brothers Stars: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear This movie is so stupid, so ridiculous, and so outrageous, that only the Farrelly brothers could have possibly made it work as well as it does. I am a big fan of this movie, even though the conflict in the film is NOTHING anyone could sympathize with...but I could not stop laughing. When Kinnear is trying to act with Damon hiding behind bushes and hyperventilating...I was like...how is this a movie? Any why do I love it? Cher and Meryl Streep playing themselves are masterstrokes as well. B DVD |
S.W.A.T.
Dir: Clark Johnson Stars: Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J The only thing that makes this movie acceptable is the cast. The story where a drug kingpin is offering a reward to anyone that can break him out of jail is a huge who cares...but the 4 stars are such badasses, that you really are interested in following them through their badassdom. C+ |
Tears of the Sun
Dir: Antoine Fuqua Stars: Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci Antoine Fuqua is always a solid action director, but sometimes, Bruce Willis seems to be phoning it in. That dichotomy is in effect with this film about a Special-Ops commander sent into the Nigerian jungle to save a doctor, and the refugees she insists on bringing with her. It is exciting and well done...but again...Willis' heart just didn't seem to be in it. If he dived into his role...this would have been fantastic. B- |
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Dir: Jonathan Mostow Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kristana Loken, Claire Danes, Nick Stahl To follow-up the masterpiece that is Terminator 2: Judgement Day is an impossible task. How do you improve on that? Well...These filmmakers gave it the old college try. There is solid action, humor, effects, and the new villain as the female is pretty sweet. It effectively expands the Terminator universe and gave us a good popcorn flick. Too bad the franchise went completely off the rails in the following years. B DVD |
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Dir: Marcus Nispel Stars: Jessica Biel, R. Lee Ermy, Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen, Eric Balfour There was an incredibly icky feeling behind this movie. Since it is a remake of one of the most famous slasher flicks of all time...we all know that a bunch of college kids are going to be chased down and picked off by Leatherface. Also, There is a lot of style in the direction...so that wasn't the problem. But the entire lack of any story or plot and the familiarity made the movie so unpleasant...as if the filmmakers had contempt for their audience. It isn't so much that they were out to scare...but they were out to disturb...and it just made everything just an ugly, unwelcome experience. D+ DVD |
OSCARS
Best Supporting Actress
|
Thirteen
Dir: Catherine Hardwicke Stars: Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, Holly Hunter In a movie that dares you to be titillated by it when you are younger and be disturbed by it more and more as you mature, this movie is incredibly effective. To watch these young girls explore their sexuality to the point that they simultaneously think it is their only worth and their greatest power, is really eye opening. B+ DVD |
Timeline
Dir: Richard Donner Stars: Paul Walker, Gerard Butler I love me some Michael Crichton adaptations, and with Richard Donner at the helm, we have here a pretty exciting, well-polished, period-action film. Paul Walker can't quite carry the film, and Gerard Butler is unfortunately in the background, as he is a much better action star, but the fish-out-of water story of 21st century scientists in the 14th century France is a rollick. B- DVD |
Underworld
Dir: Len Wiseman Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen Vampires Vs. Werewolves is a cliche...but when Len Wiseman came around with the Underworld franchise, he injected so much style to outweigh the lack of substance that it made quite a gorgeous, exciting film. Kate Beckinsale is an S&M lover's dream as Selene...astonishingly sexy while being kick-ass and otherworldly, and the supporting cast brings enough gravitas to the proceedings to make it seem as this is not all absurd. B DVD |
Willard
Dir: Glen Morgan Stars: Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey So Crispin Glover is a goth introvert that has an odd, psychic connection with rats and sics them on people. Ya got that? That's the movie. Glover is creepy as hell but the movie is dumb at the same time. There is a bit of thrills here but its weird that this movie was even made. C+ |
X2: X-Men United
Dir: Bryan Singer Stars: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan This is head and shoulders above all the rest of the X-Men movies, a franchise that I really admire. There are so many different mutants, all given their own chance to shine, with the hero/villain dynamic so perfectly blurred...I love this movie. It is epic in a way none of the other X-Men outings are...where the stakes for mutants are bigger than ever, and that weight is felt the entire film. Wonderful comic-book movies that is seldom equaled. A- DVD |