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Taking Lives Julie Gephart   Actual theater in Woodinville   19 March 2004 A respectable entry if you enjoy the crime thrillers, but I was just in it for a good Angelina fix.

Talk to Her Steve Gadd   DVD   25 June 2003 Pedro Almodóvar makes the story work despite having the two female leads in a coma for most of the duration. Original, well-crafted, but not magnificent.

Tapeheads Steven Krise   Sundance Channel   14 March 2006 Movie, Comedy (1988) John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Doug McClure. Security guards go into the music-video business and catch a presidential candidate in action on tape. AC, AL, N, V, CC, Premiere.

Tattooed Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   26 September 2006 A brooding but ultimately optimistic Argentine film about a teenage boy determined to find out the truth about his mother who left him and his father when he was three. Setless, scoreless and shot mostly hand-held, a sparse but poignant meditation on growing up, mutual acceptance and closure. Recommended if you can find it.

Team America: World Police Kristin Schrock   AMC Theatres: Newport on the Levee   09 October 2004 Not as fully realized as the South Park movie, but still a very funny spoof of blockbusters. As you might expect, it's incredibly crude in places but very funny. Also, marionettes!

Terminal Steve Gadd   DVD   04 December 2004 Another one man show for Tom Hanks, this one with minor characters more interesting than a volleyball.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Steven Krise   R/C Theater in Frederick   05 July 2003 In a number of ways this is a re-make of T2, however, it's better than T2 every could hope to be. We finally get to see the all important moment when Skynet becomes self-aware. Also, given the advances in computer technology in the 15 years since the first Terminator, there's now a plausible mechanism for Skynet's awakening.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Kristin Schrock   DVD at my Brother's House with no pumpkin pie   29 November 2003 This movie worked hard to explain why there's a third movie when "judgment day" was stopped in T2. Except we all knew there had to be a war against the machines, otherwise there can be no John Conner--his father's from the future. Competent enough, but I did miss bad a** Linda Hamilton.

Thank You For Smoking Steve Gadd   Delta 73   24 September 2006 Pretty passable comedy, at least by the standards of inflight entertainment.

That Touch of Mink Julie Gephart   Basic cable   16 January 2004 I’ve tended to enjoy the old time romantic comedies much more than the modern ones, but this one was stupid and offensive from start to finish. It was so bad that it might as well have starred Jennifer Aniston. For those keeping track, I still can't stand Cary Grant.

The 6th Day Julie Gephart   Mysteriously Free HBO   08 March 2003 I love a good futuristic action movie, and I love Arnold Schwarzenegger no matter how old he gets. This movie was set in a near-future where cloning of humans was possible but banned under the "6th Day law" (from God creating man on the 6th day). They came down heavily on the side of cloning being evil, but they didn't do a very good job making their point since I was left going, "Cloning! Wow, that will be great!"

The Affair of the Necklace A Bennett   Hollywood Video VHS   05 April 2003 This movie tastes like foot. Kudos to cast and script--director as well--for garnering my utter A*M*A*Z*E*M*E*N*T that THREE Oscar-winners (Hilary Swank, Christopher Walken, Adrian Brody) could appear in such an OUTRAGEOUSLY ill-made film. And, a curse upon all their houses for dragging Simon Baker (TV's The Guardian)--possibly the best actor on ALL television--down with them. UNFORGIVEABLE. I think, quite frankly, that they all should have to pay me some sort of reparations or wer-geld for sitting through this abysmal feature film that proves one thing only: bad movies are better when Kristin is at home to sit and make fun of them with me.

The African Queen Julie Gephart   Basic cable   08 July 2003 Eh. An Oscar for this? I don’t get it. And I don’t remember Humphrey Bogart being quite this blatantly ugly before.

The Ambassador's Daughter Kristin Schrock   Turner Classic Movies   03 October 2004 Olivia De Haviland stars as the titular daughter in France. She sets out to prove to her father and a visiting Senator that American Soldiers behave respectably while on R&R. There's a wager, some wacky misunderstandings, and a pleasantly grumpy and charming John Forsythe. Thank you, Turner Classic Movies!

The Animation Show Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   06 September 2003 Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeld's latest collection of animated shorts from around the world is once again a success. A little heavy on Hertzfeld's own work, which wears thin rather quickly, but on balance, a thoroughly enjoyable way to kill an hour and a half.

The Animation Show: Volume One Jaqi Ross   Hollywood video rental   19 August 2004 An international collection of the "world's best animated short films", programmed by co-producers Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt. The lineup includes several international Academy Award nominees, rare material from Disney, never before seen animation from Hertzfeldt and Judge, and many other surprises, among them the fact that it's not such a great collection.

The Animatrix A Bennett   Hollywood Video DVD   08 June 2003 Series of nine anime shorts based on various aspects of the Matrix film(s) and concept. Varying in quality and my own level of interest in what they chose, individually, to address. As I was expecting more from it, a disappointment. Expected level of enjoyment: Viewing Logan’s Run. Actual level of enjoyment: Watching friend play newest Tomb Raider. (Aside: Explosions will never replace compelling storyline for me--even less so when the explosions and what they are exploding are animated.)

The Battle of Algiers Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   18 January 2004 A rarely screened, justly famous and controversial film about the brutal tactics of terrorists during Algeria's fight for independence in the 1950s and their equally brutal suppression by the French government. Very well made and painfully relevant today both to the war in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Battle of Algiers Steve Gadd   DVD   21 February 2005 A celebrated documentaty shot on location, telling the story of the uprising leading to Algerian independence from France.

The Beastmaster Julie Gephart   Mysteriously free HBO   12 January 2003 Marc Singer is an ugly weasel of a man, but I'll give him props for a fine physique back in 1982. I really need someone to pre-watch movies for me and slap "Animal Death" warning stickers on them so I can at least prepare for the trauma. Oh, and Tanya Roberts? How on earth is she STILL working? Surely there must be some other giant-bosomed woman out there who can deliver lines like she's not in a high school play.

The Bells of St. Mary’s Julie Gephart   Basic cable   28 May 2004 If you are a woman and it turns out that you have tuberculosis that can be cured by resting in a dry climate, it is apparently quite acceptable for your doctor to look you in the eye and proclaim you to be in perfect health. Then your doctor will tell your boss about your condition, at which point you will be mysteriously transferred away from the job you love into a boring desk job in Arizona, and nobody will tell you why, because after all, they don’t want you to get “down hearted.”

The Big Bounce Kristin Schrock   DVD   02 October 2004 Oh, Owen Wilson. You disappoint me. I think we might have to break-up now.

The Big Lebowski Tony Pisarenkov   DVD chez G&N   23 August 2008 Initially, had its moments but didn't do much for me as a whole, until I realized that (a) I am simply not in the mood for comedies these days and (b) it got a lot more creative and funnier once I thought about it a bit and discussed it with others.

The Big Sleep (1946) A Bennett   Hollywood Rental VHS   04 April 2003 Tonya took the Big Sleep less than half an hour into this classic B&W film--and I'm not talking about the dirt nap to which Chandler's title refers. This film includes a script credited to William Faulker, and a scene in which Humphrey Bogart sweats copiously through his shirt whilst drinking straight gin. How's that for tough? But don't ask me to explain the plot, or decipher the "gangster-speak" dialogue. According to the tape case, the film centers around the shocking underworld of pornography. Um, when, exactly, were we supposed to catch that?

The Birdcage Steve Gadd   DVD   08 May 2005 Maybe not quite as funny the second time because of inflated memories of how funny it was the first time.

The Bishop's Wife A Bennett   Taped from television - B&W   23 December 2002 (1947) I don't know what it is about this movie. It's not a bad movie, but something holds it back from being a great movie. I've never been able to put my finger on it, but this time I may have puzzled it out: I don't think Cary Grant is in all his scenes. I think many times he was doubled. Why, I don't know. Maybe he was sick, maybe in his contract he had to work on every third day of production. Anyway, check out Ernie and Zuzu from "It's a Wonderful Life," and David Niven, who is more snippish than one would think most bishops would be to an angel. And that's always fun.

The Bone Collector Jeff Gadd   Video   28 October 2002 One of my favorite movies to watch. Two great actors Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. A killer is leaving clues for rookie cop (A.J.) and a top homicide cop(D.W.) who had a tragic accident leaves him in a wheelchair, have to teamup and find this mad killer.The killer knows they might find him,but that those not stop him.A very incredible movie to watch,but not for the weak of heart.This is a Jeffery Deaver story.

The Bourne Identity Steve Gadd   University Mall Theaters   02 September 2002 Nice adaptation of the Robert Ludlum series, even if it's not very faithful. The frenetic car chases through narrow European streets with tiny European cars was second only to those in "Ronin."

The Bourne Identity Kristin Schrock   50 cent Theatre (the Best thing about Columbus)   18 November 2002 I'm not a fan of Matt Damon, but I thoroughly enjoyed this spy caper. The story took itself seriously, and it therefore had some nice emotional heft. Good fights, too (with no quips thankfully). And it was nice to see Run Lola Run, Clive Owen, and Chris Cooper acquit themselves remarkably. Well worth the fifty cents.

The Bourne Identity Mike Gadd   dvd at home   23 July 2003 If someone had just told me that this movie has almost nothing to do with the book I would have seen it sooner. I had heard from enough people how good it was but none of them had read the book. I also remember how disappointed I was with the tv movie. Richard Chaimberlain is no Jason Bourne. Matt Damon... much better. He nailed the "I'm beating you up, but I don't know how or why I'm doing it" look on his face. The story was fine and I was only mildly distracted looking for Carlos the Jackel to come jumping out from behind a tree. The laser pointer bank code was a nice upgrade from the microfilm in the hip.

The Bourne Identity (2002) A Bennett   Hollywood Video   06 June 2003 To me, Matt Damon is like broccoli. I don’t like it, but if it stays out of my way I mostly don’t mind its actual existence. That said, this film was not unpleasant to watch, albeit forgettable on the whole. Written before Total Recall, The Long Kiss Goodnight, the Alias finale (though probably not before Spellbound), its subject matter of hysterical amnesia is always going to prove a compelling twist (as the Lifetime Channel attempts to illustrate for us again and again) to any storyline--and even more so to a story with espionage-ish run-for-your-life ties. Proficient characters are always good to watch, Damon’s many accents and languages seemed well-done and none of them inspired me to snicker at him behind my hand. Also, this film understood something essential about the stalking bad guy: the less he speaks the scarier he is. Viewing this really made me want to re-watch the Jacklyn Smith/Richard Chamberlain version from my youth, for which I still harbor pleasant memories.

The Bourne Supremacy A Bennett   Milford Giant Cineplex   16 September 2004 I still don’t know what the ‘Supremacy’ part of the title means, unless it’s that Bourne is the best of the Treadstone Project (?) A good time, though, and when I thought the script might sell-out the Bourne character and have him cry for some forgiveness in the final act, I found myself pleased to learn the contrary was fact. Two Xena/LoTR alumni (Karl Urban, Martin Csokas) make this a must-see, despite the ever-uglier carcass of Matt Damon decorating the playbill.

The Bourne Supremacy Steve Gadd   DVD   08 December 2004 A good follow-up, with good car chases and music. Not much resemblance to the books (Carlos?). And one glaring goof, from imdb: Errors in geography: When Bourne visits his ex-colleague in Berlin, the bird singing in the background is an American thrush, probably a Wood Thrush.

The Brothers Grimm Kristin Schrock   DVD   12 February 2006 Something went terribly wrong with this movie. It has weird tonal shifts, uneven pacing, and bad CGI. Interesting premise executed poorly.

The Butcher's Wife Julie Gephart   Basic cable   28 February 2004 Demi Moore plays a folksy blonde clairvoyant with a southern accent. Really it takes the whole movie just to try to get over that much.

The Butterfly Effect Steve Gadd   DVD   27 July 2005 This was another Yahoo recommendation. The "go back in time to fix a problem and create more problems" idea is rich but not particularly original, and this movie handles it just well enough to be engaging.

The Cassandra Crossing Julie Gephart   Basic cable   16 November 2003 The plague! The plague! On a train! A train! Bridge out! Legs! Sex! Suspense! Ah, the 70’s.

The Cat From Outer Space Julie Gephart   Basic cable   28 February 2004 Listen, it was a movie starring a cat, and I’m not ashamed. The cat was an alien who could communicate telepathically, but still, it was a really cute little cat.

The Cat's Meow A Bennett   Hollywood Video Rental   01 September 2002 Let me save you some time: Charlie Chaplin was a good-hearted cad, and William Randolph Hearst a jealous, unstable man. For the same characters, but more fun, rent RKO 281 (about the making of Citizen Kane) with the excellent Liev Schreiber as Orson Welles and enjoy yourself.

The Cat's Meow Kristin Schrock   VHS   04 September 2002 As you probably already guessed, Alicia and I tend to watch the same movies. I enjoyed this one a little more than she did. About a bunch of Hollywood rich people out on a boat, it's a mystery that's not really a mystery, with characters that have their own motivations. Wonderful performances by Eddie Izzard, Edward Herman, Kirsten Dunst, and Cary Elwes.

The China Syndrome (1979) Kristin Schrock   Turner Classic Movies (31 days of Oscar)   12 February 2005 This tight thriller has aged incredibly well--could it be that the failure of technology, corporate negligence towards safety, and the failure of government oversight in response to corporate pressure are timeless? Also, this movie reminded of a time when Michael Douglas was an ACTOR and not just some creepy old guy.

The Chronicles of Riddick Mike Gadd   Matinsburg Regal   25 June 2004 Visually full, but difficult to follow. I can't say I cared too much about the characters either. It helps if you're into things like Nuromongers and the underverse.

The City of Lost Children Tony Pisarenkov   DVD chez G&N, Ann Arbor, MI   03 October 2005 Jenet and Caro are in top form with their grotesque hijinx, although it's not quite as twisted as Delicatessen. The sets alone make it worth seeing, to say nothing of Jean-Louis Tritignant starring as a brain in an aquarium.

The Conformist Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   13 September 2006 It's a travesty that Bertolucci's far inferior Last Tango in Paris is a cult classic while this film is unavailable and incredibly difficult to see despite having a better story (hell, having a story), better characters and equally brilliant cinematography.

The Cooler Kristin Schrock   Esquire Theatre   07 February 2004 The Oaf (a.k.a Joey Fatone of 'nsync) makes his third movie appearance. This time he appears as a lounge singer in a sparkly suit in a Vegas Hotel. This movie also feature some William H. Macy nudity, which frankly I can't be in favor of. Despite that, a rather enjoyable Vegas movie which really wants to be about the passing of the old-school Vegas era.

The Cooler Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   01 August 2005 Offensively ridiculous story starring William H. Macy as a loser whose luck takes a turn for the better, unfortunately. Also has that dude from Office Space.

The Corpse Vanishes Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   31 October 2008 Do you mean to tell me that this Dr. Lorenz is both a hypnotist and a horticulturalist?!

The Crossing Guard Steve Gadd   DVD at home   20 October 2002 Jack Nicholson waits six years for his daughter's DWI killer to be released from jail so he can finally kill him. Unfortunately, he forgets to put bullets in his gun and blows his big chance. So he tells the guilt-ridden killer he will come back for him in three days. Implausible plot, unbelievable and undeveloped characters, and a corny finale broadcast in advance. Not even Jack can rescue this weak Sean Penn effort.

The Crow Julie Gephart   Basic cable   23 June 2003 I always had this movie filed in the back of my mind as one I would enjoy, so I'm sorry to report that I did not. Something about Brandon Lee just never quite fit into the role for me, and I think it may have centered around his high, cheerful voice coming out of the body of the scary goth clown. The best thing about this movie is that it reminded me of how much I used to love hot dogs smothered in mustard and onions, although the movie cop also unfortunately added ketchup to his.

The DaVinci Code Natalie Williams   DVD at home   05 February 2007 I love the subject, and the movie was ok... kind of hard to do justice to the book. The extras were great tho!

The Day After Tomorrow Kristin Schrock   Showcase Cinemas--Kings Island   29 May 2004 Perry King, of Riptide, is the President, Nestor Serranto is a scientist, and Jake Gyllenhall is 17 year old son of Dennis Quaid. Those are the least unbelievable aspects of this movie. Also, these characters may possibly be the CALMEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, taking the new ice age in stride. Nope, no reason to panic here.

The Day After Tomorrow Julie Gephart   Actual theater in Woodinville   06 June 2004 The visuals made up for the lame writing.

The Day After Tomorrow Mike Gadd   DVD rental   30 October 2004 Not near as bad as I thought it would be. I was expecting 'Volcano' and got something a little better. It might be a better movie with the sound turned off.

The Day the Earth Stood Still Julie Gephart   Basic cable   25 April 2004 "Klaatu and his guardian robot, Gort, come from afar to warn Earth about nuclear war." Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a serious movie that was awarded 4 stars and was apparently a sci-fi classic. Of course, we no longer have to worry about such a threat, since we've now abandoned nuclear weapons in favor of nucular weapons.

The Decalogue, parts 1-3 Steve Gadd   DVD   03 March 2005 Krzysztof Kieslowski, celebrated for his "Three Colors" trilogy, in 1989 created a ten-part series for Polish television based on the Ten Commandments. Each episode is an hourlong drama involving the residents of a rather dismal apartment building in Warsaw. The commandments themselves are never mentioned, but the very human stories have a Slavic sensibility reminiscent of the great Russian writers.

The Departed Steve Gadd   Fairfax Towne Center   08 December 2006 A festival of capping.

The Descent Steven Krise   The Regal Super Happy MegaPlex 16   20 August 2006 Women battle "demons" underground. or Monsters in a cave.

The Devil and Miss Jones (1941 B&W) A Bennett   Hollywood Video Rental VHS   19 January 2003 Billed on the box as a comedy, I was disappointed in this film--had it been billed as the social satire that it indeed was, I may have been less dissatisfied. I wish there was more Charles Coburn and Jean Arthur out there for me to watch. Oh yes, and points for two *two* effigies in the film. Always pleased to see some nice effigy-work in films.

The Dreams of Sparrows Steve Gadd   DVD   25 July 2005 Apparently intending to show what life is really like there, a couple of Iraqis carried video cameras around Baghdad and Fallujah. Unfortunately, the result is a themeless, positionless collection of home videos. We see carefully diverse opinion pieces from taxi drivers, shopkeepers, the film crew, local artists, and (most embarassingly) inmates of an asylum. Some love Bush, some hate Bush, nothing more interesting or provocative than you can hear anywhere. From time to time we get a helicopter flyby or some car bomb aftermath, exactly the sort of TV news coverage the director decries at the outset. One of the producers was killed before the film was completed, this is the only war tragedy that registers with any feeling. Even the title is left unexplained. While it must be supremely difficult to film in Iraq, the famous advice of Robert Capa holds true: "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough."

The Edge of Heaven Steve Gadd   DVD   15 December 2007 Not my favorite of Fatih Akin's work, but enjoyable enough.

The Evil Dead Steven Krise   My Basement (TiVo)   15 June 2008 Bruce Campbell - battling a bookshelf (oh, and some ancient Sumerian demons that possessed his friends).

The Eye Steven Krise   My Basement   24 October 2006 Mun sees dead people.

The Farmer's Daughter (1947) A Bennett   TiVo'd from PBS   06 April 2003 Oh my good heavens. What wants to be a Frank Capra-like film about truth and goodness and America and our forefathers gets so incredibly *boring* by the second hour that you don't even care if "Katie" the Swedish-American maid of the Congressman gets elected--or gets the man. You just really, really want her to stop chirping her lines like the Swedish Chef. A lot. How is it possible Loretta Young received an Oscar for this film?

The Firm Steve Gadd   DVD   24 June 2003 The abridgement and distortion may have been necessary to bring this novel to the screen, but it just doesn't create the same suspense. What made the viewing worthwhile was the weird deja vu feeling of seeing a Tom Cruise character lose all of his life's anchors, struggle to figure out what is going on and what to do while maintaining the appearance of normalcy -- a prefigurement of the role he would play six years later in Eyes Wide Shut.

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Jaqi Ross   Visions Cinema, Dupont Circle   11 March 2004 Difficult to watch; excellent film. Soundtrack by Philip Glass.

The Four Feathers A Bennett   Milford Gigantic Cineplex   21 September 2002 There were many parts to this film that I enjoyed. The scope, the visuals, Djimon Honsou, Heath Ledger. I was disappointed to come home and find that many a reviewer dogged the film for not being political, for not being more than it was. A film about a man branded a coward by those closest to him, whose response to such mistreatment is the opposite of that of The Count of Monte Cristo's. A big film: fighting, dying, hardship, supposed redemption.

The French Connection Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   19 November 2006 Classic suspense from a time when even an Oscar-winning Hollywood blockbuster could deprive you of any satisfaction at the end.

The Game Steve Gadd   DVD   30 January 2005 There's nothing like watching this movie for the first time, and it's almost as much fun watching it with someone else who hasn't seen it.

The Gay Cowboy Movie Kristin Schrock   Esquire Theatre (w/Swedish Fish)   06 January 2006 Ang Lee is a master of Longing. The kind of longing that brings characters to their knees. He manages to capture it without being melodramatic. This is perhaps because he allows silence to do a lot of work for him. If the Hulk was necessary for him to do this movie, it was well worth it.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir Julie Gephart   Basic cable   06 July 2003 I grinned and chuckled my way through most of this, thinking it was shaping up to be the best classic movie I’d found so far, but then… wham! They went and turned it into a really sad movie, without a bit of my consent or approval. Still, really high marks all around – wonderful characters, perfect setting, great music. Not in the same vein of silliness as I remember the television series to be.

The Godfather Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silvert Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   13 October 2004 Truly a cornerstone film of the twentieth century. Right up there with Citizen Kane, Chinatown, and a very small and select group of others.

The Good Girl Steve Gadd   DVD   03 July 2003 I haven't been able to put my finger on what I liked about this movie. It was a simple story with convincing characters and good pacing, I guess that was enough. A couple of glasses of wine probably didn't hurt either.

The Good Shephard Steven Krise   Regal Cinemas, Fredneck   23 December 2006 "We make sure the wars are small."

The Good Thief Ray Hunley   DVD   30 August 2003 Nolte at his rumpled best The first third of the movie seems to be one extended murky mumble, but once Bob Montagne (Nick Nolte) gets himself cleaned up, things snap into crisp focus. There's only nodding (but fond) concession to heist flick cliche, and the ending manages to be satisfying while thwarting expectations. Oh, and Montagne demonstrates his non-innumeracy without flaunting it - that's worth a full rating point right there. The relationship between Bob and Roger, the cop trying to head off his robbery, recalls that of Rick and Capt. Renault in Casablanca. Synchronicitously enough, the other film we watched this weekend, Adaption, made an explicit point of drawing comparisons between Casablanca and itself.

The Goodbye Girl (1977) Kristin Schrock   Turner Classic Movies (31 Days of Oscar)   28 February 2005 I just love this movie--despite the fact that the single mom repeatedly gives up her job everytime she meets a man, thus making her perpetually dependent. If I ever were to write a movie, I want Marsha Mason to play the mom--because, of course, any movie of mine--or novel or short story--always features a mom.

The Graduate Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   06 October 2007 I am not sure what I expected, exactly, but it wasn't this.

The Great Stork Derby A Bennett   Lifetime Original Movie   06 January 2003 The US doesn't have the market entirely cornered on really embarrassing historical events. This film depicts a race among (largely impoverished) Canadian women during the Depression attempting to give birth the most times over ten years in order to be awarded $1 million (Canadian) from a crackpot's strange will. Also chronicles the Toronto Star's complicity in covering (and in many ways) creating the event. A sad, sorry chapter in anyone's history.

The Guru A Bennett   Hollywood Video VHS rental   06 July 2003 Not as good as I wanted it to be. Should have focussed more on the (what I'm told is called) Bollywood connection, and less on the predictably bland romcom formulae. Heather Graham has devolved into all eyes and bone structure. Someone call craft services, stat.

The Guru Kristin Schrock   VHS   06 July 2003 As I had no expectations--other than a pervasive dread that it was going to be a musical--I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Sure, there was some speechifying at the end that I could've done without, but I think the presence of Jimi Mistry, Heather Graham, and Marisa Tomei made up for it. Marisa Tomei doesn't get enough props for playing women who are a mess so well. See "In the Bedroom" and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" if you have any doubt.

The Heist Kristin Schrock   DVD   01 March 2003 This gets low marks just because a David Mamet movie should be better. Julie was right. This one is dull beyond belief. The writing is good, but it seems false coming out of the actor's mouths--Sam Rockwell not withstanding. He is always good even with a silly mustache.

The Hills Have Eyes (2006) Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   29 September 2007 I haven't seen the original, but the remake definitely gets some points for sheer creepiness, and the fact that the cute girl isn't the first to die.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Steven Krise   Regal Cinemas, Martinsburg, WV   08 May 2005 The film is strongest when it doesn't stray from the original. The high moments coupled with Zaphod and Marvin make it worth sitting through the slower parts. FYI, the Martinsburg cinema has raised ticket prices to $7.00 effectively moving it out of the "low-cost theater" niche once cost of fuel and time to get there is factored in.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Kristin Schrock   DVD   24 December 2005 There was something missing from this movie. I think it was silliness. There's an opening song with Dolphins that I think captured the essence of the book--but it didn't last. Sam Rockwell, as always, was wonderful.

The Hole Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   22 September 2005 Prep school kids are stuck underground; there is some question as to why; Thora Birch is annoying.

The Honeymoon Machine (1961) Kristin Schrock   Turner Classic Movies   13 March 2005 A romantic comedy with Steve McQueen and Jim Hutton. I love me some Steve McQueen--and he is in fine form playing a Navy Lieutenant who decides to use the ship's super computer to win at Roulette. But I spent most of the movie marveling how much the guy (who I later found out was Jim Hutton) looked and sounded like Timothy Hutton. In short, genetics are creepy.

The Hot Chick Kristin Schrock   DVD   13 August 2005 It was funny, okay? I laughed. Out loud. And often. Is that so wrong? Look, I don't have to justify myself to you people.

The Hot Heiress (1931) A Bennett   TiVo'd from TCM   16 September 2004 Ona Munson, who one day would play Belle Watling to Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler, stars. There’s plenty of singing, though no musical numbers, and lots of necking to boot. I would say the plot is derivative (poor Depression-era riveter falls for wealthy society girl when a ‘hot bolt’ he’s working with on a high rise accidentally leaps into her nearby boudoir), but coming this early in the history of motion pictures, I’m instead forced to dub nearly every rom-com following it derivative. Take that, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

The House on Haunted Hill Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   21 June 2003 Things we do for love...

The Humiliated Jaqi Ross   National Gallery of Art, D.C.   18 January 2004 In The Humiliated, Jesper Jargil closely tracks Von Trier's conduct while shooting the controversial Dogme 95 film The Idiots.

The Hunchback A Bennett   Taped off of TV: TNT Original movie   02 November 2002 Made back when Selma Hayeck was still "Salma Hayeck" (my goodness she is a beautiful woman), this adaptation gets points if only for getting the story right, with an evil Frollo and a Quasimodo so strange and hideous it's hard to watch. Unbearably bleak.

The Incredible Shrinking Man Tony Pisarenkov   TCM, Courtyard Marriot, Pittsburgh, PA   02 September 2006 Quite possible the only 1950s film to be seen for something other than camp value. The special effects are shockingly good for its time.

The Incredibles Mike Gadd   Run of the mill movie house   04 December 2004 Pixar hits another home run. Great writing, fun story, humor for all ages... all the things you would expect from them.

The Incredibles Steve Gadd   DVD   05 May 2005 Any qualms about watching a cartoon are quickly squashed by the brillliant realism of these ten-fingered characters. There's not a moment wasted in the fast-paced, original story about superheroes coming out of retirement, and little moralizing or "Lion King" heartstring tugging. Just good, Saturday-morning quality fun.

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: A Great Deliverance A Bennett   Taped off of PBS' Mystery! with Diana Rigg   02 September 2002 The under-used Nathaniel Parker as Lynley, the 8th earl of Asherton and Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard--compelling though he is--cannot quite bring the spark needed to juice up this series and its predictable, shockingly unshocking plot. Disappointing, but could improve with other installments.

The International Steve Gadd   DVD   11 June 2009 The glossy international scenes and shootout at the Guggenheim fail to make up for the synthetic story and wooden performances.

The Intruder Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   08 August 2005 A young William Shatner stars as a racist rabble-rouser stirring up opposition to desegregation in this Roger Corman production. Seems kind of trite and moralistic by today's standards.

The Island Steve Gadd   Delta #11   28 November 2005 Goes where Planet of the Apes and The Matrix have been, and does nothing more.

The Italian Job Mike Gadd   $2 theater   13 September 2003 Very good movie overall. Nothing really to complain about. Solid acting, good story, car chases with tiny cars. What more could you ask for?

The Italian Job Steve Gadd   DVD   26 October 2003 Very entertaining execution of the career-ending-heist-spoiled-by-turncoat-partner-sweet-revenge formula. Includes a one-hour and fifty minute commercial for the Mini Cooper.

The Italian Job Kristin Schrock   DVD--Marky Mark Double Feature   04 January 2004 A fun romp that didn't have nearly enough kissing. When you have two attractive leads, it only seems logical that they should lock lips. But, this did continue the tradition of featuring Edward Norton in his underwear.

The Italian Job A Bennett   DVD rental for 2004 "Marky-thon"   04 January 2004 Sort of disposeable, date-type film. Probably more car chases than I care to pay attention to (some with boats, but it's all the same). The female role was handled well, and I will remain a sucker for the training/preparation for a big heist sequences. A sin, though, that not only was Marky Mark's upper body imprisoned in clothing throughout, but he and Charlize Theron didn't even get to share any love moments. A chase and chaste film, sans even kissing. Wah.

The Italian Job (1969) Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   31 March 2005 Third in the "originals" series. This film lacks the revenge angle of its successor, which I haven't decided yet is a feature or a bug. However, it gets at least one full point for casting Benny Hill as a concupiscent computer expert with an eye for the rubenesque. The cliff-hanger ending gives the nod to this movie over the 2003 version.

The Jackal Kristin Schrock   My Brother's Couch   23 December 2002 This movie basically features Bruce Willis in a number of wigs and mustaches in order to disguise the fact that he's Bruce Willis. And then there's Richard Gere's Irish Accent. Now, I have nothing against Richard Gere but there's no way you're going to convince me that he's Irish. I did like the Russian Woman, Valentina, who has a cool scar on her face and smokes in every scene--even though she's not evil--but, of course, she has to die. Oh, and Gary Hobson's mom plays the First Lady and Jack Black gets his arm shut off in a scene where my brother told me, "You probably want to look away" and I did, but then I looked back too soon and it was all gross and my brother said, "I would've told you when it was safe" because I have a good brother, even though he makes me watch really crappy movies.

The Journey Jaqi Ross   Hollywood video rental   13 September 2004 After college, Eric Saperston bought a 1971 Volkswagen Bus, took his Golden Retriever, Jack, and set out to follow The Grateful Dead and work a ski season in Aspen. While out on the road, he called up some of the most powerful people in the world and asked them out for a cup of coffee.

The Jungle Book (1994) Julie Gephart   Mysteriously free HBO   18 February 2003 Quite possibly the perfect little movie, except for the writing and possibly the acting. Despite these minor flaws, it was full of adorable cuddly animals (that didn't die!) and precious large-eyed children, one of whom grew up into an absolutely stunning man. Also there were many majestic close-ups of a tiger, and you can't go wrong with that in my book.

The Ladykillers Steve Gadd   Reston Town Center   31 March 2004 You can hardly go wrong with the Brothers Coen. This comedy remake has all the elements: a great lead, an oddly amusing plot, and a great soundtrack. I didn't notice any fixation on round spinning objects, however.

The Ladykillers Kristin Schrock   DVD   21 November 2004 Not the comedy the previews led you to believe, but a fun movie regardless with a few chuckles--of the dark variety. Also fun to view it in French (Hooray for the DVD!). The movie hinges on the eccentric characters that make up this movie universe. Tom Hanks is in the role originated by Sir Alec Guiness is in fine form--but, of course, now I'm curious about the original. And if you look closely, you'll see Bruce Campbell who is on screen for maybe two seconds--but I'd recognize that chin anywhere.

The Last Samurai Steve Gadd   DVD   07 May 2005 This movie gave a visual perspective to the book I'm reading, with quite a few parallels. In James Clavell's Shogun, a western "barbarian" is protected by the Japanese warriors because of his knowledge of modern weaponry. He gradually assimilates and comes to appreciate their culture. The movie, however, suffers from an overwrought story, unconvincing characters, and battle scenes that seem artless after seeing "Crouching Tiger," "Flying Daggers," and "Kill Bill."

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen A Bennett   Viewed at Boston Radisson, in-room   16 September 2004 That smell? That smell is as fine an idea as I can imagine for a sci-fi/fantasy film being left for dead, and being, though not unwatchable, unintelligible, and needlessly crapping on—of all things—the fine work of Edgar Allan Poe’s genre-creating ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’. An unintentioned laugh-riot to rival the likes of ‘Reign of Fire’, though perhaps somewhat less homo-erotic (though Peta Wilson’s—I hate to say it!--performance and attitude do leave one thinking she just might be a ‘gentleman’ in drag).

The Left Hand of God Julie Gephart   Basic cable   18 November 2003 Humphrey Bogart poses as a priest in a small Chinese village to escape an evil warlord and ends up getting religion. In this movie, I learned that evil Chinese warlords are really jovial white men who can be persuaded to let you go over a game of dice, and also that “females are simple biological structures – their bodies pay very little attention to their minds.” That explains a lot, actually.

The Legend of 1900 (1998) A Bennett   TiVo'd from BRAVO   01 November 2003 For piano lovers, chiefly. Magical realism has Tim Roth as a man orphaned as newborn on an oceanliner in the titular year, becoming a piano virtuoso that neither sets foot once on land--takes a single lesson, nor hears music before setting down at the keyboard as a child and creating on-the-spot genius. An unfortunate ending fails to gather the film's disparate, pretty pieces into a moving whole.

The Life Aquatic gareth   the cellar   08 July 2005 A few would-be Wes Anderson fans had given me fairly sour reviews of this film, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Though it could be described, as one such nay-sayer put it, as another installment in the developing American theme of "middle-aged men behaving badly," but if that's the worst one can say about it, then ride on, Wes I expect some people don't like watching low-down main characters, or perhaps simply aren't acclimated to a land-free shooting location. Nevertheless, The Life Aquatic has everything I've come to expect from Anderson's films: gorgeous interiors that pique the imagination and evoke an almost, but not quite real world effect; an entertaining cast of characters, each capable of surprising us at any moment with an unexpected, but not non-sequitur action; a story which simply refuses to order itself according to any lines of profluence, or around any central plot, besides the one so absurd we don't really take it seriously in the first place; an extremely light and subtle humor, which never dwells on its tiny, brilliant jokes; and of course, that strange mixture of the comic, tragic, and farcical that never quite allows the viewer to settle into genre-expectations as a means of short-circuiting the film's most powerful content. In addition to Anderson's cast of regulars, Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe play some of the funniest roles I can remember having seen. Thoroughly enjoyed it. When I wasn't wincing over the follies of our protagonist, that is. No, I guess I enjoyed that too.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   16 May 2005 I've liked each successive Wes Anderson film less than the previous one. This effort, a disjointed tale about Bill Murray's Zissou seeking a "jaguar shark" which killed his partner, clearly suffers from the loss of Owen Wilson from the writing team. I recommend skipping this one and watching Bottle Rocket again.

The Life of David Gale Steve Gadd   Herndon Worldgate Cinema   06 March 2003 Got home too late for 'The Pianist' and ended up with this poor substitute. In 'Dead Man Walking,' you feel pathos for a guilty man on death row, here you sit impassive at the fate of the innocent activist who wants to be a lethal-injection martyr. Contrived scenes and plot holes defuse any payoff from the requisite twist.

The Little Foxes Kristin Schrock   TiVO'd from TCM   22 August 2004 Oh, Turner Classic Movie, how I've missed you! "Either I am walking of these stairs or Max Steiner is walking up these stairs, but we will not go up together."--Bette Davis

The Lives of Others Steve Gadd   Cinema Arts Theatre   20 April 2007

The Lord of the Rings Mike Gadd   dvd at home   03 September 2002 Superb adaptation of the book. I only wish I'd seen it on the big screen.

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring Steven Krise   My living room   01 September 2002 I've never read the books, not being able to slog past the third chapter of The Hobbit (I know The Hobbit is the prelude to the LOTR trilogy). I found this movie equally slow-paced. If they'd have cut directly to the part after the meeting in the Elven forest (i.e., all the killing and stuff), it would have been a much better movie. So, I'm a troglodyte.

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Steven Krise   Regal Cinemas, Countryside   08 February 2004 Probably the best of three movies, in my uncultured opinion. I didn't even notice the over-long 3 hours slip by. We get see Gandalf kick serious orc ass this go' round in two-weapon fightin' style. I found the demise of the Witch King to be anti-climactic, though. Still, it was almost worth the $9.00 I paid for admission.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Eric   DVD this time, but 3x on the big screen previously   30 August 2002 We can't have LOTR and A Beautiful Mind ranked the same now, can we? No, I say! This movie rekindled my love of Tolkien. It exceeded my expectations by miles and miles. Beautiful locations, wonderful acting, and a script that has its finger right on Tolkien's pulse. My favorite movie so far, and thus a perfect opportunity to see if the scale really _does_ go to 11 as Nigel, er Steve, claims.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Theatrical Version A Bennett   Springdale is the SECOND exit on I-275   07 December 2003 This version will only be in theatres until tomorrow, Thursday, Dec.11--when the extended version of 'The Two Towers' opens for its four-day run prior to Wednesday's 'Return of the King' debut. Carrying nearly 20 minutes of additional footage *IN ADDITION* to the additional 30-some minutes of footage available on the extended cut DVD, at three hours and fourty-five minutes, this is one long view. But, having known we were in for an EXTENDED level of enjoyment going in, I've no complaints. After all, who wouldn't like to spend more time in Lothlorien with Galadriel--and hear Celeborn actually get to speak? Or share more moments with Bilbo and Frodo, or Frodo and Gandalf--or pretty, pretty Legolas? Well, maybe some people wouldn't like it, but then again they wouldn't be me. Fellowship is a film I have loved since I first saw it two years ago. How pleasing it is to know that Peter Jackson understands what George Lucas never will: how to add things to your film that enhance the story, elucidate plot points, and _matter_. Besides, this cut? Still shorter than 'Gone With the Wind'.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Theatrical Version A Bennett   Springdale: they gave away t-shirts,people cheered   13 December 2003 Put yourself in director Peter Jackson's place. Your contract states you *must* turn in the final cut of each film that is no longer than a set length. Your studio refuses to release anything longer than this into theatres. If you do not comply, someone else will decide on the final cut. Oh! What exquisite torture it must have been for Jackson to read the less-glowing reviews of The Two Towers! Especially since each and every criticsm made of this middle film is answered--yea, refuted--in this extended version! At three and a half hours (43 minutes longer than the original theatrical version) we have time to learn all about previously underdeveloped characters and storylines. Eomer gets introduced (and developed) properly; Eowyn gets scenes with Aragorn (who we learn is 87 years old--one of the Dunedin) that make her infatuation understandable, and even earned. In some excellent dramatic irony, we see Boromir get the order from his dad to attend Elrond's council in 'Fellowship', and we learn WHY Osgilliath is important to Faramir (and Gondor), and a little about who Faramir is, and why. Treebeard gets some more screen time (as do Gimli and pretty, pretty Legolas), and we see Pippin grow taller in Fangorn. The film's beginning and ending are altered by complete scenes, and valuable whimsy is infused where it had been lacking. Sam and Frodo actually smile (it doesn't last long)! And other happenings somewhat alleviate the darker tone of this mid-point. Unlike the extended "Fellowship", whose added parts are definitely a welcome addition--"Towers"' extras are/were actually *vital* to the film, and likely needed to build on for "Return of the King". Not to mention that extra scenes explain more than one 'deus ex machina' in the theatrical cut. (cont'd)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Theatrical Version A Bennett   1 of only 99 theatres in the country showing this   13 December 2003 (cont'd) Both my brother and my dad (repeat viewers of the original, truncated theatrical versions) announced post-credits rolling that they felt like they'd witnessed and entirely different--and greatly better--film than the original "Towers". As for myself, I'm still soaring on the experience--and a bit hesitant to take in "Return" this coming weekend--after all, perhaps I should just wait until Peter Jackson can release the story he actually meant to share, unedited, and in its full glory...of course, you'd be quite gullible to believe that I would be able to wait another year. Thank you, Peter Jackson, for showing us that what at first seemed a C+/B- was always, indeed, a Great Biggie A.

The Machinist Steve Gadd   DVD   01 August 2005 With its gloomy lighting, odd angles, moody music, and plausibly disturbing premise, this movie is more effective at creating tension than anything I've seen from David Lynch. There are lots of clever touches in the dialog, backgrounds, even the title, and a story that evokes Dostoyevsky and Hitchcock.

The Magdalene Sisters Steve Gadd   DVD   15 August 2005 The documentary value of this picture came mostly from the titles before the end credits. As a movie, it is a conventional prison-break story, appropriately but a bit unrelentingly sad. An extra point for the Gibson Girl looks and acerbic sarcasm of Nora-Jane Noone's character.

The Maltese Falcon Steve Gadd   DVD   08 June 2003 I just couldn't find much to justify all the attention this film gets -- maybe it is just noteworthy as the first noir. It is allegedly set in San Francisco (you might catch a glimpse of the Bay Bridge and a street sign if you watch closely).

The Maltese Falcon Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   16 September 2008 Nice visuals made for a good mood piece, but I forgot just how hokey and lame the dialog was.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   25 March 2005 Jimmy Stewart can do no wrong. This John Ford classic is eminently watchable, as Stewart teams up with John Wayne and Lee Marvin for a slight twist on the timeless good vs. evil storyline. Strangely enough, a search for "valance" on imdb turns up two films: this one, and that well-beloved film of our host, Koyaanisqatsi

The Manchurian Candidate Kristin Schrock   Kenwood Theatre   21 August 2004 What possessed Demme to remake this wonderful movie is beyond me--but I couldn't resist the lovely Liev Schreiber as Raymond Shaw. Beautifully filmed with wonderful performances--it's not often you see Denzel Washington crumpled. But there was an emptiness to the movie--maybe because the first one had some groovy psychadelic scenes to up the creepy factor. Also--the people behind us were from a Seinfeld bit --they were obnoxious, loud whisperers. "What's she doing? She's getting out of the car. Why? She's leaving him." I hate people.

The Manchurian Candidate Steve Gadd   DVD   07 January 2005 Take some shadowy government agents, corrupt politicians, a hero fighting for justice against the odds. Stir, bake, and title.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   01 April 2005 Fourth in the "originals" series. A classic, of course, but it failed to grab me as I'd hoped. Angela Lansbury is eerie and creepy as the power-mad wife of a doltish senator, Henry Silva is just ridiculous as a Korean who betrays American troops to the Chicoms, and Frank Sinatra does his smooth thing.

The Matix Reloaded Mike Gadd   $2 theater   30 August 2003 It's always a treat to be able to watch a movie this good at the theater for the 2nd time. Not having to concentrate on the architect's speechifying left more room to watch the fists flying. The choreography alone of all the people flying around was mind-numbing.

The Matrix Mike Gadd   dvd at home   26 April 2003 A final viewing before enjoying part 2 next month. I don't like giving out perfect scores, but this one earned it with bells on.

The Matrix Julie Gephart   DVD at home   16 May 2003 Taking my cue from Mike Gadd, I decided a review was in order before going to see the new movie. What is there to say about the granddaddy of all modern action films? It's all good.

The Matrix Reloaded Julie Gephart   Some theater   17 May 2003 I love a good action film, and this is undoubtedly a good action film. The philosophizing was a little longer and more obtuse than the first movie, and the action was longer and faster and more extreme. All in all, it was a movie that barely gave time to breathe, let alone reflect on what was happening. I'd say it didn't quite have the magic of the first one, but it was still a mighty fine movie in its own right.

The Matrix Reloaded A Bennett   AMC Newport-on-the-Levee They serve Coke.   18 May 2003 Dear Official Print and Media Critics of Reloaded: SHUT *UP*. Your reviews are so tired, and so overly critical, as if The Matrix franchise had set out to cure cancer and had somehow let you down. So there’s some soliloquizing, so there’s a pastiche of some philosophy that you may or may not understand or care about. So there’s nothing new under the sun. So you think Keanu Reeves is an impassive actor whose talent (or lack thereof) you’ve never felt certain of. So what? Neo whines 600% less than Luke Skywalker. And he’s prettier. And, he has a girlfriend that’s not his sister…This film gave me a giddy feeling, like someone had shaken up a bottle of champagne and was waiting to uncork its fizzy goodness. And this feeling lasted hours (perhaps even days) after the credits rolled. I had forgotten how much Trinity ROCKS THE FREE WORLD. Just when I had decided they were relegating her to second place in this film, she TEARS THAT BUILDING DOWN. I loved grumpy Neo with his greatest fan, I was afraid for Morpheus on the freeway, happy to see the Oracle again, enjoyed the new characters and glitches that were introduced. People laughed together in the theatre, and when Morpheus gave a speech to the people of Zion, I wanted to stand up and cheer along with them. And I cannot wait for more Jada Pinkett Smith in the next film. If that makes me shallow, if that makes me the fan of a film that’s flawed, if that makes me a poor critical thinker: please, never tell me so to my face—I’ll probably just smile blithely back at you and recite something dialectic about the problem of free will, the root of causality, and the fact that Trinity? She kicks *high*.

The Matrix Reloaded Mike Gadd   Martinsburg Regal Cinema   27 May 2003 Okay. Fine. There didn't need to be so many 'ergo's' and 'concordantly's'. I'll need to see it again to get a better grasp of what they were trying to say. But so what. It kicked butt. The things that went well were better than anything that's been done before. It's funny how it takes an hour or two to get the buzz out of your head when the movie is over and to realize that driving home on the freeway is probably perfectly safe. The guy in the car next to you isn't looking to turn you into swiss cheese and there won't be any kung fu fighting on top of that 18 wheeler. Special kudos to Agent Smith, the Twins, and the Keymaker. More! Bring back Dozer, too, while you're at it. And lose the Dell computer kid chasing after Neo. I'll miss the Oracle, as she died during filming. Jada Pinkett Smith filled in nicely too. I loved the 6th iteration concept; it throws in a nice wrinkle. Bring on November!

The Matrix Reloaded Jeff Gadd   Movie cinema   15 June 2003 Okay, for the 2nd. But very hard to follow. To Many MR. SMITHS in the fight scene. The car chase's are cool though. Think to SEE # 3 too?

The Matrix Reloaded Steve Gadd   Reston Town Center   15 June 2003 After the "burly brawl" punch-fest, how can you take any of the later fight scenes seriously? Just a bunch of blurry forearms. And by now the philosophical pretense has been sidelined by the mind-blowing special effects. I am in favor of the cool explosions, I just get a little bored waiting for them. The Gigeresque sets of the underworld were cool.

The Matrix Revolutions A Bennett   Milford Giant Cineplex- I smuggled in a Chic-fil-A   08 November 2003 The sandwich was the best part.

The Matrix Revolutions Mike Gadd   Martinsburg theater with nice seats   15 November 2003 Sigh... Where did the magic go? What a disappointment. It made me realize that I really did enjoy part 2. They tried so hard to answer all the questions from earlier that it took forever to go anywhere. Twice I checked my watch before the first hour. Never a good sign. I have a couple of serious questions about the movie that I can't pose here. I wish I had brought a sandwich.

The Matrix: Reloaded Kristin Schrock   AMC Theatre   18 May 2003 This one's all about the coats. Morpheus, as usual, has the coolest and because of that I would follow him on any d*mn fool scheme (who is more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?). Neo, though, would do to take some advice from another sci-fi friend: "Help them you may, but you will destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."Although this is probably nothing more than a 2 hour preview for the next installment, it was a good time. Even though nothing will compare to my first viewing of the Matrix during which my friend, Ben, whispered to me during a training scene, "Download the electric slide."

The Mayor of Casterbridge (2001) A Bennett   TiVo'd from A&E who cut out more than an hour   26 August 2003 Dude? Dude. Wait--dude? Yeah.

The Mexican Julie Gephart   Mysteriously Free HBO   28 January 2003 Could it be... a Brad Pitt movie that I actually liked? This must mean all the regular Brad Pitt fans hated it, because it was actually sort of fun.

The Million Dollar Hotel Steven Krise   IFC on DirecTV (in my basement)   13 December 2004 A Bono-Wim Wenders joint venture-ish thing (B co-wrote the original screen play). The movie plods along at points, but has quirky enough characters and interesting enough soundtrack to overcome its deficits and bring through to the end. Includes Mel Gibson as a slightly psychotic FBI agent who had a 3rd arm removed from his back recently and Milla Jovovich as a sort mentally ill Hollywood Skid Row Madonna-Whore.

The Million Dollar Hotel Steve Gadd   DVD   17 February 2005 Wim Winders never saw a screenplay that he couldn't pad with an extra half hour of Art. This movie feels a bit long, and I turned on subtitles and the Wim/Bono commentary halfway through to stave off boredom. Loved the location and the bookended helicopter shots. The dysfunctional romance / murder mystery / art caper was something less than captivating.

The Million Dollar Hotel Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   31 March 2005 A blatant ripoff of The Dark Backward. Also, I kept thinking that Tom Tom was played by Henry Thomas. Who ever heard of Jeremy Davies? Thirdly, this movie managed to present Milla Jovavich as somewhat less than impossibly hot, perhaps its most unlikely achievement.

The Mind Snatchers Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   12 September 2005 An impossibly young Christopher Walken stars in this dated-looking One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest wannabe. Military scientists threaten individuality by mucking about in people's brains - too bad it's been done to death. I was mildly pleased to recognize Joss Ackland from his role in Lethal Weapon II, though.

The Minus Man Kristin Schrock   VHS   08 November 2003 Owen Wilson and Janeane Garofalo together, not being funny. It's sort of disconcerting. A little too slow for a late Saturday night, but an interesting story about a calm serial killer. Also stars Dwight Yoakham as a figment of Owen Wilson's imagination.

The Neverending Story Julie Gephart   Basic cable   28 February 2004 Cute kid, bad special effects, and just a dash of Gerald McRaney.

The new Star Wars movie Mike Gadd   Podunk theater in Front Royal   21 May 2005 Certainly better than the last 2 attempts. I enjoyed the tie-ins with the original movie. Darth Vader being put together was the best part. You could substitute a cardboard cutout for Hayden Christensen (Anakin) and I doubt you would notice. Some of his lines are atrocious.

The Night of the Hunter Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   26 March 2005 "I know you don't mind the killin', 'cause there's plenty o' thet in your Good Book. But there are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smellin' things, lacy things, things with curly hair." Robert Mitchum's opening Deologue as he's driving along in search of his next victim sets the eerie tone for this classic. Unforgettable.

The Notebook A Bennett   Lexington's The Regal $1.50   11 September 2004 Predictable script only saved by former 'The Young Hercules' star Ryan Gosling's amazing acting ability, particularly in the early half. For some reason he's either gotten his teeth 'fixed', or a la Christian Bale has been made to wear a denture. Not that there was anything wrong with his teeth in the first place...

The Passion of the Christ Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   30 March 2005 I enjoyed trying to translate the Latin before reading the subtitles.

The Philadelphia Story Julie Gephart   Basic cable   17 July 2003 Excellent, delightful comedy full of witty repartee and a few really funny scenes. Jimmy Stewart won an Oscar for playing, as nearly as I could tell, George Bailey. I swear he even had some of the same lines. I learned an important secret when Katharine Hepburn's father explained, with nodding assent from her mother, that the reason he was having an affair was because KH had a realistic view of his faults rather than worshipping him as the ideal of male perfection. He revealed that aging men NEED! No choice! NEED! to be the center of some young woman's blind adoration, and if his daughter fails in her duty to worship him, then he simply has no other option than to go find another young woman to do it. He is the victim here, people! He has no choice! The sad thing was, I'm pretty sure that we, the audience, were supposed to be on his side during this conversation.

The Pianist Tony Pisarenkov   Harkins Camelview 5, Scottsdale, AZ   25 January 2003 Brilliant to a point that defies description. Just see it.

The Pianist A Bennett   Hollywood Video DVD   08 June 2003 A sentimentality-free two and a half-hours (a bargain at any price). Easy to dismiss as overrated and just as easy to canonize as a new classic and an “Important” film, _The _Pianist_ is perhaps a bit of both. Told with a starkness of dialogue and narrative line, as though the German occupation of Poland and ensuing extermination of its population (Jewish and other) robbed the story of embellishments as much as the times robbed the main character of his dignity, the film stands as remarkable on two points. Point One: It tells us not one single new thing about war, suffering, or survival—or even, specifically, about World War II in Europe. And in doing so it wastes none of our time (or its momentum) with lectures, indictments or revelations. Point Two: In giving us a main character of whom we know very little before the War, and whose anguish and privation consume his character (and viewers) so fully as the film goes forward that we end the film similarly dis-acquainted with this man, and how he might be in the post-War society, this film offers an incredible gift: the journey of a single man, specific, yet general; a man boiled down to basest parts--and yet a man whose nobility and larger humanity illustrate that such things cannot be stolen from us without our own complicity.

The Pianist Kristin Schrock   DVD   08 June 2003 Revision: okay, so maybe my first review of "devastating" was a bit melodramatic. How about, very, very, very sad and difficult to watch at times. Holocaust movies just aren't a good time even when they dramatize the "triumph of the human spirit" and feature a few Highlander alumns. There. Now do you want to see it, Julie?

The Pianist Ray Hunley   DVD   15 June 2003 What? Szpilman manages to survive the Warsaw Ghetto; we see some Germans Acting Badly; the acting and direction are competent, with Brody's performance maybe edging into memorable. There's not much here we didn't see in "Schindler's List", or even "Life Is Beautiful". The shot of a bombed-out Warsaw as Szpilman exits one of his hiding places in a hospital is stunning, but it doesn't make a movie. Worth seeing, but vastly overrated.

The Pirate Movie Kristin Schrock   AMC Theatre   12 July 2003 It's not a peace treaty, but a fun popcorn flick for the summer (which is not easy to come by). Johnny Depp, pretty, pretty, Orlando Bloom, and Geoffrey Rush all seem to be having fun with the swashbuckling with very few quips--which I'm always in favor of as most quips in movies these days are done so badly. Didn't people learn anything from early Buffy? But, ultimately, there seemed to be something missing from the movie--something that I can't quite put my finger on--which precludes me from giving it a higher rating. And, although I always appreciate a good homage to Harryhausen (and Sam Raimi), I missed the stop motion animation on the skeletons. So, unlike ABennett, I don't want to marry this movie.

The Pirate movie Mike Gadd   $2 theater   15 November 2003 Went again with the kids this time. I think I enjoyed it a little more now that I know Johnny Depp was inspired by Keith Ritchards for his character. I did regret the free refill of the large popcorn later.

The Pleasure of His Company (1961) A Bennett   TiVo'd from AMC a.m.   28 September 2003 Fred Astaire, as a globe-trotting ne'er do well, arrives to attend his daughter's wedding. In the past 15 years he's seen her (Debbie Reynolds) three times--the last time she was about 11--written a letter or two, and missed every birthday in between. But she's still crazy for him, as is her now-remarried-to-a-stable-boor mother. He nearly stops the wedding (as is his intent)--but the fact that this film can't decide between sincerity and heartbreak OR farcical comedy is probably a worse offense. Does anyone really want to watch Fred Astaire and Debbie Reynolds in societal critique? No one at my house does.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) Julie Gephart   Basic cable   13 July 2003 That darned Jessica Lange has dragged me into more depressing movies now than I can remember, and I never seem to learn. Worse, it turns out that if I had just watched this movie on DVD instead, I would have at least gotten to see some explicit sex scenes. I am cheated all around. But I did find Jack Nicholson appealing, which was a pleasant surprise. Reviews tell me the 1946 version was better, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to find it anytime soon.

The Prestige Steven Krise   Regal Cinemas in Fredneck   20 October 2006 Are you watching closely?

The Prestige Steve Gadd   DVD   24 March 2007 Middling magic drama, overworked plot devices, Ricky Jay cameo.

The Professional Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   15 October 2007 Seriously intense and very powerful. Quite possibly the best action film I've ever seen; certainly the best that is a serious drama at the same time. I'm surprised I was only vaguely aware of it until now. Edit: This is the 1994 film with Jean Reno, titled Leon in France, not the 1981 one with Belmondo.

The Punisher Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   12 May 2005 I should not have trusted this recommendation. Will Patton was pretty cool, though.

The Queen Tony Pisarenkov   AMC Shirlington, Arlington, VA   03 March 2007 Far more than a solo act for Helen Mirren. The whole thing is quite well done.

The Quiet American Steve Gadd   DVD   14 September 2003 A love triangle slowly unravels in Saigon. Graham Greene's understated drama works well without being showy.

The Rainmaker Julie Gephart   Basic cable   30 July 2003 This isn’t your John Grisham Rainmaker. There were some good parts, and then there was… most of the movie. The good parts were pretty much encompassed, strangely enough for me, by the comic relief – the dumb younger brother who was “six feet tall and twice as handsome,” and I tell you I was nearly ready to marry him by the end. The moment where Katharine Hepburn had the gall to answer someone’s question about geography (OUT LOUD, even) and then the whole room fell silent as everyone concluded at once that she was clearly not marriage material was the moment I paused to give thanks that I was not born any earlier than I was.

The Red Violin Tony Pisarenkov   VHS at home   01 June 2003 Good, although not incredible, story, competently written, professionally filmed. Mildly enjoyable. John Corigliano's score is beautiful; perhaps the best part of the film.

The Red Violin Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   20 July 2005 Sam Jackson covets violin; we learn about its history.

The Return of Frank James Julie Gephart   Basic cable   04 January 2004 Frank James done lit out after them cowardly scoundrels what shot Jesse in the back. Old Frank is a good boy, though, and he never did kill nobody.

The Ring Mike Gadd   dvd at home   31 March 2003 Visually interesting and not a horrible movie. The mood was enhanced by watching it at midnight. It would have rated about a 4 or 5 except for the last 15 minutes that got my attention.

The Ring Julie Gephart   DVD   18 October 2003 I was worried, because I don’t really watch scary movies anymore, but it all turned out ok. Interesting, but not too scary. It also helps to always plan to sit next to someone who is going to be way more scared than you are.

The Ring 2 Kristin Schrock   In-Flight Movie   03 June 2005 That's right--they showed the Ring 2 on an in-flight movie. I assume they edited it--but still kind of creepy. But I tuned in because of Simon Baker. As I did not see The Ring, I probably didn't get the full effect. Interesting in that 1) Academy Award winner Sissy Spacek is in it, and 2) The reliance on rings and circles in the story which I did think was kind of cool. If I didn't think the first Ring would scare the bejesus out of me, I'd rent it just to get the full story.

The Road to Perdition Mike Gadd   dvd at home   29 March 2003 Not exactly the feel-good movie of the year but still well done. The acting was solid (especially the boy - I'm always impressed when a young person acts like a normal young person and not a grown up version of one; see: Signs, The Sixth Sense). The perfect ending would have happened 10 minutes before the actual one.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Julie Gephart   DVD   18 October 2003 Now I’m not an expert at the child-rearing, but it did seem a little odd to me that people had their three year old daughter watching this with us. I guess It’s never too early to learn about orgies and disembowelment! This seems in theory like a movie I should enjoy, but for some reason I’ve just always really hated it.

The Rookie Mike Gadd   dvd at home   11 May 2003 One of the best sports movies out there. I realize it's been jazzed up for Hollywood but at least they used real athletes to throw the ball around. Based on a true story, I remember following this guy's stats in the paper after the days he would pitch. It was quite an achievement.

The Rundown Mike Gadd   rented dvd   03 April 2004 This movie tried to be good. I'd heard good things about it, but it just didn't work. Too many forced one-liners and borrowed plot lines.

The Search for Robert Johnson Steven Krise   In the kids' playhouse in my basement   16 February 2005 Seems to be based largely on the same body of investigative evidence as the book I just finished (some of the dialogue is directly quoted from the book), though, I don't think the works are intentionally related. Interesting in that it puts faces to the names that surround the story of Robert Johnson, but it would have been vastly improved if John Hammond had let RL sing for himself instead of trying to hack out some of Johnson's songs.

The Searchers Julie Gephart   Basic cable   21 June 2003 John Wayne and Cute Young Guy spend many years searching for John’s niece who was kidnapped by Indians. When they finally catch up to her, John sees that she has grown enough to be married to a Comanche, and so he now hates her like he hates all Injuns and tries to kill her. Cute Young Guy protects her, but she tells him the Comanche are her people and she wants to stay with them. Then the shooting starts and they have to leave, but John still wants to go back for revenge, so they do, at which point suddenly all of the characters are dismissed and replaced by their exact mirror-universe duplicates. John suddenly decides to pick up the girl and love her instead of killing her, and the girl is suddenly thrilled to see them and go home with them, forgetting all about her beloved people who are busy getting massacred. So she goes to live in the now mysteriously nurturing home of a woman who had previously said, and I quote, “Bring her back?! Bring back what? The leavings of some buck?” And they all live happily ever after in their crazy state of character amnesia.

The Seventh Seal Tony Pisarenkov   National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC   24 July 2004 Although the philosophy and the angst looks way too heavy-handed today, and the fairy tale quality is more comical than Bergman intended, it is still mostly the classic that it is made out to be.

The Seventh Seal Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   23 March 2005 I liked it much better when I hadn't seen it. However, the final scene is haunting beyond words. If I were to direct a remake I'd have Antonius Block play a game of go, not chess, for his life: "Go narabaya / ko ni mo tatete / iku beki wo / shinuru michi ni wa / te hitotsu mo nashi" [translation]

The Shop Around the Corner A Bennett   Netflix DVD   06 March 2004 Jimmy Stewart falls (inexplicably) in love with a shrewish harpy, played by Mia Farrow's mother (no, really), because she's so much nicer/better/less shrewish in longhand. Not much time is spent on the regular epistles that bring their hearts together, leaving you wondering a great big, all caps, 'W-H-Y'. Apparently an early entry in the 'they hate each other; it must be love' school of film--except in this case it really did seem that they hated each other and that we, as the audience, at least, hated her. Needlessly set in Hungary.

The Soviet Story Tony Pisarenkov   The Cato Institute, Washington, DC   02 November 2009 A documentary on the Soviet Union, its collusion with the Nazis in 1939-1940, and, following its joining the Allies, the West's continued reluctance to indict the Soviets fully for the horrors they perpetrated throughout the country's existence. Occasionally didactic in tone, but highly recommended nonetheless, for its chilling archival footage if nothing else.

The Spanish Apartment Steve Gadd   DVD   16 February 2005 An uptight French student spends a year in Barcelona, staying in an apartment packed with other students from around Europe. Various tragicomic and coming-of-age related activities ensue. Audrey Tautou had a minor role, and the other characters were merely interesting, but the diverse accents and languages and the beautiful city made the movie worth watching.

The Statement Kristin Schrock   DVD   16 July 2005 I did not enjoy the book on which this movie's based. But I had hoped the movie would be better--I was wrong. The story of a Nazi Collaborator with the Vichy Government who evaded persecution with the help of the Catholic Church. Now he's being hunted by a jewish group as well as the French Government. You'd think it would be better. The highlight was watching Tilda Swinton and Jeremy Northam (as French investigators) working together. Excellent actors in a dull movie.

The Station Agent Steve Gadd   DVD   24 March 2005 More evidence that you can make a good movie with the basic ingredients: a few interesting characters, a little bit of story, and some originality.

The Straight Story Steve Gadd   DVD   03 May 2005 David Lynch and Disney team up to present -- that's right, David Lynch and Disney -- to present the story of Alvin Straight, who at age 73 decided to reconcile with his ailing brother. Without a driver's license and stubbornly independent, he rode his John Deere lawnmower for five weeks to make the trip. Lynch's musical collaborator Angelo Badalamenti adapts to the easygoing pace nicely, adding a folksy score with few hints of spookiness.

The Sum of All Fears Steve Gadd   DVD   14 September 2003 Strange how the main plot of extremists sparking a war of nuclear powers is so convincing, but the details are so unrealistic. The director of the CIA can't be reached by his top lieutenant because he can't hear his cell phone at a football game. A bit later, after a nuclear explosion, the hero has no problem making cell phone calls from ground zero, though it's no use to the director, who dies abandoned in a dark corner of a hospital while doctors do "whatever they can" for hopelessly injured victims.

The Sunshine State Kristin Schrock   DVD   02 August 2003 Everybody is in this: Miguel Ferrer, Lt. Fancy from NYPD Blue, Edie Falco, and even the Blucas (Riley from Buffy) does an okay job as a golf pro. It has intertwining stories of the residents of a Florida beach community where developers are trying to buy up the property. The metaphors and speechifying are a bit much at times (otherwise it would've gotten a 9), but there's something about a John Sayles movie--you can tell he's confident in the story and he doesn't feel the need to rush anything. He just lets the words do the work. And it's always nice to see Timothy Hutton doing good work. And we learn that the important thing to remember is to smile, even when you're drowning.

The Sword and the Sorcerer Julie Gephart   Basic cable   09 August 2003 It turns out that picking a movie because you sort of remember enjoying a TV show with Lee Horsley a long time ago is not always the best strategy. In this movie, Lee was crucified with nails through his hands, and then he pulled the nails out and proceeded to use those same hands to wield a giant sword with no apparent injury at all – magic! Or really bad editing. In the requisite scene with the girl and the giant snake, we got not one but two separate lingering close-ups of the snake writhing between her thighs, which we all know is the mark of a truly artistic director. “Dear Mr. Director, Your work with subtle and nuanced visual metaphor is outstanding, but don’t you think you ought to make your images just a touch more accessible to the common viewer? Also, I was thinking that if the woman could just make a SEVENTH jibe about some man’s sword being too small to serve her, then maybe I’d be able to put my finger on the veiled meaning she was attempting to convey. Your biggest fan, I. Hate You”

The Terminal Ray Hunley   HBOsomething   25 August 2005 My wife was nagging me while I watched it, so I didn't follow everything. Something about some dude in an airport.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   10 July 2005 Otto Wernicke reprises his role from M as Kriminalkomissar Lohmann in this middle film of Fritz Lang's Dr. Mabuse (that's "mah-boo-zuh", not "may-byoos") trilogy. Watching a Lang picture reminds me of how, when I saw Casablanca for the first time, I had no idea that so many common pop culture sayings had come from the film. Similarly, Lang appears to be the source of many of the techniques and plot devices which now have become cliche.

The Third Man Ray Hunley   Netflix DVD   26 March 2005 Overrated; just a total mess. Joseph Cotten's Holly Martins is a complete schlub, and Welles' Harry Lime is a smirking, cardboard villain.

The Thrill of It All (1963) A Bennett   TiVo'd from AMC   22 May 2003 James Garner hates his wife, Doris Day. Sure, his jealousy, insecurity and misogyny are hidden under the very thin surface of this 60s-era comedy. It turns the stomach nonetheless to watch him attempt to convince her he's having an affair, has a drinking problem, and even--great Jehosephat--impregnate her as part of a wickeder-than-the-writers-want-us-to-believe scheme to get her to give up working outside the home and go back to being his on-call housefrau. Also includes a baby delivered in New York City traffic to a woman who neither sweats, nor cries out, nor removes her mink coat.

The Trickle Down Theory of Sorrow Jaqi Ross   National Gallery of Art   21 February 2004 Avant-garde filmmaker Mary Filippo said of her short videowork, "It is an experimental, autobiographical documentary about my being both the daughter of a working-class mother and someone who has become (economically at least) middle-class and a mother herself"

The Triplets of Bellville Tony Pisarenkov   DVD chez G&N, Ann Arbor, MI   04 October 2005 French mafia kidnapping professional cyclists to use as slave labor in a bookie operation? It would be cool even if it wasn't animated.

The Truth About Charlie Kristin Schrock   DVD--Marky Mark Double Feature   02 January 2004 I'm rather fond of Charade so I was interested to see how they would re-make it. The answer: not terribly well. Highly stylized but lacking in the chemistry that makes the original so fun. Also, I'm continually surprised by how high Marky Mark's voice is--especially when he's grooving on his tough-guy-funky-bunch-swagger.

The Tuxedo A Bennett   Milford Gigantic Cineplex   28 September 2002 Someday Hollywood may come to understand what wonder is Jackie Chan, until such time, avoid Hollywood's bizarre misunderstanding and rent the Hong Kong films. Supercop costarring Michele Yeoh is a particular favorite.

The Two Towers Kristin Schrock   Portland Theatre w/o Cup Holders   27 December 2002 I really, really, really liked the first movie. This one, I only really liked. I'm not all that keen on war movies or battle scenes so I wasn't so much in this one's thrall. But I love me some pretty, pretty Legolas, and I think [POSSIBLE SPOILER, although not really] Boromir's brother is pretty, too. Although, as Alicia pointed out, he is mortal and Legolas will be pretty forever. I know they are all on their separate quests, but I missed the fellowship. My beefs (which are minor) are more with Tolkein and not with Peter Jackson or the actors.

The Unforgiven A Bennett   TiVo'd from Hallmark "the Western" Channel   04 August 2005 1960’s John Huston western. In which Audrey Hepburn is **REVEALED TO BE A KIOWA**. Interesting, but so long and detached and full of violence toward the Indians, it’s hard to give a succinct statement on it. Tries to deal with problems of racism.

The Village Mike Gadd   Martinsburg Regal   30 July 2004 Not as good as Signs, but still quite effective on many levels. I read most of the 'professional' reviews afterwards and was extremely disappointed with how much they give away. Some incredible acting done by Ron Howard's daughter.

The Virgin Suicides Julie Gephart   Mysteriously free HBO   05 January 2003 Five teenaged sisters commit suicide. This film starts out by telling you the ending, and eventually the ending comes, but nothing in the middle does anything to explain it. I didn't expect pat answers, but some occasional insight into the characters' states of mind would have been nice. Still, it kept me interested along the way, even if it didn't add up to a satisfying whole.

The Visitor Steve Gadd   DVD   29 March 2009

The Way of the Gun Steve Gadd   DVD   17 September 2005 With a screenplay by the guy who wrote "The Usual Suspects," this movie has a large cast of shady characters with shifting loyalties. But this story of a kidnapping gone wrong wasn't as cool or surprising.

The Wedding Planner Julie Gephart   Mysteriously free HBO   14 March 2003 It's hardly worth writing a comment about a romantic comedy, since every single one of them is exactly the same with different actors.

The Wild One Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   19 May 2006 Who would have thought that (1) Lee Marvin could outact Marlon Brando in his sleep and (2) something so legendary could suck so badly?

The Wood Julie Gephart   USA cable   10 September 2002 A scary, scary look into the pack life of young men. It's a place I would rather not visit again, even if the men are as pretty as Taye Diggs. Speaking of which, I hear I missed some impressive nudity by watching this on cable.

The Woodsman Steve Gadd   DVD   14 July 2005 You have to respect a director for taking on a toxic subject. The result is a must-see for fans of Kevin Bacon, whose spectral presence is underplayed to perfection. The movie also inspired me to reread the second half of Chapter 41 of Cryptonomicon, Tom Howard's dissertation on black stockings.

The Wrestler Steve Gadd   Fairfax Regal Cinemas   13 March 2009 Nothing really bad about the movie, but not all that much going for it either.

The X-Men Jeff Gadd   Video   16 June 2003 Interesting if you are into mutants. The Marvel Corportation is doing great in making there comics into movies.

There Will Be Blood Steve Gadd   Fairfax Towne Center   26 January 2008 Part of our annual rite of watching Oscar-nominated films. This one gets my vote for whatever it's nominated for.

There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) A Bennett   TiVo'd from AMC am   17 January 2004 I had only planned to TiVo-zip through this to quickly watch a few great musical numbers I could recall. No dice, the whole movie is great musical numbers. And Donald O'Connor's performance is really, really great, and believable. It's not hard to see why Marilyn Monroe (coincidentally in one of the only roles I can watch her in) falls for him, despite his unconventional lack of matinee idol good looks. Also, a double helping of Ethel Merman: Great legs, great pipes, and a whole lotta heart. And I think that Dan Dailey actually does full-contact smack O'Connor.

They Live Steven Krise   My basement on AMC   31 October 2003 Let's face it, John Carpenter's movies suck (cf that vampire one with the thick Baldwin in it), but at least they suck in a way that makes them fun to watch. Who else would have the balls to put Rowdy Roddy Piper in the lead of a "sci-fi, aliens have taken over the world and only a handful of us can see them by wearing these stylish sunglasses" flick? You don't see that "ET" guy doing it?

This Can’t Be Love Julie Gephart   Basic cable   27 November 2003 This may have been a TV movie, but I’d just like to remain in denial about the thought of Katharine Hepburn doing a TV movie. Two curmudgeonly old Hollywood stars rekindle a romance after 50 years of hating each other, and Jason Bateman is there to grin impishly in the background.

This Film is Not Yet Rated Tony Pisarenkov   Cineplex Odeon Dupont Circle, Washington, DC   07 October 2006 A humorous, but under the surface chilling, investigation of the MPAA and its ultra-secretive ratings board. Reasonably well done, and brings much needed focus to the fact that while the freedom of expression in the US is indeed great, the freedom to bring this expression to the masses is strictly controlled.

Thumbsucker Kristin Schrock   DVD   29 January 2006 It's a bit too in love with itself--with it's disaffected teen-coming of age-plot. But Tilda Swinton plays said disaffected teen's mom--and I'll pretty much watch her in anything.

Timeline Kristin Schrock   DVD   25 April 2004 Oh, man. This movie is SO bad it's wonderful. There's some time travel, some nifty circular time loop pot holes which are always fun, and Atilla the Hun (Gerard Butler) stealing the movie away from the pretty-plastic boy from the Fast and the Furious. Dopey, silly, and for the most part non-sensical with people in the Middle Ages having the WHITEST TEETH EVER. Fun times (but not as much fun as Congo, another Michael Crichton book-turned-movie).

Tom Dowd & the Language of Music Tony Pisarenkov   DC Visions, Washington, DC   19 August 2004 A documentary about recording engineer and producer Tom Dowd who was responsible for capturing everyone from Charlie Parker through Aretha Franklin to Eric Claption on tape as well as pioneering many modern recording techniques (including first commercial use of multi-tracking). Occasionally heavy on technical details of the recording process, and I wish more vintage studio footage was included (I am sure it would have been if it existed), but on balance a fascinating portrait of the world of recorded music from the 1940s onwards and the man who made most of it happen.

Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle of Life A Bennett   DVD rental, Bothell, WA   04 July 2004 [Viewer’s Note: I have never seen film 1.] Directed by ‘Speed’s Jan De Bont, and sharing a lot of that film’s structure, the first half or so of this film was pretty much fun. Attractive leads, pretty locations, potential romantic chemistry. Fights. In fact, at the act break I had expected the film to wrap up, rather than (like ‘Speed’ post-saving the bus) take off on an entirely brand new course of action. Had it ended there I could have been quite happy. Couldn’t have explained the plot, sure, but was feeling entertained. Instead, part two’s only positive addition was an appearance by Djimon Hounsou. JulieG’s review kind of shocked me, I thought she was equally enjoying herself. Perhaps it was my desire to have director’s commentary off during the DVD’s deleted scenes that sent her review south. Bonus star just for use of at least three Highlander: The Series alumni.

Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life Julie Gephart   DVD Rental   04 July 2004 They had me convinced that this movie was going to be much, much better than the first one. Unfortunately, the action was not as great, but that loss was at least partially balanced by the removal of the weepy father story and the insertion of a love scene. Oh, and the ridiculous Big Fake Breasts that starred in the first movie were also gone, so there’s another improvement. Wait, and the male co-star this time was actually somewhat appealing… hey, maybe this was a better movie. Still, if you can’t spend a couple of hours being fascinated just by looking at Angelina Jolie, it would be hard to enjoy this movie. Those eleven people probably just shouldn’t bother seeing it.

Top Secret Tony Pisarenkov   DVD chez Charles and Shelby   22 July 2003 Still hysterically funny after all these years. A masterpiece of slapstick. So densely packed with non-sequitur gags that it keeps you on your toes the whole time. Just what I needed after a week in a Ryder truck.

Touchez Pas au Grisbi Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   19 October 2003 With the incomparable Jean Gabin (of The Grand Illusion fame) in the lead, and a very young Jeanne Moreau, this is not a story of a specific heist so much as a portrayal of the criminal underground of post-war Paris. Well filmed, well written, with hefty doses of the French "savoir vivre." Plays very much like a period piece now, but still very enjoyable.

Toute une Vie (and now my love) Natalie Williams     05 February 2007 French film that I thought would never end. The ending began several times. But at the same time, it made you think!

Trainspotting Tony Pisarenkov   DVD at home   29 October 2005 Has some visual and stylistic appeal, and I suppose the main character/narrator's non-chalance about dying babies and such is powerful in its own way, but cult following material? I think not.

Trekkies Jaqi Ross   Hollywood video rental   21 August 2004 A hilarious look at the universe's most fervent fans.

Two Weeks Notice Kristin Schrock   DVD (part of a movie-tastic weekend)   03 May 2003 Not as bad as I expected, this one is above par because of Hugh Grant, who talks so fast he's clearly channeling Cary Grant, and Sandra Bullock who is game for anything (although they want to convince us that she's not pretty, what's up with that?). This wants to be like His Girl Friday and it comes as close to any other modern rom-com. Also it gets props because the resolution didn't involve the humiliation of the woman.

Two Weeks Notice A Bennett   Hollywood Video DVD   03 May 2003 Much funnier that it would ever have been without Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock. A higher functioning romantic comedy, lacking most of the mean-spiritedness most films currently made in this genre seem to suffer from. Possibly/Likely/Definitely Bullock's best film since her pre-Hope Floats era (though I did enjoy her in Forces of Nature). Did I mention it's funny? This film? Why is finding a funny, non-meanspirited, non-potty humor film so hard theses days? Why?

Two Weeks' Notice A Bennett   Whistler's Other Video Store   12 April 2005 One of the better (the best, even?) romcoms to come out in the last five years. Bullock & Grant should re-team. An even better script would surely create even better results.