Dec (NF22/MM1/ST1)

* Escape from Sobibor: (1987 - Drama, thriller, war / U.K., Yugoslavia) Produced as a TV miniseries, this movie was directed by Jack Gold. Starring Alan Arkin, Joanna Pacula, Rutger Hauer and others. Set in a WWII Nazi Death camp (Sobibor was located in Eastern Poland), this show is based on the true story of a prisoner escape. After an escape attempt, the camp Commandant punishes the remaining prisoners by executing twice the number that attempted to escape. Afterwards, the leaders of these imprisoned Jews, recruit a captured Russian soldier (Nazi's put captured Russians; who happened to be Jews, in the extermination camps with the other Jews) to help them plan a revolt against the Nazi captors. Their plans of escape ambitiously includes everyone in the camp. An intricate, dangerous and audacious plan. Excellent drama, good acting, and a plan that will keep you riveted. 4 out of 5.
* Lolita: (1997 - Drama, romance / U.S., France) Directed by Adrian Lyne (Flashdance, 9 1/2 Weeks, Fatal Attraction, Jacob's Ladder, Indecent Proposal, Unfaithful), this movie is the second of two U.S. theatrical releases based on the novel by Vladamir Nabokov. Starring Jeremy Irons, Melanie Griffith, Frank Langella, Dominique Swain (was 17 when the movie was filmed), and others. Jeremy Irons plays Humbert Humbert and Dominique Swain plays Lolita the 14 year old (12 years old in the novel) daughter of Charlotte Haze (played by Melanie Griffith), the flirtatious landlady and mother to Lolita. The story - Humbert Humbert is a middle aged British professor, recently arrived from England. Humbert Humbert is immediately stricken by his adolescent wound (of love lost) when he becomes obsessed by Lolita, the teenage re-incarnation of his young love. While Humbert Humbert has illusions of rekindled adolescent love with Lolita, the girl's mother has romantic plans of her own. Humbert and Charlotte wed, but it's a cover designed to keep Humbert close to Lolita, when Charlotte dies of an 'accident', Humbert puts his pedo-plans into action. Humbert's plans begin to crumble when he discovers Lolita's love isn't as innocent as his adolescent fantasy. She's soon manipulating Humbert like a love puppet trapped by his own illicit love. Paranoia, guilt and jealousy soon rule his life. Great story, excellent acting (by Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain) and great camera work. This adult tale carefully avoids the more lurid traps implicit in this tale of lust and love lost. I actually liked it better than the 1962 version by Stanley Kubrik. 4 out of 5.
* The Goods - Live Hard, Sell Hard: (2009 - Comedy) First feature length directorial debut for Neal Brennan (Writer/director of "Chappelle's Show"). Kim and I watched this movie through our AppleTV - for $3.99. A This movie featured a great cast - Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, James Brolin, David Koechner, Kathryn Hahn, Ed Helms, Jordana Spiro, Tony Hale, Ken Jeong, Rob Riggle, Alan Thicke and others. Unfortunately, the story was nothing more than a 'comedy show' skit. The story - With their family business failing, the owners of a used car dealership call in 'Don Ready' a fast talking closer and his crew of misbehavin' hustlers. They do their best to rid the lot of every last car. The movie is full of one laugh jokes, and that alone can't carry the movie past the midway point. By the time the movie had reached it's mid-point, I couldn't care less about the story or the characters. Thankfully the laughs kept rolling to the end. 2 out of 5.
* The Thin Man: (1934 - Comedy, crime, drama, mystery, romance) Based on a novel by Dashiel Hammett. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke. Starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, and many others. This movie is the premiere of a successful detective serial, in both film and television formats. It's a stylish production where the sleuths are a pair of two upscale New Yorkers. This husband and wife duo, throw parties, drink martinis, and when they get around to it, investigate murder mysteries. In this particular movie, Nick Charles, his wife Nora, and their dog Asta, have returned home from a four year stay in Europe. While reconnecting with his circle of friends, Nick is approached by an old flame. Seems that her father is suspected of murder. While Nick begs off at first, he can't resist a return to sleuthing (he used to be a police detective) when he sense that the police are hardly capable of handling the case on their own. The dialog is delivered non-stop, and the rather murky details of the convoluted case are made all the more muddled by the poorly edited film and break-neck pacing of the direction. About half way through, I realized that it was futile to focus on the facts of the case and enjoy the movie for it's humorous characters, the chemistry between Nick and Nora, and the cliche detective memes running through the film; like calling all the suspects together at a dinner party, in order to announce 'Who dunnit'! 3 out of 5.
* Annie Hall: (1977 - Comedy, drama, romance) Screen play co-written, starring, and directed by - Woody Allen (Take the money and run, the banana republic, Play it Again Sam, Sleeper, Manhattan, and many more). Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton and many more. It's a classic romantic comedy that won four Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best original screen-play) in 1978. It's a story about a relationship between Alvy Singer and Annie Hall. Woody Allen plays a wise cracking, pop culture quoting author and comedian. Dianne Keaton plays a naive, romantic dreamer and aspiring singer. The two form an unlikely pair, and the semi-narrated story provides a great look back on love in the 70's. When the two break up, Woody Allen laments his misfortune as he regales us with the woes of his relationships. Excellent dialogue, fine direction, and great editing. The acting by Diane Keaton was really good, and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. 4 out of 5.
* Harvard Beats Yale 29-29: (2008 - Documentary, biography, sport, war) Kevin Rafferty (The Atomic Cafe) directs this documentary aimed squarely at the hearts and minds of America. In 1968, two college teams squared off in a representation of the status quo vs the common people. Out on the field with these athletes were American values, the frustration of an unpopular war (The Vietnam war was grinding on the American conscience), and a sexual revolution. All these events led up to, and influenced the attitudes of Americans when these two teams lined up to test each other's resolve. Footage from the game is mixed with candid interviews of the players. The outcome is all but certain for Yale, as they led 29-13 with less than a minute to play. Excellent introspection leads to an excellent examination of our American conscience through this one particular contest. 4 out of 5.
* Sullivan's Travels: (1941 - Adventure, comedy, drama, romance) Written and directed by Preston Sturges. Starring Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick and many others. Joel McCrea plays Hollywood director - John L. Sullivan; an upper class, wealthy, socially elite director. He hasn't got the faintest idea how the common man lives. When he decides to write a socially responsible drama about the human condition - A film called 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?', the producers have to remind him that he hasn't got the necessary life skills to make such a movie. Undaunted, he decides to shed the trappings of his upper class lifestyle, don the habit of a hobo, and hit the road. Reluctantly, he hooks up with an out of work actress, and the two set off on a grand adventure, hitching rides in rail cars, spending their nights under bridges, and eating out of dumpsters; until... Tragedy strikes, and Sullivan has his identity stolen. He ends up lost in the back alleys, nearly ends his days in prison, and finally claws his way back into the more comfortable lanes of civilization. Great drama, excellent acting, excellent dialog and superb direction. It's funny, adventurous, and humbling at the same time. A great story. I give it a 4 out of 5.
* Let the Right One In: (2008 - Drama, fantasy, horror, romance, thriller / Sweden - Låt den rätte komma in) Novel and screenplay by John Ajvide Lindqvist, directed by Tomas Alfredson. Starring a Swedish cast - Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar and others. This is a Vampire movie unlike any others. There's very few hollywood stereotypes here. It's disturbing, contains romantic elements, and a very creepy feel. The story - 12 year old Oskar is having problems at school. Bullies have decided to make him the target of their shenanigans. While Oskar plots his revenge; fantasizing about standing up to the bullies. Someone notices his distress. It's the new girl. She moved in recently, and she seems friendly. The angst of adolescent romance is mixed with some social acceptance issues. As they grow closer, Eli (the girl next door) wants to help Oskar. She encourages him to stand up to the bullies. As a backdrop to this sweet and poignant relationship is a brutally deadly series of murders. A stranger has been stalking and killing teen age boys. Draining them of their blood, he's quite confident and determined in his task. When the two stories collide were left with huge conflict and the revelation of vampirism. Its a very original story overflowing with mood and a naturalistic handling of the vampire mythology. Excellent writing, acting (the young cast did a great job), lighting and locations. If you like vampire movies, this one will likely rank very high on your favorites list. 5 of 5.
* Gallipoli: (2006 - Documentary, war, history / Turkey - Gelibolu) Turkish documentary (not to be confused with the Australian film starring a young Mel Gibson), directed by Tolga Örnek. Featuring narration by Jeremy Irons , Sam Neil, and others. A meticulously crafted documentary which explores the battle of Gallipoli. The allied powers of WWI (Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France, Canada, India - The U.S. wasn't involved in WWI until later) wanted a naval supply route (From the Aegean Sea, through the Dardanelles Straits, the Sea of Marmara and Bosporus Straits, and into the Black Sea) to their eastern allies, Imperial Russia. What began as naval bombardment quickly became an inland ground campaign. The documentary focuses on the tactical situations and the casualties of war. It isn't entertaining, but it is highly informative. The allied forces thought the Turkish forces (Including Turkey, Germany, and Austro-Hungarians) wouldn't put up much of a fight. That was a miscalculation which cost many lives (appx 45,000 allied - appx 87,000 Turkish). The documentary covers a 1915 battle on the Gallipoli peninsula. Unlike many historical documentaries, this documentary does a fair job of illustrating the Turkish side of that conflict. In the end, the Turkish forces prevailed (at a very heavy price), compelling the withdrawal of allied forces. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (a little-known Turkish commander who exceeded his authority, took control of the Turkish forces, and crafted the winning strategy) became a national hero (as father of modern day Turkey after the post WWI collapse of the Ottoman Empire). Australian and New Zealand won a victory of sorts; as their sacrifice was seen as evidence in their plea for nationhood in post WWI. Featuring plenty of detail (filmed in seven countries over a period of six years), dramatic reenactments, thoughtful commentary, computer animation and interviews. The only detriment to this film was its pacing - very slow, at times boring. Nonetheless, I give it a 3 out of 5.
* The Golem: (1920 - Fantasy, horror, drama / German - Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam) This black & white, silent movie was co-written, co-directed, and starred, Paul Wegener. Also starred Albert Steinrück, Lyda Salmonova, Ernst Deutsch and others. It's an original work inspired by ancient Jewish legend. As a film it represents the best of the German Expressionism movement. This is the 1920 version of the third film in a trilogy (The Golem - How he came into the world), directed by Paul Wegener and Carl Boese. The story - A Jewish Mystic and Astrologer predicts doom for Jews in 16th century Prague. In an effort to protect the Jews from persecution, the Rabbi creates a clay giant, a protector, a Golem. The Golem is brought to life with sorcery, and used to convince and cajole the Emperor. When exodus is averted, the Rabbi uses the Golem as a worker and protector. His assistant on the other hand, has other plans for the creature. The films lighting, the claustrophobic twisted gothic sets, the music, even the pacing. All the elements are crafted to create a sense of dread and foreboding. Stark, dark, twisted, eerie and provocative. It's a gothic classic. 4 of 5.
* The Babysitters: (2007 - Drama) Written and directed by David Ross (his first/only (as of 31 Dec 2009) directing effort). Starring Katherine Waterston, John Leguizamo, Cynthia Nixon, Andy Comeau, Lauren Birkell, Denis O'Hare, Halley Wegryn Gross, Ethan Phillips, Alexandra Daddario, Spencer Treat Clark. Shirley, the 17 year old honors student finds herself in an odd position when she falls for one of her babysitting clients. Michael is a married man, bored with his life, his wife, his job. After sleeping with an underage babysitter, he feels regret, remorse, confused... He pays her some money, and hopes he can forget about her. Shirley takes the money and realizes the potential of this affair. In no time at all, Shirley is running a babysitting service. A service that caters to the daddys, not their kids. The problems start when some of her girls start working some side jobs, without cutting her in on the profits. Definitely provocative, but lacking in direction. Throughout the movie, I kept wondering where the movie was going. The ending was less than satisfying. The performances were o.k. Overall, I didn't like it. 2 out of 5.
* Steamboat Bill, Jr.: (1928 - Action, comedy, drama, family, romance) Directed by Charles Reisner (co-directed/uncredited by Buster Keaton). Starring Buster Keaton,
Tom McGuire, Ernest Torrence, Tom Lewis, Marion Byron. A black & white, silent movie, starring Buster Keaton. Buster Keaton plays a young dandy; the son of a riverboat captain. Home on vacation (from college?), he's put to work aboard his fathers steamboat. In a twist of fate, he falls for the daughter of his father's competitor. The captain of a rival steamboat. It's a great story, and the acting was outstanding. Buster Keaton's physical comedy reminds me of Jackie Chan, and the story needs no dialog. The sets, props and locations were great. The stunts and special effects were simply amazing. 4 of 5.
* The Quiet Earth: (1985 - Drama, sci-fi, mystery / New Zealand) Directed by Geoff Murphy(Young Guns II, Freejack, Under Siege 2). A scientist awakens to a post-apocalyptic world. The world is suddenly empty, devoid of any life, and Dr. Zac Hobson seems to be the last man alive. After resigning himself to life as the last of his kind, he encounters a beautiful young woman and then a dangerous truck driver. At first the trio struggles to overcome their distrust of each other, then they set out to discover what has brought them to this 'Quiet Earth'. A good story, fair acting, a few interesting plot twists, but poor direction and production. 3 out of 5.
* Seconds: (1966 - Sci-fi, thriller, mystery, drama) Directed by John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The French Connection, Black Sunday, Prophecy, and many more). Starring Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph, Will Geer, Jeff Corey, Richard Anderson and others. Arthur Hamilton (played by John Randolph) stumbles upon a secret organization which provides wealthy clients with a new identity, a new beginning, a completely fresh start by way of plastic surgery. Faking his death, Arthur starts over as a swinging single artist. When things don't work out for him, he asks for another new start, but he's unwilling to abide by the terms of the 'contract'. The results are quite tragic. Outstanding story, great acting, excellent direction. The pacing and editing are terrific. 4 out of 5.
* Au Revoir Les Enfants: (1987 - Drama, war) Directed by Louis Mall. Starring a French cast of actors who I don't recognize. Here is a movie set during WWII. In the midst of WWII, Nazis have occupied France, but life goes on for the boys of one particular boarding school. At a Catholic boys school in the French countryside, the priests and students seem insulated from the tyranny of the Nazis and the war waging around them. Until the boys come to realize that there are some Jewish boys amongst them. Based on the true life experiences of the director, focusing on two childhood friends and the bonds of human relationship, this movie is an excellent drama. Filled with poignant performances and superb direction. 4 out of 5.
* Rosewood: (1997 - Action, drama, history) Directed by John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood, Higher Learning, Shaft (2000), 2 Fast 2 furious). Starring Ving Rhames, Jon Voight, Don Cheadle, Bruce McGill, Elise Neil, Michael Rooker and others. Here is a serious drama, ruined by poor writing, direction and production. A fictionalized account of the real-life Rosewood massacres. In 1923, a white mob massacred many residents of a small town in rural Florida. White residents of the surrounding towns were incensed when a white woman (from the nearby town of Sumner?) accused a 'black man' of assault - and rape!. Without specifically identifying her 'attacker', the racist residents form a mob and begin attacking all the black residents in and around Rosewood. The movie completely overstates the amount of violence which ensued. In the movie there are scenes of a mass grave, and the viewer is led to believe that scores of black residents - including women and children - were brutally murdered, hung, tortured, etc. While the truth is horrifying, and several people were killed (according to WikiPedia (admittedly not a 'definitive' or 'completely accurate' source) - 6 blacks, 2 whites) in lynchings, hangings, etc, this movie irresponsibly revises the facts to incite the viewer, and I wasn't happy with the liberty taken in that regard. While I believe that the actual numbers may have been higher (higher than the 'officially reported' numbers), the treatment given in this film doesn't suggest that there were more deaths, it paints a picture of fact - If shown in a school, many students will buy this version as 'absolute fact' without question. A documentary which examines the events before, during and after the massacre could help move students to ask the critical questions regarding racism in America. Such a film/treatment would be much more productive in regards to education and efforts to overcome racist attitudes. I do not dispute the broad facts of this film; white racists used a false report as an excuse to murder many peaceful black folks. What I do dislike is a hollywood treatment which substitutes 'entertainment' for the sake of 'accuracy' and responsible portrayals of inequality. Putting aside my problems with the 'accuracy' of this movie, I found other problems as well. Ving Rhames is cast as the savior of this community, but his acting isn't up to the role. Michael Rooker gave his usual over the top performance, but this time his performance was made even worse when his character can't decide who's side he's on. Jon Voight provided the only acting worth watching. The movie was filled with anachronistic behavior, speech and mannerisms. The characters weren't directed in period, and I found it difficult to believe the setting. The ending was a preposterous feel good device used as an excuse to inject some action and a 'happy' ending into a movie that should have been a powerful drama. This story deserves to be told, but it definitely deserves a better movie. 2 out of 5.
* Avatar: (2009 - Action, adventure, sci-fi, thriller, romance / U.S., U.K.) Written and directed by James Cameron (Alien, The Terminator, Titanic). Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and many others. I went and saw this movie in the theater. It's the first '3D' film I've seen in a long, long, long time. This movie was filmed in 'RealD-3D', a technology which uses circularly polarized light to produce stereoscopic images. This technology allows viewers to tilt their head and look about the theater naturally with no loss of 3D perception. Amazing! As the movie got going, I found myself looking all over the place, exploring the limits of the screen, the environment of the movie. This visual exploration produced some feelings of disorientation, and I eventually decided to stop 'rubber-necking' and focus on the movie. Viewing the offered point of focus completely eliminated any disorientation. The 3D effects were truly spectacular, and they definitely added to the movies overall impact. Another technology featured in this movie was an advanced motion-capture technique. This technology transformed the cgi characters into highly realistic replicas of the real-life actors. I found the cgi to be flawless, so life-like that I completely bought it. This movie was a visually stunning smorgasbord. It sucked me in entirely, and these technologies were two of the reasons why I loved this movie. The story is an environmental, anti-imperialist, cultural-preservation treatise. Humans in the far future, have conquered space travel in order to seek out extra-terrestrial resources. The arrogance of might-makes-right is mixed with scientific curiosity and lip service to diplomacy. The Humans have 'invaded' the eden-like planet of Pandora in order to mine a precious resource - Something called 'Unobtanium'. The Humans are mining this mineral without regard to the native intelligent species of Pandora. The "Na'vi" are a tribal people with very strong ties to their environment. Their highly complex and evolved culture rebels at the presence of these invaders, but their 'technology' is primitive and ineffective in comparison to that wielded by the Humans. The Humans liaise with the natives by way of 'Avatars'. Bio-engineered blanks which perfectly mimic the "Na'vi" in physical appearance. These Avatars are mindless shells which Human 'drivers' control using a mind-melding, remote-control technology. Initially, the Humans use their Avatars to study the "Na'vi" and educate each other, but that changes when the military and company men decide to use these Avatars as instruments of diplomacy, espionage and deception. While the intentions of these 'corporate' minded Humans is rather clear, they didn't quite count on the drivers developing actual relationships with these primitives. When the Humans decide to disregard the natives in their quest for more Unobtanium, a clash of cultures and outright aggression threatens the "Na'vi" with genocide. The struggle is epic, glorious and I couldn't pry my eyes away from the screen. At nearly three hours long, the dark theater and 3D took their toll. I wish they had offered an intermission, as my eyes were badly abused by the time the curtain fell. At times the plot felt a bit over the top, a bit contrived, a bit preachy. Despite this fact, the characters were believable, the environment completely engrossing, the effects sublime, and the setting amazing. The acting and direction were outstanding, and I found myself applauding (along with many other patrons) as the movie came to an end. Already set to overtake Titanic as the highest earning movie of all time, I will definitely buy a blu-ray copy, and this movie made me want more 3D. 5 out of 5. Two more 'Avatar' movies are likely, given the success of this initial effort.
* Spaceballs: (1987 - Comedy, sci-fi, fantasy) Co-written and directed by Mel Brooks (The Producers (1968), Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, History of the World: Part 1, Robinhood: Men in Tights). Starring Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten and others. Mel Brooks does it again. This spoof on the Star Wars trilogy is a very funny movie. The writing is witty, tight, and laughable. The characters are stereotyped, comic and paper-thin. The acting was fair (Rick Moranis was great in his role as Dark Helmet), and the music was great. The dialog is the shining star of this movie. The low-budget special effects are part of the gag, and the laughs take center stage in this preposterous spoof. Planet Spaceball's President Skroob sends Dark Helmet to steal Planet Druidia's air to replenish their wasted supply. Only Lone Starr and his sidekick Barf can stop them. Add in a little romance angle with the Druish princess Vespa, and you've got a formula for lots of laughs. Very, very, very, very, very funny. 4 out of 5.
* Iron Man: (2008 - Action, adventure, drama, sci-fi, thriller) This time I watched my Blu-Ray copy of the movie. Another comic book adaptation. Thankfully, this one is done right. Directed by Jon Favreau (Swingers, The Replacements, Elf) and starring Robert Downey Jr. (as Tony Stark/Iron Man), Terrence Howard (as Rhodey/The General), Jeff Bridges (as Obadiah Stane), Gwyneth Paltrow (as Pepper Potts) and others. Robert Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges were excellent. Utterly convincing in their roles. The character portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. was fantastic. I really enjoyed the slightly annoying, imperfect, self-absorbed anti-hero aspects of Tony Stark, and Robert Downey Jr. was a casting coup in that regard. Given Downey's personality, I got the feeling that he was Tony Stark. Terrence Howard was unbelievable in his military role, and Gwyneth Paltrow was so-so. The story - Capitalist, billionaire, playboy, inventor, self-made man - Tony Stark is kidnapped after demonstrating the 'Jericho' to an audience of U.S. military procurement personnel in Afghanistan. During the violent abduction, Stark is wounded but survives. Forced to build the 'Jericho' for his abductors, Stark deceives the dimwitted terrorists and builds a suit of powered armor instead. After affecting his escape, he learns the truth behind his kidnapping and the sales of weapons in Afghanistan. He then builds a new suit and sets off on a career of crime fighting, starting with those who sought to use and assassinate him. Excellent movie. Great sound track, and a level of visual detail beyond anything I've seen in a long time. The cgi/screen effects were superbly executed - utterly convincing. A great summer blockbuster escape. The only let down was the soundtrack. It was good, but the trailers left me anticipating something better. Be sure to sit through the credits for the extra scene. 5 out of 5.
* Extract: (2009 - Comedy, drama) Written and directed by Mike Judge (Office Space, Idiocracy). Starring Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck, J.K. Simmons, Clifton Collins Jr., Dustin Milligan and others. Here is a comedic drama by Mike Judge. Not as funny as Office Space or Idiocracy, here he takes a more dramatic approach. Unfortunately, it doesn't work as well as the comedic masterpieces he's managed in the past. The story - Joel (played by Jason Bateman) is the owner of an 'extract' factory. He constantly finds himself challenged by the employees and the difficulties of running his own business. When an employee is injured, a money grubbing scamster sees an opportunity to jump on the gravy train - at the expense of Joel and his employees. The story has a lot of subplots, and it suffers a bit from this lack of focus. The acting was excellent, the pacing perfect, and the direction great. The only problem was the story. Too serious, too subtle, too close to reality. 3 out of 5.
* Funny People: (2009 - Comedy, drama) Kim and I rented this movie through AppleTV. Written and directed by Judd Apatow (40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up). Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman and others. A drama starring comedians. Adam Sandler plays 'George Simmons' - a comedian at the top of his game. Living the dream, sleeping on a pile of money with a different woman every night. Until... His doctor tells him he's about to die. That's when he realizes that he hasn't got any 'friends'; just a following of fans, slutty groupies, and pandering yes men. In a desperate bid to find solace in another human being, he befriends a struggling comic (Seth Rogen) as a last ditch effort to find a mirror to his soul. It's a very moving drama, punctuated with understated humor and satirical commentary. The pacing is a bit slow, the movie too long, and the overall mood is a bit dark. Adam Sandler's acting was excellent, and the show ends on a sunny note - of course, so all is not lost. 3 out of 5.
* Vitus: (2006 - Drama, music / Switzerland) written and directed by Fredi M. Murer. Starring a group of German and Swiss actors. Fabrizio Borsani and Teo Gheorghiu play Vitus von Holzen at 6 and 12 years of age. Vitus is a child prodigy, raised by demanding and exacting parents. His skill at the piano reveals his genius, he's scorned by his peers, pushed by his parents, and bounced around from one school to another. Until... He fakes the loss of his 'abilities' after a minor accident. Finally, he's allowed to live a normal life. His grandfather is the only adult who seems to understand his dilemma, and encourages him to follow his own path. The writing is superb, the cinematography gorgeous, and the direction excellent. The acting by Fabrizio Borsani and Bruno Ganz (the grandfather (see movie Downfall) was outstanding, and this movie deserves great credit for being a sincere and heartfelt drama. The ending is suggestive, melancholy and well executed. 4 out of 5.
* Sword of Gideon: (1986 - Action, drama, thriller / Canada, U.S., France) Directed by Michael Anderson (Operation Crossbow, Logan's Run), this movie (like the movie 'Munich'), is based on the novel 'Vengeance', by author George Jonas. Starring Steven Bauer, Michael York, Robert Joy, Laurent Malet, Peter Dvorsky, Rod Steiger and others. In this made for TV/Cable drama, Steven Baur plays the leader of an Israeli commando squad. Tasked by the Israeli government to execute 'Eye for an Eye' justice upon those responsible for the 1972 Munich massacre (where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists), this team of Mossad agents travels around the world in order to hunt down and assassinate various terrorists. As they exact vengeance upon those who've wronged the state of Israel, they find that the personal costs are just as high as the political costs. Excellent acting, with superb character development. The pacing is perfect and the direction flawless. This movie isn't quite as good (In my opinion) as the more recent 'Munich', by Steven Spielberg, but it's just as thrilling, and deserves watching. 4 out of 5.
* Weather Girl: (2009 - Comedy, drama, romance) Written and directed by Blayne Weaver. Starring Tricia O'Kelley, Patrick J. Adams, Ryan Devlin, Mark Harmon, Kaitlin Olson and others. Tricia O'Kelley plays a Seattle weather girl who blows up on national television, when she delivers a scathing report on the cheating anchor (played by Mark Harmon) and his latest conquest (Kaitlin Olsen), the vapid co-anchor. She quits her job, moves in with her younger brother, and tries to get her life back. The plot is entirely predictable, and the characters one-dimensional. While the movie pretends to be deeper than it is, in truth it's just as shallow as its characters. The laughs were light weight, and the movie didn't have much of a voice. What was it saying? Life can suck, but things will get better? Wow, that's insightful - Not. Then there's the entirely predictable romantic subplots. It's charming, but shallow. The acting was a bit flat, and the direction lacked impetus. Do yourself a favor. Watch the previews, and skip the weather report. 2 out of 5.