MOVIE REVIEW - Family Stone, The (2005)

Why is it that women (e.g., Diane's character) can be horribly manipulative, but a chuckle and wink makes them supposedly loveable? There were definite funny moments - more like chuckle moments as opposed to laugh out loud moments. And it just wasn't heartwarming enough to make up for its medium humor. The audience liked the movie much more than I did. The best scene was with Dylan and Diane, when she told him the bad news. She picked a manipulative time to reveal, which annoyed me; but the emotions were heartfelt and very touching. Sarah was supposed to be uptight, but she was way TOO uptight - like she (the actress) was trying too hard to be as uptight as possible. Seems that most any actress could've done better, and yet she gets the GG nod. The first glance between Dylan and Claire was too obvious. There was one shot of Sarah and Luke side by side - my, what a nose their kid would have. SO MANY movies this year have been subtly (or not so subtly) chock full of Agenda - it gets old.

MOVIE REVIEW - Walk The Line (2005)

In format, it was too similar to Ray - while at a concert, superstar has a flashback to his childhood, which tells his story up to that concert; then continues through his drug abuse, marriages, success, and he finally gets clean. Then, one sentence written on the screen at the end that says "And they lived happily ever after." I'm not sure why they copied the format so meticulously, but it worked better here than in Ray. Joaquin's singing voice was terrible in the beginning (mimicking Johnny's pretty well), and it got much stronger as Johnny's success grew. He did an admirable (Oscar worthy? possible, but not a lock) job throughout, showing despair, the draw toward June, and ultimately, contentment. There were several moments when the creepy Joaquin (of To Die For and Gladiator) came out - but this is probably accurate for Johnny, too. Reese did fine, but she was a little too "Reese" - I don't think her performance was Oscar worthy. The drug use was depicted well - not as pervading as in Ray, and not as gross (maybe because it was pills instead of needles?). Overall, better than I expected, but I expected Bad.

MOVIE REVIEW - Syriana (2005)

I felt like I was reading the Wall Street Journal - I needed more background information on the oil industry, terrorism, and the even on the fictional characters in this movie to be able to follow the story and sort through the clear bias. There is so much going on, so many messages being shoved down my throat, it's hard to keep it all straight. I never fully understood what Clooney's character was doing. Or Damon's. Or any other character, I guess. The story was too convoluted to follow - I needed it spelled out further. Clooney to Plummer: "In this town, you're innocent until you're investigated." - I think that was supposed to be profound, but again, I didn't get it. I mean, I get it, but I don't get why it matters.

What messages are being presented? Amid the fog, I caught a few definite ones. Chris Cooper, on his success: "Luck and hard work. Nobody handed me Shit." Meaning, my arrogance is acceptable, my stepping on the little people is acceptable; and implying, this is common behavior of The Suits. Jeffrey Wright, making deals with the justice department: "We're looking for the illusion of diligence" - apparently making some damning commentary on the current administration. Damon on oil: "It's running out!" Amanda Peet on parenting: "Let him work it out on his own. It's important for his autonomy." The corruption speech by Tim Blake Nelson was overly preachy. When the Suits were applauding the new empire, I got a vision of how Hollywood sees corporations - and the vision is ridiculous. Are there evil men in the world, even in the corporate world? Of course - evil men are everywhere. Is this a typical behavior of Corporate America? Absolutely not.

Other random comments: I'm not sure why it was necessary for Clooney to gain 40 pounds for this role - the extra weight only seemed to distract from his character. The torture scene was excellent and intense. It was very weird to see the dead kid splashing in the fountain - what did that serve?

MOVIE REVIEW - Mr. And Mrs. Smith (2005)

All reviews I read were bad. Friends said it was bad. The friends I watched it with said it was bad. I thought it was great fun. It's about a couple whose marriage was based completely on lies - and when the lies are revealed, they have to either kill each other (and boy, do they try), or learn to communicate. It was fun watching their aggressive attempts at both. There were incredibly unrealistic scenes - like when these two assassins were pinned in by 50 professional killers chasing them, and the bullets consistently missed them (multiple such scenes). And the therapy sessions felt out of place with the rest of the action and tension in the relationship. But Brad and Angelina played it a bit like Ocean's Eleven - a "we're so cool, you're just gonna like us, no matter how annoying we are" style. And for me, I must've agreed, because I liked them and rooted for them.

MOVIE REVIEW - City Hall (1996)

I've heard that this movie is a mediocre political thriller; but I thought it was a step above. Great acting from Pacino, John Cusack, and Danny Aiello (especially the latter). You know where the story is headed, straight to the center of political corruption, and yet the ride getting there is profound. The score was slowly intense - not ever scary, but kept pulling me in and had me rooting for the good guys. A bit of a cheasy epilogue by Cusack's character. Overall, much better than I expected.

MOVIE REVIEW - Happy Endings (2005)

Not as wildly unpleasant as the hideous "Happiness", but I would not exactly say these vignettes have Happy Endings… or Happy Beginnings or Middles, either. These are mediocre stories of mediocre people in the middle of doing rather mundane things. Maggie plays her typical slutty, liberal-agenda self; Lisa Kudrow plays her typical-in-Indies uptight self. The movie (in narrator-like words written on the screen) says that "it's a comedy - sort of". I think we must have different definitions for the word comedy.

MOVIE REVIEW - Skeleton Key, The (2005)

I watched this thriller last night, and my mind is still doing somersaults this morning. The movie floats along rather typically, leading through the secrets of the house, the understated appeal of Kate Hudson's hospice worker, and building a tension between Kate and Gena Rowlands' caretaker wife. All rather standard for a thriller. But once the plot resolves, this is no longer a standard mind game. From the previews, I expected a horror movie. While it deals with the occult, it is not horror at all - just a good puzzle with very cool turns. As usual, great supporting roles for John Hurt and Peter Sarsgaard, and Gena was fabulous and appropriately scary as Kate's nemesis.

MOVIE REVIEW - Last Time I Committed Suicide, The (1997)

Story of Neal Cassady, the man who was a folk hero of The Beat movement in the '60s and was an inspiration for The Grateful Dead. This movie covers only the early years, before his road trips. And nothing much happens. Decent acting and filmmaking, but just not much of a story. If they were trying to show something in his character that would inspire a movement, either I didn't see it, or I don't value the movement - not sure which.

MOVIE REVIEW - King Kong (2005)

I wanted to love it. And I liked it. But there were Many moments where I found myself looking at my watch, impatiently wondering why this scene wasn't cut from this overly-indulgent 3 hour movie. Kong himself was terrific - not in the least computer-y (no Hulk debacle here). He looked like a super-huge ape, as he should. And he had a wide range of emotions - from rage to humor to sadness to affection. Naomi was flawless - an excellent choice for the love interest - frail and daring and funny and sad. Although, why did the director make her keep on the 4" high heels while traversing the Empire ladder? Adrian was, well, ugly as usual. Jack Black was the wrong choice. I like Jack - he's wacky-funny. And even though he toned down his eccentricities, his Jack-ness still came through too strong for this role. Definitely entertaining, and very well done on the Kong front - but needed some improvement.

MOVIE REVIEW - Jacket, The (2005)

I just can't get past how ugly Adrian Brody is - that nose, it just draws my eyes and I can't look away, can't watch the portrayal he's trying to give. And why does Keira think her only option to separate herself from the teeny-bopper crowd is to play unpleasant, drugged out, renegade, attitude-chicks? She's a great actress, incredibly beautiful, and I just don't like her character choices these days. This mental health thriller has a decent premise until it introduces time travel into the story. It's not a terrible film, but I couldn't leap as far as they required of me.

MOVIE REVIEW - Chronicles Of Narnia, The: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe (2005)

There were moments I was captivated by the beauty and the magic. There were moments when my heartstrings were tugged nicely. But the movie's fatal flaw is similar to Harry Potter and many movies today - the heroes are kids. And no offense to these competent child actors, but they just don't have the range of those who have trained for the profession. Endearing? Yes. And while I did root for them to win the battle, it was too easy to step back, out of the emotional drama, and realize that this is just a movie carried by young teens. My favorite parts were the nicely developed friendship between Lucy and Mr. Tumnus. And I loved the line: "He's not a tame lion. But he is good."

MOVIE REVIEW - Mindhunters (2004)

Almost B-movie quality thriller. Christian Slater and Val Kilmer have very small roles as FBI agents - Christian and a group of others are in training as Profilers. They are taken to an island, and Ten Little Indians (And Then There Were None) begins. Nothing original, only mildly entertaining.

MOVIE REVIEW - March Of The Penguins (2005)

Wow. Wow, I was blown away by this lovely, compelling, wonderfully told story of the migrations, mating habits, and survival techniques of Emperor Penguins in Antartica. Beautifully narrated by the pensive Morgan Freeman, we learn of the severe weather conditions they endure, the brilliance of their journey, the cuteness and beauty of their bodies and movements, the dedication to their offspring's survival. This documentary draws you in from the initial scene, first through the gorgeous landscape and glaciers, quickly moving to the fascinating story of these penguins. This is not the kind of movie that I typically enjoy, but this is So Well Done and such a wonderful story, that I recommend it to all as a Must See.

MOVIE REVIEW - Stealth (2005)

Decent action, good sound effects flying the plane, but a fairly weak storyline.

MOVIE REVIEW - Rent (2005)

The opening sequence is amazing. I love the "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes" Seasons Of Love song. There is some mega-vocal talent here - especially the women, but also a surprising Taye Diggs. Jessie L. Martin, uh, not so much - please find a key. Rosario sings surprisingly well and is hot. But she's supposed to be 19? She's 26 and looks 32. Idina Menzel and Traci Thoms were my favorite singers, playing Joanna and Maureen. I also like Jessie's Santa Fe song and choreography on the subway.

Other than that, I hated it. The lyrics were ridiculously contrived. The Rent song, the Candle Burned Out song, the I Should Tell You song (ugh - just tell me), and especially during Mimi and Roger's first kiss… "Here goes… here goes… here goes…" GO ALREADY! Maureen's protest dramatization was embarrassingly awful. "Moo with me" is right. The scenery felt like a stage, not a movie set; and yet it drew me in less than a typical high school production. The snow was even fake - it clearly was plastic laying on their shoulders in the bar.

Emotionally, the movie consistently missed the mark. I am supposed to be happy about an impromptu commitment ceremony on the street between Maureen and Joanna? When their entire relationship has been wholly unstable? And in the very next scene, they Do break up. So no, I don't feel guilty for rolling my eyes at that quicky engagement. The disappearing AIDS group buddies was emotionally manipulative, but without the desired effect.
Intellectually, it was severely lacking. "The opposite of war is not peace; it is creation". Huh? This is supposed to be deep? Get a job, people, pay your rent.

I was most infuriated by the Bohemia song in the bar. "Here's to marijuana, here's to Pee Wee Herman, here's to dildos, here's to anything Taboo" - all the while, with the suits looking on from the next table in judgment. Maddening. That's the point, you say? Fine, I'm a suit. Here are people - drug users, promiscuous, artists who refuse to pay rent for years – who somehow pervert their world view so that they see themselves as morally superior. Sickening.
The best result of the movie, even better than the opening sequence, is that it gives me greater appreciation for the Broadway scene (Lease) in Team America: World Police.

MOVIE REVIEW - History Of Violence, A (2005)

Standard violent thriller fare. Viggo is a small-town good guy dad who gets caught in a nasty battle in the diner he owns; then a mob boss mistakes him for a former mobster; and all hell breaks loose. A movie this violent should be more interesting.

MOVIE REVIEW - World According To Garp, The (1982)

I think I've become too politically polarized. I just can't put up with preachy, self-righteous propaganda movies. Garp starts out a little endearing, but quickly becomes a sermon. Predictable and depressing, I wanted the movie to end a full hour earlier.

MOVIE REVIEW - Gothika (2003)

Nothing new or entertaining here. This is a followup to an Oscar win? Halle looked completely lost in this lame mental thriller.

MOVIE REVIEW - Capote (2005)

A softly compelling story about the writing of Truman Capote's last book. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives one of his typical standout performances in an extremely quirky role. Hoffman's Capote is confident in his nonconformity, has a fragile line of sanity, drinks like a fish to escape the pain of being misunderstood. The friendship developed between Capote and Perry (the criminal) is touching and manipulative at the same time. As Perry's fate kept getting delayed, so the movie dragged on. What started as interesting ultimately became tedious.

My main problem with this film is that it continues a current trend in Hollywood: a movie about the making of the creative process. This film is about Capote's writing of his famous book. Same with Neverland. Half of Good Night and Good Luck was a reenactment of newscasts. Bewitched was the worst, a movie about the making of a movie which is a remake of a TV show. Has Hollywood run out of actual ideas, and now has to analyze the ideas of others and call that creativity?

MOVIE REVIEW - 13 Going On 30 (2004)

The female Big, and yet somehow quite small. Jennifer Garner did not transfer to the big screen well at all. Or maybe, I just couldn't stop seeing Beniffer2. Mark Ruffalo was good as always, but how much can someone do with such a predictable, wimpy script.

MOVIE REVIEW - Crash (2005)

Complex intertwining storylines, complex subject matter, complex performances spread throughout. I had read several bad reviews, and I don't understand that - this was a deep, well-done, unflinching study of racism, social fears, violence, and growth. The movie leads the viewer to prejudge, then forces the viewer to relook at those judgments. I can't decide if it's a flaw or a victory that I was terrified of the worst in most every scene - literally, I cowered in my chair, hoping that the hideous possibilities would not come true. It's impressive how the writers developed hope and enlightenment in these depressing and fearful circumstances. Trivia: nice to see Deanna Troi, even if she only had 2 lines.

MOVIE REVIEW - Upside Of Anger, The (2005)

It took me a while to decide if this was a heavy drama or a satire. It's both, I think, and also a bizarrely heartwarming family story. In a part written just for her, Joan Allen plays a mom who is angry - so angry - so life-alteringly angry - that she loses herself, treats her kids terribly, and hooks up with a man (Kevin Costner) who she would normally never be with. Joan is typically Oscar worthy, and she is great here; but somehow, she ever-so-slightly missed the mark of being stellar. The narration by Evan Rachel Wood was not very profound and added nothing to the story. Costner's ex-MLB player pothead brings a wanted levity and helps Joan deal with her husband's presumed running off with his secretary. In the end, the story tells us that anger is such a waste of time, that it changes us, that it makes us irrational. And that sometimes, it can help us bond. There were moments that I burst out laughing, others where I cringed at the behavior, and throughout, I was pleased at how warm and functional this dysfunctional family was.

MOVIE REVIEW - Layer Cake (2004)

Surprising that a movie this violent can be this dull.

MOVIE REVIEW - Pieces Of April (2004)

A quirky family drama that initially repelled me but ultimately drew me in. It's the story of a slightly dysfunctional family on their way to Thanksgiving dinner at their daughter's apartment who they all hate and who hates them. The excellent Patricia Clark plays the mom who has cancer and a thousand issues. Katie Holmes, the daughter, has her own troubles as she tries to put on her first Thanksgiving in the slums; her story (not her) is especially enjoying, as we see many of her quirky neighbors trying to pitch in and help - which they sometimes do. The story feels chaotic throughout, disjointed like the family is; and yet it's poignantly touching when the meal is served. At only an hour and a half, the difficulties of the journey are bearable and make the mildly climactic dinner worth the trouble.

MOVIE REVIEW - Breaking Up (1997)

Highly annoying relationship between Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek. On again, off again, taken to extremes. Two people who are so very wrong for each other, but the heat keeps them coming back. Unfortunately… for them and for us.

MOVIE REVIEW - Li'l Abner (1959)

Other than the legs (and legs and legs) and Julie Newmar's hips, I'm not sure why Wayne wanted me to see this film. Cute? Uh, I guess you could say that. Corny, for sure. Not a complete waste of time, but nearly.

MOVIE REVIEW - Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Dead Poets Society with Breasts. And I didn't enjoy the guy version either, for much of the same reasons. The movie thinks it is profound, but it is filled with stereotypes (of "ladies" and of the "enlightened ones"), smugness, inane comparisons of life to the Mona Lisa, and unwarranted claims to loftiness. I couldn't tell if Kirsten Dunst did the worst acting job ever, or if her character was just that lame and arrant. Julia seemed to phone it in. The only depth came from Julia Stiles' character, and her ultimate independence from Ms. Watson.

MOVIE REVIEW - Derailed (2005)

Jennifer looks like she belongs on the big screen in this intensely fun thriller. Nothing here that hasn't been done before, but what it is is done to full effect. The bad guy could've been badder (though he sure caused a heckuva lot of bad); but Jennifer and Clive are believable, conflicted Chicago executives who start their chaos, but get in so much deeper than they planned. The twists are great - one so shocking that I literally jumped out of my seat - High out of my seat. Others were a little predictable - some I figured out 15 minutes before the actors did; but it's still plenty enjoyable. And it's especially good to see that Jennifer could make the transition from Rachel to Julia so well.

MOVIE REVIEW - Escape From Alcatraz (1979)

A movie is more enjoyable when you are personally familiar with the setting. I toured Alcatraz earlier this year, and it was great fun watching the movie and knowing most every crevice of the island that they were on. The movie has nothing surprising here - the title tells you the entire story. But it is well done.

MOVIE REVIEW - Torn Curtain (1966)

Hitchcock film starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews, about an American scientist who defects, and his befuddled girlfriend. Tons of suspense, multiple twists, and a self-defense/murder scene is most chilling. It got just a tad long - with the bus scene near the end feeling like a predecessor to "Speed". But still one of the better Hitchcock films, in large part thanks to Newman.

MOVIE REVIEW - Jarhead (2005)

A funky war movie without the war. It seemed the actors had a great time making this crazy film. Intense moments, bizarre male bonding, raunch, frustration, and lacking of the gore of war. I read reviews that indicated the soldiers boredom became the viewer's boredom - but I disagree. It was a fun, quirky, ride. Welcome to "the suck". Someday, Peter Sarsgaard will win an Oscar (though probably not here). Interesting to see Lucas Black ("American Gothic", X-Files movie, Sling Blade hick talking boy) as a young adult.

MOVIE REVIEW - Shopgirl (2005)

Steve Martin has written a lovely portrayal of flawed, sad people trying to find someone to hold them. From the onset, the viewer had instant sympathy for Claire Dane's loneliness. Boy, that girl can act - consistent, heartfelt, broken - she could possibly get an Oscar nod here. Steve and Claire's relationship had no real foundation, and that was frustrating - but it was also the point. The scene with Claire's family (especially Francis Conroy) perfectly portrayed the roots of her isolation and her sadness.

Please take Jason Schwartzman out of significant roles - the guy lessens the credibility of anything he touches. The narration was a little jarring - it was too seldom to be a presence in the movie, and Steve Martin's narrarator referred to Steve Martin's character in the third person - awkward. There is a great gag with the blond Mrs. Sampras ("Oh, Ray").

This story will stay with me for a few days, I think. A little conflicting, in that it makes you want for more; but overall, it's a comforting look at difficult relationships and the growth we can have through them.

MOVIE REVIEW - Good Night, And Good Luck (2005)

Clooney does know how to make a movie - crisp, thorough, nice flow. Intentionally slow, but Clooney (the director) held the viewers interest. But I wish he would've picked a less preachy topic. Over half of the movie was reenactments of news broadcasts, or actual footage of Senate hearings and news broadcasts. Straithairn even matched the head nods and glances of Murrow (the actual footage was scene in a monitor behind Straithairn). No matter how profound or historic the event, I'm not sure how a newscast reenactment warrants a movie.

My dislike for the movie was mostly rooted in my bias. It seemed like a movie for the liberals to puff themselves up and feel proud of their pet causes. There were constant not-so-subtle indictments of The Patriot Act. Multiple quotes, like "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty" that felt like I was getting beat over the head with a bat. When Murrow was asked, "Is this the start? Are you taking sides?", there was only one answer (not given) - YES, definitely. And when Downey asked, "Are we gonna look back and wonder if we fought for the wrong side?", I wanted to scream out that, No, Downey won't, but Clooney will (or, at least, he should). The timing of this film, when our nation is so polarized - it felt like rubbing a low hour for the conservatives in their face. And by the way, I contest that it was a low hour at all (see Ann Coulter's Treason).

Patricia Clarkson was stellar, as usual. She and Robert Downey, Jr had the only minor comic relief in the film. There was no soundtrack, except for a seldom seen Jazz singer in a bar - and the silence worked well, helping maintain the intensity. Nicely made, frustrating topic.

MOVIE REVIEW - De-Lovely (2004)

At the beginning of the film, Kevin Kline's Cole Porter mentioned that he couldn't sing. If true, then Kline nailed the part. So, why did they have him sing throughout this unpleasant movie? Porter's songs are some of the least catchy of any of the great standards. Matched with Kline's voice and Porter's complicated and mildly hurtful life, we have here a movie to be avoided. And a life to be avoided, imo. If the movie depicts it accurately, Porter and his wife had an arrangement doomed for pain. The format of the movie was reminiscent of Beyond The Sea - a look at Porter's life from a very old (dead?) Porter, as though he was directing his own film. The format worked in neither movie. It was great seeing Sheryl Crowe, Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, and Elvis Costello singing old songs (although the best rendition was by an unknown-to-me Vivian Green on Love For Sale). But these current day stars can't overcome the damage done by Porter's life and this depressing view of it. When Ashley coughs that first time, you knew where the movie was headed - and you wished it would hurry up and get it over with.

MOVIE REVIEW - Raising Helen (2004)

What were they thinking? Kate Hudson is fun and endearing and pretty. They place her in a spoiled, annoying, irresponsible role where even the love interest doesn't come in until the last half hour. Joan Cusack is The Bomb, and they put her in the role of a bitter, unfunny, drab, annoying mom. Killing off Felicity Huffman in the first 10 minutes? Tragic move. They shoot for endearing, but instead end up with confused and dull. It's supposed to portray a message that family is more important than ambition and hedonism; but the writers/producers themselves seem to be conflicted as to whether that's really true. What a waste of talent all around.

MOVIE REVIEW - Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story (2005)

A blatant PG/Heartstrings movie (in the vein of 3 Wishes); but the makers Knows what kind of movie it is, and they do it well. Great development of character and father/daughter bonding – even good father/son bonding between Kurt and Kris Kristofferson. I really loved Dakota’s scene with Manny, when they discussed his racing accident and his nightmares – nice portrayal of a budding friendship. I loved the popsicle scenes, as well. The Krispy Kreme product placement was appreciated, and made me hungry. Kurt is looking leathery – like Redford did in Spy Game and Indecent Proposal.

The views of the horse farms (especially the aerial ones) were breathtaking, and nicely accurate. They showed Kentucky terrain at its finest. I was pleasantly surprised that Kurt pronounced "Versailles" correctly for Kentucky – which is incorrectly, if your French.

MOVIE REVIEW - Elizabethtown (2005)

The film could’ve been a profound look at family, death, isolation, feeling lost. It settled for a taste of that, a lot of nostalgia, and surrounded by a mess of pithy clichés (especially by Claire). Still, the roadtrip feel of the movie was a nice walk through Orlando’s emotions, nicely bookmarked at the end by his actual roadtrip.

I didn’t think the phone call was as poignant as Cameron Crowe wanted me to believe. It was ok, just not all that “bonding”. I did like how they met each other at the end of it, though, staying on the phone while driving, then parked, then walked to each other, Then they hung up. Nice. However, Nashville and E-Town are over 2 hours from each other, not the 45 minutes that Claire said.

Susan Sarandon’s speech/dance and the entire memorial fiasco/fire felt desperate for an ending. I was afraid the movie was about to fizzle into ridiculousness. But then the roadtrip helped redeem the movie.

Since I know Kentucky (particularly Louisville and E-Town) fairly well, I’m going to indulge in some extra critique…

Orlando flew into the Louisville airport, which was most certainly Not the Louisville airport – looked nothing like it, and I should know. I recognized most of the landmarks from E-Town – the square, the sign driving in, etc. I recognized all of the Louisville landmarks – but it was annoying… because Drew flew into Louisville and was supposed to be driving South to E-Town. Every single one of the Louisville landmarks during that drive were North of the airport. Any time Orlando was seen driving in his car, there were nice fences (some of them stone) alongside spacious pasture land. E-Town has no such fences. All of these drives were shot in the Lexington/Versailles area, and it was obvious to a Kentuckian.

The credits indicated that Patty Griffin had a small role in the film, but I missed her. I did catch her singing Moon River during the end credits – she’s awesome.

I was pleasantly surprised at how the Kentucky natives were portrayed. Hick, yes; but also with deep roots in family and friends, and with rich fundamental values of dedication. I especially enjoyed the aunt – she was a terrific depiction of Kentucky’s finest.

MOVIE REVIEW - Flightplan (2005)

A decent suspense thriller, but felt too derivative. A little Panic Room, and little Not Without My Daughter. They also sort of beat you over the head with the plot twist. And the “Arab profiling” was annoying. But overall, still mildly enjoyable. In certain scenes, Jodie was looking old. Well, less old, and more, you got a picture into the future 65-year-old Jodie.

MOVIE REVIEW - North Country (2005)

Decent, but shy of Oscar worthy – both for the movie and for Charlize. Francis McDormand was terrific as always, and could possibly get a nod; but she replicated her Fargo accent exactly, which was jarring at first. Woody Harrelson played a likeable, principled guy – quite a departure for him. The movie feels too “been there, done that”, from Norma Rae to Silkwood. The constant Anita Hill references felt like the director beating the point with a baseball bat. A story worth telling, and you do root for Charlize; but it’s also a story and setting that is drab, difficult, and even a tad boring.

MOVIE REVIEW - Grand Canyon (1991)

Nice Lawrence Kasden film, starring Kevin Kline, the excellent Mary McDonnell, Danny Glover, Steve Martin, Alfre Woodard, and Mary Louise Parker. Great cast, good story about a lawyer and a tow truck driver helping each other, about feeling insignificant… and many other things. Nothing incredibly deep here, but nice. I loved Mary's near-insanity, when she found (and almost kept) the baby. She was great, as always.

MOVIE REVIEW - Mrs. Winterbourne (1995)

Not a bad romantic comedy, if not for Ricki Lake's bad acting. She (the actress) looked uncomfortable the entire movie. Her character was supposed to look uncomfortable and out of place, but instead, Ricki did. Also, the "love" between she and Brendan developed much too quickly, unrealistically. A decent attempt, but unsatisfying overall.

MOVIE REVIEW - Satisfaction (1988)

Julia Roberts' first credited movie. Similar to Girls Just Want To Have Fun, set with a girl rock band (starring Justine Bateman). Nothing here to see.

MOVIE REVIEW - Cold Creek Manor (2003)

This movie is much like Pacific Heights and House of Sand And Fog that came before it, and not as good as those just-ok movies. Other than Sharon Stone's mannequin-like performance, nothing was really wrong here. It just felt too derivative.

MOVIE REVIEW - View From The Top (2003)

Romantic, um, comedy? Starring Gwyneth and Mark Ruffalo. Mark brings depth to movies that don't deserve his depth (including this one). And Mike Myers was his typical (but funny) self in an ultra quirky role - a flight attendant instructor with a crazy eye. Gwyneth, however, brings the movie down to a flop (as usual), preventing any feeling of romance between her and Mark, and eliminating the possibility of emotional pull to her character. She's quite plastic, and quite stiff as an actress. Since there isn't much material here to begin with, it just isn't worth watching.

MOVIE REVIEW - John Denver: A Portrait (1994)

This DVD is a wonderful hour spent with John, about 3 years before his death. John hosts and talks about songs he wrote, the stories behind them, the impact they've had, and he reviews some of the TV specials, movies, and highlights of his career. His 40ish ruggedness and calm demeanor was in stark contrast to his bizarre caricatureness of his youthful look. The first half-hour is spellbinding. A calm, mature, reflective John tells his wandering ways until his first drive into Colorado - and how at 27 years old, he immediately found him "home in a place he had never been." The intimacy in his voice, the peace he exudes just saying his "home" state's name, it vividly demonstrates why his songs are so rich and touch such a wide range of people. Talking about "Matthew" - Joy was just the thing that he was raised on… Love was just the way to live and die… ah, the depth of character, of family, the peaceful values of life.

The second half gets a little preachy, as John did in the second half of his career. It's not only that I don't share his politics, but rather that his message and lyrics became too specific - they could no longer apply to the general listener. Still, this hour was a treasure well-spent.

MOVIE REVIEW - Sure Thing, The (1985)

You can see the early signs of Rob Reiner brilliance in this teen romantic dramedy starring John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga. But it's not as deep a movie as the creators like to believe it is. It's more than a little dated, and I wish I liked the characters a little more. Daphne was not as cute as I remember her being.

MOVIE REVIEW - Simple Plan, A (1998)

Surprisingly good tale of three small town guys who find $4 million. Bill Paxton stars as the smart one, Billy Bob Thornton as the dimwitted brother. You know where it's going from the very beginning - downward-spiral-city. But it's fascinating to watch it go there. I'm surprised that Billy Bob wasn't totally typecast after this movie and Slingblade as retards… he still can't help but play sleazy, but he did do Stupid really well in both of these films.

MOVIE REVIEW - We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)

Miserable tale of swingers/infidelity, starring Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern, Naomi Watts, and Peter Krauss. Nothing pleasant here, nothing even deep. Not even any decent nudity to make the depression worth it.

MOVIE REVIEW - Kissing A Fool (1998)

Lame romantic dramedy starring David Schwimmer and Jason Lee and some cute girl. Schwimmer plays the fool, but I think I'm really the fool for sitting through the whole thing.

MOVIE REVIEW - Donnie Darko (2001)

Cult indie flick starring Jake Gyllenhal as, well, I don't really know what. Bizarre, but not interesting enough to be cool. The time travel elements were pretty lame. I don't think it deserves its cult acclaim, though it was mildly entertaining. But not really recommended.