15 Minutes
Two wacky foreigners try to get away with murder by exploiting the media-obsessed system. A wacky homicide detective and a wacky arson investigator try to stop them. Starts out as a compelling thriller, ends in lame action comedy. C+
21 Grams
A heart recipient, a grieving widow and a religious ex-con are sad for two hours. Heavy, but well acted. C+
25th Hour
A drug dealer has a day to make his peace before reporting for a 7-year prison sentence. A few good performances, but a slow and not particularly memorable film. C+
28 Days Later
Survivors run from infected zombies in the UK. A surprisingly well executed, well acted film about more than just violence. A
A.I.
An android boy sets out on a quest to find that which can make him human and earn him the love of the parents who abandoned him. Beautifully shot, but awfully silly and peculiar. B-
About Schmidt
A retired widower takes a journey across state lines to try to stop his daughter from marrying a loser. Another great performance by Jack and some wonderul moments in a film that doesn't seem to have much purpose other than character study. B+
Adaptation
Neurotic writer Charlie Kaufman struggles to adapt a book into screenplay form. Good performances don't quite make up for the disjointed and unintriguing story. C+
Ararat
A young man searches for his ancestral identity while filmmakers struggle to make an accurate film about the Armenian Holocaust. Worthy subject matter and a few brilliantly acted scenes, but altogether a very disorienting and overly-complicated film. B
The Art of War
A U.N. secret agent is set up from all sides when a Chinese ambassador is killed. Stupid and mediocre with the occasional mercy. D+
Auto Focus
The true story of Bob Crane, Hogan's Hero star and murdered perve. An entertaining and well-acted film but not altogether necessary. B+
Before Night Falls
The true story of a Cuban writer who was persecuted by Castro's regime for his poetry and for being a homosexual. Very well acted and filmed but mind-bogglingly unpleasant. B+
Best In Show
A mockumentary of dogowners on their way to compete in a dog show. Great characters. Very entertaining. A-
Blood Work
Dirty Harry gets a heart transplant and must track the killer who made the heart donatable. Not offensibly bad but basically a big-budget tv movie. C
Boiler Room
A young man becomes a stock broker in a shady firm which tests his integrity with the law and with his father. Well-acted and interesting. A-
Bossa Nova
An American English teacher in Brazil falls for a divorced lawyer whose brother has fallen for his intern who's fallen for their soccer playing client that takes English lessons. And some other stuff too. A very funny romance with genuine soul. A-
Bowling for Columbine
Michael Moore's brilliant documentary explores the mystery of America's first-place honor in killing each other with guns. Should be shown to everyone of reading age. A
Cabin Fever
A flesh eating virus pits young idiots against each other. A pathetic attempt is rasied to mediocrity by well-executed jokes. C
Cast Away
A FedEx executive becomes stranded on an island after a plane crash. After four years he makes it out to sea on a raft and is finally found. Terrific middle but weak first and final acts. B
The Cell
An FBI agent and a psychotherapist probe a comatose killer's mind with a new technology in the hopes of discovering where his latest victim is being held. Weak plot but visually fascinating. B+
Chicago
Screen adaptation of the muscial in which some singing murderesses become famous. Does it's job but awfully silly. C
Chocolat
A charming woman opens a chocolaterie in a conservative French town. Hilarity and conflict ensues. Well acted and enjoyable. Slightly pointless and cliche. B+
The Claim
A man sells his wife and child for the claim to a goldmine in the 1800's west. Twenty years later when he's king of the town, they return and he feels guilty. Decent acting and cinematography, bland characters and tiresome plot. C-
Constantine
An exorcist must stop the birth of Satan's son. Some great imagery but overwritten and silly. C-
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh pursue a hot-blooded girl who's stolen a powerful sword. Fascinating martial arts choreography and cinematography but pretty benign otherwise. B-
Dancer in the Dark
Musical: an immigrant tries to earn enough money for her son's operation, but ends up being forced into murder when the money is stolen. Honest, brilliant, profound, ingenious. I liked it. A
Dirty Pretty Things
An illegal immigrant in London faces some difficult choices when he stumbles upon a sinister scheme. Well written, directed and acted. What else is there? A
Dogville
I woman on the run is accepted and then exploited by American townsfolk. Good cast, decent acting and three and a half hours of an irritating set gimmick. C+
Dreamcatcher
Four telepathic friends must stop an alien from doing that which aliens tend to do. Absolutely dreadful. D+
Equilibrium
A law enforcer turns revolutionary in an anti-emtoion Orwellian future. Silly and derivitive with tight little action sequences. C
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
A man regrets having an experimental surgery to erase the memory of his ex-girlfriend. Very entertaining and thought provoking but sometimes too weird for its own good. B+
Final Destination 2
When a teenager's premonition saves several lives, Death itself must tie up the loose ends. Despite some entertaining horror-sequences, this film spends most of its time being silly. C
Finding Nemo
A fish searches the sea for his lost son. More great animation from Pixar but still dumbed down for children. B+
Frailty
God orders a Texas family to kill sinners. Or does he? Or doesn't he? Or does he? Or doesn't he? Bill Paxton's directorial debut has a few good moments, but treads too close to the silly/depressing border. C
Frida
Biopic of artist Frida Kahlo, whose physical torment at the hands of a bus accident and emotional torment at the hands of her husband Diego Rivera was translated into her shocking artwork. One of those rare instances where a story is actually better than its film. B
Gangs of New York
An Irish boy avenges his father's death in mid-19th century New York City. Daniel Day-Lewis, the cinematography and set design are all incredible. Too bad it's three hours of a less than brilliant story. B