Hannibal
Dr. Lecter and Agent Starling are up to their tomfoolery again! Ten years made them forget why The Silence of the Lambs was a good movie. D+
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
A boy wizard goes to wizard school and is confronted with a series of obstacles with funny names. Uh, boy wizard. D+
Heartbreakers
A mother-daughter team con people into falling in love and then steal their money. Isn't that lovely? A few funny moments, but basically evil and stupid. D
Hearts in Atlantis
A boy learns about friendship and love while befriending a psychic man being pursued by mysterious suits. Hopkins does what he does best, but a confused plot makes for a wishy-washy flick. B
Hellboy
A demon is raised by a government agency to fight for good an must stop a Nazi warlock from opening up the gates to hell. Some clever effects and an interesting cast don't make up for a really stupid movie. C-
Hellraiser: Hellseeker
Kirsty's unfaithful husband finds himself in hell when she makes yet another deal with Pinhead. Confusing and silly for non-fans. Offensively bad for fans. D-
Hellraiser: Inferno
A dirty cop accidentally opens the gates to hell and only thinks he's survived it. Could have been much worse considering. C-
Hollow Man
Arrogant scientist becomes psycho-killer scientist when turned invisible. Awful all around. D
Hollywood Homicide
A middle-aged cop/real estate agent and his young partner/aspiring actor solve the simplest murder case I have ever seen. Crap. Total crap. D-
The Hours
Three women in different time periods reveal how depressed they are. Powerful performances and clever directing make the film worth watching despite its bleakness. B-
The Hulk
A scientific mishap turns a geneticist into a violent Shrek. Nothing but potential. D
The Human Stain
A discredited professor has a relationshipwith a younger woman as he tries to cope with the fact that he lied about his racial identity his whole life. A good team and some nice performance do not make up for a tiring, erratic and seemingly pointless plot. D+
Identity
Many characters get killed at a motel because of a big reveal that may or may not have something to do with a mentally ill murderer facing the death penalty. Good casting and a cute idea for a movie but a mediocre execution (no pun intended). C
In America
An Irish family struggles with grief in New York. Well acted but not plot-driven enough for my tastes. B-
In the Bedroom
Man upset when son killed by girlfriend's jealous ex. Good acting, but TV movie plot drones on relentlessly. C-
Insomnia
Whilst rying to nab a murderer in Alaska, a detective accidentally kills his partner, giving the murderer some shady leverage. In a time when most suspense films are cures for insomnia, this is a solid, entertaining ride. A-
Irreversible
Two friends avenge a woman's rape. French. Some good performances make their way though an offensive and arrogantly directed film. D
The Italian Job
A team of thieves attempt to steal back gold from the thief that betrayed them. Rather entertaining considering it's about glorifying theft. B
Jeepers Creepers
Man-eating monster terrorizes a college kid and his sister in middle America. A welcome return to monster movies, but not a very strong one. C
K-Pax
A mental patient claims to be an alien and very well may be. Good cast does mediocre job telling silly story. C-
The Ladies Man
Based on a Saturday Night Live skit about a radio host that loves the ladies. Stupid and inconsequential, but within that context, surprisingly entertaining. B
The Legend of Bagger Vance
A caddy inspires a war veteran to win a golfing tournament in 1920's Georgia. Has its moments, but basically just two hours of golf. C-
Levity
An ex-con searches for redemption from the sister of someone he killed decades ago. Good performances and and a sensitive script fight against superfluous characters and valium-pacing. B-
The Life of David Gale
A journalist must determine if an anti-death penalty activist on death row has been framed. Generally solid performances by a competent cast don't quite make up for a morally ambiguous and convoluted plot. C+
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
A Hobbit named Frodo, 3 hobbit friends, a wizard, a dwarf, an elf and two guys are charged with transporting a powerful ring to its place of disposal. Another example of books and movies being different mediums. Entertaining performances and a sharp look, but really not worth all the hype. B-
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The fellowship has been broken and our favorite team of genetic mistakes must trek on while the evil wizard tours Middle Earth looking for support for his invasion of Iraq. Equally exhausting as the first film, but special effects that can't be beat. Oh, and Brad Dourif. B
Love Actually
Many British people fall in and out of love. Funny and touching but too many subplots. B
The Magdalene Sisters
The true story of girls in 1960's Ireland forced into Catholic Church-run slave labor. Comes short of delivering a full punch but is undeniably powerful and enraging. B+
Marooned in Iraq
An elderly Kurdish musician travels from Iran to Iraq with his two sons in search of his ex-wife who may be in danger. Touching characters and touching moments occasionally break through the shadow of slow foreign pacing and story structure. B
Matchstick Men
A con artist with OCD is inspired when his long lost daughter enters his life. Some good performances and a few cute moments are buried under another stupid flick glorifying theft and belittling mental disorder. C-
The Matrix Reloaded
Freedom fighters with a leather fetish search for the answers that may save mankind from the machines in this long-awaited sequel. Mildly entertaining fight scenes do not make up for a big steaming pile of crap. D+
The Matrix Revolutions
Neo negotiates a settlement with producers to save Zion. Blechh. C-
May
A psychologically damaged young woman forms a disturbing attachment to people's body parts. Good acting and directing make this a disturbing and twisted little film. A-
Meet The Parents
A guy must go through the trauma of dealing with his girlfriend's dad before he can propose. Mindless fluff but much funnier than I thought it would be. B+
Memento
A man with a memory disfunction tries to find his wife's killer. Sounds like a comedy but really is an extremely well-written thriller. A-
Men in Black II
Only a sequel will destroy an evil alien plan to do evil things to innocent people. Lots of laughs but very little of the charm that made the first one such a hit. B-
Men of Honor
The true life story of the first black master diver in the Navy. Indulgent oversentimentalized crap with a few tense moments. D+
A Mighty Wind
Zany characters prepare for a folk tribute. Another Christopher Guest mockumentary with all the assets except being particularly funny. C+
Minority Report
In the year 2054, a new technology used to stop murders before they happen is revealed to be less than perfect when a detective gets framed. Good fx and action sequences but a silly premise that takes most of the film's time trying to explain itself.. C+
The Missing
A woman in 19th century New Mexico must rely on her estranged father to rescue her kidnapped daughter. Not interesting. C-
Monster's Ball
A racist white prison guard falls for the bereaved black widow of a man he's put to death A happy story for kids of all ages! No, but seriously, a powerful, well-acted film. A
Moonlight Mile
A young man is conflicted between his respect for his dead fiance's parents and his affection for a local girl. Occasionally too much of a tear-jerker, but altogether interesting and very well acted. A-
Moulin Rouge
A musical about a woman torn between the penniless poet she loves and the powerful man who'll make her a star, set in a French nightclub in the year 1900. Occasionally overstimulating but made up for with terrific cinematography and great performances. A-
Mystic River
Three childhood friends reunite when one of their daughters is murdered. Brilliant acting a expert direction ensure this is a film with staying power. A-
Narc
Two detectives join forces o solve a murder, but one may be directly involved. Great performances by the two leads, good dialogue and an exciting trip, despite its relative simplicity. A-
Nurse Betty
A waitress believes she's in a soap opera after she witnesses her husband's murder. Well-acted, well-filmed, doesn't make any sense. C