Grade: B | Genre: Comedy
Summary: No one is more surprised by the outcome of this rather witty little film than I. It has its share of problems, but this is light years away from the suck fest this was destined to be.

The rise and fall of Kevin Smith has been a swift and ugly thing to witness. I think the general sentiment was summed up best in a recent episode of Entourage when Vince discovers they've sloughed off directorial responsibilities of the Aquaman sequel to Kevin Smith after James Cameron bailed. The communal gasps of disappointment couldn't have been more telling. Smith was a man who entered with all the promise of indie Superman. Clerks had the grittiness of an El Mariachi with the savvy of Reservoir Dogs. It was lewd, crude and set its own rules that naturally come with a lack money and studio muscle forcing the film's evolution through focus groups. He would sputter out on Mall Rats, but fulfill all of his tremendous promise in the insta-classic Chasing Amy. Since then, one bad film has cascaded into the next -- Jersey Girl, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, the brilliantly mis-executed Dogma. It's amazing that this man can still take meetings in Hollywood. So when I first heard the rumor that Smith was queuing up a sequel to his indie smash hit, I could only think that he was sucking out that last ounce of indie credibility before getting tossed on the heap of hack directors for hire. Believe me, no one is more surprised by the outcome of this rather witty little film than I. It has its share of problems, but this is light years away from the suck fest this was destined to be.

Grade: A- | Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Summary: A "Spike Lee Joint" that delivers a satisfying, big-Hollywood heist movie in the best sense of the genre, sprinkled with a stellar cast that includes uber-cool Denzel Washington and Clive Owen. A nice night out for the money.

This movie introduces you to Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), criminal mastermind, with a monologue that appears to take place from a prison cell. So okay, we think we know how it ends, but hang on, sorting this plot out is half the fun in this two-hour flashback of a bank-robbery where cool, collected thieves execute a daytime siege of the main Manhattan Trust Bank. The heist happens when a band of gunmen take over this Wall Street bank and seize hostages who are forced to wear the same coveralls and white masks as the crooks to confuse the cops. Enter expert negotiator Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington), who has his own cloud of mystery, as does this rich, complicated story of twists and turns. The dance begins between Frazier and Russell as they play mental games with each other in this film that is strongly reminiscent of some of Sydney Lumet's films such as Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico, and while this film is not exactly on the same par, it comes close and is a substantial effort in that direction. In fact, Frazier, makes mention of that epic film when he and mastermind Russell debate the escape plan details, by saying, "We've all seen Dog Day Afternoon, you're stalling."

Grade: C+ | Genre: Sci-Fi
Summary: V for Vendetta isn't unwatchable. It has its moments, but overly its a preachy version of the future where the government is as dark as they can be and the populous exists with a purity of soul, hinged on grand ideals.

So everyone had to do a neck wrenching double take when they saw the striking Natalie Portman playing a cue ball during promotions for the final chapter of the Star Wars saga. No Princess Amidala wasn't shipped off to some intergalactic concentration camp. She was busy filming her new sci-fi film V for Vendetta. Straight off the comic book pages, V comes to us when we are overloaded with roaming vigilantes and men in tights on the silver screen. V for Vendetta is one of DC Comics lesser-known series, tucked away in their Vertigo wing. It tells the story of one vigilante fighting a British government of the future (2020 to be exact) that has stripped its people of their freedoms and rules with an iron fist of fear. V's (Hugo Weaving) sole purpose in life seems to be the incitement of anarchy in the masses in order to topple the totalitarian regime. In an age where illegal government wiretaps and freedoms are cinched ever tighter with the decidedly unpatriotic Patriot Act, it's hard to see V as anything but a commentary of a bleak 1984 type existence we could be hurling towards.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Drama/Romance
Summary: John Fante's, Ask The Dust is a 1939, hipster's novel that is lost in translation to the big screen, confirming to me again, that some literature should be left to the ancient art of reading.

Directed and adapted to the screen by Chinatown scribe, Robert Towne, Ask the Dust, follows the life and loves of an aspiring Depression-era author, Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell) as he makes his way in Los Angeles, while becoming involved with a Mexican waitress (Salma Hayek). Arturo is a second-generation Italian, who dreams of landing a writing career and a hot blue-eyed blonde on his arm, while Camilla Lopez, the intense and fiery Mexican waitress, wants to marry someone wealthy and above her station. So what do they do? Of course, this couple runs headlong into a love/hate affair that is filled with angst and racial conflicts. This folks, is the entire film, honest. Director Robert Towne, who possesses a huge fascination with old Los Angeles and has done well in sharing that image onscreen in this film, reportedly spent years bringing this cool, celebrated novel to the screen after meeting the author of this book in the 1970s.

Grade: D+ | Genre: Romantic Comedy
Summary: It won't change your outlook on love and life, but it might help you pass a couple of hours. Otherwise, spare yourself Terry Bradshaw's cottage cheese behind because this film is a stinker.

We should have known better when we saw the word "Failure" in the movie title. While we would never judge a book by its cover, especially one featuring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker, a movie title can speak a thousand words. Sure, Failure to Launch may have not been such a failure in it's opening weekend, but it has set itself up for the numerous play-on-words that will foreshadow how quickly this film will fade away. Systems won't be a go for much longer, and as fast it launched to the top, it's sure to come crashing down.

Grade: A- | Genre: Action Adventure
Summary: Superman Returns is a thrilling rebirth of yesterday's "Man of Steel" for today's generation. The time spent in development was worth the wait and we can only hope that the following additions continue to build and stay true to the franchise.

Review: The "Man of Steel" has indeed come a long way since his Quest for Peace and finally returns to the big screen to soar over all those that get in his way (those that aren't Pirates of course). It seems director Bryan Singer was able to take the franchise back in time and drop it snugly between the second and third Superman installments just before Mr. Bulletproofs film career began to tank.

Clark Kent has continued to see some life on the small screen in the hit series, Smallville, but alas with not one glimpse of the red cape and blue tights. It took a while for Superman to take over the big screen where previous incarnations saw Rush Hour and X Men 3 director, Brett Ratner manning the helm and, get this, Nicholas Cage playing "The Man of Steel." With years wasted and millions of dollars lost, the studios finally got the right pieces in place to create a Superman fitting of today's movie climate. This time around, we are given a film that doesn't necessary reinvent the franchise but is a dedication to the legacy left behind by Christopher Reeves.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Comedy
Summary: Unfortunately, unless you know a bit about Steve Coogan and appreciate the realistic edginess of British wit, you could miss the laughs in this mockumentary about making a movie based on a novel that simply cannot be filmed.

Just to get this out of the way first, in case you do not know about one of England's funniest and most creative men, Steve Coogan, shame on you. Not only will this keep you from catching some of the jokes in this film, as some are based on his former TV character Alan Partridge, and one running gag is about a real-life tabloid headline that plagues Coogan, but you are missing really brilliant humor from a great comic actor. But enough of that, and onto the review of the movie, which is a film about making a film from a novel that is un-filmable. In fact no one in their right mind would attempt to make a movie about this particular novel. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman is a weighty novel written by Laurence Sterne that is one of those great books famous for being owned but seldom actually read. The book itself is a perfect vehicle for a movie about a novel that one simply cannot film, for this piece of literature is the fictional autobiography of an eccentric English gentlemen that have more digressions, narrative segues and utterly exhausting contrivances than any postmodern works that have ever been written.

Grade: D+ | Genre: Action/Suspense
Summary: Basically, it's a film that treads over ground we've seen hundreds of times to date and offers up nothing new for us to sink our teeth into. The goal seems to sufficiently vegetate the audience rather than intrigue them.

Its truly sad when once great actors become synonymous with bland filmmaking. Instead of being gracefully put out to pasture, they overstay their welcome, going through the motions without feeling and completely devoid of heart. Harrison Ford set the standard for tense action thrillers with nail biters like Patriot Games and The Fugitive yet these days he's a paycheck player, getting plugged in as the lead in the latest tepid action feature on the market. Remember stellar, gripping films like Hollywood Homicide, Six Days Seven Nights and K19: The Widowmaker? I didn't think so. The latest stink bomb is Firewall, pulling out all the formulas and wallowing in its own mediocrity. Shouldn't there be a mandate that guys like Ford, DeNiro and Pacino can't soil their brilliant body of work, slumming it in every half-baked project that gets green lighted through Hollywood?

Grade: B+ | Genre: Documentary
Summary: The power of this film lies in its array of eye opening facts, coupled with a desire to let both sides be heard. It sidesteps the heavy-handed flash that Michael Moore would employee, insuring he'll never preach to anything other than the choir.

In the San Francisco airport, I was in search of reading material as I prepared to swallow the nation in my flight home. I ran across the latest US News and World Report profiling presidents at war. Basically, it was trying to remove some of that polish and shine the history books have glossed upon great emancipators like Lincoln or Nazi weed killer Roosevelt. After all, Roosevelt did authorize certain American citizens of Japanese descent be relocated to internment camps during World War II. A new BBC documentary looks to shed fresh light on America at war and, more specifically, why it is that we fight. Are we following the path of the once great Britain with our economic imperialistic ways? How much longer can we serve as the world's policeman, brandishing our guns? Are we destined to be dethroned by our own hubris like every great civilization that has come before us? Why We Fight puts these difficult questions on the table to identify what exactly is in the fabric of the American DNA that keeps us at war.

Grade: C | Genre: Comedy
Summary: Nacho Libre isn't a total loss. There are a host of funny scenes, making it entirely watchable, but you come out feeling you got gypped.

Jared Hess has to be one of the most unlikely of heroes in Hollywood. His indie flick Napoleon Dynamite has become a baffling cult hit, embedding itself in the lexicon of our generation. Can you go anywhere these days without being hit up with the campaign message 'Vote for Pedro' blazoned across someone's t-shirt? Napoleon made it cool for everyone to embrace their inner dork whether its shaking your groove thing in front of the high school auditorium or putting your nuts into an electric vise labeled 'time machine.' We've all been through the hell known as high school and can finally smile about the daily misery Napoleon suffers on a continual loop because there is a little Napoleon in all of us. Now creator Jared turns his gaze from time warped Idaho to a Mexican monk turned wrestler, spearheaded by eccentric comic Jack Black. The fusion of humor between Hess and Black was just too tempting to pass up. It's a shame that something got lost in the translation.

Grade: D+ | Genre: Independent Drama
Summary: While I'm not ready to slap this with the label as being a 'bad film,' it doesn't have much point. It's a slice of life piece featuring a life not terribly interesting, which unfortunately seems to be Matt Dillon's specialty these days.

In a recent visit to Barcelona with my babelicious girlfriend, we were seeking a brief reprieve from history's engine and magnificent modernist architectural works. It was decided a choice piece of American cinema could definitely fill this craving. The problem was not stumbling over one offensive theatre after another busy dubbing box office blockbusters like the Da Vinci Code into Spanish. Have these Spaniards not heard of subtitles? I have to say that watching Clueless dubbed on late night TV was simply priceless. "Rollin' with the Homies." Here is a thought. Why not have special headphones/glasses at the theatre so the film can always run in its original format, allowing you can plug in the appropriate dubbing/subtitles as you see fit? After bouncing around town to three different theatres, we ended up on the Passeig de Gracia that screamed cool with its trendy shops and complete absence of tourist flavor. It also housed two of the cities indie cinema houses, featuring the much sought after VOSE (Version Original Subtitulada en Espanol). After narrowing a dozen foreign films down to two US imports, we settled on Factotum with Matt Dillon and Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under).

Grade: A | Genre: Drama/Thriller
Summary: If you think you dislike big oil companies and are suspicious of the feds now, you just wait until you see this flick. This film should be seen for its political insight and the sheer power of the message.

Syriana is an intelligent and masterfully crafted movie about the intrigue, politics, and underbelly of governmental involvement in the oil business. This movie possesses more plot lines than you can count on one hand, however, rest assured that by the end of the film all the dots will be connected, but you might not like the picture you are seeing. Syriana confronts the topics of big oil, shady government and the Middle East and demands that you think about those issues. This is a big, bold movie that is as complicated and as confusing at times as the subjects it is trying to cover, but somehow this film works. The writer/director, Stephan Gaghan delivers an ambitious piece of cinema which asks really tough questions about America's need for oil, in pretty much the same way he wrote about the drug world in his Academy Award winning screenplay Traffic, and amazingly enough, he succeeds. Gaghan forges a challenging, fictional thriller and solicits unaffected, honest performances throughout, but this film is not going to make you feel satisfied at the end, or comfortable, in fact you will feel quite the contrary.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Romantic Comedy (Supposedly)
Summary: The problem(s) with The Break-Up is that it was/is marketed as a romantic comedy that in reality is more serious and not as romantic as you would expect. You don't really feel anything for the characters and don't really understand why Gary can't get his act together early on, but when he finally does, why it's just not enough for Brooke.

Review: Many therapists like to encourage their patients to act out the quirks of relationship conflicts to help find resolve and an eventual inner peace. Jennifer Aniston takes that method one step further in her new movie, The Break-Up, playing a woman dealing with the inevitable end of her relationship with Brad...I mean Gary (Vince Vaughn). Actors tend to borrow from real life experiences in order to create a role that feels more genuine. Luckily, Aniston doesn't have to go far in her research as her real life divorce (in case you haven't heard) to Mr. Pitt contributes to this tired story about a couple, Gary and Brooke (Aniston), who can't seem to turn around their doomed relationship.

Grade: A- | Genre: Action/Comedy/Crime
Summary: A witty, sprawling mess of a film about a murder in Los Angeles that is as absurd and bizarre as the city it openly makes fun of.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, is a flick as breezy, surreal and disjointed as Los Angeles and yet it happens to be my first guilty pleasure of the year. Shane Black, screenwriter of the Lethal Weapon series, directs his first feature film after a long absence from the screen and surprisingly charms me silly. With a touch of film noir, a shade of Pulp Fiction, a hysterical narrative, bizarre flashbacks and machine-gun dialogue, Kiss Kiss rolls into kind of snowballing mess, and while you are not quite sure of what it is, you really do not care once it gets going. It is the first film I have laughed out loud at in at least two years. The plot has more twists than a pretzel and can almost overwhelm you with its continual barrage of action, humor and darkness making one wonder what the inside of Black's head must look like. Yes, this film is a mishmash of everything, but it somehow cooks up into a completely edible feast of a movie, thanks to some brilliant writing, superior performances by Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr., and edgy direction by a man who truly knows the strangeness of Los Angeles inside and out.

Grade: A+ | Genre: Drama/Suspense
Summary: Munich is an important film that speaks as much about the world we live in as it does about the 1970s. It's a blast that is dehumanizing, leaves a litter of questions for every answer and opens up your mind to this senseless struggle that will outlive us all.

Its quite a chore to balance the books on Steven Spielberg's 2005. First, he revisited the sci-fi cornerstone Close Encounters of the Third Kind by importing War of the Worlds into the twenty-first century. It was a sorely lackluster experience, complete with a feel good, Hollywood ending and Tom Cruise battling aliens with his couch jumping skills in basements from sea to shining sea. It can only be described as silly Hollywood excess with Spielberg caught in the crossfire. Now he tries to make it all better, squeezing in his eleventh hour Oscar picture Munich. In doing so he's unveiling what is probably the most important film to come out this year. Munich is a tough film that looks to capture the eternal chaos fought between the Israelis and Palestines in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the impact wrought by one defining event -- Munich. These embattled peoples form one of modern times bloodiest struggles, and one that will never see a resolution as long as new generations of terrorists are born with every brother or father that is incinerated at the hands of a suicide bomber.

Grade: A- | Genre: Adventure/Drama
Summary: Another artistic feast by writer/director Terrance Malick, who delivers a visually lush, hypnotic film, that opens "new worlds" to John Smith, Pocahontas, and the audience (if they let it.) Why the warning light? This flick might not suit your taste.

Writer/director Terrence Malick has only released four films of note in his career, and while taking his sweet time in making each of them, he has created his own unmistakable style in the process. His films are almost meditations with plots, and The New World is no exception. Malick uses the same techniques and modes of operation for each of these movies, and this makes him one of the few directors around anymore whom not only have cult-like devotees, but you could recognize his movies even if the director's name was never in the credits. Do not count on a hard and fast plot for The New World, or intense dialogue between the characters, and the use of CGI to bombard you, but instead open yourself up for a different kind of film. Malick uses his take on the Pocahontas myth to create a movie about innocence, love and loss, and the miracle of experiencing new places and new ways of life.

Grade: A- | Genre: Action Adventure
Summary: M:i:III, in this writer's opinion, lived up to all the hype and seems to be bullet proof when going up against Cruise's current love lost with the media and public.

Tom Cruise's mission, should he choose to accept it, is to prove that he is still the world's biggest movie draw, and Mission: Impossible III is the vehicle that he will be riding all the way to the bank. The first Mission, directed by Brian De Palma, was more about substance wrapped around a story line too convoluted for us simple minded folk to follow. The John Woo sequel was an over done spectacle that showed that Cruise's ego is as big as his smile. Now, the third installment by J.J Abrams, finally brings it all together and does the franchise proud with a film loaded with action that makes the first two look like gymnastics on Oprah's couch. However, what fuels the film though is not the impossible action sequences, but rather the inner personal story that humanizes Ethan Hunt and engages you more in the man than the flash.

Grade: B- | Genre: Comedy/Satire
Summary: American Dreamz certainly provides you with a nice satire of American pop culture and our political entanglements around the globe, but it's a little too safe. It needed to go for the jugular more and not apologize for its sharp humor.

Mandy Moore has been a bit of a sleeper on the Hollywood scene. A couple years ago, she was little more than a syrupy sweet pop princess who was looking to milk her fame into a crossover career in fluff films. Suddenly, she veered off course, showing a keen taste in men, hooking up with American tennis sensation Andy Roddick then the quirky humor genius of Scrubs Zach Braff. Next, after narrowly avoiding being tangled up in teen movie hell (How to Deal, Chasing Liberty), she has aligned herself with savvy directors (John Turturro) and sharp roles (Saved) that make you eager to scrap any preconceived notions you're harboring about her. This time she teams up with the brain trust that gave us quality flicks like About a Boy and In Good Company for an American Idol spoof that tries to get at that shred of goodness that keeps this mind numbing television slapping the Nielson families like it was their bitch.

Grade: B | Genre: Comedy/Drama/Holiday
Summary: The Family Stone is a funny, poignant tale that never forgets that family is what make the season so very stressful and utterly priceless, all in the same breath.

It just wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't have a couple movies barreling into theatres hoping to spur on that holiday spirit. Goodness knows with the sparring over the hot toy of the season and waiting in three-hour lines for a moment on Santa's lap, our daily preparations can sour those extra helping of joy this time of year. This year's film, striving to be the companion to the Yule log and the carved turkey, is The Family Stone. With a big name cast and a sharp wit, Stone stands out as one of the better holiday fare we've seen in recent years. It almost makes up for having to suffer through Ben Affleck in Surviving Christmas. On second thought, there's not much that will be able to wash away the foul taste of that stinker.

Grade: A- | Genre: Drama
Summary: Strong performances, interesting character dynamics and an intriguing storyline pull together one of 2005's most interesting films in Match Point.

Woody Allen has been jettisoning down this film roller coaster, bugs lodged in his teeth, for many, many years. I don't know if he's been too busy soaking up his own peculiar pallet of neurosis or just feeling stale in the streets of New York. Regardless, I think all film buffs have grudgingly resigned themselves to the fact that we'll never again see anything as clever and mischievous as Annie Hall, spilling from his chaotic mind. Last year's Melinda Melinda, starring Radha Mitchell, certainly showed a lot of promise through its story bending formula, but it was still heavily steeped in the baggage of Allen's lifetime of film. Match Point only looks like a Woody Allen film in its title sequences and its character interactions. Otherwise, it is a fresh, savvy piece of cinema far removed from Allen's beloved New York (filmed in London) that shows a spark in his step we feared was lost forever. Strong performances, interesting character dynamics and an intriguing storyline pull together one of 2005's most interesting films in Match Point.

Grade: B- | Genre: Drama
Summary: Overall, this is Claire Danes' film. She single-handedly transforms this piece into an intriguing watch from material that is fairly forgettable.

Freshman year of college, I had a rather sizeable crush on Claire Danes, or was it the character she played on My So-Called Life? It's hard to tell and funny how those things are pretty much inseparable at the time. Angela was the modern equivalent of Holden Caulfield, a square peg attempting to fit into a round world. She captured the heartache, exuberance and stifling existence of the teenage years in a way few actresses could. Its been ten years since My So-Called Life closed the doors on its solitary season, and in the years since, Claire has found herself much like Angela -- helpings of promise largely left unfulfilled. Chalk it up to choosing bum roles if you will or just not getting the choice scripts coming across her desk, but Hollywood has neglected this rare gem for much too long. Within the past few months, she's had two substantial roles (The Family Stone and Shopgirl) that have generated considerable buzz, bumping her squarely under that unaccustomed spotlight. Her work in Shopgirl is even getting her name mentioned as a potential nominee in the Oscar race for best actress. Truthfully, she's just giving us a look back at Angela Chase, swapping out the teenage angst for loneliness as the twilight of her twenties dim.

Grade: D | Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Summary: While its not completely unwatchable, thanks to Charlize modeling this season's Frederick's of Hollywood line, there's not much here to concern yourself with. The slick veneer is impenetrable for good reason. There's nothing beneath.

It was this time two years ago that we were taken aback with shock and awe over the transformation that the stunning Charlize Theron took to morph into the stomach turning Eileen Wuornos in Monster. Her portrayal was akin to crawling into the skin of the serial killer and having her mail forwarded. It seemed to be Charlize's shot across the bow saying, "I will not be written off as just another pretty face in Hollywood." Oh the difference a couple years make. Her latest sci-fi picture takes that equation and flips it on its head. Aeon Flux is a glossy airbrushed feature, overweighed so much by style I think they ran out of room to squeeze in any real content. I heard one writer comment that Charlize Theron officially has her Catwoman. While it falls a shade short of being as painful as Catwoman, this is certainly no gem. The storyline is a convoluted mess that doesn't even try to connect up much less takes a stab at making any sense. For a cast of top rate actors, we get a lot of phoned in performances, compounded by their ridiculous costumes. Ultimately, they've adapted a comic that really shouldn't have ventured outside the ink and flickering television screen.

Grade: A | Genre: Satire/Comedy
Summary: Thank You for Smoking is easily the best film to hit theatres thus far in 2006. Its savage commentary on cancer sticks, Washington lobbyists and a moral compass gone haywire is priceless.

It's been a while since Aaron Eckhart was really allowed the means to light up the screen. After a phenomenal breakthrough performance in Neil LaBute's savage take on misogyny, In the Company of Men, Eckhart has been languishing away in films that should have been tagged straight to video like Suspect Zero and the Core. It seemed he would be one of those actors with tremendous potential who never got a chance to take it around the block for a spin -- that is until now. Eckhart spearheads the most biting satire in years through the wily fun of Thank You for Smoking. As a lobbyist fighting for the rights of big tobacco, Eckhart transforms the slimiest being on the face of the planet into an unlikely hero to cheer for. The laughs are bold yet subtle, plastering a smile on your face for the duration over the utter ridiculousness of defending tobacco.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Comedy
Summary: If you aren't up to your eyeballs in hock and want to have a pleasant, no-brainer evening out with your spouse or significant other, then go see Fun With Dick and Jane. If, on the other hand, your house is being repossessed next week, maybe you should opt for a quick rental from your local video outlet.

In this remake of the 1977 comedy starring George Segal and Jane Fonda, Jim Carrey and Tea Leone try to update Watergate era financial woes with "W" era overspending. Things follow the same basic path as in the original (that in itself being a sad comment on the present day), but somewhere near the end of it all, the new version wimps out and fails to make a stand. It's not that Segal and Fonda's comic romp is a harder hitting satire, it's just that the bad guy, Ed McMahon (of all people!) at least gets his just desserts.

Grade: A- | Genre: Drama/Romance
Summary: The heart wants what it wants in this haunting love story which is made with a depth, passion, and sincerity that has not been seen in a romance in years. Phobias should be left at the door.

Despite all circumstances and societal pressures, a sensitive, tender love grows between two people caught in an era that, simply put, is not ready for them. Brokeback Mountain is the history of a romance that lasts through many seasons and changes, and this film demonstrates unflinchingly and painfully, the consequences of what can happen to people who fail to follow their hearts. In this movie based on a short story by Pulitzer Prize winning author E. Annie Proulx, two poor ranch hands take jobs guarding a flock of sheep on Brokeback Mountain in the lush Wyoming wilderness. Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) are stationed in this desolate world and come to know each other as men and eventually, out of loneliness, as lovers.

Grade: A- | Genre: Fantasy/Drama/Adventure
Summary: A beautiful, honest-to-goodness family film that has eternal messages to share and reminds us, through the presence of a saintly lion, of the reason for this holiday season.

If there is such a thing as an innocent movie these days, this film is it. Even entirely animated cartoon flicks have risque one-liners that are geared more toward adults than children, but not The Chronicles of Narnia. C.S. Lewis, a respected English author and close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the "Rings" trilogy, produced his seven-set chronicles after he returned from to his Protestant faith from a period of atheism. In fact, we have a devout Catholic to thank for his Christian-based works -- Tolkien himself. The story of their friendship is fascinating enough, but while both authors embraced spiritual themes in writing their epic works, C.S. Lewis was more unabashed in sharing Christian principles. In a time of strife across the world, it seems as if movies that have Christian-based themes are being welcome without shyness as this movie out grossed King Kong and most other films from this past year in its opening weekend. And guess what? You do not have to be Christian to appreciate the messages of sacrifice, forgiveness, unconditional love, and good triumphing over evil. For those who have read and loved The Chronicles of Narnia, the added plus is that the movie is utterly based on the book. Who knew Hollyweird had it in them? What a novel idea. Someone writes a tremendous book, and the director and producers stick to the story -- maybe this will start a new trend.

Grade: A- | Genre: Action/Thriller
Summary: One ape you will love, in fact, you will want one of your very own for Christmas. Peter Jackson, quite simply, has done it again.

After winning three Oscars for Return of the King, or in truth for the entire Tolkien trilogy, Peter Jackson has remade the first film he ever loved and created a tender monster movie that has painstakingly fleshed out the story and characters to the max, and to top it off, this flick possesses a soulful ape that can move you to tears. What more could you ask from a movie this holiday season? At a running time of slightly over three hours, you will need to hold off on the extra-large drinks, but you will get your money's worth out of this film. While a bit overindulgent in the detail and time, Jackson lovingly refashions a tribute to his favorite gorilla, who is breathtakingly created by WETA and given humanity by Andy Serkis, formerly Gollum from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Kong is the real star of this film. Every other element of this movie fades away against the humanity in Kong's eyes. Does this film match up to the famous Rings trilogy? Well not exactly, but then the genius of Tolkien is a hard act to follow, however, Jackson gives Kong his level best. This film possesses more story than the previous Kong movies, a breathtaking, 1933 New York City, amazing action sequences, and a monster gorilla you will adore. The movie is one of the two seasonal blockbusters and should be seen on a large screen. The other blockbuster I suspect will be The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. So there you have it this holiday season for your viewing pleasure, noble monkey love and a saintly lion.

Grade: A+ | Genre: Drama
Summary: Finally, a drama that delivers the goods on all fronts -- a tight story, flawless direction, and powerful acting. Give yourself an opportunity to get involved in a film again and discover this mesmerizing biopic about an event and an author that defines a piece of American culture.

Capote leads the pack of fall films as a powerfully crafted movie, with a shape-shifting performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman who morphs so completely into the skin of Truman Capote, that I could hardly tell the difference between Hoffman and the odd little man I used to see on old television talk shows. Bennett Miller and Dave Futterman forge a seamless film together with not one element missing. The scent of death in this film is palpable as the audience is ushered into another time and place in America. A physical sensation of the era, and the sense of desolation of Kansas itself descend upon you as the film opens, and never actually departs until you are out of the theater thanks to the powerful cinematography of Adam Kimmel. One can thank heaven for a film that actually permits for character development on all fronts and for all the characters in this film. Finally, a complete film, and unfortunately, one of the first I have seen in the current venue of films in a year that have made grey matter an optional requirement for viewing.

Grade: B | Genre: Drama
Summary: Dreamer is a quality family film that, while formulaic and sap prone, really caters to the budding talent of Dakota Fanning and gives her a strong supporting cast to work with.

Disney's signature is their animated features, most of which are being farmed out to Pixar these days. They are also known for their goofy kiddy fare, be it Freaky Friday, Little Big League or kids going as far as imagination will propel them. There is a third kind of film they are really staring to embrace as their own, and that is the heart warming true story. These are the stories of overcoming insurmountable odds to accomplish something that no one has before, and that no one believed was possible. They did a very good job executing this formula with Dennis Quaid in the Rookie. As the title implies, Dreamer is the same slice of boundless optimism set in the sport of horse racing. While it's certainly no Seabiscuit, Dakota Fanning rescues this film from teetering into the sap heap to give us a compelling drama, illuminated by her young talent.

Grade: B- | Genre: Thriller
Summary: Don't expect much from the new thriller, Derailed starring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston and you may find yourself somewhat entertained. Like a good beach read, this fatal distraction takes moviegoers on a plausibly scary ride down a dark alley of deceit and violence.

Charles (Owen) meets Lucinda (Aniston) on his morning commute to the windy city when he finds himself cash poor on the train and she casually offers to pay his way. A polite conversation soon turns to flirtation and the inevitable clandestine hotel routine. Charles should know better since he has a lovely wife and a diabetic daughter, but he's a man in the most basic sense, and thus, cannot help himself. Jennifer plays coy, but suddenly turns hot and heavy even though she has her rich husband and daughter to think about.

Grade: C | Genre: Family/Animation
Summary: Let's go ahead and get this out of the way: The sky is NOT falling. However, Chicken Little may be a sign that it is, in fact, starting to cave-in around Disney.

As the inspiration for its first full-length 3-D animation without Pixar, Disney's Chicken Little adopts the classic fable of the panic-stricken chicken that proclaimed the sky was falling. In this Disneyfied version, we see Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff) as he still lives under the shadow of that fateful day.

In addition to the continuous mocking from the whole town, his father (Garry Marshall) seems to have gone the way of the masses and is embarrassed by his son. But just as Chicken Little's string of bad luck seems to come to an end, he comes in contact with another piece of the "sky," and he finds himself smack dab in the middle of an alien invasion. That's right... an alien invasion.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Suspense
Summary: A History of Violence is a slowly evolving, crafty suspense that toys with your expectations.

Director David Cronenberg is perhaps best known for taking on bold and daring scripts, even if the results prove largely uneven. He's known for the TBS special The Fly, from stage to screen adaptation M. Butterfly, and the twisted fetish piece where car crashes spark eroticism, Crash. He's managed to make a name for himself with his peculiar brand of sensibilities that he introduces to his works rather than a distinctive directorial style. This was never truer than with his most successful effort to date A History of Violence. Violence is a slowly evolving, crafty suspense that toys with your expectations.

Grade: A | Genre: Drama
Summary: Good Night and Good Luck is one of the year's best releases, marking an important film about journalistic responsibility. It really makes you wish we had an Edward R. Murrow to take down our McCarthy's.

Did you know that there was a time when news organizations actually covered the news? I know this seems like a baffling concept after watching the watered down broadcasts of CNN, MSNBC and the network news, but, I assure you, it's true. There was a time when facts were king, and newsmen like Edward R. Murrow had balls made of titanium, standing up to the gross tyranny of McCarthyism. He did battle with the Senator, knowing with certainty that he'd be labeled a Communist himself. In 1950s America, that's not a tag you wanted to get stuck with. Good Night and Good Luck is the story of Murrow and his team of journalists at CBS news. They were pitching a heated battle to unveil truth and justice in the face of a dark political landscape, busily stripping American citizens of their liberties by instilling fear. Does this sound vaguely familiar? The similarities between the current political climate and the red scare of McCarthyism shouldn't be lost on anyone.

Grade: A | Genre: Drama/Dark Humor
Summary: Just as he did with American Beauty, Director Sam Mendes finds humor within the human drama and takes Jarhead beyond the realms of the conventional war flick. Its boldness defines its brilliance and effectively displays a war of the human psyche rather than that on the battlefront.

"Welcome to the Suck." Based on Former Marine Anthony "Swoff" Swofford's best selling memoir about his experiences spent in Desert Shield, Jarhead is a wide-eyed look at what the anticipation of war can do to a group of young soldiers desperate to defend their country with the hopes of returning home as national heroes. What they never expected was that the reality of war in the Middle East would prove to be personal wars within themselves.

Jarhead is not your traditional war hero film. There are no real battle scenes and hardly a glimpse of the enemy. At the end of the day, these boys don't even get to fire guns with which they've been trained to kill. It's not about finding glory on the battle field but about how they spent their time preparing themselves for the worst when the worst isn't given time to even show itself.

Grade: A- | Genre: Biopic/Drama/Musical
Summary: Johnny Cash picked Joaquin Phoenix to play him in his biopic. Cash is looking down from heaven very pleased with his choice right about now.

'Tis the season of good movies, and it's about time after the previous famine of this year. Two biopics have released me from the doldrums of utter boredom recently. One flick that transported me was Capote, and now Walk the Line has made a believer out of me again. In both biopics the actors seemed to approach the roles from different paths, however, both movies deliver amazing, gut-wrenching performances. The major difference with Phoenix's performance was his wise decision not to attempt to speak exactly like one of America's symbols of rough and ready manhood, Johnny Cash. Phoenix knew where to "walk the line," so to speak. Hoffman became Capote, morphed into him, and that was appropriate for Capote was not worshiped like Cash. Phoenix's genius is that he captured the great man's soul, his essence, and gave it to us on film, and that is also the brilliance of this movie. The story it is a tad conventional but then most great love stories are. While it is not word for word Cash's biography, the film delivers a complicated love story and a look into the early life of an American troubadour. This film does not disappoint. James Mangold provides a faithfully reconstructed life of Cash, although he bends the facts just enough to make it more palatable for those who adore Cash.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Drama
Summary: Proof is a very good film. Gwyneth Paltrow really makes this film a must-see. She is inspired in a way we haven't seen in a long time.

Gwyneth Paltrow hasn't been basking in the Hollywood limelight for a while now. Proof marks her fourth movie in three years, and her acting caliber has been slight at best. I mean who was responsible for letting View from the Top escape from the studio lot? These days she's more known as the wife of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, mother of an Apple and for occasionally spouting relationship advice to her ex Brad Pitt from the cover of People. With all this superficiality, it can be easy to forget that she has a first rate actress rumbling about inside her, waiting for that one juicy role that she can let herself go. Remember Shakespeare in Love? Her portrayal of Catherine in Proof is evidence that her acting chops haven't dulled with the turn of years. They've just been quieted in hibernation, waiting to cat stretch and hungry to devour a rich character like this troubled mathematicians daughter.

Grade: B | Genre: Drama
Summary: Okay, I get it already, men are bad, women are good. A well made, gritty drama that is hard to watch, goes for the jugular, and almost misses the heart.

In North Country, director Niki Caro of Whale Rider fame, has recreated another unfamiliar culture brilliantly and in the process managed to scoop up an Oscar winning cast to perform this strong drama, but North Country delivers a harsh message at the expense of the book it was "inspired" from and without the subtle grace needed to carry it off. I am not saying this is a bad film, in fact in today's marketplace, it is a powerhouse of a drama, with Oscar-baiting scene after scene in it, but it is almost too much to bare with the relentlessness of continual harassment that the character Josey Aimes endures from nearly every male in her life. Screenwriter Michael Seitzman has taken this rather dated material from a novel based on the first sexual harassment class action suit in this country, which changed the fabric of the American workplace forever. The problem for me is that the original story was far more moving and powerful than the cliches I find in this script, and that is a shame for it was a hell of a story.

Grade: B | Genre: Comedy/Drama
Summary: Not exactly a feel good movie, in fact a bit of a bummer, but there is a bit of David Spritz in all of us

Nick Cage has probably cornered the market on quirky, offbeat roles and while some of his performances work and some do not, this time Cage nails a great performance. Cage plays David Spritz, a sad everyman whose life echos the lives of the many who never quite arrive at the place that they envisioned for themselves. Spritz is a tragic hero who does not even know his own worth and that fact could be said for many of us. This troubled weatherman believes his failed marriage can be resurrected, lives under the gazing disapproval of his Pulitzer prizewinning father, Robert (Michael Caine), has an overweight daughter and a son in counseling. Life is a not exactly sparkling for Spritz and his response to his problems can be both bizarre and pathetic. In this film, directed by Gore Verginski, of The Ring and Pirates of the Carribean fame, a melancholy life is on display and it is not pretty. In fact, this movie delivers a rather morbid story of a minor Chicago celebrity, rummaging around in the chaos of his existence and reacting to most events rather inappropriately. While the story will not have you smiling when you leave the theater, it is a thought-provoking movie, with sensitive performances by Cage and Caine, and moments of true comedy that are not just thrown in, but are earned the honest way.

Grade: B | Genre: Thriller/Horror
Summary: The Halloween season has already passed, but seeing Saw 2 is still recommended, as the twists, gore and great acting by Tobin Bell make the movie a suitable sequel.

After 2004's bone-jarring giallo homage Saw, Saw 2 writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman teamed with Saw scripter Leigh Whannell to amend Bousman's original script into a sequel. The only problem: how to top the original?

The answer, apparently, was the typical recipe for disaster, which is to throw more on top. More victims, more story twists, more gore, etc. Surprisingly, while this usually fails, Saw 2 manages to make it work for the most part.

Grade: B | Genre: Animation
Summary: Corpse Bride is a solid film with quality animation, a few holes in the storyboard and a crisis of audience. Fans of Tim Burton will be pleasantly surprised to see what the old master has conjured up this go around.

Years from now, we will look back on Tim Burton's films and see him as quite the visionary of our time. He redefined cool in starting the Batman franchise, showed us quirky can be riveting with Edward Scissorhands, and that cartoons aren't always for children in the Nightmare Before Christmas. He follows-up on his dark animated wonder with his latest creation Corpse Bride, just in time for Halloween. It's an intriguing little tale of 19th century marriage, mistaken proposals and finding love in the most unlikely of places. Its cleverly punny while coming together as the sweetest display of Claymation ever committed to film.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Foreign/Erotic
Summary: Belle de Jour is one of the classics of French cinema as well as the library of erotica. It shows us that everyone has urges and desires that we're petrified for even those closest to us to discover.

Recently, I wrote up a feature looking back on the 1967 French film Le Samourai which took the concept of less is more to ridiculous lengths. Today, I'm continuing to wander the streets of Paris circa the late 60s as I duck into a den of ill repute to eye one of the classic works of erotic cinema, Belle de Jour. I first came across Belle de Jour as a freshman in college. I was green in my discovery of what films could be, and the enticing Catherine Deneuve, staring from the cover bare backed with those golden locks, ensured her an early stop on my route of discovery. Unfortunately, I couldn't escape the fact that I was also an undersexed college male so a film revolving around deviant avenues of sex that was stripped of any nudity seemed like ordering a hot fudge sundae and only getting the dish, edges stale where the fudge once was. Although this film on its first go around was about as appealing as a cold shower, it hit me on a deeper level, echoing in my mind for years to come. Now that I'm older, wiser and a shade less horny, its time to take another trip to Madame Anais' to check-in on the errant, bourgeois housewife who is drawn to prostituting herself to allow her untapped sexual fantasies to come into bloom. Belle de Jour is a voyeuristic look at where fantasy violently collides with reality.

Grade: B | Genre: Documentary
Summary: As with any film with an ax to grind, Wal-mart: The High Cost of Low Price isn't nearly as effective as it could be if it took a more level approach to its commentary, but it is an eye opening array of facts that support its case very effectively.

When I first started college at Georgia Southern, Statesboro had just gotten its first Wal-mart. Not just any Wal-mart, but a Wal-mart Supercenter. It was a hulking behemoth that dwarfed the small college town in its shadow. This one-stop shopping center was largely seen as an overwhelming plus since you could get your tires rotated, eyes checked and weekly grocery shopping wrapped all under the same roof. It was a mini city that you really had no need to ever leave as Novalee discovers in Where the Heart Is. As the months on the calendar fell to the floor, the town started to realize the harsh unspoken undercurrent felt when Wal-mart moves in. Half the grocery stores went belly up. Only the Publix and the Piggly Wiggly, right off campus, could compete. Also, many mom and pop stores, like the Ace Hardware, saw their business cut so drastically that they couldn't afford to keep their doors open. Some of these businesses had been fixtures of this communities for several generations. We saw the power that this one store held, crippling small businesses and putting consumers under its mystical spell. The new documentary film Wal-mart: the High Cost of Low Price takes on the retail giant to shed some much needed light on the sins and corporate malfeasance of the company that defines America every bit as much as McDonald's.

Grade: B- | Genre: Suspense
Summary: Flightplan is a satisfying adventure. Its script does have its fair share of problems, but Foster's energized performance moves it along swiftly enough so you don't ponder too long on the pesky details.

Suspense at 36,000 feet seems to be all the rage in the multiplex these days. A couple months ago we welcomed Wes Craven's swan song Red Eye, and this time we have Jodie Foster working herself into a tizzy over her lost daughter in the tension filled Flightplan. Maybe it's the whole "terrorist taking over airplanes" thing that is inciting all this suspense, packed into cramped quarters. These things seem to come in waves like the dueling movies about the running legend Prefontaine or Scorsese meets Brad Pitt's Dalai Lama. It makes you wonder if the Hollywood studios actually talk to one another when planning projects or maybe that's the problem. I can hear the clear headed logic now, "well if Paramount's going to have a film about an obscure 70's running legend, we've got to have one too." Luckily, there's enough distinction to Flightplan to set it apart from Red Eye. So grab your salted nuts and fluff challenged pillow as we prepare for takeoff.

Grade: B- | Genre: Drama
Summary: I think with a better director and perhaps a cleaner script this could have been a true star vehicle for Pacino and McConaughey to cut loose and strut their stuff. Instead, we are left with an enjoyable film featuring solid performances, dead spots, and an acceptance to be the mediocre younger brother of Boiler Room.

About 90% of what's pumped out of Hollywood is formula filmmaking. It's been done before with some measure of success so its the studio's place to ride that ailing pony for all its worth. There really are very few original thoughts outside the realm of independent filmmakers and even they seem to be testing the outer fringes lately. Two for the Money is Boiler Room set in the world of sports gambling. The sport in question is football, and there are millions of dollars illegally riding on each game, be it professional or college. So for a man who can tell the future, the world is his oyster. When his crystal ball grows foggy and dim, everyone that rode his coattails to victory is standing in line to slice him by the throat. There are no off weeks in this sport.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Romantic Comedy
Summary: While Must Love Dogs doesn't really cover any new ground or give us the Hollywood couple we wish we could see canoodling on the tabloids, it is a mildly enjoyable comedy that employs quick wit and clever dating situations.

In life, even us guys have to take on the occasional chick flick. Sometimes you can chalk it up as a favor for a girlfriend, or perhaps your favorite actor tries on his sensitive side. You can't automatically relegate this entire genre to the film scrap heap. There are more than a few brilliantly made "chick flicks" that nail male/female interactions in very clever and enjoyable ways. Just take a look at When Harry Met Sally or more serious fare like The English Patient. The problem is you have all these other brainless features, drowning in cliches and warping reality with the obligatory happy ending. Just like their male counterparts -- the testosterone fueled action flick -- these Hollywood formula romances give the whole genre a bad name. Now we have the aging hottie Diane Lane and the perpetual everyman John Cusack striving to convincingly be the newest adorable couple in Must Love Dogs. Though we get the occasi