Watching this again on glorious Blu-Ray reminded me just how much I love this film, and how truly beautiful and majestic cinema can be, especially when they focus on seemingly trivial things such as 'character development' and 'story.' Don't get me wrong, though...I enjoy loud, escapist action movies as much as anyone else, but having those elements can certainly add to the overall experience. Needless to say, it's one of Ang Lee's best films and still one of the best moviegoing experiences I've ever had...[more]...

Another Pixar triumph. Need I say more...[more]...

Good, bloody fun. If that's what you're looking for, you'll find it here. But if you're also looking for something with a little more elegance and style than the average slasher flick, well, it's your lucky day. MAY is a wonderfully constructed, brilliantly acted piece of horror filmmaking that we don't get to see very often...[more]...

The third chapter of C.S. Lewis' epic fantasy may not quite reach the heights of the first two films, but I'll be damned if I didn't enjoy it. The fact that a new director took the helm (Michael Apted, whose resume really isn't bad at all) concerned me at first, as I really loved what Andrew Adamson had created thus far. I've heard quite a few people say that the "magic" of Narnia seems to have disappeared somewhat, and I can see why; but for me, it was an entertaining film with some truly remarkable effects (the "transition" to Narnia through the painting was simply stunning, and almost exactly the way I imagined it) and some wonderful character work...[more]...

So here we are, fifteen years after the original film that reinvented slasher films. I'm sure many of you, like myself, were both excited and terrified at the idea of a fourth Scream...I mean, there's only so much you can do with these ideas, right? While Scream 4 is not without its flaws, it turned out to be quite the entertaining ride, and honors the original trilogy, even if it doesn't live up to it (although that's one hell of a tough act to follow...[more]...

Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN is, simply put, nothing less than astonishing. Given the director's amazing body of work, I really shouldn't have been surprised by what he delivered here; not only did this film surpass my already high expectations, but it just might be the director's most accomplished work to date. If anything, it's certainly the most unrestrained and wildly entertaining movie he's made. But one thing's for sure: BLACK SWAN isn't for everyone. But if you're a fan of Aronofsky's work, chances are you'll love it...[more]...

V FOR VENDETTA is the rarest of Hollywood entertainment: it functions on a basic entertainment level, while offering a story that is complex, funny, thrilling, and emotionally (as well as intellectually) resonant, and multi-dimensional characters with whom we can identify. The best thing, I think, about this movie is that it doesn't insult the audience's intelligence, unlike most of the one-dimensional crap that is thrown our way in order to make money...[more]...

So here we are. The first part of the finale of this epic saga. I'm surprised by how much I've really gotten into this series. At first, I had little to no interest in the world of Harry Potter, but as the series has progressed, the characters have grown richer and the stories more complex. David Yates has proven to be a big factor in making these last few films work, and his commitment does not seem to have waned one bit; Deathly Hallows is a haunting, beautifully shot, and well-acted prelude to what looks to be an amazing finale. (I'll try not to divulge too much in this review...[more]...

What started as a charming children's adventure has evolved into a much darker, dramatically competent, and frankly, beautiful piece of filmmaking. I haven't read the books yet, but each film has progressively gotten better in every respect: the characters grow richer and deeper; the story becomes more involving, and the visuals are nothing less than astonishing. Needless to say, with the first part of the conclusion only a few days away, I am stoked to see how this wonderful saga ends...[more]...

Simply put, PRINCESS MONONOKE is a towering achievement - not only in the world of animation, but in the world of cinema. These days, when people think of animation, they think of hokey childrens' movies with cardboard characters and plots that are easy to navigate. This is fine, because even the young ones need to be entertained, but for us adults, it tends to get a little...well, tedious...[more]...

I remember ADORING this movie as a kid, but I don't think I ever truly realized just how profoundly creative this film is. Think about it: a world created by human dreams and imagination, and threatened by a form of emptiness - a lack of imagination, if you will. That in itself is a pretty cool concept. But does the film hold up after all these years...[more]...

Watching the first few minutes of this film, which features a surprisingly intense battle sequence, I knew I was in for something special - something that would go beyond the family film cliches. And while the overall framework of the story may seem familiar (especially if you've read the books), the first chapter of the Narnia films is a wonderfully creative, visually spectacular adventure...[more]...

This movie belongs to Sandra Bullock, through and through. I'm sure we're all familiar with her knack for comedy, but like many comic actors, she's just as well-versed in drama. Anyone with half a brain can see where this "based on a true story" is going from the start, but Bullock injects enough charisma and heart to make you care about what's happening. To be honest, I'm glad she won the Oscar; it's about time those awards people started recognizing her talents...[more]...

At nearly 2 1/2 hours, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is not going to appeal to everyone. Aside from the epic runtime, this can be a very difficult film to watch. It is relentlessly dark, and occasionally quite violent. But if you're looking for something as far removed from the typical formulaic thrillers which have become a staple in America, then you will be HIGHLY rewarded...[more]...

Prior to its release, I hadn't heard much about this movie, except that it featured dragons, vikings, and was being produced by Dreamworks. Now, it's no secret that the studio has been hit-or-miss over the last few years. They've milked the ever-loving crap out of the SHREK franchise, which in turn, has caused it to become stale and almost lifeless. I'm hoping they don't do that here, because this is one of the best movies to come out of Dreamworks in quite some time, and definitely one of my favorites of the year thus far...[more]...

Notes On a Scandal is pure, unadulterated melodrama - but when it's so expertly crafted as this one, it's easy to turn a blind eye to just how ridiculously over the top the story really is. This is a deliciously dark, tightly paced, and magnificently acted piece of filmmaking that, despite the difficult subject involved, is actually a lot of fun to watch.

The film received Oscar nominations for both Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench, and I can tell you that both actresses delivered truly amazing performances. Dench, in particular, is extremely effective as a heartbreakingly lonely woman with her own personal agenda. She manages to maintain an element of sympathy despite her vicious intentions. And Blanchett is equally as compelling as the woman who, following a horrible mistake, finds herself at the center of Barbara's crusade.

The technical aspects are also rock-solid, with crisp cinematography and a haunting score by Phillip Glass, which gives many of the final scenes a tremendous dose of suspense.

As I stated before, the story itself is very over-the-top, but everything else works so well, I think you'll be able to look past that, especially given the insane talent involved. If you're looking for a great psychological thriller, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

I went into AVATAR with moderately high expectations, knowing well that, despite the glowing reviews, it had received its fair share of criticisms. As the lights in the theater dimmed, I put on my 3D glasses, ready to see what Jim Cameron gave us after all these years of waiting, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed...[more]...

After reading glowing reviews of this film, and it's all-star cast including Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, and Mo'nique (not sure if I put the apostrophe where it's supposed to go :P ), I decided to give it a try. I'm a sucker for heartfelt, gritty dramas, but not so much a fan of those types of films that force sentiment and sap down your throat. Thankfully, "Precious" avoids those traps, and emerges as a dark, powerful, yet uplifting drama that can be placed among 2009's finest cinematic efforts...[more]...

I appreciated the ideas presented in DISTRICT 9. Unfortunately, ideas are not enough to carry a movie; you need strong characters and emotions if you're going to pull off a film of this nature. There were many times in this film I found myself wondering when all of the supposed "thrills" were going to happen. Unfortunately, for me, they never came, despite some impressive technical work and some decent action in the end.

I don't mind a slow pace, so long as you use that time to build your characters and story, and that's one area DISTRICT 9 is sorely lacking. I felt no connection to the main character. In fact, I found him to be one of the dullest characters I've seen in any movie this year. We know virtually nothing about him, except that he's a government official. With a wife. Whoopty-doo! He spends most of the film running, and trying to figure out how to cure his mutation. That would be fine and dandy, except for the fact that I just didn't care one way or the other.

The themes here are pretty obvious as well, and honestly, didn't feel like anything I hadn't seen before. The technical elements are definitely top-notch, with some nifty alien designs and stunning cinematography. But, in the end, I just didn't feel as overwhelmed by it as many others do.

Easily one of the most charming films in Hayao Miyazaki's amazing body of work, PONYO is a delight from start to finish. In fact, this one's probably more kid-friendly than anything Miyazaki's done before, but don't let that turn you off; every frame of this film brings with it the same sense of awe and wonder prevalent in Miyazaki's previous works. It's especially impressive that there's no CGI here whatsoever; it's entirely hand-drawn, and let me tell you, it looks stunning (wait until you see Ponyo running across the waves...WOW). The score by Joe Hisaishi is also magnificent, but that's also par for the Miyazaki course.

I did enjoy the characters, particularly Sosuke and Lisa, as well as Ponyo herself, who was a joy to watch. The only real complaint I have is that some of the supporting characters didn't get as much screen time as I would've liked (Ponyo's parents, for example), and the narrative did seem to wander aimlessly at times, but those are merely small missteps in an otherwise delightful adventure worthy of the high standards set by Miyazaki's previous films.