appaloosa

the presence of Renee Zellweger in one of her more annoying roles seriously detracted from my enjoyment of this western about two superstar lawkeepers who take over a town to arrest the leader of a gang that's been terrorizing it. I enjoyed Viggo Mortensen and Jeremy Irons, but Ed Harris should have stuck to directing.

the express

it's always inspiring to watch movies about pioneers - in this case, the first African American to win the Heisman trophy. the football is pretty decent but the story is familiar territory and lacking in development of the central relationships in Davis' life. nonetheless, it provided a couple of hours of hanging-out-in-a-hotel-room entertainment.

humboldt county

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Lost Coast, so I particularly enjoyed this indie about an uptight med student who gets himself lost in a community of counterculture pot growers. I was also happy to see Fairuza Balk but wished she were in it more.

brideshead revisited

interesting period piece about faith, class, sexuality, and family. I'm developing a thing for Hayley Atwell.

notorious

this is the kind of movie that leaves you wanting more - more music, more details, more, more, more. it also made me want to watch Nick Broomfield's Biggie and Tupac all over again. and listen to Faith Evans. nothing like the senseless demise of two young artists to remind you how, in just another way, the world is so messed up.

brick lane

beautifully photographed film about a Bandladeshi teenager sent to marry a fat, educated man in London, and the things she does to survive a loveless marriage. much better than the book.

revolutionary road

Kate Winslet is riveting and Michael Shannon reprises his Bug role as the only sane person around who just happens to be a mental patient. it's beautifully shot, and the arguments are so realistic, it's scary.

gran torino

a very masculine movie wherein Clint Eastwood relentlessly mutters racial slurs while becoming very invested in the lives of the Hmong family next door. a little too violent for my taste, I preferred Changeling. nothing Eastwood does ever shies away from the extremes.

the wackness

love the soundtrack and the general quirkiness of this movie about a drug-dealing white kid in Manhattan who befriends a twisted psychiatrist and his sexy stepdaughter during the too-hot summer of 1994.

trouble the water

this documentary by a female rapper who gets stuck in New Orleans during Katrina then tries to rebuild her life afterwards is fascinating. there are allusions to politics and the bigger picture, but the story stays focused on a few people's survival. and let me take this opportunity to recommend once again When the Levees Broke, six hours of unadulterated truth about the event.

american teen

this documentary about a handful of kids in their senior year - the jock, the valedictorian, the wierdo, the loser - is entertaining, and it is hard to believe the kids let the cameras in for some of their more intimate moments, but in the end, nothing much happens. maybe that's just life in Warsaw, Indiana.

savage grace

I didn't know anything about the true story behind this movie and just watched in morbid fascination as a mentally unstable mother made the lives of her husband and son increasingly miserable, leading up to a horrifying last twenty minutes of ickiness. but if you like that sort of thing, and stories about social-climbing Americans trying to get close to European royalty, by all means watch this. Julianne Moore is wonderful as always.

the edge of heaven

this Turkish film has made many a critic's best list for last year, and deservedly so. giving away too much will take away from its intriguing plot about a horny old drunk, a hopeful hooker, a lesbian revolutionary, a quiet professor, and two German women who become drawn into Turkish politics. it has more story and character than any U.S. 2008 release I can think of off the top of my head.

rocket science

cute movie about a stuttering high school kid who is recruited to the debate team by a fast-talking girl after her previous partner leaves her in the lurch. it's not as formulaic as most teen dramedies, and thus refreshing.

frost/nixon

I had hoped for more historical content and was surprised that the film revolved around a testosterone-based battle between Frost and Nixon, but the drama behind the interviews was interesting. Langella's Nixon is a fully developed character where Sheen's Frost is a little more superficial, but I suppose that's just the way it was. now I'll have to watch the tapes.

seven pounds

I enjoy these kinds of movies with tricky endings that I didn't guess but I have a feeling a lot of people did guess it and then started thinking, 'so why am I watching this movie?' the payoff is the surprise, not its content, which is kind of gross and annoying. but I wasn't checking my watch, and Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, and Michael Ealy are all easy on the eyes.

the curious case of benjamin button

no it's not quite as inane as Forrest Gump. it has an interesting premise and while the film deviates frequently from its internal logic, it does keep you wanting to find out what will happen when Benjamin reverts to infancy. he seems to have only four different ages during the film - maybe that's all the make-up they could afford. as for Cate Blanchett's whimsical dancer leading lady, she didn't do anything for me. Tilda Swinton was much better. and the flashback/katrina conceit made me nauseous. but there's enough there to keep you awake for the almost three hours.

un conte de noel

I've been wavering about posting about this one because I haven't seen the whole thing yet but since it won't be out forever, I want you to know that it's definitely worth seeing. a French family keeps it very real: the movie starts with a sister bailing out her over-stretched, irresponsible brother in exchange for his complete banishment from the family. more honesty and originality than you'll see in any of the American Oscar contenders. and that's just in the first hour and a half.