Perhaps it's not fair to view "American Ganster" as a disappointment. It's one of 2007's better films, a well-crafted drama with two of our best actors. But when you summon Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott, you expect greatness. The story follows the rise of a self-made gangster (Washington) who rides our drug obsession to fame and fortune. It's all illegal, though, which sets a no-nonsense cop (Crowe) on his trail. The first hour lacks a sense of urgency, but once the two leads square off the drama crackles.
It's hard to pinpoint why "Michael Clayton" is several steps ahead of most legal thrillers. Sure, the cast is impeccable (including Oscar nominees George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson) but it be the film's wry use of flashbacks which creates such an unusual amount of tension. Clooney plays a fixer, a legal eagle who makes problems disappear for his law firm. But the firm's latest case won't fade away so easily.
My fellow critics may be feeling a tad guilty about piling on Ben "Gigli" Affleck. Why else treat his directorial debut with such reverence? "Gone Baby Gone" shows the actor has what it takes to work behind the camera. It's sophisticated in its storytelling, and the saga's working class roots are firmly in place. "Gone" follows a neophyte detective (Casey Affleck) trying to track down a missing toddler. Sturdy support flows from Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, but the film's last 15 minutes beggar belief.
The rom-com bar has been set so low these days that "No Reservations" feels like a revelation. It's merely a well crafted romance with a trio of compelling leads, but the story never bends over backwards to be clever. Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as an icy chef who is forced to care for her niece (Abigail Breslin) when her sister dies suddenly. Enter Aaron Eckhart, the handsome new sous chef at her restaurant who takes her mind of her troubles, and then some.
When is a first-rate thriller a letdown? When it's "The Brave One," a vigilante picture which fails to rise above its genre trappings. It's still a fun, feisty production, but it raises themes it can't address to our satisfaction. Jodie Foster plays a radio talk show host who gets mugged along with her fiance ("Lost's" Naveen Andrews). He dies from wounds suffered during the attack. She survives, but her psyche is permanently scarred. Afraid and alone, she starts hunting down anyone who looks like a thug. Foster and co-star Terrence Howard offer up a tasty battle between law and disorder, but given the talent assembled (Neil Jordan directs), "The Brave One" should have been better.
Jane Austen's books aren't chick lit, but this film certainly flies the chick-flick banner. A group of women start a book club to celebrate their favorite author, not realizing her timeless stories reflect on their own dysfunctions. Obvious to a fault, this "Club" skates by thanks to a gracious cast (Maria Bello, Kathy Baker and Emily Blunt stand tallest).
"King" reminds us how good Michael Douglas can still be with the right material. Douglas stars as a slightly deranged father out to find lost treasure with his daughter (Rachel Evans Wood) in tow. Their complicated bond is the heart of the film, which all but slips into magical realism to bring its story to its emotional resolution.
The fourth version of the "Body Snatchers" tale has few scares, little tension and, ultimately, no reason for existing. "The Invasion" pairs Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig as friends who discover D.C. is being overrun by an extraterrestrial menace. The stabs at social commentary fall even flatter than the horror elements.
"The Hunting Party" showed Richard Gere's great performance in "The Hoax" wasn't a fluke. The same can be said of "Party's" writer/director, Richard Shepard, who followed up "The Matador" with this swift, assured dramedy. Gere plays a burned out journalist who stumbles upon the scoop of his career. Terrence Howard co-stars as Gere's former colleague. Shepard can't quite keep the film's tone consistent, but he compensates with a heady blend of humor and political punch.
"Someone please tell me why Amanda Bynes is a movie star? The permanently bland Bynes is Miss White, a college freshman who teams up with the social misfits against her university's sorority goddess (Sara Paxton, elevating herself above the material). The supporting players get all the laughs, while Bynes trots out her limited arsenal of facial expressions. Parents who want their pre-teens to see a sanitized version of college should look no further.
The easily offended can pass this blasphemous comedy up. Coarser minds will get some laughs here, particularly from a go-for-broke performance by Winona Ryder. "The Ten" serves up 10 sketches loosely tied to the Ten Commandments. Like "SNL," the comedy here is uneven at best. Co-stars Adam Brody, Paul Rudd and Famke Janssen add zest to the material, but Oliver Platt finds himself stuck with the weakest bit in the bunch.
Danny Boyle ("28 Days Later") disappoints with this atmospheric, but ultimately derivative sci-fi feature. A band of astronauts must re-ignite the sun or the earth is doomed. Boyle whips up some stunning visuals en route to the sun, but a bland cast and unfocused narrative spoil the fun.
This terrific western outduels the original, thanks to some heart-stopping action and Russell Crowe's turn as a deliciously complex villain. Crowe stars as a notorious killer being chaperoned to prison by a rancher-for-hire (Christian Bale) desperate to raise funds for his family. "Yuma" blends the best elements of classic westerns with modern movie-making flourishes. One of 2007's best films.
Kevin Bacon headlines this pedestrian vigilante film which, for all its flaws, tells a more honest tale than 2007's "The Brave One." Bacon plays a family man who, after watching his son die at the hands of some thugs, takes the law into his own hands. Bacon is the main reason to stay with this otherwise generic revenge feature.
Clive Owen stars in this ultra-violent action flick which bends, twists and pokes the genre's conventions. It's all delirious fun, but the creative well dries up long before the curtain closes. Owen plays a man who gets mixed up in an assassination attempt led by a henpecked villain (Paul Giamatti).
The Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857 is brought to the screen, history more or less intact depending on which sources you believe. Jon Voight stars as the head of a Mormon group which sets out to stop a band of villagers crossing through their Utah territory. The story chills, but the dramatic license applied here, including a tepid romance, detracts from the narrative.
Ben Stiller reunites with the Farrelly Brothers, but the end result is a far cry from "There's Something About Mary." Still, this remake of the 1972 comedy delivers a few big laughs while excising the original's social commentary. Stiller, a lifelong bachelor, meets the woman of his dreams only to find his true soul mate while on his honeymoon.
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker reunite for a third "Rush," but this time the comic chemistry is in short supply. The two team up to battle a Chinese mafia group called the Triads, but Tucker's shtick has turned sour during the franchise's hiatus. Director Brett Ratner could oversee this kind of film in his sleep, so the action sequences dazzle as expected.
Finally, a film dealing with terrorists - and U.S. forces aren't to blame for their actions. This action first, politics later thriller proved one of the year's best, even if it underwhelmed at the box office. A group of FBI agents led by Jamie Foxx head to Saudi Arabia to investigate a terrorist attack on a U.S.-friendly compound. Jason Bateman offers the comic relief, while Jennifer Garner glowers the terrorists into submission.
The best film of the year cost next to nothing to make and stars people 99 percent of the viewing public never heard of before. Such is the beauty of film, where sleeper hits can chase away blockbuster bloat. A busker (Glen Hansard) and a young mother (Markéta Irglová) meet on the streets of Ireland, make beautiful music together and then ... well, see for yourself.
Rocker turned horror auteur Rob Zombie won me over with his second feature, "The Devil's Rejects." But in remaking "Halloween," he desecrates one of horror's greatest frights. Like "Hannibal Rising," "Halloween" tries to tell a monster's backstory, but shedding light in the darkness of someone's soul is everything a horror movie shouldn't be. Re-watch the original, which holds up remarkably well, and hope Zombie rebounds soon.
Homer hits the big screen, and the result plays out like the best "Simpsons" episode of the last 10 years. Mind you, "The Simpsons" has slipped appreciably since the glorious first five or so years, but the movie version packs enough clever gags to please fans old and newer. Here, Homer accidentally pollutes the local lake, sparking an eco-crisis of Gore-an proportions.
We already know Steve Buscemi is a first-rate talent, but "Interview" showcases Pittsburgh-dissing Sienna Miller's acting chops. Buscemi plays a burnt out political writer assigned to profile a pretty starlet (Miller). That interview starts badly, but both parties require something from each other so the chatting continues. "Interview" might work better on the stage, but the snappy dialogue and crisp performances make it more than screen worthy.
The "Bourne" franchise flexed its commercial might this past summer, but the third film in the series should be its last. Sure, Matt Damon remains a terrific action hero, capable but conflicted, but the jittery camera work and sneaky twists aren't nearly as fresh as they once were. Here, Bourne is getting closer to his true identity, something the government will stop at nothing to prevent.
"Superbad" is raw, rude, risque and utterly hilarious. Consider yourself warned. Rising stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill play high school outcasts who get invited to a killer party - assuming they can acquire booze to bring to the bash. Add a nerdy pal named McLovin and you've got a teen comedy to stand tall beside "American Pie." Did I mention the film has a big heart above and beyond its penis jokes and boorish behavior?
The original "Pirates" offered a boat-full of surprises, from the retro pirate touches to Johnny Depp's delirious new hero, Jack Sparrow. But the third "Pirates" feature walks the same plank as the first sequel. It's overstuffed yet skimpy when it comes to clarity, cohesion and characters.
Keri Russell announces her arrival as a major screen actress in this witty, wonderful film. Russell plays a hard-luck waitress who learns her Neanderthal of a husband (Jeremy Sisto) has gotten her pregnant. The film's last 20 minutes turn formulaic, but its spell already has been cast. Nathan Fillion is terrific as Russell's new love, and watch for Andy Griffith in a keenly observed supporting role.
Lindsay Lohan drove what could be the final nail in her career coffin with this misbegotten thriller. Lohan plays a teen who gets kidnapped and tortured, but when she escapes she tells friends and family she's not who they think she is. The story's mind-bending plot keeps your interest, but the rest of the film fails on all levels. Even Lohan's slo-mo strip tease can't save the film.
The John Waters film which begat a musical comes full circle with this sunny screen version of the stage smash. Young, plump Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) shakes up her native Baltimore by bringing racial balance to the hot local dance show. John Travolta looks bizarre in drag as Tracy's Ma, but he affects a ripe Bal'more accent and can still dance after all these years. Buoyant songs, smashing set design and a bright cast make "Hairspray" an unqualified delight.
Bruce Willis resurrects John McClane in this fitfully entertaining sequel. The older, wiser McLane must stop an e-terrorist (Timothy Olyphant) trying to shut the nation down one computer at a time. A few stunts dazzle, but the Everyman quality which made McLane a great screen hero is in short supply here.
Christian Bale shines as an Air Force pilot who gets shot down over Vietnam and must find a way to survive a vicious POW camp. Bale is solid as ever, but he gets surprisingly stoic support from Steve Zahn as a fellow POW. "Dawn" doesn't belabor the prisoners' foul treatment. It's more concerned with their desire for escape, making "Dawn" an arresting presentation.
The summer of three-quels gave us this weak addition to the "Shrek" franchise, a movie which squandered the ogre's appeal but made a ton of coin regardless. Shrek (Mike Myers) will become king of Far, Far Away land unless he finds a replacement heir to the throne. Said heir is Artie (Justin Timberlake), a carefree teen who seems an odd choice for such a heavy assignment. The vocal gang is all here (Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy), but the film' visual splendor can't erase the heavy-handed plot.
In the tradition of "The Blair Witch Project" comes this moderately effective chiller about two couples who venture into unfriendly terrain to find Michael Rockefeller, the long lost heir to the Rockefeller fortune. The hand-held camera work, shot by the protagonists, reveals a few creepy images but mostly reminds us how much the foursome squabble like reality show contestants.
Steven Spielberg's first foray into outer space holds up quite nicely, as do the film's spare effects. A power company tech (Richard Dreyfuss) sees an alien craft speeding through his town and he becomes obsessed with the otherworldly visitors. The beeps and boops which mark the aliens' arrival during the film's final reel are so ingrained in our pop culture that they border on parody. Otherwise, "Close Encounter's" quirky tensions and irritable hero make it a compelling drama.
Have a very convoluted Christmas with this lump of coal, courtesy of two actors who should know better. Matthew Broderick plays the resident Christmas expert in a quaint small town. Danny DeVito is his new neighbor, a man with such an inferiority complex he transforms his home into a holiday eyesore to get some attention. A fine cast, including the delightful Kristin Chenoweth, can't salvage just how far the film has to stretch to make us chuckle. The new, middling "Fred Claus" is a better holiday bet.
Longtime pals Chuck (Adam Sandler) and Larry (Kevin James) get hitched when Larry, a widower, realizes his insurance plan doesn't sufficiently cover his children. That comic setup leads to a few funny bits, but subtlety and wit are in short supply. The film's "can't we all just get along" vibe is noble, but "Chuck & Larry" promotes tired stereotypes while pushing its progressive message.
The ride had to end sometime, right? The third time isn't quite the charm for this web slinger, who battles three baddies in the latest installment only to prove that more is certainly less. A few fight sequences make this worth the price of a rental, but pic feels overstuffed and underbaked all at once. Give credit to Thomas Haden Church, who gives his Sandman character a credible, conflicted soul.
The latest animated bauble from Disney isn't a classic, but parents won't leave the room once the kiddies pop it in the DVD player. A shy young inventor named Lewis creates a device that will change the future, but a nefarious villain is bent on thwarting Lewis's plan.
Kevin Costner plays against type with little success in this would-be thriller. Costner is Mr. Brooks, a loving husband by day and serial killer by night. His existence is threatened when a local weirdo (Dane Cook) demands Mr. Brooks serve as his tutor.
The great HBO series comes to an end, and few loyal viewers were satisfied with this fitful finale. The final episodes have their moments, particular one revolving around a simple board game, but future installments show that level of excellence couldn't be sustained.
Richard Gere continues a late-career surge with this cagey turn as a master swindler. Based on true events, the film follows the fascinating saga of Clifford Irving (Gere) who found insta-fame by pretending to write an authorized biography of Howard Hughes.
The first half of this summer smash was far more than meets the eye. The rest? Much, much less. Shia LaBeouf stars as a nerdy teen who discovers his sweet new sports car is actually a shape-shifting alien robot. Won't be nearly as ear-splitting on the small screen.
"Evan" took an almighty beating by critics, but this family comedy deserved a far better fate. Steve Carell adds edge and honesty to the lead role, a neophyte politician who discovers he's been chosen to build a new ark by God (Morgan Freeman, who else?).
Adam Sandler goes into serious mode once more, but "Reign" is only fitfully satisfying as a tragedy laced with dark humor. Sandler plays a man who lost his family on September 11, while Don Cheadle radiates decency as an old pal trying to bring Sandler back from the emotional abyss.
"FF2" improves on the sluggish original, offering crisp character interplay and a giddy co-lead in the slippery Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburne). Still, it's a far cry from the best superhero films.
This sturdy horror film leaps to life from a Stephen King short story. John Cusack taps all of his star wattage to play a haunted hotel scribe who finds the genuine article in New York City. Samuel L. Jackson co-stars as the hotel manager trying to steer Cusack's character far away from room 1408.
The uncomfortable-to-watch "Bug" is two movies in one. The first is a taut psychological drama with Ashley Judd making amends for her horrific film choices in recent years. The second half decends into madness as her character thinks an army of bugs has invaded her body. Worth a look just for its nutty originality alone.
Judd Apatow proves he's King of All Comedies with this hysterical ode to unplanned pregnancies. Seth Rogen is the appealing shlub who knocks up a career girl (Katherine Heigl) and the pair decide to keep the baby. A howler with heart from start to finish.
Quentin Tarantino's half of the commercially disastrous "Grindhouse" double feature is a mixed blessing in its new, extended DVD format. The film's first half works better at home, with Kurt Russell embodying a brilliantly psychopathic killer who uses a car, not a knife, to butcher his prey. The second half of the film, featuring a less appealing group of heroines, suffers by comparison.
This hackneyed drama turns an actual tragedy into a facile, forgettable feature. Matthew McConaughey does his career no favors as the head coach of a patchwork football squad which replaced the Marshall University team wiped out from a plane crash.
This terrific drama got virtually ignored in theaters, possibly because "Hotel Rwanda" told a story with a similar theme. John Hurt stars as a missionary trying to bring education to an impoverished African neighborhood when full-scale genocide breaks out around him. Credible co-star Hugh Dancy co-stars as an idealistic young man forced to make some gut-wrenching decisions when the violence erupts.
Burt Reynolds became a star, banjo music got an unorthodox boost and Ned Beatty became a punchline for the ages all thanks to this ripping story. Four pals trek into the woods to do some manly fishing, only to run into a pack of less than noble gentlemen. The 1972 film's release features the story behind "Dueling Banjos" as well as commentary by director John Boorman.
