The Pacifier

The Pacifier - **1/2

The Pacifier is the comedic debut of doughy eyed action star Vin Diesel, an actor who as appeared out of place in nearly every one of his films so far. In this movie however, he seems right at home. In fact, this may very well be the first example of Diesel being better than the material he's working with. The film tells the story of Shane Wolfe (Diesel), a Navy S.E.A.L assigned to protect the children of a deceased scientist from an as of yet unknown terrorist threat. Faith Ford plays the concerned mother who leaves the children in Wolfe's hands, while the 3 eldest children are played by Brittany Snow, Max Thieriot and Morgan York. Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls") plays the school principal, while Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond") plays her VP. The cast is really charming, and that is where The Pacifier's draw lies. It seems Vin Diesel is a much better comedic actor than he is in action films, and almost rescues what is really a nothing happening screenplay. The kids are also really good, and elevate some of the more lame potty humour. Nothing new happening here, it never reaches any real peaks over 90 minutes, but if you're looking for an innoffensive laugh, can stand Vin Diesel and have no aversion to unoriginality, this might be for you. For the rest of the movie viewing population, this is a rental at best. Thumbs down, although one with distinction for effort.

When Will I Be Loved

When Will I Be Loved - *1/2

When a movie's best moment comes from a bit of obscenity courtesy of Mike Tyson, the writing is most certainly on the wall. James Toback ("Bugsy") wrote and directed this taudry tale of the sexual awakening of a woman named Vera Barrie (Neve Campbell), who is goated into sleeping with a billionaire old man (Dominic Chianese) for $100,000 by her boyfriend Ford (Frederick Weller). Unfortunately, this movie isn't even on a level with "Indecent Proposal", the movie it not so subtly lifts material from. It's presentation is like a mix of Before Sunrise, Closer and a couple of softcore porn films thrown in for good measure. However, the director's attempts to lift the material out of mediocrity fail miserably; this isn't smart wry drama with sex thrown in for good measure, it's a sex drama with pretension. The sound quality also stands out to me; whenever the characters are talking over a backing soundtrack they have to compete to be heard. It's a shock that a movie featuring a cameo by music mogul Damon Dash would be so amateurish on that front. I also take issue with the movie's overall portrayal of the Vera character. For 81 minutes, she essentially walks around hooking up with and/or flirting with everyone in sight. Then she runs back to Ford/her parents seemingly helpless. This isn't a tale of female empowerment; it's a wet dream. Nothing to see here, unless you're a Neve loving heterosexual man, and in that case there's always P2P programs. Thumbs down.

Snow Day

Snow Day - ***

This 2000 film is easy to forget, mainly because it's a forgettable movie. No new ground is broken with "Snow Day"; guy persues girl, kids do horrible things to principal, good guy dad and weather man finally gets his due in the end, Emmanuelle Chriqui is hot, blah blah blah we get it. It's charm that makes this film watchable, charm in both cast and premise. The film isn't a new concept; it's a well made spin on an old one. Therein lies a certain level of comfortability along with that, and as such it's comfort that doesn't make the film any less enjoyable due to any lack of originality. The cast, as I've said, is very charming. I suppose the most bankable cast member is the underused Chevy Chase, but also includes Jean Smart, Chris Elliott, John Schneider and (at the time) newcomers Mark Webber, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Schuyler Fisk, Connor Matheus and Zena Grey. The secret weapon here is Schuyler Fisk (pre-Orange County I might add), who makes herself entirely sympathetic without taking away from Webber's Hal. Snow Day is a children's comedy which, like many of the films that have been made in the past few years, has plenty of appeal for adults. You might even say it was ahead of its time, although that would be somewhat of a stretch. Thumbs up.

Be Cool

Be Cool - **

Coming from John Travolta, a man who's career is the very definition of bipolar, I suppose we can be very happy that he opted to make this film instead of Battlefield Earth 2. The star of films both fantastic and attrocious returns as Chili Palmer in Be Cool, the PG-13 sequel to the R rated 1995 film Get Shorty. The film's change of tone due to its rating is one of the biggest problems facing it. If we're crossing various forms of organized crime and use our MPAA assigned "fuck" on an industry inside joke within the opening minute and a half, how are audiences to identify? This, combined with one dimensional characters and a bit too much Travolta are what's wrong with Be Cool.

That being said, there are plenty of things that could have gone wrong with this film that didn't. It could have descended into 120 minutes of lame potty humour marketed to adults like "The Whole Ten Yards". It could have become a self-referential turd like "Analyze That". Hell, it almost certainly should have become a trainwreck of bad casting like "Mortal Combat: Annhilation" when the project called for a mostly new cast. It could have, but it didn't. As far as sequels go, this isn't bad. The humour is surprisingly high brow at points, and the opening scene is oddly reminiscent of another Travolta film, Pulp Fiction. Instead of relying too much on the original, this is essentially a new story with a new cast and a new set of cirumstances. The cast itself is well put together; while Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000 of Outkast) charms in his acting debut, the rest of the supporting cast including Vince Vaughn, The Rock, Christina Millian, Harvey Keitel and Cedric the Entertainor absolutely carry the film.

It seems like the good outweighs the bad here, and perhaps it does, but the bad is like an unerasable stain that just ruins the picture. John Travolta gets right into the character, as does his lead Uma Thurman as Edie Athens, but the characters bring nothing worthy to the table. In fact, they look to be quite thinly written whenever they're placed in close proximity to the awesome support cast. When we're more partial to the story's villain than the hero we can't possibly get the intended viewing experience. Unfortunately, "Be Cool" is a movie for no one but perhaps rabid fans of Vaughn, The Rock or the two leads. Thumbs down.

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster - ***1/2

Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" is a gritty documentary that pulls no punches, in turn doing a greater service to the band being examined. The film follows Metallica members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett through the arduous process of recording the band's 2003 album St. Anger, including their numerous group therapy sessions as well as James' rehab stint and bass player Jason Newstead's sudden departure. What I really like about this film is how effective the human drama goes over. At the top of the food chain, if you will, are James and Lars, the two remaining original band members. Their egos come into conflict recurrently throughout the film, and when James goes into rehab, Lars seems to feel more inconvenienced than concerned. Somewhere below them in influence is producer Bob Rock, the man who has shaped the band's sound over the past 10 years, for better or for worse. Phil Towle, the band's therapist, is brought in to manage these egos, and frequently chimes in on band issues, even the music related ones. At the bottom of this chain is Kirk Hammett, the virtuoso guitarist who so effectively replaced Dave Mustaine in 1983. The most poignant line in the film is when James is complaining of feeling that everything is out of his hands and that Lars is in charge, to which Kirk replies "To me, that just sounds like the past 15 years". Interesting human drama along with kick ass rock music make this one of the best documentaries of last year. Thumbs up.

Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby - ****1/2

Million Dollar Baby is a film that looks astounding on paper, and after a viewing, it's even better. Clint Eastwood directs the film and stars as Frankie Dunn, the ex-boxer who reluctantly takes on Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) as his student. Morgan Freeman is astounding as Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, Dunn's ex-fighter friend, and these three together give probably the best ensemble performance of the year. The screenplay is written by Paul Haggis (Crash), and his work is so good here that he's already been hired by Eastwood to write his next film. The film's look (due in large to Tom Stern's cinematography) enhances the story's dark image. Even at 132 minutes, this film does not run long in the slightest. I've lost my list of films for 2004, but this would have almost certainly been #2 for the year. Thumbs way up.

Constantine

Constantine - **1/2

Acclaimed music video director Francis Lawrence's "Constantine", an adaptation of the DC coming book "Hellblazer", is filled with promise. It stars Keanu Reeves, the bankable action star who seems at his best when fighting an unseen evil force. The supporting cast includes Rachel Weisz, Tilda Swinton, Djimon Hounsou and Shia LaBeuof. The special effects are fantastic, and the premise is intriguing. Unfortunately, its director shows his lack of experience as the film runs out of steam after the first act, leaving the rest of the film a confusing, silly mess despite its best intentions. Reeves leads the star studded cast of the film as John Constantine, a once-dead misfit hoping to buy his way into heaven with a series of good deeds and exorcisms. When he meets Weisz's Angela Dodson, a policewoman dealing with the suicide of her sister Isabel, they begin to unravel a mystery with catastrophic implications. While there is plenty to like about this movie, I feel that it's a bit too derivative of another religion themed movie, Dogma. Like Dogma, we see our unlikely heroes teamed with pretty yet hard nosed women and set out to save the world from demons acting away from Satan's control. Like Dogma, we hear the "humans aren't good enough" speech from the eventually revealed villain (interestingly enough, it happens in both movies around the same time our leading lady is seen emerging from a pool of water soaked from head to toe). Unfortunately unlike Dogma, we're supposed to take this movie seriously, and because of some of the inherited silliness, it just doesn't work for me. Constantine is an interesting but ultimately disappointing action thriller. Thumbs down.

Ong-Bak

Ong-Bak - ***

Ong-Bak comes from director Prachya Pinkaew, but I doubt anyone is really concerned with that. Pinkaew wrote the film with martial arts choreographer Panna Rittikrai, but I have the suspicion that you don't give a damn about that either. No, this is not a film of unique direction or strong writing, or for that matter, even strong acting. This is an action film, made in a style no longer found anywhere in North America. This isn't cinema, it's a moment in time. Regardless of what happens to Tony Jaa, no one can take this remarkable accomplisment away from him. Jaa leads the cast of this otherwise B-film as Ting, a young man who is honor bound with the task of retrieving the head of a sacred statue from the man who stole it. This task leads him to Bangkok, where he teams up with Dirty Balls (I can't even make this up), a former villager of where Ting comes from, and his friend Muay Lek. Just as I've said though, storyline is not important here, this is a spectacle. Tony Jaa displays physical abilities perhaps never before seen on screen, and does things not even stunt workers would be willing to do. Perhaps it's a dark mark on the Japanese film industry that performers are goated into doing all of their own stunts like this, but in this case we should be thankful it does happen. Ong-Bak is a movie worthy of viewing even if strickly to witness the birth of a star. Thumbs up.

The Barbarian Invasions

The Barbarian Invasions - ***1/2

Last year's Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language film, "The Barbarian Invasions" is a smartly written heartwarmer, probably the best thing to come out of Quebec since Guy Lafleur. It is written and directed by revered Canadian filmmaker Denys Arcand (Stardom) and stars Rémy Girard (a two time Genie Award Winner) and Stéphane Rousseau as a father and son reunited when father Rémy is hospitalized. As his death begins to appear inevitable, Sébastien decides it best to make his father's final days as enjoyable as possible, and flies Rémy's friends into Quebec to say their drawn out goodbyes. Plenty of the plot follows son Sébastien's efforts, but the group of friends assembled in this Montreal hospital are also examined in detail. This film is extremely well written and it is because of this that the movie is very entertaining despite the characters not being remotely relatable. The group of friends are an elite bunch of intellectuals whose dialogue is remarkably scholarly, and if it weren't for the poignant shots at the lives these people lead, any viewer might come away from the film slightly soured. As it stands, this is a truly touching story of a father and son's love, and asks some stimulating questions about the meaning of life. Thumbs up; a must see for anyone looking to be slightly less embarassed by Canada's film industry.

Sideways

Sideways - ****

Sideways is a novel adaptation by Alexander Payne, the mind behind Election and About Schmidt, and feels alot like Swingers with heart. The film takes place in wine country California and follows two men named Miles and Jack (played by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church) as they go on one last road trip before Jack walks down the aisle. I'll clue you in on a little secret: it's not about the plot, but the characters. Paul Giamatti is absolutely flawless in the lead role, and after 2 consecutive years of Oscar snubs, one wonders if the Academy has it out for him. Thomas Hayden Church is also excellent in that he is able to make his character entirely sympathetic while not stealing Miles' thunder. The two leading ladies are lovely, although one would gravitate towards Virginia Madsen when heaping praise upon the supporting cast. The writing us superb, and with pure talent on board to transform the script to screen so well, it's no wonder that the film has become 2004's critical darling. Thumbs up.

Equilibrium

Equilibrium - ****

Kurt Wimmer's second directorial feature Equilibrium was lost in the post-9/11 shuffle of the movie industry that looked to make more heartwarming and uplifting epics rather than slick dark action pictures. And in their defence, there isn't too much in this movie that breaks the mold. It's kind of Fahrenheit 451 meets The Matrix meets The Giver on crack. The same old questions of personal freedoms are asked, and like The Giver, the emphasis on emotions is present. What makes the film work is spectacle, mainly the marvelous spectacle of realising that a film like this could have been made for roughly $20 million. The performances are sufficient, I guess, because the characters are underwritten in favour of the almighty action sequence, but with this film it works flawlessly. I felt drawn into the plight of the lead character John Preston (Christian Bale) because instead of focusing on human melodrama, Wimmer allows the circumstances to speak for themselves, and once such a reality is presented it is only natural to cheer for the protagonist. Purposeful underwriting allow an emphasis on the spectacle, and it pays off in spades for this film. Thumbs up.

Grind

Grind - **

From various producers/directors/writers who brought you various films you don't want to see, Grind came out approximately 5 months before You Got Served, and serves as a foul reminder of that ill-fated film. Sports themed movies generally take one of two themes these days: either it involves a team of miscreants who get to know each other and end up winning the big game, or a group of unbelievably talented athletes who just need a chance to show off their skills. This movie and YGS both chose that pidgeonhole, and in the process took away any hope of originality. You know that the good guys are going to get their big chance at the end, at they're going to ace it. You know that the male lead will get the girl. Most importantly, you know there will be plenty of juvenile teenage hijinks throughout. That's pretty much "Grind" inside and out. The cast is perfectly alright at doing exactly what the script and director called for, but there's just nothing to work with here. I'm sure that entire scenes were scripted with a single phrase "Skateboarding Montage". Adam Brody is wasted here as fodder for stupid gags a la Vince Vieluf, not that he could have done much good in this muddled mess. Thumbs down.

Kissing Jessica Stein

Kissing Jessica Stein - ****

Kissing Jessica Stein, written by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen has been often described as "lesbian cinema", a title that is really quite inaccurate when you consider the specifics. Neither of the two main characters, Helen and Jessica, are lesbians, and I'm not entirely sure that Jessica is even bisexual when her place in the relationship is brought into consideration. I also think that tagging on such a label creates expectations in the minds of viewers, and in truth, this isn't "that" kind of movie. In fact, it's a completely original spin on the conventional romantic comedy, pairing two bi-curious women who meet through a classified section. Westfeldt is fantastic in the lead role, and plays her as likeable although imperfect. Through Juergensen's Helen, those faults become much clearer, and both characters are much more complex because of it. The leading ladies really get the script (they should, they wrote it); this propels the film from good to excellent. Thumbs up.

Come Blow Your Horn

Come Blow Your Horn - ***1/2

This 1963 classic was filmed at the height of Frank Sinatra's popularity, and is conveniently placed between The Manchurian Candidate and Robbin and the 7 Hoods. The reason it is so well placed is because if you combined the legitimate drama of Manchurian Candidate with the toungue in cheek musical cool of Robbin and the 7 Hoods, this is pretty much exactly what you'd get. Come Blow Your Horn is the big screen adaptation of a Neil Simon Broadway hit, although with only a single musical number and the biggest star in the music industry leading the cast, you'd hardly notice. What's really good here is the comedy, most specifically the stuff that involves Lee J Cobb as the overbearing father, and Molly Picon as the supportive mother. Although not a classic by any means, this is a great vehicle for Sinatra that should be seen by all fans of his. Thumbs up.

My Bosses Daughter

My Boss's Daughter - *1/2

From director David Zucker, who was the mind behind brilliant comedies such as Airplane, BASEketball and the Naked Gun films, My Boss's Daughter is a tragically unfunny movie that makes the fatal assumption that throwing A-list actors on screen with a lame script will somehow suceed with teenaged audiences. Starring inexplicable celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Tara Reid, the film follows Kutcher's Tom Stansfield, the reserved employee who has feelings for the boss' daughter Lisa(hence the title). When Lisa asks him to housesit for her, he misunderstands the invitation and accepts without question, but when he attempts to follow through on his promise, all hell breaks loose. Now while the film is loaded with ex-SNL cast members and seasoned comedic performers, it is inexplicably bogged down in tired comedic cliches. There is not a single original moment in this film, and for this reason it leaves an odd taste upon it's completion- as if you've already been fed this bullshit before. People like Jeffrey Tambor and Michael Madsen are completely wasted in this derivative embarassment. Thumbs down. I said this was one of the worst films of 2003, and I stand by that.

Elektra

Elektra - **

When a big budget action movie is dumped in January hell, it's a decent premonition that they have absolutely nothing in the way of expectations for its success. Either that or the film's studio has ludicrously naive hopes for January as a box office draw. While the latter could be true for the Rob Bowman directed Elektra, 20th Century Fox would have been absolutely justified in believing the former. This film is a muddled up emotionless action picture that goes around in circles without managing to progress at any point throughout. Now this is an unofficial spin-off from the 2003 Ben Affleck hit Daredevil (back when he was still making hits), but aside from a few seconds of archived footage, the original film is not even referenced. Instead, we see an Elektra who is supposed to be more reminiscent of the comic book heroin, but in the end fails to tribute either the screen or print version of the character. While Jennifer Garner tries her best to make the poor writing work, she falls sort because she has virtually nothing to work with. Zakk Penn and company have managed to actually make a Garner character seem condescending, dull and quite frankly, a bit of a bitch. Now the action sequences are intense if not exactly enthralling, and they're perhaps the most enjoyable part of the movie (apart from perhaps the salacious camera shots of Garner clad in Elektra's costume which of course only panders to heterosexual males and likeminded females), but they're too few and far between. In the end, this is just another dull, disappointing piece that fails to create identifiable characters like Matt Murdoch or even Elektra herself in the Daredevil film. Thumbs down.

In Good Company

In Good Company - ***

In Good Company is a rarely found original film that combines convincing characters with charming comedy that is both intriguing at the beginning and rewarding by the end. Directed by Paul Weitz, it stars Dennis Quaid as Dan Foreman, head of ad-sales for a sports magazine until it comes under new ownership, and an up and coming kid half his age named Carter Duryea (Topher Grace) takes over. The plot essentially follows the parralelled issues these two characters are going through, with Dan's mid-life crisis and Carter's mounting feelings of uncertainty and discomfort as well as depression. Scarlett Johansson plays Alex Foreman, Dan's daughter and Carter's eventual love interest, although they play it as more the attraction of two opposites than an archetypal romance. This film is extremely creative, yet maintains a level of realism (most specifically in the office comings and goings) throughout. It features two excellent characters played to a tee by their respective cast members. We see their feelings of insecurity, and best of all the writing allows us to understand why they feel this way. It's also packed with quirky comedic moments that keep the potentially dark film much lighter and "feel good". In Good Company is a good, if not remarkable film. Thumbs up.

Stage Beauty

Stage Beauty - ***

In the realm of historical rom-coms with a Shakespearean twinge, Richard Eyre's "Stage Beauty" ranks in between the very likeable "Shakespeare in Love" and the inconsistent "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The film follows Ned Kynaston and Maria (Billy Crudup, Claire Danes), two 17th century actors who are for most of the film at opposite ends of the career spectrum. In the beginning women are not aloud to act on stage, and so Kynaston is the most beloved performer of female parts in England at the time. His luck changes when King Charles' mistress convinces him to reverse the law so that only women are to play female parts. This is the perfect opportunity for Maria, who establishes herself as England's first actress. Their lives switch fortunes, as Kynaston is unable to adapt to playing men's roles and in fact refuses to do so. Now what elevates this film from mediocrity is pure charm. I was disappointed with some of the humour and realism in the story, but Claire Danes and Billy Crudup are perfectly likeable in their roles. They play off each other well, and in fact the scenes which they share are the best in the movie. This is just a really fun, harmless comedy that will make no impact neither fleeting nor lasting on the viewer, but will leave them thoroughly entertained. Thumbs up.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure - ****

"Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure" may have been outgrossed in 1989 by films such as "See No Evil, Hear No Evil" and "Uncle Buck", but 15 years later, who really remembers those movies? In the case of anything involving "Bill and Ted", that has never been a problem. These two characters are Wayne and Garth before Wayne and Garth were cool, and the writing is a lot better. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter star as Ted Logan and Bill S Preston Esq, two "nothing going" teenagers whose dreams of rock and roll stardom are threatened when Ted's father threatens to send him to military camp in Alaska if he and Bill don't get A pluses on a History presentation. Luckily for them, they are given help in the form of George Carlin's Rufus, a man of the future who lends his time travelling phone booth to the boys to go back and gather the necessary historical figures to properly do the assignment. This film is a wildy funny comedy which succeeds on multiple levels. First, it's entirely watchable as a one dimensional slapstick. The characters are so off the wall and the two main characters are so well portrayed that the jokes don't strain at all, even when they're repeated several times over. If you choose instead to look for something more, the film is also effective as a biting satire of so many off the wall slapsticks before it. The logic errors in the movie are presented in a way that makes light of the industry more than the quality of the film itself, and are presented with such blatancy that it would be foolish to suggest they're accidental. It is all too appropriate that Keanu Reeves' best performance should come out of a movie that requires so little. Thumbs up.

Meet the Fockers

Meet the Fockers - **

If the greatest problem facing movies today is that of unnecessary sequels, Meet the Fockers is the perfect representation of what's wrong in Hollywood. Directed by Jay Roach and stocked with A-level celebrities such as Ben Stiller, Robert Deniro, Blythe Danner, Barbara Streisand and the legendary Dustin Hoffman, it has great potential on paper. However, the film falls into a sinkhole of unoriginality that takes away nearly all the potential for enjoyment. Stiller's Greg Focker has survived a weekend with his wife Pam's (Teri Polo) parents Jack and Dina (Robert Deniro and Blythe Danner), but the tables are turned when he must introduce them to his parents Bernie and Roz Focker (played quite well by Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand). This provides room for some character progression, but in the end it's just same old well meaning idiot Greg, along with the hard edged father in law Jack, and the new parents do nothing but serve to reinforce the superiority of one family over the other. It wouldn't be bad if the characters were the only thing brought back verbatim from the original "Meet the Parents", but in fact many of the jokes from the original are repeated here. There is so much repitition that the only really satisfying humour comes from the new characters (the Fockers), and even they are only funny in small doses. As for the actors, they play their parts perfectly well, but no one could have rescued this film. The performances are the only thing that make it better than "The Whole Ten Yards", another unnecessary sequel. Thumbs down.

The Woodsman

The Woodsman - ****

From rookie director Nicole Kassell, "The Woodsman" is a haunting and disturbing story of a recently released from prison pedophile who attempts to get on with his life. It stars Kevin Bacon, taking the risk of his career as Walter, a hopefully reformed pedophile, who returns from prison to a bleak apartment, a dead end job and a friendless existence apart from his brother-in-law Carlos (Benjamin Bratt). He takes a job at a lumber company, and meets Vickie (Kyra Sedgewick), a pretty yet hard nosed woman who actually seems to understand him. It is with her help, along with that of a psychiatrist, that he begins the process of self-medication and reintigration into society. This film is so well helmed by Kassell that it completely enraptures its audience. In viewing it, we take on not any specific character but instead an entirely new one. At times we can't help but feel sorry for Walter, while at others we detest him. The impartial manner with which the subject matter is presented is also an advantage; we choose to view any of the characters in our own way. Bacon is clearly the film's breadwinner; if one is to define great acting as convincing the audience that he is in fact not acting but simply living, he must be considered one of the best in the business. The support from Bratt and Sedgewick is fantastic, but perhaps the greatest of all comes from Mos Def, who plays Seargent Lucas, a character who hounds Walter part out of malice and the other out of real concern for the city's children. He's his own Javert; hard to hate, yet impossible to entirely agree with. Some interesting perspective, as well as profound mood creation and excellent performances make this a must see. Thumbs up.

The Aviator

The Aviator - ***

"The Aviator" sees the reteaming of Martin Scorcese and Leonardo Dicaprio for the first time since 2002's "Gangs Of New York", and as such shoots for the skies. Of course, this time around it shoots far too high and nearly comes crashing to the ground as Hughes' planes did too often in the film. The movie is a partial biopic (it leaves off before the more embarassing stages) of Howard Hughes, the movie maker / playboy / airplane tycoon who made significant strides in all three areas. On one hand (and at the start), we see a struggling filmmaker who has big visions and even bigger budgets who makes the groundbreaking action film "Hell's Angels", and goes on to make "The Outlaw", as well as producing several others. In other parts of the film, we see the insatiable playboy who courts women such as Jean Harlow, Katherine Hepburn and Ava Gardner. Finally, we see that which most accutely defines Hughes; the role of aviator. Hughes' contributions to the field of aviation are impossible to count, but in general, he made the industry bigger and safer. This is an absolutely jam packed film that is full of names, dates and other information. The characterization is done in a way that would have made the obsessive compulsive Hughes proud, so much that it runs nearly 3 hours. Something about the 3rd or 4th time they've done a scene with Howard breaking down as a result of his OCD or the continued emphasis on his hearing difficulties seems condescending, as if we didn't get it the first or second time around. Still, the film looks wonderful, and DiCaprio holds up well in the lead role, even if he still does look like a child throughout the movie. A marginal thumbs up, even if the hype is ridiculously overblown.

Closer

Closer - ****

Director Mike Nichols ("Angels In America", "The Graduate") helms "Closer", the film adaptation of the Patrick Marber West End play. It tells the story of four people living in London; Alice, Dan, Anna and Larry, whose lives become intermixed in such a twisted web that one finds it hard to determine who is with who at most points of the film. I really enjoyed "Closer" because it makes no attempt to redeem its characters; these are a-moral people with no concern for the well being of anyone else but themselves. Everytime the relationships seem to be set for the remainder of the film, a wrench is thrown into the plot and we are once again forced to become re-aquainted with the surroundings. This is twisted dark comedy at it's best, and if you have even remote interest in this genre, "Closer" is a must see. Thumbs up.

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events - ***1/2

"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" is directed by Brad Siberling ("Casper") and features stars such as Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Louis Guzman, Catherine O'Hara and the narration of Jude Law. It tells the story of three children (Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Kara and Shelby Hoffman) who are orphaned when their parents die in a car crash, only to be put in the care of Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), a psychopathic D-grade actor who tries to kill then in order to gain their inheritance. Even as they run from him, he pursues them and sabotage's their efforts. Can they escape Olaf's clutches and live a perfectly normal, fortunate life? This is a movie that's hard to comment on much because it doesn't really have any strengths or weaknesses. It's a well written, well made and well directed film. There's nothing specifically excellent about it, other then perhaps its consistency. It is very watchable though. If there's one thing I can say, it is that this isn't really a children's movie, especially if you take into account the dark themes or tense moments. Alas, Jim Carrey bat 1.000 this year. Thumbs up.

Kinsey

Kinsey - ***

From writer/director Bill Condon, "Kinsey" is the adventurous biopic of Alfred Kinsey, a scientist who broke ground on researching sexual behavior. It stars Liam Neeson, the actor who announced his retirement in 1999 after "The Phantom Menace" and has seemingly had trouble letting go. The film traces Kinsey's life, with creative narration in the same format that he would go on to use in quizzing people about their sexuality. In it, they trace his childhood, marriage, sexuality and relationships with vivid detail and candor. Rounding out the cast are Laura Linney, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris O'Donnell, John Lithgow and Oliver Platt. While much has been said about the film's performances, the only one I thought to have stood out was Linney's, as she is the only person who really gave any light to what those left at home had to go through on these road trips. John Lithgow is good in his few scenes, but the idea of him playing the father of a Neeson character is not only laughable, it's idiotic. Still, the movie is very daring, and is willing to go to great lengths to make its point. In the end, the message is an important one: people ought to get the facts on issues before they let "morality" effect their opinions. Thumbs up.

The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice - **1/2

Only one week after Joel Schumacher brought Andrew Loyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" to the screen, Michael Radford has debuted "The Merchant of Venice", the first English language big screen version of the classic and contraversial play by William Shakespeare. While Shakespeare presented the events in a rye, humourous fashion, Radford's version is much darker, choosing to concentrate the most on the theme of religious discrimination. His Shylock (played by Al Pacino) is seen as more of a hero than a villain (which, all things considered, isn't really a fair presentation) because of this discrimination, despite his blood lust. I'm not sure if this is unintentional or not, but all of the leading "good guy" (in the play) characters come off as being really villainous. If this is a sign of Radford wanting to present the play with more of a modern interpretation (which completely rips it out of Shakesperean context), he ought to have adapted the characters to fit. Jeremy Irons' portrayal of Antonio is bleak and boring, and the same goes for Joseph Fiennes as Bassanio. This is really just Shakespeare minus the all of the charm, and the drama is inconsistent, one sided and dull. Thumbs down.

Chicken Run

Chicken Run - ***1/2

From directors Peter Lord and Nick Park (Wallace and Gromit), the 2000 film Chicken Run is animated comedy before it became safe and templatic. Mel Gibson leads the cast of relative unknowns, although clearly voice work is not a problem. While it is easy to make connections between this movie and "The Great Escape", the film is full of subtle references to action/adventure movies of the past. The animation is not unlike The Incredibles in that the action sequences are just as visually intriguing as they would be had they been done in live action. It looks good, it sounds good, it is good. Thumbs up.

Ocean's Twelve

Ocean's Twelve - ***

Ocean's Twelve is the Steven Soderbergh directed sequel to the remake of the film that defined a generation of filmmakers. Whereas it's predecessor was almost a serene tribute to the original 1960 picture starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr (along with the lesser Rat Packers), this film branches out and attempts to be something distinctly unique. The gang is off to Europe this time around, in an attempt to make enough money to pay back their begrudged former victim Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). Of course, the name indicates that there's someone new on board, and I can only guess that is Julia Roberts' Tess. It might have also been Isabel Lahiri (Catherine Zeta Jones), but I suppose the fact that she's an ex-Lover of Rusty (Brad Pitt)/detective counts her out. Whereas the original was a brightly put together and highly original film that turned corners every step of the way until the final brilliant ending (although not hardly as brilliant as the Rat Pack version), the sequel relies more on humour than inventiveness. Effective examples of this humour include much of Matt Damon's work in this film, as well as the back and forth between the Malloy Brothers (Casey Affleck, Scott Caan). George Clooney's work seems a lot like most of Sinatra's movie work; uninspired. This is not a traditional Soderbergh film in that it doesn't really break any conventions, but the similarities between this and his previous work is that he finds a way to make the efforts come to something. In this, some sadly average directing and unoriginal storytelling are offset by some great humour and a solid cast. A marginal thumbs up.

Ocean's Eleven

Ocean's Eleven - ***1/2

Steven Soderbergh hones in a star studded cast in Ocean's Eleven, a movie which casts off all false conceptions of legitimacy to focus on pure entertainment. With A-list stars such as Matt Damon, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Elliot Gould, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac and Carl Reiner all on board, it's easy to be intimidated by the blinding star power. However, the real star of this movie is Soderbergh, who's conscious and slick filmmaking brings this film from a likeable yet flawed effort to a popcorn masterpiece. There are several shots that stick with me from this film, including some of the montage camera work, the side to side shot of the group at the end, and the SWAT truck pulling back into the garage. Ted Griffin's screenplay is perfectly sufficient, respecting the "cool" air of the original. While it may not be quite as creative as the original plan, or as captivating as the original ending, Steven Soderbergh's 2001 update is a refreshing, more entertaining movie. Thumbs up.

Ray

Ray - ***1/2

From Taylor Hackford (Proof of Life, The Devils Advocate), Ray is the biopic of legendary vocalist Ray Charles, a man whose influence on the music industry can still be seen today. Jamie Foxx leads the cast as the singer himself, and does a powerful job of bringing this character to the screen. Kerry Washington plays his wife Bea, while Regina King plays Margie Hendricks, backup singer and mistress to Charles. It's this combination of an incredibly powerful cast and perfectly presented music sequences that make this work. I also enjoy the fact that it made no effort to fit in nicely with typical biopics of its day. There was no beatification here; Ray Charles was no angel and Hackford made no attempt to present him as one. The line "nobody's going to feel sorry for you because you're blind" is a perfect representation of the movie's theme. I think the movie may have ran on a bit, I felt as if it was going in circles for about 10 minutes or so in the middle, but all in all this is a very good movie. Thumbs up.

The Princess Diaries 2

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement - **

Garry Marshall, expert at laying on the syrup thick, directs "The Princess Diaries 2", the sequel to the not really so surprising hit "The Princess Diaries" of 2001. This time around, Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is nearly set to take the throne of Genovia, but it is revealed that in order for a woman to take the throne, she must be married. What's worse, is that she is given 30 days to do so, and if she is unable to another person will be given the throne. That person is Nicholas Deveroux (Chris Pine), who she kind of likes and kind of hates. It's assembly line script writing that makes this film terrible. Other teen films are just predictable, but if you weren't able to see the end coming you might be suffering from some sort of mental disorder. It takes a long time to get going, and once it does get going, it really isn't that good. Julie Andrews is of course good as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, and even sings for the first time on film for decades, but even that is ruined when the song turns into a G-rated pop/hip hop tune. The real saving grace, and what keeps the movie out of the bottom of 2004's scrap heap, is Hathaway, who has made many-a-film redeemable through her accute performances. While seemably every other young actress has had her share of memorable trainwrecks, her films are made watchable by a charm unmatched in any of the current crop. If only she had Lindsay Lohan's taste in scripts. Thumbs down.

Alexander

Alexander - **

When you're Oliver Stone, making a film about the life of one of the world's greatest war heros is never simple. You're going to attempt to get past all of the stories told about your main character and attempt to tell a story that Hollywood hasn't yet done. You're also going to shed no expense at making the action scenes unadulterated. Of course, even if you're Oliver Stone, this can go either way, and unfortunately Alexander goes to the wrong way for nearly three hours. Colin Farrell stars in this historical epic as Alexander the Great (before he was "The Great", mind you), while Angelina Jolie plays his mother Olympias, Jared Leto plays his lover and friend Hephaistion, and Rosario Dawson plays Roxane, his wife. Anthony Hopkins does double duty as both narrator and the older version of Ptolemy. When you think of the influential historical figures who are mentioned in this film (among them Alexander, Olympias, Aristotle, Ptolemy and Antigonas), there is potential for unparallelled cinematic delight. However, in three hours the viewer leaves the theatre feeling no more enlightened than when they came in. Colin Farrell is good, but only good in the lead role, while Angelina Jolie turns in one of her worst performances yet. If I only listen to the film with my eyes closed, Alexander was actually Irish and Olympias was Romanian, but I'll let the accents slip because really, it's not like they were speaking any form of English anyway. The script is completely lost in favour of blunt violence, dull sex and nill characterization. You could say that the cast looked good, but of course they did, they're Angelina Jolie, Rosario Dawson, Jared Leto and Colin Farrell. If you could make a movie just by virtue of looks, you could stick Kelly Clarkson and Britney Spears together and win Oscars. Unfortunately, "From Justin 2 Kelly" and "Crossroads" prove that wrong. Thumbs down.

Blade: Trinity

Blade Trinity - **

David S Goyer, the man who wrote all three films, takes over from Guillermo Del Toro as director, and is met with disastrous results. Blade Trinity is the hopefully final film in the Blade saga, based on the Marvel comic series and starring Wesley Snipes. This time around the vampires have awoken the grand daddy of them all, Dracula. Blade isn't alone this time, though; he is joined by a team of leather clad Gen Y-ers known as the Night Stalkers. The leader of the group is Abigail Whistler (Jessica Biel), the inexplicable daughter of Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), and is seemed to be assisted the most by Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds), or as he was probably referred to on the script, Comic Relief. Indeed, the only thing redeeming about this film is the big budget special effects, since both the script and acting performances are awful. Everybody's favorite wrestler Triple H takes on the role of Jarko Grimwood with the tenacity and acting chops of Justin Guarini and Shaquille O'Neil, while Parker Posey is laughable as the film's pseudo villain. Ryan Reynolds gives a good effort of bringing light to a dull script, but his character is so horribly written that it's hard to enjoy his bits. A mass of dull storylines with logic errors, unreal dialogue and uninspired performances make this not the worst, but possibly the most inexplicably made film of the year. Thumbs down; please let this be the last.

Man on Fire

Man on Fire - ***1/2

From director Tony Scott, "Man on Fire" is a raw, action packed revenge movie that runs a bit too long, but entertains so well that it's hard to notice. Denzel Washington stars as Creasy, a former Marine who takes on the task of protecting a young girl named Pita, played with such wonderful charm and accuracy by Dakota Fanning. Pita breaks his resolve to solitude and he begins to open up, but when despite his best efforts she is kidnapped, he begins to practise vigilante justice towards anyone who may be involved in the crime. Not only are the two stars superb in their roles, but supporting performances by Christopher Walken, Mark Anthony and Radha Mitchell elevate the film to a whole new level of performance. I also enjoyed the bold directorial style Scott employs, which in this film filled with twists and turns is perfect. As I've said, it's about 10-15 minutes too long, and the plot is bogged down a bit by the overabundance of characters, but the core cast are so talented and Tony Scott is so creative behind the camera, not to mention Brian Helgeland's screenplay, that it's hard to not recommend the movie. This is just a very good film. Thumbs up.

Troy

Troy *1/2

Wolfgang Petersen, director of Das Boot, The Perfect Storm and Air Force One, tackles Homer's "Odyssey" with Troy, the three hour blood soaked historical epic starring Legolas, The Hulk, and Sinbad the Sailor. Yes, in Wolfgang Petersen's ancient Troy, Brad Pitt is Achilles, Orlando Bloom is Paris and Eric Bana is Hector. Of course there are female stars involved too, such as Diane Kruger and Rose Byrne, but in Petersen's ancient Troy, women are meaningless. Oh, and apparently people talked in a mix of mid-nineties basketball trash talk, comic book speak and Shakespeare. Oh, and Achilles talks like he's from Manhattan. Yes, setting aside pretty much everything but the crucial elements, Wolfgang Petersen makes a pleasureless action movie that seems to go on and on forever, along the way telling us nothing and creating nothing but 1 dimensional characters, especially the women. On one side, we have Achilles, the glory obsessed asshole who would sacrifice his own men in order to preserve his legacy. On the other we have Paris, who shares an intelligence with our own Paris, Paris Hilton, by stealing the King of a massive empire's wife, signing away the lives of thousands of his own troops in the process. So who exactly are we to cheer for? Hulk Smash? I think not. I'll give you three tips on Troy, AVOID, AVOID, and AVOID. Thumbs down.

The Royal Tenenbaums

The Royal Tenenbaums - ****

From director Wes Anderson, The Royal Tenenbaums is a story about redemption, love and dysfunction in a gifted family. It stars a host of A-list celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Danny Glover, Bill Murray and the Wilson brothers. More importantly, it employs a format of storytelling and direction so unique and creative that it hides the film's long runtime. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman), upon hearing that his wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) is considering an offer of marriage, he attempts to get back in with his family in order to win her back after 23 years of seperation. However, the family he comes back to, including a overcautious businessman (Stiller), a complacent playwright (Paltrow) and a washed up tennis player in love with his adopted sister (Luke Wilson), is apparently not much like the one he left. The family has gone to pieces in his absence, and as the film goes on, he begins to take more accountability on for repairing it. Now as I've already said, what I really like about this film is its creativity. Creativity out of Wes Anderson and his writing partner Luke Wilson won't come at all as a surprise to anyone who has seen his first movie, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou looks to be much the same. Fantastic performances and a strong creative team make this a very good movie. Thumbs up.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - ***1/2

Wes Anderson is the type of director who likes to do more with less. He made The Royal Tenenbaums on $21 million dollars, and judging by the cast, much of that must have gone to salary. Much of the same with "The Life Aquatic", made on $25 million, and with a cast that includes Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum and Cate Blanchett the same can be said for this one. Bill Murray stars as Steve Zissou, a famed oceanographer and documentarist who after losing his friend to a shark, vows to track the creature down and kill it. Before he gets a chance to do this a man who may or may not be his son comes into his life (Luke Wilson). He, Ned Plimpton, and Steve set out with his famed crew and a journalist named Jane Winslett-Richardson (Cate Blanchett) in tow. On the line is more than just revenge, this is Steve's last chance to prove himself to the world that he still has "it" as a filmmaker, and to try to build a relationship with Ned. Wes Anderson has unsurpassed creativity, and shows it in everyone of his films. This is his first work without the writing assistance of Owen Wilson (who is currently occupied as he becomes one of the fastest rising stars in Hollywood), and Noah Baumbach seems to keep the screenplay as sharp as ever. As I've said, the film was made for a pittance, so how good this film looks is insane. Now I'm not saying this is a perfect movie. As the movie went on the jokes seemed to get strained, but another fantastic performance from Bill Murray brought it back from the edge of mediocrity. In the end, The Life with Steve Zissou is a very good movie, worthy of recommendation, even in the midst of a competitive award season. Thumbs up.

Van Helsing

Van Helsing - *1/2

Stephen Sommers' "Van Helsing" is one of those movies that makes you look back at the end and wonder why? Why, for instance, did they make a film over two hours in length if they had barely more than 60 of decent material? Why did they write the vampires to look and sound like the French stereotype? Why, and this one is perhaps the most important, does a movie that cost $160 million to make and included location shots in the Czech Republic look like it was made entirely on a low budget enclosed set? It's questions like these that beg the biggest "why" question, why take a chance on a movie that seemingly turned out so awful? Well apparently the film, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale, turned out to be a chance well taken; the film has grossed $300 million worldwide, but that still doesn't redeem it. Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) reminded me of the comedic version of the character portrayed by Leslie Nielsen in Mel Brooks' "Dracula: Dead and Loving It", and the Frankenstein character is oddly similar to the type of things seen in the "Scooby Doo" sequel. In fact, a lot of this movie is like that particular film. Just a terrible movie. Thumbs down.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Bridget Jones Diary: The Edge of Reason - ***

The sequel to 2001's "The Bridget Jones Diary" is a charm driven film made successful by the sweet performance by Renee Zellweger. With this film, the producers replaced one nobody filmmaker with another, and surprise surprise, it looks no different from the first. It picks up four weeks after the first film, as Bridget is back home at her parent's house for Christmas, only this time she has the joy of a boyfriend in her life. Of course this is not to last too long as she and Mark (Colin Firth) go back and forth before they finally "break-up". Enter Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), her former boyfriend who seemingly misses her, even though he can't seem to get passed his womanizing ways. The film is once again a triangle with these two men on either side, and Bridget in the middle, only this time it relies a bit too much on gags and sideplots rather than Zellweger's Jones. It's hard to not be disappointed by this film, but I still enjoyed it. This is really Renee Zellwegger's most comfortable character, and she plays it well. Once again the Brits are 1-0 on North American released romantic comedies (unless Shaun of the Dead's romantic element is enough to make it 2-0) this year, although unlike 2003's "Love Actually", this isn't an out of the park smash. Thumbs up.

The Flight of the Phoenix

Flight of the Phoenix - **

John Moore directs and Randy Quaid stars in "Flight of the Phoenix", the retelling of a classic 1965 film starring Jimmy Stewart. It tells the story of a group of people who are stranded in the Gobi desert when the plane that is supposed to carry them home crashes. Instead of waiting for a rescue plane that may or may not come, when a man (Giovanni Ribisi) claims he can rebuild the plane, they set out to put his plan into action. It's hard to say too much negative about Flight Of the Phoenix, yet it's impossible to recommend. While it does charm in its performance (most noteably the delightully twisted performance from Ribisi), and the visuals are stunning, there is not a shred of originality in its plot. This may have something to do with the fact that it's pretty much a verbatim retelling of the original, and if the 1998 Gus Van Sant retelling of Psycho tells us anything, it's that remaking classic 1960's films requires a level of retooling for modern success. This film is unable to do so, and reads as an outdated film that fails to build any drama at all, ending on a ridiculously cheesy visual and failing to surprise the audience once. Thumbs down.

The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera - ***1/2

The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Joel Schumacher, is the first Webber adaptation that the famous composer has had a hand in the creative process of. Because of this, it is very much a musical, and over nearly 2 and a half hours, there is likely little more than 30 minutes of spoken dialogue. Schumacher also takes on the monumental task of transforming one of the greatest musicals of all time into a motion picture, despite the fact that, in my honest opinion, it's nearly impossible to improve upon the stage. However, all things considered, Andrew Lloyd Webber's crowning achievement has also proved to be the same for Joel Schumacher, as this film successfully recreates the mood and passions of "Phantom" while making it seem even more grandiose. Leading the cast are Emmy Rossum, who is absolutely haunting as Christine, and Gerard Butler, who thrills although doesn't overwhelm as The Phantom. Rounding the ensemble out are Minnie Driver as Carlotta, Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry and Jennifer Ellison as Meg Giry. While this is not a perfect adaptation (to make a good film it shouldn't be) there is enough dedication to Webber's original masterpiece musical to make it a great success. Rossum is a powerhouse, but perhaps the greatest acting chops belong to Gerard Butler, who, while no Colm Wilkinson in the singing department, is so captivating as the tragic hero that he sells the movie on his own merits. Tour de force performances and accute grandiose directing make this perhaps my personal favorite movie of the year, even if it isn't nearly the best. Thumbs up.

Hotel Rwanda

Hotel Rwanda - ***1/2

Terry George ("Some Mother's Son") brought his latest film "Hotel Rwanda" to Toronto for it's premiere in September, mainly because when the Hutu army began massacring Tutsis in Rwanda, it was Canadians like Romeo Dallaire who stood up along with people like Paul Rusesabagina to save thousands of lives. This film tells that story. Don Cheadle stars as Rusesabagina, a man who by all accounts lives a upper middle class life, free of on the level persecution. His life changes, however, when civil war breaks out in his country and a group known as the Hutu's begin to slaughter every member of a group his wife belongs to, the Tutsis. Instead of fleeing or siding with the Hutu's, he turns the hotel he manages into a shelter for fleeing refugees. Of course, as war broke out, nearly everyone who could have put a stop to the situation fled, leaving United Nations officials alone to protect these people. Hotel Rwanda is not merely a war movie, nor is it a tale of murder and genocide, it is a film that speaks volumes about racial discrimination and the shortcomings of a governing body that falls subject to such discriminatory thought. Don Cheadle does well to create a sympathetic hero, although I suppose the context of the story is in itself enough to do that. Nick Nolte is fantastic as the roughly-based-on-Dallaire Colonel Oliver, a commander who stays at Rusesabagina's side at the worst of times. Some scenes felt stretched to me; in fact even at 110 minutes the film runs about 10-15 minutes too long. However, the message of the movie is important, and the film itself is very entertaining. "Hotel Rwanda" is a competently made film from the heart that will shock those who chose to ignore this situation when it first surfaced. Thumbs up.

High Times Potluck

High Times Potluck - 1/2*

At this point, I find the words just out of my reach. Oh wait, here they are: this was possible the worst movie of all time. Perhaps I'm biased by the fact that I wasn't stoned when I watched it, but I'm not of the persuasion that you have to be in order to judge good cinema from bad. In fact, to call it cinema is hardly accurate, as I strongly doubt this ever made it into theatres. I'd suggest that the movie tried to do too much with too little time, but that hardly covers the movie's problems. I think the main problem is that throughout the entire developmental process of High Times Potluck, everyone involved with the project was sky high. The result is one of the most amateurish, sloppily put together, poorly written and poorly acted films I've ever seen. I've seen home videos of babies and vacations that are better put together. Now I have to go scrub my eyes a la Spongebob Squarepants, a much better icon of stoners. Thumbs down.

Finding Neverland

Finding Neverland - ****

This is a perfect example of a movie in which everything is just right. Combine a cast that includes Johnny Depp, Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Mackenzie Crook, and Kelly Macdonald with one of the most fantastic stories ever told, and you have Finding Neverland. Actually, not quite. This is actually, the "Behind the Scenes" of the most fantastic story ever told. Marc Forster's unique direction and Johnny Depp's token powerful performance make this one of the most engaging movies of the year. The end fades from reality a bit, which almost underminds the fact that it is built as a biopic, but that is the nature of the man, and thus it is suitable as the nature of the film. Powerhouse performances combined with an insightful screenplay and impressive storytelling make this one of the best movies of 2004. Thumbs up.

The Incredibles

The Incredibles - ****1/2

35 days, and over 300 million dollars worth of box office revenue after its release, The Incredibles is still the much discussed and praised film it originally was. I personally missed out on it for this amount of time, but in that period of time the only film I believe I caught was Finding Neverland, and I certainly don't regret that. However, this sophomore effort from writer and director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant) both lives up to the reputation of it's much beloved predecessor and surpasses it. Once again utilizing a host of talented actors for voices such as Holly Hunter, Craig T Nelson, Samuel L Jackson and Jason Lee, The Incredibles has that same familiarity which made Shrek so watchable. What Shek didn't have, however, were plausible action scenes that are not made any less astounding by the fact that they happen to be animated. This is a smart, funny action/comedy that entertains throughout. I almost gave it the ***** (or 9), but I felt as if while it is wholly fulfilling and entertaining, it doesn't seem like the movie that will leave a lasting impact. About as well written, directed and performed popcorn gets. Thumbs up

Before Sunset

Before Sunset - ****

Before Sunset, directed by Richard Linklater, is the conclusion to a story left open by the director 9 years ago with Before Sunrise, the story of 2 people who meet on a train in Vienna. In the same style he utilized last time around, Linklater this time tells a much more concise, quick moving story that ultimately drags less. Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke are comfortable in their roles, and they should be; this is the third film in which they've reprised these roles. The camera work once again effectively showcases the lesser shown qualities of its setting; I really love some of the work done in the alleys and gardens. What makes this film slightly better than its predecessor is how effectively it comes together at the end, and how quick the ending turns the plot in a completely different direction. Thumbs way up.

Wimbledon

Wimbledon - **1/2 (5.5/10)

From Richard Loncraine, Wimbledon is a romantic comedy set in the world of tennis; more specifically within the sport's biggest tournament. Some sports romantic comedies (this one included) are hard not to like. They often combine female savvy romance storylines with guy pleasing sports elements effectively enough that they're able to attract a large date audience (a la The Replacements, Bull Durham). They also seem to emphasize sports slightly more than romance, so this movie represents a different perspective of the genre. Indeed, there are a lot of things that work about this movie. I like the performances; Paul Bettany is always good and Kirsten Dunst has always had a lot of charm. The directorial work is interesting too; some of the in-game shots are fantastic, and the "My So Called Life"-esque freeze-frame technique works beautifully. This is, however, a case of style over substance, and where you could pull that off with a big budget and a science fiction theme, it's still just a tennis movie. There were more than a few a-typical romance one liners, and plenty of expected and tired plot twists. Unfortunately for Bettany and Dunst, charm just isn't enough. Thumbs down.

Raise Your Voice

Raise Your Voice - *1/2

After "A Cinderella Story", "Cheaper By The Dozen", "The Lizzy McGuire Movie" and "Agent Cody Banks" all within the past 2 years, Hilary Duff serves up her latest steaming pile of crap with director Sean McNamara and generic male lead Oliver James. Having seen both this movie and "First Daughter" in the past day, and having seen a load of horrible teen movies before, it's getting to the point where you can predict the entire plot of the movie before even starting to watch. I can't even begin to count the number of times a misunderstanding has caused a temporary rift between a male and female lead, or the number of misunderstanding fathers who finally come to their senses at the end. The brother dying at the start thing was a nice touch, although Jason Ritter is getting in far too many car crashes. They should really think of something new for the guy. Hilary Duff isn't necessarily the problem in the movie, but she never really is. She's a qualified teen actress with a reasonable palette of emotions, but the scripts she chooses are manufactured and templatic. The music in this movie is every bit as bland; not what you'd expect ouf of a school that is supposed to produce such original and bright musicians. There are several subplots I could have done without. In fact, if you removed all those subplots the movie would have been about 10 minutes long. There are a couple of people in this movie who deserve better, and hopefully they'll find it, because the last thing we need is more nonsense like this. Thumbs down.

Mr. 3000

Mr. 3000 - ***

Mr 3000 is a sports comedy from director Charles Stone III (Drumlime, Paid in Full) and more importantly starring Bernie Mac, an actor who has never really been given a chance to shine as a star before this. In it, Mac plays Stan Ross, a self centred hitsmith who upon reaching the coveted mark of 3000 hits abruptly quits baseball. He is certain that this will ensure him a spot in the hall of fame, although his lack of a relationship with the press repeatedly keeps him out. However, after a statistician reveals that he is in fact 3 hits short of the mark, Ross must come back to the game after nine years of retirement to get back his beloved title of "Mr 3000". Along the way he learns a lesson about selflessness, in both love and baseball. Now while my major source of disenchantment towards Wimbledon is the overemphasis on romance, the opposite could be argued for this film. Mr 3000 is clearly a baseball movie. While the trailers make no ellusion to anything different, it has to tread a line between straightforward and one dimensional. The movie certainly isn't perfect either. We see plenty of "same old, same old" with regards to the plot, and the characters are a bit jaded. However, the performances are strong, the direction is really good, and the overriding message is well presented. Plenty of good laughs and great looking shots here. Thumbs up.

First Daughter

First Daughter - *1/2

It's like deja vu all over again. It's either that, or I already watched this movie in January, when it was called "Chasing Liberty". Seriously, let's go over the specifics. "Chasing Liberty": The daughter of the President feels trapped within the confines of the White House, and goes on a journey of self discovery which is comprimised when she finds out that who she thinks her boyfriend was actually detailed to her as a bodyguard. In the end her father realises the error of his ways, and everyone lives happily ever after. Okay now, "First Daughter": The daughter of the President feels trapped within the confines of the White House, and goes on a journey of self discovery which is comprimised when she finds out that who she thinks her boyfriend was actually detailed to her as a bodyguard. In the end her father realises the error of his ways, and everyone lives happily ever after. BUT WAIT! There's a twist! Whereas the First Daughter goes to University in "First Daughter", that same First Daughter played by a different actress goes to Europe in "Chasing Liberty". Oh and there's one other difference: "Chasing Liberty" didn't suck. At least the male lead had a personality in that movie; the lead this time around could be substituted with any other young male actor in the business without impacting the plot at all. Katie Holmes may have been charming in this film, as well as in "Go" and "Pieces of April", but good is not an adjective I'd attribute to her. Michael Keaton at this point is laughable in any role other than perhaps a Gary Sinise look-a-like competition. The only highlight to this travesty is Matt Dusk's newly recorded material used in one of the scenes. Thumbs down.