Silk Stockings (1957)

Tragically boring. Charisse and Astaire just go through the motions of way-too-old guy casually pursuing uptight Russian. Watch Ninotchka (of which this is a remake) instead.

D+

Another Day in Paradise (1998)

Supremely annoying group on a crime spree. The most likable of the foursome is Melanie Griffith (that should tell you something right there). It's not horrible, it's just not good enough to recommend or sit through in its entirety -- of course, if you bail too early, you'll miss Lou Diamond Phillips in drag, so...

C

The Canterville Ghost (1944)

Margaret O'Brien sure was cute -- but she kinda sucked in this movie. Regardless, this is pretty fun. Cowardly ghost is doomed to haunt his home castle until a descendent performs a brave task on his behalf…trouble is, all of the Cantervilles are cowards.

B-

The Sea Inside (2004)

I thought I wasn't really "in the mood" to watch this. I didn't want to get all depressed and I was sure a quadripalegic who wanted to die would be the ultimate feel-bad film. I couldn't have been more wrong in my pre-assessment.

This film isn't a downer, it's a wonderfully told human story -- with an agenda, sure -- but also with a sharp-witted central character who never wavered from his desire for release. I thought it was beautiful and brave.

A-

Out of the Past (1947)

Robert Mitchum is living a quiet life, wooing a local lady, when a "friend" from his past happens to see him. He's been hiding out for the few years since he was supposed to chase down and haul his boss's girl back to him, but fell for her instead.

Noiriest of the Noirs. Extremely enjoyable.

B+

Overnight (2004)

The ultimate cautionary tale on the subject of pride. At times, it's incredibly uncomfortable to watch and it lingers too long on some scenes that wind up being "more of the same" (i.e. Troy telling everyone how they owe him everything they have and how everyone who screws him will be sorry some day). I don't think I've ever seen anyone as deluded as he was -- probably still IS -- about his own worth in entertainment. Why in the world didn't his "friends" kick his ass? THAT would've been some feel-good moviemaking.

B-

At Close Range (1986)

Let me just get this out of the way: why are all the guys in this movie wearing eyeliner? I don't get it...

Anyway -- this is a "based on a true story" movie so, of course, I looked up the true story. What I found out was that this film had terrifying source material, but the movie pulled punches far too many times. I didn't feel distraught at all...I mean, the thing that stood out to me weren't the crimes, it was the EYELINER ON THE ACTORS, for crying out loud.

And what was up with "he's an epileptic" being tacked on every time Strathairn was introduced? It seems the sole reason for this tidbit of repeated information was so that we could see one scene of him having a seizure in bed...alone. Um. Poignant?

C

The Last Shot (2004)

Eh. Some cute moments - but no big laughs or a real feeling of investment in the "fake" movie. I don't understand why we weren't allowed to see any of the revelation scenes where those involved in the film were told that it wasn't real. I mean, the ending didn't feel earned or as fraught with disappointment as I think it could have.

C+

A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

Sadsacks' lives change when a teenage girl with attitude moves in. It's got a nice vibe - but it's pretty predictable.

B

In Good Company (2004)

This one WOWED me. Clever, real, not a false acting step, just really wonderful. For the first hour. But then Dan stands up to the big boss. And Dan & Carter join forces to keep their jobs. And they land the big account. And the bad guy gets his comeuppance. And everyone lives happily ever after. Ugh.

I also really think that the romance angle could have been left completely out. Maybe a flirtation was in order - but the real attraction for Carter should have never been Dan's daughter; he should have fallen hard for Dan's LIFE.

B+

Enduring Love (2004)

The opening sequence is one of the most gripping scenes I've ever seen: terrifying and poetic all at once.

The rest of the movie is a very good, very creepy thriller -- but I felt somewhat let down since the beginning seemed to promise a more transcendent, inventive film. So, I guess my complaint is that the opening sequence is just way too good!

B+

Undertow (2004)

This is the film that convinced me that David Gordon Green films are not my "thing." I didn't like All the Real Girls at all and, though I think George Washington is effective, the more I think about it, the more A-ffected I believe it is. This one just felt sloppy and as though it didn't earn the tension it forced. Watchable, but deliberately ambiguous and ultimately unsatisfying.

D+

Divorce Italian Style (1962)

The first half hour or so was "dirty old man" set up -- very uncomfortable, uninteresting, and unfunny. Picks up quite a bit once "the plan" goes into action, but I still watched it double time just to get it overwith.

B-

The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)

Sean Penn is believable as a social misfit whose life is unsatisfying, to say the least. I sympathized with his plight and wondered how he got there in the first place. Seems to me that his estranged wife wouldn't have ever married and had three children with a man she so obviously pities...and that his inability to handle dishonesty would have steered him away from sales as a career path. These are irritating, but not film-killing, oddities.

In all, Bicke comes off as a very sympathetic loser who truly believes himself to be in the right. Up until the climax, I understood him and hoped he'd catch a break.

B