All Movie Reviews
Movies in alphabetical order:
Ridley Scott aimed for a film that combined the realism of the French Connection with the operatic feeling of the Godfather in the real-life story of African-American mob boss Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) and the detective-turned-attorney Richard Roberts (Russell Crowe) who brought down his criminal enterprise. He succeeded with this blockbuster that makes for a pretty sure bet for date night, whatever your partner's type. For the Idealist, there are nuanced characters who are …
American Gangster
Ridley Scott aimed for a film that combined the realism of the French Connection with the operatic feeling of the Godfather in the real-life story of African-American mob boss Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) and the detective-turned-attorney Richard Roberts (Russell Crowe) who brought down his criminal enterprise. He succeeded with this blockbuster that makes for a pretty sure bet for date night, whatever your partner's type. For the Idealist, there are nuanced characters who are … Posted by MovieCritic on Tuesday November 6, 2007 9:45 PM
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Take a literary classic (for the Idealsits,) make it a heroic epic (for the Guardians,) render it with the latest technology (for the Rationals,) and add a little sex and gore (for the Artisans.) A formula for film that entertains all temperaments, right? Almost ... For those who vaguely remember the the Old English poem we were assigned in high school, the story as well as its imagery will seem familiar but a little off. Beowulf, hero of old Sweden, comes to rescue the Danes f…
An Inconvenient Truth
When Al Gore ran for president, critics complained and supporters worried about his propensity to look like an egghead. The uber-Rational Gore was accused of talking over people's heads and of bombarding the populace with facts and figures that failed to inspire. So, it is ironic that this approach led him to one of the most unusual second acts in American history, earning accolades from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Best Documentary of 2006) and from the…
Atonement
A movie about a book about a writer is an obvious choice for Idealists. However, this adaptation of Ian McEwan's acclaimed novel offers more than artsy-ness or navel-gazing. The plot is one that may pull in many Guardians; it depicts a case of the deadly sin of envy allowed to metastasize until it is fatal. Set right before World War II, the film depicts a wealthy young English girl ("Briony" is played at age 13 by Saoirse Ronan, in her twenties by Romola Garai, and i…
Posted by MovieCritic on Tuesday December 11, 2007 5:51 PM
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The Bank Job
The Bank Job is a smart comedy-thriller with broad appeal. Inspired by a true story, the movie offers action for Artisans, a satirical smirk at authority that Rationals can appreciate, a celebration of friendship and family loyalty for Guardians, and quirky characters Idealists can have fun with. Terry (Jason Statham) is a petty criminal who operates a struggling classic car dealership in London. He owes money to thugs who regularly visit his place of bus…
Bee Movie
Bee Movie creator Jerry Seinfeld (the voice of bee protagonist Barry B. Benson), joins an all-star voiceover cast that includes Renee Zellweger (platonic human love interest Vanessa), John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Sting, Rip Torn, and Oprah Winfrey. The animation is cool and imaginative -- ever wonder what it's like to be the tiny flying creature passengers are trying to scoot out of a car window? -- Artisans and Guardians will enjoy the visual play and the game of recognizin…
Posted by MovieCritic on Wednesday November 14, 2007 11:19 PM
Beowulf
Take a literary classic (for the Idealsits,) make it a heroic epic (for the Guardians,) render it with the latest technology (for the Rationals,) and add a little sex and gore (for the Artisans.) A formula for film that entertains all temperaments, right? Almost ... For those who vaguely remember the the Old English poem we were assigned in high school, the story as well as its imagery will seem familiar but a little off. Beowulf, hero of old Sweden, comes to rescue the Danes f… Posted by MovieCritic on Tuesday November 20, 2007 3:26 PM
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Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond was recognized with numerous awards and nominations (most of them for actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou) from the Academy, the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice, the Screen Actors Guild, and the NAACP Image Awards. Set in the context of the Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002), it depicts an alliance between Danny Archer (DiCaprio), a Rhodesian ex-mercenary of European descent, and Solomon Vandy (Hounsou), a Mende fisherman. Rationals will enjoy this…
Brokeback Mountain
This film, based on a critically acclaimed short story and nominated for multiple Academy Awards, offers a little something for viewers of every temperament -- provided they are comfortable with the theme of romantic and sexual love between two men. Not all types will appreciate it equally. At its heart, this is an Idealist film. It maintains the slow pace and conventions of literary fiction, with main character Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger) going through a nuanced inner transformatio…
Posted by MovieCritic on Wednesday October 31, 2007 3:51 PM
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Bucket List
This story crosses two familiar genres to relative success -- the "buddy film" (too many examples to list!) and the "eat, drink, and be merry 'cuz the prognosis isn't good" theme of movies like Last Holiday (made in 1950 starring Sir Alec Guinness and remade in 2006 starring Queen Latifah.) First and foremost, it's a story of a quest (Idealist-friendly.) the focus on family relationships provides Guardian appeal. It is low on thrills and effects, so perhaps not…
Charlie Bartlett
This film pulls cliches from almost every high school/teen movie or TV show of the past four decades -- most transparently Harold & Maude, Rushmore, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. No matter which of those favorites rises first to a viewer's mind, Charlie Bartlett suffers from the comparison. Artisan teenagers are most likely to appreciate the effort. When we meet Charlie (Anton Yelchin), he is being expelled from the final one of a string of exclusive private boardin…
Charlie Wilson's War
A highly cerebral film, Charlie Wilson's War was produced with "abstractors" (Rationals and Idealists) in mind. Most of its tension comes from dramatic irony rather than from anything that happens on screen. Personal relationships are absent; there is no romance, no family drama, and no friendship -- just sexual, financial, political, and intellectual alliances. For a war movie, there is relatively little combat action, and scenes of bomber planes and missles are under…
Coyote Ugly
Coyote Ugly is a classic feel-good story with a twist. The happy ending will leave Guardians smiling, and the solid gold soundtrack will keep Artisans engaged throughout. Rationals and Idealists: This is a feast for the senses that offers little food for thought. Take a Sensing date, but if your honey is another iNtuitive type, you might prefer a wittier romantic comedy like "Bridget Jones' Diary." The basics: Girl [name] leaves home with a dream a…
Posted by MovieCritic on Wednesday October 31, 2007 3:26 PM
Dan in Real Life
Dan in Real Life illustrates the old saying that pain is what fuels good comedy. Despite the slapstick and one-liners, the humor stays dark, and the redemptive ending feels more like a break from "the vale of tears" than evidence that "love conquers all." The close but quirky family circle is portrayed by a very talented ensemble: Steve Carrell (Dan Burns) and Juliette Binochet (Marie) give the kind of nuanced performances that look easy but are undoubtedl…
Posted by MovieCritic on Tuesday November 27, 2007 11:34 PM
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Definitely, Maybe
This light Valentine's day movie is, as expected, a chick flick whose target audience is women and the dates they can drag alone. Most palatable to Guardians, it lacks the spice and pacing that would make it more likeable for Artisans and the depth that Idealists look for in love stories. Rationals can safely skip this one entirely. The simple set up -- Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) tells his young daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) the story of the romantic road that led to his marriage to her m…
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Like the first National Treasure film, Book of Secrets combines a mini-American history lesson (this time about the Civil War) with a familiar, kid-friendly Disney adventure. Unapologetically formulaic, this is not a film intended to appeal to the sensibilities of Idealists or Rationals. The action falls short of what could really excite Artisans. For Guardians, it has two things in its favor -- it's completely appropriate for children, tweeners, and young teens,…
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Hoping to repeat the success of Elizabeth (1998), filmmakers brought back Cate Blanchett in her Academy Award-nominated turn as Queen Elizabeth I. This sequel took even more liberties with history than its predecessor. Although Blanchett turned Oscar's head again, the movie as a whole was less successful than the first. The lush costuming may be eye candy that salvages it for some Artisans and Guardians. This rendering is probably too dispassionate for Idealists. Moviegoers with the typical…
Failure to Launch
Feast of Love
Golden Compass
Hairspray
Hotel Rwanda
This true story of recent events on the African continent is directed by a filmmaker from Northern Ireland, produced by a collaborative of two American studios, and runs like a Greek epic. Nominated for Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress, it offers different pleasures for each temperament. For Guardians, it there is a story of dedication to maintaining an oasis of social order amid unimaginable chaos. For Idealists, there is a nuanced depict…
I Am Legend
Into the Wild
Little Miss Sunshine
Live Free, Die Hard
March of the Penguins
This unusual documentary, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature of 2005, is an excellent "Rorsharch test" for temperament. The subject matter is almost a blank canvas: the filmmakers chronicle a year in the life of the emperor penguin of Antarctica. These creatures are so removed from human beings that they regard us as neither predator nor prey; the curious penguins approached both the cameras and the humans during shooting. Yet, the film raised cont…
Michael Clayton
Best Picture nominee Michael Clayton is a thriller with more depth in character development than is typical of the genre. Between the complex characters, suspense, and the intellectual intrigue that drives the plot, Idealists, Artisans, and Rationals all have a lot to keep them entertained. Guardians may be less pleased by the cutthroat world depicted in the story and a resolution that leaves behind a bad taste. Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an attorney at a New Yo…
Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby swept the 2005 Academy Awards, taking the Best Picture, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor prizes, and being nominated for Best Actor, Best Achievement in Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay. IIn addition to popularity and critical acclaim, it benefited from timeliness: At the time, the country was also engrossed with the case of Terry Schiavo, whose husband was fighting for her "right to die" against parent…
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Like the first National Treasure film, Book of Secrets combines a mini-American history lesson (this time about the Civil War) with a familiar, kid-friendly Disney adventure. Unapologetically formulaic, this is not a film intended to appeal to the sensibilities of Idealists or Rationals. The action falls short of what could really excite Artisans. For Guardians, it has two things in its favor -- it's completely appropriate for children, tweeners, and young teens,…
No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men, the Best Picture favorite as Oscar night approaches, invokes genres like the Western, the horror film, and the thriller. However, it subverts those genres by placing the story within the frame of the protagonist's moral contemplation. This movie should please the Artisan viewers that are the typical target audience for these suspense-and-action projects. Its moral drive should appeal to Idealists, despite the violence. Guardian and Rational audiences may be less like…
Perfume - The Story of a Murderer
Stephen King's The Mist
Stop-Loss
Stop-Loss is director Kimberly Peirce's first film since the acclaimed Boys Don't Cry. Inspired by a half-brother who fought in Iraq, she observes the psychological trials of war from the perspective of young twenty-first-century American soldiers. The allusions to The Best Years of Our Lives, the William Wyler classic from 1946 are transparent, as is the Vietnam-war-era, anti-war attitude. The filmmaker deftly evokes earlier war films while making note of the differences between…
Sweeney Todd
Tim Burton stays on the grim side for this cinematic version of Stephen Sondheim's popular stage play. The cinematography tints everything gray and the dashes of humor are low-key and minimal in number. Excellent vocal and acting performances by Johnny Depp (serial killer Sweeney Todd) and Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett, baker of "special" meat pies) soften the experience of the dark story and its repeated gory bloodlettings. Idealists and Artisans will make up t…
The Departed
The Departed, which won Martin Scorsese what some considered a long-overdue Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing, also won Best Achievement in Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as top honors from the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America. Based on a Hong Kong film entitled Infernal Affairs, it is an action-filled crime thriller with the heart of a drama. The complex plotting and intriguing exploration of the nature of identity w…
Posted by MovieCritic on Friday March 28, 2008 2:43 PM
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The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
After the tremendous success of the Lord of the Rings movies, it was inevitable that there would be cinematic versions of the Chronicles of Narnia. The series was written by Tolkein's friend, C.S. Lewis, who fits some of the more comic stereotypes of Rationals. Lewis' other claim to fame: attempting to "logically" disprove Christianity only to become its apologist. As in the Rings films, the visual aspects of the story are prominent, especially the costuming of the terrif…
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