Bio HazardsThe music of Ray Charles is a national treasure, as is the artist's legacy. The same can't be said for "Ray," the movie of his life, although the transcendent performance of Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles kicks this otherwise ordinary …
House of StrainThis Halloween season's requisite "spooky house" flick, "The Grudge," tries in vain to combine American and Japanese horror genre sensibilities, with clunky, derivative, disappointing results. Director Takashi Shimizu has adapted his own 2003 film "Ju-on: The Grudge" for American audiences …
Paper Clips and Short SkirtsTake a look at the glossy, full-color brochure. Even if there were no words on the cover, you'd still get the gist from the graphics—a Menorrah, a film projector reel and a glass of iced tea with lemon and mint. …
Picture Imperfect: A Review of "Wicker Park," PG-13The trailer for Paul McGuigan's "Wicker Park" wrongly portrays the film as a thriller, a sort of Generation X "Fatal Attraction." While it certainly has its darker elements (many of the plot points and characters are undeniably Hitchcockian), the film …
Lights, Camera, CollegeWho knows about college life better than a 45-year-old writer in Hollywood, right? Before you embark on your many higher-ed adventures, make sure you've checked out Hollywood's best college films. I'll forego even talking about "Animal House;" it has made …
A Bride's RevengeOne of the best films of 2004, Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill, Vol. 2" is a swift, funny, potent continuation of one of the most exciting film sagas in recent memory. Having been split into two separate movies ("volumes") after a …
School MoviesOK, some are better than others, but all the following movies set in one way or another in a school are worth renting, if for no other reason than to remember that you're not the only one having to deal …
Sloppy, Dreary ‘Village'"The Village" takes forever to reach its destination, and when it does, it's difficult to care. Following a trio of superbly crafted thrillers ("The Sixth Sense," "Unbreakable," and "Signs"), writer/director M. Night Shyamalan has created a shockingly sloppy, dreary film …
Straight to the Litter BoxStaggeringly bad filmmaking in nearly every conceivable way, it's hard to imagine a more boilerplate costumed comic-book actioner than "Catwoman," a DC Comics rip-off.
A Few Loose ScrewsWill Smith has grown into our nation's most proficient green-screen actor. It's a dubious achievement, perhaps, but a very marketable skill in these glory years of computer-enhanced moviemaking. If you have aliens or robots to fight, then call Will Smith. …
With Great PowerI met my first super-hero—the amazing Spider-Man—when I was around 7 years old. I am 24 now and still keeping up with many of those same comics on a monthly basis. Like the Greeks and Romans, these characters—Batman, Superman, Flash, …
Burning Bush: A Review of "Fahrenheit 9/11"Perhaps the most controversial (and deservedly so) film so far this year is "Fahrenheit 9/11," a new release from Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. Winner of last May's Golden Palm, the highest award of the Cannes Film Festival, it became …
We Want Our Indie PicsWhy can't we see "The Pianist" (pee-a-nist, it's OK to say it) in Jackson? For that matter, why can't we see "Bowling for Columbine" or "The Quiet American"? Why are our choices limited to the same 10 or 15 mind-numbing …
City of Brutality: A Review of ‘City of God'Crime, redemption and the viciousness of the human animal are the fundamental elements of "City of God (Cidade de Deus)," a brutal and beautiful drama from Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles. Nominated earlier this year for four Academy Awards, the film …
The Ice Movie ComethThe worst-case scenario effects of global warming are the subject of "The Day After Tomorrow," a new action film heavy on breathtaking visuals but light on story and complex characters. While the film successfully and admirably calls attention to the …