Spanning 16 years, Talk To Me purports to be the tale of Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene’s rise from obscurity, I say purports, because the always excellent Don Cheadle is vying for Best Actor, and his equally excellent costar Chiwetel Ejiofor is only billed as Supporting Actor, and I think the story is about the two […]

Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen have put their unique stamp on film styles diverse in tone and in subject matter. Here, they adapt another man’s work, Cormac McCarthy’s novel, but still make it their own. No Country recollects Fargo in having huge, nearly alien American vistas populated by odd, clever, and violent people. […]

Denzel Washington is the African-American actor who all America loves, even those people who are vaguely uncomfortable with non-whites in movies. His broad grin, sparkling charm and intelligence, and prodigious acting skills, have won the hearts of America’s filmgoers above any considerations of race. I bring this up because it has got to […]

I settled in to watch Gone Baby Gone with a little trepidation. Casey Affleck has been a genial enough actor in 200 Cigarettes, the American Pie movies, and the Ocean’s trilogy. Ben Affleck, a recognized writer and returned to respectable actor (thanks to Hollywoodland) is an untried director. The subject matter? A sort-of […]

As the sequel to 1998’s lauded movie Elizabeth, this film could perhaps have been called Elizabeth I: II: Liz Harder. She’s established herself as powerful, and this time, it’s personal. It’s 1585. She’s 52 (a well-preserved sexy Cate Blanchett of a 52) and has been on the throne for 27 years and […]

Filmmaker Dori Berinstein knows her stuff.  She began this documentary at the beginning of the 2003-2004 Broadway season, choosing four musicals to follow through to the 2004 Tonys.  She chose Wicked, Avenue Q, Caroline, or Change, and Taboo to follow from pre-production through the awards show.  Luckily, they were all nominated, though not equally.  If […]

Ratatouille
Matinee with Snacks
Pixar’s last outing, Cars, reflected their poor relationship with the Walt Disney company.  It was careful, a little sterile, merchandise-friendly, and while beautifully rendered, was largely forgettable.  Still, you’re not doing too badly when something as sweet and pleasant as Cars is your worst film.  Ratatouille is a welcome, delicate return to the […]

I had the rare opportunity to see screener videos for the animated and live action shorts that were nominated for Academy Awards this year. Most people, myself included, generally only get access to the Pixar or Warner Brothers’ animated short that comes before their animated feature of the year, making your office Oscar pool […]

Das Leben der Anderen
This film won the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Film, beating heir apparent Pan’s Labyrinth. It is visually and narratively much more conventional (and non-violent) than that film, and only as political as is required for the plot. It takes place in East Germany in 1984, about 5 years before […]

This is an exceptionally difficult movie to describe, never mind assess.  On one hand, it has the simplistic charm of a old-fashioned fairy tale, with high stakes, magical and arbitrary rules, and an easily manipulated heroine.  On the other hands, it is a depiction of a brutal despot’s heartless greed for an heir and power […]