A friend of mine asked for a recommendation of good science fiction. Of course, I asked him what he liked first. He answered correctly: Blade Runner. All kidding aside, I do think Blade Runner is one of the best movies ever made and a brilliant example of the genre; but I’m not a science fiction [...]

Believe it or not, last night was the first time I watched The Magnificent Seven. It’s an excellent Western marked by it’s unusual portrayal of gun-fighters compared to most Westerns that came before it. In particular, the gun-fighter lifestyle is shown as one filled with loneliness, desperation and missed opportunities rather than glamorized. It’s a [...]

Star Wars with dragons. It’s A New Hope complete with a blonde farm boy who starts a journey to become a man following the murder of his uncle, a dark and powerful pursuer who does the bidding of an evil emperor, magic, a hermit who turns out to be more than he seems and makes [...]

Quite good. Surprisingly good, actually, considering I don’t expect very much from comic book translations (There were so many disappointments. Batman 2 through whatever, Elektra, Tank Girl, Daredevil, Cat Woman, The Hulk—the list goes on.). With the exception of one gratuitous scene near the end, it barely earns its “R” rating. V himself (Hugo Weaving) [...]

An interesting examination of Edward Wilson’s (Matt Damon) life and the role he played in the origins of the CIA. Closer to 10 on the realism scale than I’d like. It’s a mumble movie and Matt Damon, although he’s the star, has about two lines—we had to watch it with the subtitles on. I thought [...]

We watched it the Saturday night before Easter, and while it’s not your typical Easter fable, it’s ultimately about the same thing: hope. It’s also a realistic and graphic action movie in which the action isn’t gratuitous and the reluctant hero is only heroic (at least initially) through indifference and circumstance. Highly recommended. Children of [...]

Quirky in a safe way. Features the adorable Maggie Gyllenhaal and the not as adorable but funny Will Ferrell. Comparisons have been made to Adaptation but I haven’t seen it yet. Very enjoyable. Even more than usual, skip the “extras” on the DVD. Stranger Than Fiction (Netflix)

Beautiful, funny, and at times painful to watch. Recommended—and not just at Thanksgiving (but also especially then). Pieces of April (Netflix)

Originally a six hour series that aired on Bravo in the US, Long Way Round is the documentary of Ewan McGregor’s and friend Charley Boorman’s motorcycle adventure around the world. It is the best adventure/buddy film I’ve ever seen. The best part: it’s true. You do not need to be a fan of motorcycles to [...]

Cute story, catchy songs, decent acting, but hobbled by distractingly poor animation. The kids are more forgiving of its flaws but they’re not begging to watch it over and over again. You could rent worse. Hoodwinked (Netflix)