DCP @ The Movies | Movie Blog of David C Pinkowitz

Table of Contents
	Cabrini by Alejandro Monteverde (Mar 26, 2024) Cristiana Dell’Anna, John Lithgow, David Morse, Giancarlo Giannini James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Cabrini is a biopic of the unique and accomplished life of Catholic Nun Francesca Cabrini. Set in a 3-year period around 1890, the film shows Cabrini's intense faith and persistance as the Pope sends her to New York to help impoverished immigrants. With ill health and few resources, she and 6-nuns use hard work, entrepreneurship and networking skills to build orphanages and hospitals. She goes on to repeat this building process all over the world. The story and the acting are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oscar Nominated Documentary Shorts (Feb 24, 2024) Oscar Nominated Documentary Shorts has been brought to audences across the globe since 2006 by ShortsTV. Poster Film Stage Review Cinema Sentries Review The Barber of Little Rock (3.5-reels) Trailer Full Video America's racial wealth gap is explored in the story of Arlo Washington, a visionary local barber and teacher who founded a nonprofit community bank in Little Rock. (USA, 35 mins) The Last Repair Shop (3.5-reels) Trailer Full Video Tells of four dedicated heroes who repair musical instruments -- ensuring that students experience the joy of music. It also shows how music can relieve stress and distract from poverty. (USA, 39 mins) The ABCs of Book Banning (3.5-reels) Trailer Full Video Shows the toll of removing 2000 books from schools, thereby depriving children of their right to learn about the world. Interviews with children and authors illustrate this dangerous precedent. (USA, 27 mins) Island in Between (3-reels) Trailer Full Video Amid rising tensions between Taiwan and China, the film explores local life in Taiwan with its curent ambivilent bonds and uneasy peace -- and contemplates an uncertain future. (Taiwan, USA, 20 Mins) Nai Nai and Wài Pó, My Grandmas (3-reels) Trailer Nai Nai is a grandma. Wài Pó is also a grandma. They live together. We see their daily old age routine -- including eating. dancing, exercising and farting their remaining time and sorrows away. (USA, 16 mins) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts (Feb 18, 2024) Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts has been brought to audences across the globe since 2006 by ShortsTV. Poster Film Stage Review Cinema Sentries Review The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (4-reels) Trailer A beloved Roald Dahl story about a rich man who learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes and then sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling. (United Kingdom, USA, 37 mins) Red, White and Blue (3.5-reels) Trailer Rachel (Brittany Snow) is a single parent living paycheck to paycheck. An unexpected pregnancy forced her to cross state lines in search of an abortion. (USA/23 MINS) The After (3.5-reels) Trailer The After is a poweful story about Dayo (Oyelowo), a Londoner who has to reconnect with himself and society after witnessing a devastating random attack. (United Kingdom, 18 mins) Invincible (3.5-reels) Trailer Inspired by a true story, Invincible recounts the last 48 hours in the life of Marc-Antoine Bernier, a 14-year-old boy on a desperate quest for freedom. (Canada, 30 mins) Knight of Fortune (3.5-reels) Trailer The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin, that is too much for Karl to face. (Denmark, 25 mins) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Joan Baez: I Am A Noise by Karen O’Connor (Oct 15, 2023) Joan Baez, David Harris, Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King, James Baldwin Washington Post RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Variety NY Times Film Trailer Poster Joan Baez: I Am A Noise is an intimate and revealing autobiographical film that spans the years from the 1950s to the 2010s. Baez narrates the entire film journey of her singing, songwriting and social justice advocacy -- including very frank discussions of her struggles with anxiety, intimate relations and drugs. Her pure voice and iconic status enabled her to engage with many historic figures -- Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King, James Baldwin and Bill Clinton to name a few. The filming and story telling are excellent. As a onetime fan in 1960, I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Blue Beetle by Ángel Manuel Soto (Aug 29, 2023) Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Hollywood Reporter Variety Film Trailer Poster Blue Beetle is a DC Comics superhero origin film with a Hispanic cast. American immigrant life is a main part of the script. A high-tech super-powerful robot beetle is stolen from a military manufacturer. By an unlikely series of events, it finds its way into the hero's home and selects him to be its host. The rest of the film involves attempts by the company to retreave the robot beetle. All the requisite superhero battles and special effects are included. The script was fresh and the filming was good. I liked the film more than others of its genre. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Notorious by Alfred Hitchkock (Aug 4, 2023) Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Claude Rains RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Time Out Film Trailer Entire Film Poster Notorious is a wartime romance-spy-thriller set in 1946. U.S. Special Agent Cary Grant pursuades American party-girl Ingrid Bergman to fly to Brazil to seduce Nazi spy Claude Rains to learn about his secret project. Both men fall in love with her, but have reason to doubt her actions. The tension builds throughout the film as both men learn more about the woman and her behavior. Not surprisingly, there is an unexpected -- but satisfying -- conclusion. The script, filming, acting and screen chemistry of the lovers is very good. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mission: Impossible (Dead Reckoning Part One) by Christopher McQuarrie (Aug 1, 2023) Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Becca Ferguson James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Missioin: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the 7th installment since 1996 of this Tom Cruise action-adventure spy-thriller series. Over its 3-hour length, it genereously provides the well-established interminable and impossible chase scenes. In this installment, an AI app has gone rogue and is now sentient. It has taken control of all communications on earth and threatens chaos. Multiple national agencies and a diverse cast of characters compete to find the 2-part key that can stop the AI "Entity." The script and action-filming are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan (July 23, 2023) Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Oppenheimner is an ambitious and complex 3-hour film about the man who lead the immense wartime Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb. It skillfully shows his scientific genius and that of his quantum physics recruits; his complicated personal life and related ethical dilemmas; and the intense anti-communist politics of the time. There are many characters; the excitement of breakthrough science; and complex moral and political issues. The story-telling, IMAX filming and acting are excellent. I was immersed in the compelling story and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Past Lives by Celine Song (July 2, 2023) Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Past Lives is a South Korean cultural film -- with subtitles -- about fate, love and reincarnation. It involves childhood sweethearts whose lives intersect during 3 time periods spanning 24-years. The girl leaves Korea abruptly at the age of 12, leaving the boy devastated. They connect again with Facetime 12-years later -- and then again in person 12-years hence. Each time there is a strong emotional connection that is broken by parting. The filming is very artistic and the storytelling is slow. Both are excellent. I was fascinated by the cultural spirituality and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	It Ain't Over by Sean Mullin (May 28, 2023) Yogi Berra, Lindsay Berra, Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster It Ain't Over is a documentary about Yogi Berra, narrated by his granddaughter. She tells that he belongs with the four voted "greatest living players" in 2015 -- Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron, Willy Mays and Johnny Bench. She blames this error on his goofiness and Yogi-ism quips -- and then proves her point with his 10 World Series Rings, 3 MVPs, 18 All-Star Games, World Series Perfect Game and only 12 strikeouts in a season. The film has wonderful clips of Yogi's wife and sons -- along with admiring and affectionate comments by many baseball pros. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Fabelmans by Stephen Spielberg (Jan 2, 2023) Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Judd Hirsch James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Time Magazine Film Trailer Poster The Fabelmans tells of the childhood and pre-career of a savant filmmaker. The protagonist is enamored of film after seeing his first movie -- and then creates films at every opportunity. His early life includes multiple moves to new cities, high school antisemitism and the breakup of his parents' marriage. His filmmaking provides escape and satisfaction. He learns that happiness requires personal fulfillment. The film was not pleasant and I didn't engage with the characters -- so I found it just OK. I didn't realize while watching how autobiographical it was for Spielberg. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Top Gun: Maverick by Joseph Kosinski (July 6, 2022) Tom Cruise, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Top Gun: Maverick is about an aging best-in-class fighter pilot who loves his job in the Navy so much that he never gets a promotion and never retires. The story reprises the film by the same name in 1986. The main plot involves the protagonist training 10 other best-in-class much-younger pilots for a critical mission to destroy a well-protected enemy weapons-cache. Secondary plots involve an old romance, macho competition, fighter dog-fights and pushing to the limit. The fighter filming is excellent and the story and acting are good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell (Feb 7, 2022) Carey Mulligan, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Bo Burnham James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Promising Young Woman is a complex amalgam of psychological drama, romantic comedy and revenge thriller. The protagonist is an attractive bright 30ish med-school-dropout who lives with her parents and has one friend. She has no interest in dating, family, job or anything else. The acting and script are excellent. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Power of the Dog by Jane Campion (Sun Dec 3, 2021) Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster The Power of the Dog is a powerful western-drama set in Montana in 1925. It tells how the lives of two wealthy rancher brothers are thrown into disarray by the marriage of the older brother to a widow with a shy-awkward son. It deals with complex issues of manhood, sexuality, family and power. The younger cowboy brother -- who is gay -- feels abandoned by his brother's marriage and treats everyone with cruelty and sarcasm. The wife reacts badly to this treatment and fears for her son. The acting and script are excellent. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mare of Easttown by Brad Inglesby (Sun May 30, 2021) Kate Winslett, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Joe Tippett, Guy Pearce RogerEbert.com Washington Post NPR Film Trailer Poster Mare of Easttown is an HBO 7-part murder-mystery series set in a small town in Pennsylvania. The story follows the town's only detective -- a woman -- as she works to solve multiple murders with lots of suspects and lots of plot twists. The lives of many of the town's people are portrayed very realistically. I was immersed in the story and could not guess "who done it." The script, character development and acting were excellent and I cared about the characters. Kate Winslet delivers an Oscar-worthy performance. I enjoyed the film series very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mank by David Fincher (Sat May 15, 2021) Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance, Tom Burke James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Mank is a semi-biographical drama set in the 1930s about legendary charming-drunk-gambling screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz -- and his 60-day writing of the script for Orson Wells' iconic Citizen Kane. The story contains many flashbacks to explain Mankiewicz's script decisions and his revenge on William Randolph Hearst -- and many scenes with MGM top executives Louis B. Mayer, David O. Selznick, and Irving Thalberg. Black-and-white filming sets the mood and period authenticy. The script and acting were excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Leona by Isaac Cherem (Sun Mar 14, 2021) Naian González Norvind, Christian Vazquez Times of Israel Remezcla Athens Banner-Herals Film Trailer Poster Leona is a Spanish-language film set in Mexico City about a 25-year-old Syrian-Jewish woman who rebels against the strict and controlling culture of her insular Jewish community. When she meets a man at her job painting murals, their chemistry is immediate. The film explores her complex dilemma of loving a non-Jewish man who is rejected by her close-knit Jewish family. She prefers her lover and his world, but is very loyal to her family and community. The script and acting are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Blue Like Me by (Mon Apr 20, 2020) Siona Benjamin Amazon Rotten Tomatos Web Site Film Trailer Poster Blue Like Me is a documentary film about Indian-American Jewish artist Siona Benjamin. She was raised Jewish in a predominantly Hindu and Muslim Bombay India -- before she emigrated to New York City. Her work is a multicultural blend of Indian and Jewish themes. The film traces her background and her art. There are numerous interviews from Jewish people from her hometown in India, many film clips, and lots of examples of her distinctive art. The filming, interviews, culture and art were very good. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sing Your Song by Susanne Rostock (Fri Feb 21, 2020) Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela NY Times Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (3-stars) Eye For Film (3-stars) Film Trailer Poster Sing Your Song is a documentary about living-legend Harry Belafonte. It spans his poverty in the 1940s to his world-wide fame in the 2000s -- including acting, music and lifelong social advocacy. He slowly matures into an iconic entertainer. He discovers injustice and dives into the civil rights movement, starvation in Africa, prison reform, and many other causes. Along the way, he works with a who's-who of world-famous entertainers, advocates and government leaders. The naration and many film clips are very powerful and affecting. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sufna by Jagdeep Sidhu (Sat Feb 15, 2020) Ammy Virk, Tania, Jagjeet Sandhu India Tribune (3.5-stars) India Times BookMyShow.com Film Trailer Poster Sufna is an Indian-Punjabi love-story with subtitles. It tells about a poor young man who falls in love with a poor young woman from the next village, when they meet in a field picking cotton. The film has romance, comedy, caste, culture, music, dance, poetry, plot twists and melodrama. It takes a while for the chemistry to kick in and there are complications with family, money and another suitor along the way. Much of the story specifics were unfamiliar to me, but it was very well done and I enjoyed the emotional journey and the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Two Popes by Fernando Meirelles (Sat Feb 1, 2020) Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster The Two Popes tells about Popes Benedict and Francis -- and imagines that they met and got to know each other. Eight years after Benedict became Pope, Francis travels to Rome. During his visit, he criticizes the church's conservative policies and lobbies for more liberal ones. Benedict and Francis debate many issues of faith and leadership. When Benedict resigns, Francis is selected to lead the church and he shifts its policies. The script, acting and filming are excellent. I was engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Little Women by Greta Gerwig (Sat Dec 28, 2019) Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Little Women is based upon the classic semi-autobiographic novel by Louisa May Alcott. It tells a coming-of-age story about four sisters in Massachusetts during the Civil War. The poor, close-knit, fun-loving and serious women have their first experiences with work, domesticity and romantic love -- at a time when marrying well was the highest priority for a young woman. The story often highlights their class and gender life constraints. The script and acting were excellent. I was engaged with the story, cared about the characters and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Pain and Glory by Pedro Almodóvar (Sat Dec 21, 2019) Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Penélope Cruz, Julieta Serrano RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Pain and Glory is an autobiographical film in Spanish with subtitles. It tells of a famous and successful filmmaker whose health and spirit have greatly deteriorated. He suffers severe back pain, migraines and depression -- that he battles with heavy drugs. Through flashbacks we see his dirt-poor prodigy childhood, his film success and his personal relationships. He has the desire to write and film, but not the strength. Unexpected events provide him a chance to be productive again. The acting, script and colorful filming are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Ford v Ferrari by James Mangold (Sat Nov 16, 2019) Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Tracy Letts, Ray McKinnon, Noah Jupe James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Ford v Ferrari is a race-car action-drama based-upon the true story of the 1965 LeMans competition. The head of Ford decides that he must displace Ferrari as the reigning king of LeMans. Developer Shelby and his preferred driver Miles are recruited and given a blank check. The film highlights the chemistry between these two and the driver's critical influence on the development of the state-of-the-art race-car. Ford's executives try to disrupt this team to get corporate credit. The acting, script and filming are excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles Max Lewkowicz (Sept 2, 2019) Hal Prince, Lin Miranda, Jerry Bock, Danny Burstein, Harvey Fierstein NY Times Hollywood Reporter Variety Film Trailer Poster Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles is a documentary about the making of the classic musical and an explanation of why it has remained so popular all over the world for the last 50-years. It shows the talented and ambitious producer, director, choreographer, composer and lyricist -- and how they incorporated universal themes of God, family, tradition, generational change, persecution and survival. It shows the various lead actors and the source material from Sholem Aleichem stories. The interviews and film clips were very good and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Other Story by Avi Nesher (Aug 3, 2019) Sasson Gabai, Joy Rieger, Yuval Segal, Maya Dagan, Nathan Goshen RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) Variety NY Times Film Trailer Poster The Other Story is an Israeli-language psychological-drama about the complexities of family life, culture and religious practice. A woman is getting married to an ultra-orthodox man in Jerusalem. Her secular family -- grandfather and divorced parents -- scheme to prevent her marriage. Seemlessly intersecting with this story, a divorcing couple is in a bitter fight over their son. The woman is a member of a feminist-cult and the man fears for his son. The script and acting are excellent. I was engrossed in the story, cared about the characters and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Marianne & Leonard by Nick Broomfield (July 21, 2019) Leonard Cohen, Marianne Ihlen, Aviva Layton, Ron Cornelius RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love is a documentary about a troubled poet-author-singer-songwriter and the woman he always loved. We see the Greek island-paradise where they met in 1960 and indulged in free-love and psychedelic-drugs. We learn of his insecurities and depression -- and his lifelong dependence on drugs. We see his calling to wander and to womanize -- and his eventual success as a singer-songwriter. The many interviews and concert clips were excellent. I learned about his uniquely fascinating life and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Pavarotti by Ron Howard (July 13, 2019) Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Princess Diana, Bono RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Pavarotti is a documentary film about the tenor who became a worldwide-giant of opera and entertainment. A gifted singer with a jovial and gregarious personality, Pavarotti set out to bring opera to the global masses. He largely succeeded with help from the many famous friends, business associates and entertainers that he acquired along the way. Once success was achieved, he used his power to innovate and to give back through charity. The extensive interviews and many singing clips were excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Rocketman by Dexter Fletcher (Jun 8, 2019) Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Rocketman is a musical biopic about the iconic singer-songwriter Elton John. The film covers the period between his childhood in the early-1950s to his sober comeback in the late-1980s. We see his success with music at an early age and his lack of love from his family. We see his early-20s meteoric rise to stardom with his talented songwriter partner. We see his self-destructive relationship with his male manager and his strong dependency on drugs, alchohol and gay sex. The music, acting and true-to-life script were excellent. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Non-Fiction by Olivier Assayas (May 25, 2019) Guillaume Canet, Juliette Binoche, Vincent Macaigne, Nora Hamzawi RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Poster Non-Fiction is an English-subtitled French film set in upscale-Paris with scene-after-scene of endless intellectual discussions involving a publisher, his actress wife and a popular novelist. We learn about the articulate characters, their complex lives, upheavals in their industry and their interconnected love-affairs. The film moves forward at a light and humorous pace, while exploring the varied changes affecting all the characters. The script and acting are very good. I liked the characters, became engaged with their stories and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Amazing Grace by Sydney Pollack (Apr 20, 2019) Aretha Franklin, Reverend James Cleveland, Minister CF Franklin RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Poster Amazing Grace is a 1972 live-filming of an Aretha Franklin gospel-concert at a Baptist Church in Los Angeles. She prevented it from being shown until now. Franklin is accompanied by gospel-legend Reverend James Cleveland and his Community Choir. This concert became the album “Amazing Grace” that's the best-selling gospel record of all time. She sings song after song with incandescent power, range and virtuosity. Her spiritual joy connects her to the music and the audience in an extraordinary way. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Free Solo by Jimmy Chin (Mar 22, 2019) Alex Honnold, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin, Tommy Caldwell James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Film Clip Poster Free Solo is a documentary about Alex Honnold's first-and-only free climb (no ropes) of Yosemite National Park's El Capitan rock wall. We see the intense and minutely detailed preparations -- including the planning of every hand and foot placement on the 3,200 foot vertical surface. We see the influences of his childhood and his personality; and the distractions of his girlfriend and the film crew on this dangerous physical, emotional and psychological 4-hour death-defying adventure. The filming and script are excellent. I enjoyed the movie very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Unknown Chaplin by Kevin Brownlow (Feb 15, 2019) Charles Chaplin, James Mason, Albert Austin, Henry Bergman Pop Matters Christian Science Monitor Wikipedia Film Trailer Poster Unknown Chaplin: The Master at Work is a 3-part documentary film about the actor-writer-director-producer-genius of silent films. Through interviews, narration and previously unseen clips, we see that he made timeless classics using a core idea and no script -- and then making endless changes and refinements. We see his great skills in comedy, pantomime, improvisation and camerawork. He was a worldwide star who had fabulous wealth and film-making freedom. I learned a great deal about Chaplin that I didn't know and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Brick Lane by Sarah Gavron (Jan 19, 2019) Tannishtha Chatterjee, Satish Kaushik, Christopher Simpson James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Video Poster Brick Lane is a coming-of-age film about a muslim woman from Bangladesh who has an arranged marriage at age 17 to a highly-educated older man and moves to London. She raises two high school age daughters in a boring homelife and loveless marriage. Her husband's job-loss and anti-muslim sentiment in 2001 force her to deal with her realities by making some life-changing decisions involving her family and her home. The script, acting and filming are excellent. I engaged with the very realistic story and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	On the Basis of Sex by Mimi Leder (Jan 12, 2019) Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster On the Basis of Sex is based-on-the-true-story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's years at Harvard Law School and her early-career. It tells of her great ambition and drive at Harvard as one of its few women students. It tells of her inability to get a law firm job in spite of her number one ranking and then her 10-years as a law school professor. She jumps at the chance to bring a law suit in a gender discrimination case and makes history by winning. The script and acting are very good. I engaged with the story and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Spider-Man: Spider-Verse by Bob Persichetti (Dec 30, 2018) Shameik Moore, Kimiko Glenn, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, Mahershala Ali, Liev Schreiber, Hailee Steinfeld, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an animated film, as opposed to past live-action ones. It introduces a newly created Spider-Man, who learns to perform his evil-fighting duties with the help of 5 Spider-Allies from different dimensions -- who come together after an evil genius uses a supercollider to overlap them. The script includes wit and humor -- and themes of family-devotion, coming-of-age, responsibility and loyalty. The script and special effects are excellent. I cared about the characters, engaged with their story and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Green Book by Peter Farrelly (Sat Dec 8, 2018) Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Green Book is a based-on-a-true-story blackman-whiteman-bonding-roadtrip-movie set in 1962. A genius-sophisticated black-musician hires a working-class-Italian white-driver from the Bronx to chauffeur him for 8-weeks to mulitple concerts in the deep south. They experience segregation and racism together -- and through many shared interactions, get to know each other very well and develop a strong bond. The acting, chemistry of the leads, and script were excellent. I became engaged in their story and enjoyed the movie very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Boy Erased by Joel Edgerton (Sat Nov 17, 2018) Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Boy Erased is the story of a young man who discovers he is gay as a freshman in college. When his God-fearing bible-quoting Baptist-preacher father learns of this, he consults with church elders who recommend conversion therapy to rid his son of his perversion. The boy is enrolled in a clinic and experiences brainwashing and religious intimidation. He emerges from this ordeal stronger and more mature -- and builds a new life. The acting is very good. I cared about the character, was engaged in the powerful story and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Can You Ever Forgive Me? Marielle Heller (Sat Nov 3, 2018) Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Jane Curtain James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based-upon-a-true story of a struggling writer who accidentally finds her true calling and a steady source of income by forging letters from famous authors. The stubborn, difficult and misanthropic author has writer's block, gets fired from her job and meets and befriends a gay con artist. Together they start to sell the forged letters. McCarthy gives an Academy-Award-worthy performance and delivers numerous powerful and emotional scenes. I was drawn into this very unusual story and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Star is Born by Bradley Cooper (Sat Oct 20, 2018) Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Dave Chappelle, A Dice Clay James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster A Star is Born is the fourth telling since 1937 of this melodramatic love story of the discovery and mentoring of a young female singer by an aging and troubled male Rock star. As the couple falls in love, the female singer-songwriter blossoms and soars into superstardom -- as the male singer continues his alcohol-and-drug-fueled tragic decline. The acting and chemistry of the leads is excellent. The singing and concert music is excellent. I enjoyed the film very much during the first half; much less afterwards, when the male star hits addiction's bottom. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Colette by Wash Westmoreland (Tues Oct 9, 2018) Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Aiysha Hart NY Times RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Colette is based-on-the-true-story of the coming-of-age in the late-1800s of the foremost female novelist in France. Her drive to experience life fully and independently on her own terms takes her from being a young girl on a farm, to becoming a successful ghost-writer for her older publisher-husband in Paris, to acting and dancing in a traveling troupe with her female lover, to writing many successful novels -- often salacious -- about her experiences. I engaged with the unusual biographical story and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Crazy Rich Asians by Jon M. Chu (Sat Sept 22, 2018) Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Crazy Rich Asians is a light glossy romantic-comedy with an all-Asian cast. A young dating couple living in New York go to Singapore to attend the wedding of a close friend and to have the girl meet the man's family. She is unaware that his familiy is hyper-rich and her boyfriend is their scion. Their romance is challenged by both humorous and serious cultural and family obstacles during the trip. The lavish costumes and sets are very good and the couple has great chemistry. I engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Juliet, Naked by Jesse Peretz (Sun Sept 2, 2018) Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O’Dowd, Azhy Robertson James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Poster Juliet, Naked is a good-natured offbeat-comedy-romance about an Englishwoman in a 15-year relationship of convenience and a retired rock-singer living aimlessly for 20-years. They find each other by a post that the woman makes on her boyfriend's groupy-fan Web site for the singer. After meeting out of curiousity, they learn of opportunities not taken and children fathered, but not raised. Their chemistry grows and they inspire each other to turnaround their lives. I engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Puzzle by Marc Turtletaub (Sun Aug 26, 2018) Kelly MacDonald, Irrfan Khan, David Denham, Austin Abrams James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Puzzle is an awakening-to-life drama about an early-40s married woman with two high-school-aged children. She lives a cloistered-boring-suburban existance taking care of her husband and two sons, until she receives a jigsaw puzzle for her birthday. Suddenly, she finds joy in her own activity and she's very good at it. She becomes more and more self-aware, confident and experience-seeking. The script is excellent and she gives an academy-award-worthy performance. I engaged with the story, cared about the characters and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	BlacKkKlansman by Spike Lee (Sun Aug 19, 2018) John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Michael Buscemi James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster BlacKkKlansman is a satirical comedy about racism and white supremacy. Set in 1970, it tells the based-on-a-true story of a black undercover policeman who -- along with a white Jewish detective -- infiltrates the KKK in Colorado. The black cop develops relationships over the phone and the white detective shows up in person. Much of the story involves stereo-typical white power and black power characters and dialog. Parts are very powerful and upsetting, parts are witty and funny, and parts are very slow and boring. I enjoyed the film only partially. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mission Impossible by Chris McQuarrie (Sat Jul 28, 2018) Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Mission Impossible is the 6th in the 22-year franchise of hyper-action spy-thrillers. Set in multiple countries, it tells of a 3-person rogue U.S. team's efforts to thwart a terrorist genius from stealing nuclear fuel and dropping dirty bombs on highly-populated areas. Often, it's unclear which character is loyal to which spy group. The non-stop chasing, jumping, climbing, fighting and shooting are very exciting and James Bond-like. Enhanced by a large screen and IMAX surround-sound, the filming, script and music are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sorry to Bother You by Boots Riley (Sun Jul 22, 2018) Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Armie Hammer James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Sorry to Bother You is a quirky dystopian comedy-satire about a down-on-his-luck young man who will do anything to improve his income and his lifestyle. He takes a job with a telemarketing firm and with some coaching, skill and luck gets onto the fast-track for success. As he progresses, he learns that he must compromise all his principles to achieve his goals, including betraying his girlfriend and his fellow employees, and selling corporate slave labor. The script is a roller coaster of surprises -- funny, quirky and bizarre. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Three Identical Strangers by Tim Wardle (Sat Jul 7, 2018) Edward Galland, Robert Shafran, David Kellman RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Three Identical Strangers is a documentary about identical-triplet brothers separated at birth who meet accidentally at the age of nineteen. After their story creates a media sensation, they marry and go into the restaurant business together. As the film progresses, we learn that the adoption agency has secretly worked with a psychiatrist doing identical-twins research on nature vs nurture, mental illness, and parenting methods. The amazing story is told with interviews, film clips and a series of unexpected revelations. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Won't You Be My Neighbor by Morgan Neville (Jun 23, 2018) Fred Rogers, Joanne Rogers, Francois Clemmons, Joe Negri, Yo-Yo Ma James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Won't You Be My Neighbor is a documentary film about the legendary childrens' TV show that ran for 33 years (1968-2001) with Fred Rogers as host. Through film clips and interviews of Rogers, his staff and his family, it shows him as a serious and spiritual man (he was a minister) who cared deeply about children and worked hard to relate to them emotionally. Using a low-budget set and puppet alter-egos, he uniquely delivered difficult subjects for children in a loving environment. I enjoyed learning about Fred Rogers and his hugely popular PBS show. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Hearts Beat Loud by Brett Haley (Sat Jun 16, 2018) Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Blythe Danner RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Hearts Beat Loud is a sweet drama-musical about a widowed record-store owner who is tired of his work and is soon to lose his daughter to a far away medical school. To get closer to his daughter, he convinces her to write a song with him and upload it to Spotify in the name of their new band. The film shows the evolving relationships between father and daughter, daughter and girlfriend, father and woman-friend, and father and man-friend in a sensitive way. I cared about the characters, was engaged in their stories and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (Sun May 27, 2018) Pope Francis RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Pope Francis: A Man of His Word is a documentary film showing Pope Francis traveling around the world and giving speeches, sermons and interviews. He communicates a clear belief that peace and harmony for all people in the world can be achieved if we don't seek more material wealth than we need -- and we all work toward giving everyone on earth the opportunity to achieve their basic right to a safe and secure family, a home, food, work and a healthy planet. The filming is very good and the Pope delivers hope and inspiration. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	RBG by Julie Cohen & Betsy West (Sat May 19, 2018) Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Martin Ginsberg, Antonin Scalia James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster RBG is a documentary about liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. After graduating from Harvard Law School, she started a lifelong advocacy for women's rights, gender equality and equal rights under the law for all. Over the years, her tenacity and hard work won many law suits advancing these causes. The film explores her college years, her teaching, her many court cases, her close relationship with her supportive husband, and her interactions with other Supreme Court judges. I enjoyed learning about this remarkable woman. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Itzhak by Alison Chernick (Fri Mar 16, 2018) Itzhak Perlman, Toby Perlman RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Itzhak is a documentary about Israeli-American virtuoso violinist Itzhak Perlman who was incapacitated with polio from early-childhood. The film shows him as a child prodigy, an immigrant to NYC's Juilliard School of Music, a worldwide concert performer, a serious teacher and a dedicated family man. But mostly it shows lots and lots of Perlman passionately playing his fabulous violin music. There are scenes with famous people that show his good nature and sense of humor, but no interviews discussing him and his work. I enjoyed the film and music. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Black Panther by Ryan Coogler (Sat Mar 3, 2018) Chadwick Boseman, Winston Duke, Daniel Kaluuya, Andy Serkis, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Black Panther is a superhero action-adventure -- based-upon a 1966-origin Marvel Comic -- with a mostly all-black cast. It tells of a man who becomes king of a highly-advanced African country, after the death of his father. The new king addresses the theft of the magic-metal that gives his country untold powers and also a coinciding threat to his throne. The film has all the requisite superhero fighting, special effects and custumes. And they are all good, along with the acting. But I did not engage with the story, so I found it only somewhat enjoyable. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Fantastic Woman by Sebastián Lelio (Fri Feb 23, 2018) Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster A Fantastic Woman is a Spanish-language film set in Chile about a transgender woman who endures terrible experiences after her lover dies suddenly of a burst aneurysm. The woman has the most difficult time expressing her grief and coming to terms with her loss, because of the unaccepting behaviors of the hospital, the police and her lover's ex-wife and family. Her experiences are portrayed in a very vivid way. The acting, script and filming were excellent. I cared about the lead character and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Call Me By Your Name by Luca Guadagnino (Sun Feb 4, 2018) Armie Hammer, Timothee Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Call Me By Your Name is a film about a passionate summer-romance set in 1983 at the beautiful family vacation home in Northern Italy of an intellectual American professor. The 17-year-old son of the professor and a visiting 25-year-old male doctoral student fall for each other while spending lazy time together at meals, bike rides, shopping trips, swimming, and playing games and music. The filming, music, script and acting are excellent. I enjoyed the film a lot intellectually -- but less so emotionally, since I didn't engage with the lovers' story. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Phantom Thread by Paul Thomas Anderson (Sat Feb 3, 2018) Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Phantom Thread is a psychological-drama love-story about an obsessive-compulsive couturier-genius who lives and works with his sister and his lover-muse. Set in 1950s London, we watch the highly structured existence of the master, as he works to create magnificent dresses. Within this environment, the master, his sister and his lover coexist in a tense three-way competitive relationship. The acting was excellent and the script was interesting, but I was not drawn into the story and didn't identify with the characters. The film was mildly enjoyable. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	In Search of Israeli Cuisine by R Sherman (Fri Dec 29, 2017 Michael Solomonov NY Times Hollywood Reporter LA Times Film Trailer Poster Netflix In Search of Israeli Cuisine is a documentary that follows Israeli-American chef and restauranteur Michael Solomonov as he tours restaurants and homes throughout Israel to learn about their food and find new dishes to serve. He experiences a great diversity of dishes that mirrors the family backgrounds of the country -- Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Palestinian, Christian and Druze. He is also exposed to diverse cultures, family histories, businesses, technologies and politics. I found the Israeli people, places and food fascinating and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig (Wed Dec 27, 2017) Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Beanie Feldstein James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Lady Bird is a coming-of-age dramedy about a year in the life of a smart and sensitive lower-middle-class high school senior who lives in Sacramento California. She works her way through the highs and lows of typical identity-forming experiences with her demanding mother, her nerdy and gamorous girlfriends, her first-time shy and slick boyfriends, and her well-intentioned teachers. The script is excellent and the acting is spot-on -- delivering a very natural feeling. I was engaged in the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Molly's Game by Aaron Sorkin (Mon Dec 25, 2017) Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Molly's Game tells about a smart and talented woman who accidentally gets involved in running high-stakes private poker games, after a career ending ski injury. She initially works for someone else, then learns the business and goes out on her own. She has huge success in Los Angeles and New York with high profile clients, but eventually gets betrayed and indicted by the FBI. The script is witty and fast-paced and the acting is very good, but I did not engage with the story or care about the one-dimensional characters. The film was mildly enjoyable. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Darkest Hour by Joe Wright (Sat Dec 23, 2017) Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster The Darkest Hour is a powerful drama of a 30-day period in May 1940 at the beginning of WWII, when Winston Churchill was just installed as Prime Minister of England. The German army was dominating battles in Belgium and France and 300,000 English soldiers were driven in retreat to the beach at Dunkirk. Gary Oldman gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Churchill, dealing with political rivals, King George VI and pressures to appease Hitler -- rather than to fight on. The filming, script and acting are excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Star Wars: Last Jedi by Rian Johnson (Thurs Dec 21, 2017) Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the 8th film since 1977 in the hugely popular series. It continues where the 2015 film left off and transitions to a new generation of heroes and villains. Princess Leia's daughter finds her Jedi force to lead the Resistance and her brother masters his dark force to lead the First Order. With the requisite starship chases and battles, the First Order maintains the upper hand. This film has a more linear story and better character development than earlier ones. The filming and 3-D IMAX special effects are excellent. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro (Sat Dec 16, 2017 Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster The Shape of Water is a fairy-tale love-story thriller about a man-fish creature that can breath in air and water. Set in the 1960s at a military facility, we learn about the varied relationships with the captive creature of a mute cleaning woman, a fascinated marine biologist and a tough military officer. The woman falls in love, the marine biologist reports secrets to his Russian handlers and the military man plans fatal research to outwit the Russians. Tension rises as the story unfolds. The unusual script and the acting are excellent. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Murder on Orient Express by Ken Branagh (Sat Dec 9, 2017 Ken Branagh, Willem Dafoe, Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Murder on the Orient Express is a mystery based-upon the very popular 1934 Agatha Christie novel of the same name. Brilliant and quirky detective Hercule Poirot is on the opulent train from Istanbul to Paris when a murder occurs. Poirot finds and follows many murder clues and interviews the dozen or so train passengers. He learns that all of the passengers have secrets and each is connected in some way to a child's murder years ago -- but the murderer can't be found. The sets, costumes, filming and acting are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	3 Billboards in Missouri by Martin McDonagh (Sat Dec 2, 2017) Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish James Berardinelli (4-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri is a quirky dark-comedy set in a small town where a young woman has been raped and murdered. Her mother rents the billboards to publicize the lack of progress in finding the killer. As the story unfolds, we learn about the lives of many angry, frustrated and dysfunctional people who are touched by the search for the killer. The film takes many unexpected turns and contains numerous surprises. The unique script and acting are excellent. I was engaged in the story and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Loving Vincent by Dorota Kobiela (Fri Nov 24, 2017) Douglas Booth, Jerome Flynn, Robert Gulaczyk, Helen McCrory NY Times Hollywood Reporter Variety Film Trailer Poster Loving Vincent is an animated film created by 127 artists who painted 65,000 original oil painting frames -- based upon Vincent van Gogh's body 0f 800 works. The film tells the story of a postmaster's son who is delivering a letter from van Gogh to his brother, after both have died. While doing so, the man investigates the mysterious circumstances surrounding the suicide death of the tormented genius at age 37. The story is intriguing and the paintings are excellent. I was engaged in the story, loved the artistic animation and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Blade Runner 2049 by Denis Villeneuve (Sat Oct 14, 2017) Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, Jared Leto James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer Poster Blade Runner 2049 is a post-apocalyptic dystopian mystery set in 2049 LA. It follows an android LAPD officer as he finds and "retires" obsolete androids. We encounter futuristic transportation, virtual entertainment, holographic companions and mood-drenched scenary. The interactions between humans and androids -- and a rumored android birth -- introduce the philosophical question "what is human?" The filming, script, music and IMAX special effects were excellent. I was engaged in the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Viceroy's House by Gurinder Chadha (Sat Sept 9, 2017) Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Michael Gambon, Manish Dayal NY Times RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Viceroy's House is a drama about the Viceroy's management of the 1947 India transition from British Colony to independent nation. Scenes in and around the Viceroy's 340 room palace show class interactions between the British, the Hindus & Sikhs, and the Muslims. In the face of Hindu and Muslim passionate disagreement and violence, the Viceroy must decide whether to create one nation or partition into two. The cinematography and story telling were excellent. I was engaged in the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Wind River by Taylor Sheridan (Sat Aug 12, 2017) Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Wind River is a murder-mystery set during Winter on an Indian Reservation in Wyoming. A Wildlife Agent who is hunting a lion finds the frozen corpse of a young woman who was a friend of his deceased daughter. The FBI is called to take over the murder investigation. The female FBI agent, the Indian Sheriff and the Wildlife Agent team up to follow meager clues in a challenging environment to solve the murder. The script, acting and photography were excellent. I was engaged in the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Atomic Blonde by David Leitch (Sun July 30, 2017) Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Atomic Blonde is a cold-war spy-thriller set in Berlin and London in 1989. A list of all active undercover agents has been stolen and British Intelligences assigns its most effective spy to recover it. The blond female agent competes with Russian, British, French and American spies to find the list. Trusting nobody, she makes progress while engaging in an endless string of fights with brutal punching, kicking and shooting. The story twists and turns to keep the suspense very high. The script and acting were excellent and I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Dunkirk by Christopher Nolan (Sat July 15, 2017) Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Harry Styles James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Dunkirk tells the powerful story of the heroic rescue of 300,000 soldiers trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk France in May 1940 by the German army's attacks. Using interwoven perspectives of a young soldier on the beach, an experienced spitfire pilot in the air, and a civilian boat-owner on the sea, the film slowly builds tension and the realistic feeling of being in combat. Eventually thousands of civilian boats crossed the English Channel and rescued the soldiers. The dramatic filming in IMAX and the realistic storytelling were excellent. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Exception by David Leveaux (Sat Jun 24, 2017) Lily James, Jai Courtney, Christopher Plummer, Eddie Marsan RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Exception is a World War II drama about a German officer who is assigned to guard the exiled German Kaiser at his palatial home in the Netherlands. The story involves the soldier's love affair with a Jewish servant; the Kaiser's ambition and relationship with the Nazi leadership; and the activities of local Dutch spies. As the story unfolds, the characters make decisions involving patriotism, loyalty, ambition, betrayal and revenge. The acting is very good. I became engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Women's Balcony by Emil Ben-Shimon (Sat Jun 10, 2017) Orna Banay, Itzik Cohen, Einat Sarouf, Igal Naor, Evelin Hagoel RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Poster Netfllix The Women's Balcony is an Israeli dramedy about a close-knit Jewish Community that suffers a tragedy when the women's balcony of their synagogue collapses. The rabbi's wife is in a coma and the rabbi has severe depression. The congregants allow an ultra-orthodox rabbi to help them and he pursuades them to adopt constraining practices. This causes an emotional rift between men and women and husbands and wives. The script and acting are very good. I became engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Wonder Woman by Patty Jenkins (Sat Jun 3, 2017) Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Wonder Woman is an origin story about the DC Comics superhero created in 1941. It begins with her childhood on an obscure female-only Mediterranean island. As the daughter of the god Zeus and an Amazon warrior-woman, she is trained to protect mankind from the evils of the war god Ares. When a World War I fighter pilot crash lands, she follows the call to battle back to Europe with the pilot. Her powers are put to good use in the many conflicts that follow. The story, acting and IMAX 3-D special effects are very good and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Wedding Plan by Rama Burshtein (Sat May 20, 2017) Noa Kooler, Amos Tamam, Oz Zehavi, Irit Sheleg, Roni Merhavi RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster The Wedding Plan is a Hebrew-language romantic-comedy about an offbeat Orthodox Jewish woman who has dated for 10-years and is desparate to get married. Thirty-days before her wedding, she breaks up with her fiance -- and decides to maintain all her wedding plans and have faith that God will provide her with a love-of-her-life groom. The story explores Orthodox Jewish courting traditions and faith in God in a humorous way. The script and acting are very good. I cared about the characters, became engaged with the story and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Norman: Rise and Fall by Joseph Cedar (Sat May 6, 2017) Richard Gere, Lior Ashkenazi, Michael Sheen, Steve Buscemi RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer tells the story of a well-meaning favor-trading wheeler-dealer schlemiel. He builds an intricate web of high-value favors for his Rabbi, his lawyer nephew and an Israeli politician. After a series of very awkward meetings with power brokers, the interdependent elements of the multiple favors appear to be worked out. Thereafter, the tension rises as the high risk deals seem to be collapsing. The script and acting are very good. I became engaged with the story and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Quiet Passion by Terence Davies (Sat Apr 29, 2017) Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Ehle, Duncan Duff, Keith Carradine, Jodhi May RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Los Angeles Times Film Trailer Poster A Quiet Passion is a biopic about iconic poet Emily Dickenson (1830 - 1886) and the very strong influences on her life of family, religion, women's rights, poetry, integrity and independance. Set in Massachusetts and filmed almost entirely in her family home, we learn about Emily, her family and the issues of their times. The quixotic and talented Emily rebels against religion, craves romance, drives away suitors and writes ambitious poetry every day. The script, filming and acting are very good. I cared about the characters and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Get Out by Jordan Peele (Sat Feb 25, 2017) Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Get Out is a psychological thriller about a black man who visits the wealthy family of his white girlfriend. They don't know he's black, but she assures him that there will be no problems. As he gets to know his girlfriend's family and friends, a feeling of dread builds increasingly stronger -- including episodes of hypnosis and bizarre behavior of black servants. The script was excellent and the acting was very good. Because of the very effective buildup of dramatic tension, I didn't enjoy the film until near the end -- when the black man takes revenge. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A United Kingdom by Amma Asante (Sat Feb 18, 2017) David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Terry Pheto, Vusi Kunene, Jack Davenport James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster A United Kingdom is based-on-the-true story of the future king of the African British Protectorate that would become Botswana. Set in the late 1940s, it tells how the young black king meets and falls in love with a white woman while studying in England. Unable to leave her behind when he returns home, he marries her. What ensues is the story of the couple's rejection by governments in Botswana and England -- and their struggle to remain together in his country. The acting was excellent, I was engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck (Sat Feb 11, 2017) Samuel L Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X, Medgar Evans RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Poster I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary film about Negroes in America, based upon an unfinished 1979 novel by writer James Baldwin about his murdered friends . . civil rights activists Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers. Using TV and film footage of Baldwin and the 3 activists from the 1960s, the film conveys a powerful message that Negroes suffer from racial prejudice and violence, and live very difficult and frightening lives. The often violent film clips were very effective and Baldwin's commentary was excellent. I was engaged with the film and liked it a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Hidden Figures by Theodore Melfi (Sun 1/8/17) Taraji Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Hidden Figures is an inspirational film -- based on real people and events -- about three brilliant African-American women who make major contributions to the NASA space program. Set in the early 1960s in Virginia, it explores the professional and personal lives of the women, including their daily experiences with racism and sexism. The women overcome many obstacles to eventually excel in mathematics, computers and engineering. The filming, acting and script were very good. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Fences Directed by Denzel Washington (Tues 12/27/16) Screenplay by August Wilson (based on his play) Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Fences is a compelling drama based upon a 1983 Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning play, where the lead actors reprise their 2010 Broadway roles. It explores the lives of an uneducated African-American married couple who live in Pittsburgh in the 1950s. The powerful dialog fully develops the main characters and reveals their family relationships, their culture, their life experiences and their civil rights struggles. The script is brilliant and the acting is excellent. I cared about the characters, was engaged with their moving story and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Manchester by the Sea by Kenneth Lonergan (Sun 12/25/16) Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Michelle Williams, Gretchen Mol James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Manchester by the Sea is a drama about a boy and his uncle who are thrown together by the untimely death of the boy's father. Because of a tragedy that befell the uncle, he is not emotionally capable of being the boy's guardian -- as designated by his brother. The film explores the adjustments made by the boy and his uncle, as they struggle to make the new arrangement work for both of them. The script, acting and filming were very good, but I did not identify with the characters or engage with their story. This diminished my enjoyment of the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	La La Land by Damien Chazelle (Sat 12/17/16) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, JK Simmons James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Behind-the-Scenes Featurette Music Featurette La La Land is an old fashioned musical love story about a struggling actor and struggling jazz pianist who live in LA. After a few false starts, their budding romance gains momentum and they take great pleasure helping each other overcome obstacles to achieve their career dreams. As the story progresses, singing and dancing are integrated seamlessly into the romantic action. The script, filming, music, singing, dancing, acting and actor's chemistry were all excellent. I cared a lot about the characters, became engaged with their story and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Allied by Robert Zemeckis (Wed 11/23/16) Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode, Jared Harris James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Allied is a World War II spy-thriller love-story about two agents who meet in Casablanca and fall in love while carrying out the killing of a German Ambassador. They return to London to marry, against the advice of peers. While the war still rages, they have a child and build a family life. An unexpected accusation throws their lives into turmoil, until the facts are verified. Filming, sets, costumes, exotic locales and script are excellent. The acting and glamorous roles are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Moonlight by Barry Jenkins (Sun 11/6/16) Mahershala Ali, Shariff Earp, Duan Sanderson, Alex Hibbert RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Moonlight is a film about the coming-of-age and maturing of a poor, black, gay boy. Different actors portray his struggles through boyhood, adolescence and manhood. We see his challenges with bullying in school, no friends to spend time with and a mother who is drug addicted. We watch the influence of a drug dealer role model and a gay acquaintence. We see him learn, make adjustments and find his place in life. The filming, acting and music are excellent, but I didn't engage emotionally with the characters or the story -- limiting my enjoyment. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Man Called Ove by Hannes Holm (Sat 10/29/16) Rolf Lassgård, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg, Ida Engvoll RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer A Man Called Ove is a Swedish-language film about a curmudgeonly old man who has lost his wife and is very lonely and despondent. He is very set in his ways and not tolerant of any disorder around him. His life changes when a young family moves next store with two small children. Gradually, they insert themselves into his life and have a positive effect on his outlook and demeanor. Flashbacks show his past and some events that had strong influences on him. The script and acting are good. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Queen of Katwe by Mira Nair (Sat 10/1/16) David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, Madina Nalwanga, Martin Kabanza RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Queen of Katwe is a based-on-a-true-story drama about a young chess prodigy with no schooling who emerges from slums of Uganda to win a national championship. The story chronicles her discovery and training by a dedicated and nurturing coach at a shantytown chess club and her ensuing victories at ever more prominent tournaments. It shows her skills, ambition and family support -- and a very realistic depiction of life's struggles for the very poor. The acting and filming are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Beatles: Touring Years by Ron Howard (Sat 9/24/16) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, George Harrison RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Poster The Beatles: Touring Years is a documentary covering the 1963 to 1966 period when the Beatles were catapulted to worldwide fame. The speed with which they produced hit songs, garnered adulation, and attracted huge beatlemania audiences was a historic phenomenon. Their 1964 U.S. debut on the Ed Sullivan show at the age of 19 reached a record 73 million viewers. Their 1965 concert at Shea Stadium drew 56,000 screaming fans. The story telling, Beatles interviews, and live performance videos were excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Light Between Oceans Derek Cianfrance (Sun 9/4/16) Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Jack Thompson James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Light Between Oceans is a love-story-tear-jerker about a man who feels guilty about surviving WWI and gets a job as lighthouse caretaker on a desolate island. He falls deeply in love and marries a woman from the mainland. After two miscarriages, they are quite distaught. One day, they discover a boat with a dead man and an infant on board and decide to raise the child. This decision has dire consequences, since the child's mother lives in the nearby mainland town. The script and acting are very good and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Jason Bourne by Paul Greengrass (Sun 8/21/16) Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Julia Stiles, Riz Ahmed James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Jason Bourne is the 5th action-adventure film about a former CIA agent whose amnesia limits his memory of the past, but not his lethal skills. CIA Black-Ops Program files are hacked by a group that intends to make them public. Bourne is recruited to help them and to find out the truth about his father's death. A CIA assassin tracks Bourne to Berlin, Athens, London and Las Vegas -- with help from satellite video, a communications center and local CIA teams. The non-stop action script is excellent and the acting is very good. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Cafe Society by Woody Allen (Sat 8/13/16) Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Parker Posey, Blake Lively NY Times RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Variety Film Trailer Cafe Society is a coming-of-age dramedy set in the 1930s about a Jewish young man from the Bronx who moves to Hollywood to work with his successful talent-agent uncle and then returns home after a failed love-triangle romance. Complicatons ensue after he becomes a successful restauranteur, husband and father, when his former Los Angeles girlfriend visits New York. The film explores ambition, lost love, family relationships, morality, infidelity and ethnic stereotypes. The acting is good, the cynical humor is mostly clever and the story is interesting. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Innocents by Anne Fontaine (Sat 7/30/16) Lou de Laâge, Agata Buzek, Vincent Macaigne, Agata Kulesza NY Times RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Variety Film Trailer The Innocents is a based-on-a-true-story Polish-and-French film set in 1945 Warsaw. It tells the powerful story of a group of Benedictine nuns in a convent who were raped by Russian soldiers and were pregnant. A French Red Cross doctor is called to help a nun giving birth. She becomes the central character as she learns what has happened and how it has affected the nuns' faith, upset their simple routines and given them impossibly difficult decisions to make. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the intense story and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Captain Fantastic by Matt Ross (Sat 7/23/16) Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, George MacKay, Samantha Isler NY Times Variety Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Captain Fantastic is a drama about an eccentric counter-culture couple raising their six children to be extremely self-sufficient in the dense forest of Oregon. The children are rigorously home-schooled to be scholar-athlete-philosophers. Family life is loving and the children are healthy and happy until the wife dies and they return to civilization to attend her funeral. This results in a powerful culture shock and causes the father to re-evaluate the merits of their lifestyle. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the unusual story and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Kind Words by Shemi Zarhin (Sat 7/16/16) Rotem Zissman-Cohen, Roy Assaf, Assaf Ben-Shimon, Tsahi Halevi LA Times NY Times Haaretz Film Trailer The Kind Words is an Israeli film with subtitles about 3 siblings who discover a shocking secret about their mother, after she dies. They embark on an unlikely trip from Israel to Paris and then Marseilles -- along with their estranged father and the woman's husband -- to discover the truth about their family lineage. Through many intimate conversations we learn about their complex lives -- including love, faith, family relationships and life problems. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the compelling story and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Wiener-Dog by Todd Solondz (Mon 7/4/16) Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, Greta Gerwig, Kieran Culkin, Julie Delpy RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Wiener-Dog is a surreal series of four vignettes, each including the same dachshund as a key character. The dog passively accompanies the maladjusted characters in the unfolding of their quirky stories. Their experiences are unpredictable and hard to understand. A wide range of emotions are portrayed and the viewers reaction might be compared to that experienced when looking at abstract art. Although not clear about what I was seeing, I was consistently curious about what would happen next. I enjoyed this unusual and original film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Legend of Tarzan by David Yates (Sat 7/2/16) Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel Jackson, Christoph Waltz James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer The Legend of Tarzan is a superhero action-adventure love-story based upon a 100 year-old book. It tells of Tarzan's return from England to the Africa of his youth to confirm that slave trading is taking place there. After arriving, he and his wife are immediately captured by the man who would exchange Tarzan for a fortune in diamonds -- to pay an army to enslave the population. All the expected chases, fights and animal interactions are present. The script, filming and special effects - including IMAX and 3-D - are very good. I liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Above and Beyond by Roberta Grossman (Sun 5/22/16) Mina Alon, Eddie Cohen, Leon Frankel, Coleman Goldstein, Lou Lenart NY Times Variety LA Times Film Trailer Above and Beyond is a documentary about retired Jewish-American pilots who create the Israel Air Force in 1948, just after the country was founded. In many recent interviews, the pilots tell of the urgency of their illegal recruitment in the U.S., their scavenging of used aircraft and parts, and the world-wide support they received. There are lots of old film clips and vivid descriptions of their war against Arab armies that greatly outnumbered them. The film is very inspirational and provides a lot of information that I was not aware of. I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Meddler by Lorene Scafaria (Sun 5/22/16) Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne, J.K. Simmons, Jason Ritter RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Meddler is a based-on-a-true-story heartfelt dramedy about a mother, her screenwriter daughter and their relationship. Set two years after the husband/father died, neither woman has grieved adequately nor moved on to healthy relationships. The film shows the mother's incessant nurturing of her daughter and the daughter's inability to make her own decisions. The mother repeatedly becomes an intrusive -- but often very helpful -- presence in the lives of acquaintances. The acting is excellent and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Gatekeepers by Dror Moreh (Fri 4/15/16) A Ayalon, A Dichter, Y Diskin, C Gillon, Y Peri, A Shalom RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Gatekeepers is a documentary with interviews of 6 retired heads of Israel's Shin Bet Counter-Terrorism Agency. It covers post-1967 war, with Israel responsible for Gaza, West Bank and over a million Palestinians. They discuss spying, assassination and Israel politics. They discuss morality of killing for a cause, controlling life-and-death with ambiguous information, and errors made by them and Israeli politicians. They all believe violence to be ineffective and negotiation to be the only hope for peace. I was very engaged with the commentary and strongly affected by the complex and upsetting issues. I liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Other Son by Lorraine Lévy (Fri 2/19/16) Jules Sitruk, Mehdi Dehbi, Emmanuelle Devos, Pascal Elbe RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Other Son is a film about two 18-year-old boys, one Israeli and the other Palestinian, who were switched at birth during a hospital attack and raised by the wrong parents. The film explores the boys' shock and adjustment to their new reality -- and the changes experienced in each of their families. Both families work to overcome prejudices and build a relationship with the other -- in spite of a separating wall, military checkpoints and financial disparities. The filming and acting are excellent. I cared about the characters and liked the movie a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Day One by Henry Hughes (Sat 2/13/16) Layla Alizada, Navid Negahban, Alexia Pearl, Bill Zasadil Eye for Film Flick Filosopher Film Trailer Day One is a based-on-a-true-story Oscar Nominated Live Short Film about a recently divorced woman who enlists in the U.S. Army and is assigned as an interpreter in Afghanistan. The story tells of a single incident on her first day on the job, where U.S. soldiers capture a rebel bomb-maker at his home. She sees the pregnant wife of the captured man and tries to help. What follows is an emotional and powerful scene of unskilled childbirth and religious observance. The script and acting are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Joy by David O. Russell (Sun 1/10/16) Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Isabella Rossellini James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Joy is a based-on-a-true story dramedy about a bright down-to-earth female inventor who overcomes obstacles of a quirky dysfunctional family and an unscrupulouos vendor to achieve overwhelming success in TV sales of her Miracle Mop. The film's beginning is a bit uneven, when we get to know the characters and their humorous situations. When Joy develops her mop, markets it on TV, and pluckily deals with production challenges, the movie is much more compelling. The acting is excellent and I cared about the lead character. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Big Short by Adam McKay (Sat 1/2/16) Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, Melissa Leo James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Netflix The Big Short is a humorous pseudo-documentary about four groups that foresee the 2008 mortgage-driven financial collapse with enough time to profit greatly by investing in credit-default swaps on the collateralized debt obligations driven by the risky variable rate home mortgages. Each group is initially doubtful, but comes to believe the historic impending crisis is real. The film spotlights contributing greed by mortgage brokers, investment banks, rating agencies, the SEC, etc. The script and acting were excellent and I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Danish Girl by Tom Hooper (Tues 12/29/15) Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Matthias Schoenaerts, Amber Heard James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Danish Girl is a powerful love story set in 1926 Denmark about a married pair of painters who experience together the awakening and blossoming of a female identity in the man. Starting as a substitute for a model in an elegant dress and progressing to frequent dressing and acting as a woman, the man discovers the female identity inside his male body. Jarring and uncertain emotions are experienced by both partners. The acting and script were excellent. I became engaged with the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Youth by Paolo Sorrentino (Sat 12/19/15) Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano, Jane Fonda Variety LA Times Rolling Stone Film Trailer Youth is a film-meditation on life, aging, careers, family, love, beauty, relationships and more. It centers around a retired music composer-conductor and an aging film-maker, lifelong friends vacationing at an elegant Swiss resort. Through a long sequence of somewhat independent scenes filled with beautiful photography, moving music, witty humor and intimate conversation, we learn about the characters and their complex lives. The filming, music and acting are excellent. I reacted emotionally to many of the scenes and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Spotlight by Tom McCarthy (Thurs 11/26/15) Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Netflix Spotlight is a suspenseful drama about the Boston Globe's 2001 investigative reporting on the shocking abuse of young boys by Catholic priests and its massive coverup. Starting with an interview of one victim, the team of 4 reporters slowly puts together a picture of the truth. Numerous obstacles are presented by constituents protecting the church. Enventually, with help from many other victims, a support group, a psychiatrist and a few reluctant attorneys, the story is broken. The script and acting are excellent and I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Brooklyn by John Crowley (Sat 11/21/15) Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Brooklyn is a coming-of-age film about a sweet and smart young girl who emigrates from Ireland to Brooklyn to find a better life. She is very close with people in Ireland, so even with a job and apartment she is very lonely at first. She meets a young Italian man, they start a relationship, and she begins to feel at home in Brooklyn. A death in the family brings her back to Ireland. With new maturity and confidence, she soon finds a job and a new admirer. The acting, story and filming are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Spectre by Sam Mendes (Sat 11/7/15) Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Spectre is the 24th James Bond action-adventure film in the 53 year-old series. In this iteration, he must act alone since his agency has lost its relevance and is about to be disolved. He travels the world in search of the diabolical head of a power-hungry criminal organization. The film includes many familiar and entertaining style elements of past Bond movies, including all the requisite chases, fight scenes, gadgets, exotic locations, beautiful women and dangerous stunts. The IMAX filming, action-adventure script and music are excellent. I liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Truth by James Vanderbilt (Sat 10/31/15) Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Elisabeth Moss, Dennis Quaid RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Truth is a docu-drama about a 60 Minutes producer and reporter who research and air a 2004 report about President George W Bush's acceptance into and service in the Texas Air National Guard. The report concludes that Bush used political influence to avoid military service in Vietnam and then did not fulfill his obligation in Texas. The veracity of documents and statements in the report is attacked by competitors and can not be verified. The CBS producer and reporter lose their jobs. The acting is excellent and the script is compelling. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Steve Jobs by Danny Boyle (Sat 10/24/15) Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Steve Jobs is a film character-study of a technology industry legend and product genius. Most of the story is communicated with high-speed witty dialog taking place at the computer product launches of Apple's Macintosh, Next's Cube and Apple's iMac. We clearly see the huge ego and micro-managing style of the protagonist, along with his laser-focused goal-orientation and extremely cold selfishness. I appreciated the excellent dialog and acting, but I didn't engage emotionally with characters or the limited story. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Bridge of Spies by Steven Spielberg (Sat 10/17/15) Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Bridge of Spies is a Cold War spy film set in the late 1950s in New York and Berlin. It tells of a high-integrity insurance attorney who defends a captured Soviet spy. He delivers an impeccable defense and is then asked to go to Berlin to negotiate with the Soviet KGB for an exchange of the spy for a U-2 spy plane pilot who was shot down. At each step of the spy trial and negotiations, the attorney must overcome differences of opinion with U.S. and Soviet officials. The filming and period detail are excellent and the acting is very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Meet the Patels by Geeta Patel and Ravi Patel (Sun 10/11/15) Ravi Patel, Champa Patel, Vasant Patel, Audrey Wauchope, Geeta Patel RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Netflix Meet the Patels is a good-natured humorous documentary about two generations of Indian-Americans who deal with the issue of unmarried 30ish children. The film follows the son after he breaks up with his American girlfriend and then expresses interest in a traditional arranged marriage. The parents and all of their relatives are named Patel. The son experiences family arranged dates, India Internet dating and a Patel family marriage convention. I cared about the characters, became engaged with their lives and culture and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Time Out of Mind by Oren Moverman (Sun 9/27/15) Richard Gere, Ben Vereen, Jena Malone, Kyra Sedgwick RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Rolling Stone (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Time Out of Mind is an unusual film about a homeless man in New York City. With minimal plot and little dialog, the film follows the man day-after-day as he drifts around the city panhandling for money to buy liquor and looking for food and a place to sleep. A little at a time, we learn some details about the man's history, his desire to be left alone and his diminished mental capacity. The acting and filming are good, and create an indelible impression of the hardships and challenges of life as a homeless person. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Man from U.N.C.L.E. by Guy Ritchie (Sat 8/22/15) Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an action-adventure comedy-spoof based-upon a 1960s TV show. Set in the 1960s, an American, a Russian and a British spy work together to locate and deactivate a nuclear bomb being built by an evil gang. Even as they work together, the spies don't trust each other and have their own agendas. The film has all the requisite high-tech gadgets, car and boat chases and fight scenes, but with the added light touch of witty dialog and humor. The IMAX filming and the chemistry of the characters are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Phoenix by Christian Petzold (Sat 8/8/15) Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Phoenix is a german-language film-noir melodrama about a Jewish concentration camp survivor who tries to re-connect with her husband to rebuild her life. When the traumatized woman finds her husband, he does not recognize her because of facial surgery -- but suggests she pretend to be his wife to collect her family fortune. The tension builds as the ruse proceeds, she pretends to be herself, and we learn that the husband betrayed her to the Nazis. The story is very powerful and the filming, music and acting are excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mission Impossible by Christopher McQuarrie (Sun 8/2/15) Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Mission Impossible is the 5th in a series of fast-moving spy-thriller films. It tells of a 4-person rogue American team's efforts to identify, track down and stop an evil genius and his syndicate who are responsible for many murders and bombings. There is much suspense, since motives and loyalties of key players are not clear. The gadgets and non-stop chasing, climbing, fighting and shooting are very exciting and reminiscent of Bond films. Enhanced by IMAX big-screen and surround-sound, filming and script are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Amy by Asif Kapadia (Sun 7/12/15) Amy Winehouse RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Amy is a documentary film about British jazz singer Amy Winehouse. Using existing footage of Amy, her family and her friends, the film delivers an intimate portrait of her meteoric rise to worldwide fame and her drug-induced free-fall to death at age 27. We see her strong desire to make powerful music and her inability to deal with non-stop media attention. We see the strong influence of her father and husband, who crave the trappings of her success. Much of the story is very unpleasant and the characters are not appealing. I did not enjoy the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Infinitely Polar Bear by Maya Forbes (Sat 7/11/15) Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Infinitely Polar Bear is a based-on-a-true story dramedy about a man with bipolar disorder and manic depression who takes care of his two mixed-race children while his wife studies for an advance degree at college. The father's emotional mood swings cause many frustrating, awkward and humorous experiences for him and his family in their daily activities. His good nature and their love for each other gets them past these issues to grow as individuals and a family. The acting is very good and the script is very sensivitive. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Inside Out by Pete Docter (Sat 6/20/15) Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Inside Out is a unique and imaginative animated film about an 11-year-old girl's emotional roller coaster when her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco. Her story is partly told by animated characters representing her emotions of joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust -- that work at a control center in her brain. Other highlignts include personality islands, memory globes, an imaginary playmate and the unconscious mind. The script and animation are excellent. I was emotionally engaged with the story and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Spy by Paul Feig (Sat 6/13/15) Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Allison Janney, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Spy is a comedy action-adventure about a fat low-self-esteem female CIA agent who is called into field duty, because all other agents are known to the thieves of a stolen nuclear weapon. The film is modelled after a 007 Bond thriller, including international locations, car chases, hand-to-hand fighting and exotic weapons. It took a while for me to suspend my disbelief of the fat special agent, but once this occurred I was drawn into the fast-paced story. The script and acting are very good and there are many effective laugh lines. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Love & Mercy by Bill Pohlad (Sat 6/6/15) John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Love & Mercy is a biopic about Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Flashing back and forth over a 20-year period, it tells of his music genius and his mental illness. We see his perfectionism in composing music with a talented band, his hit-making singing with his brothers, and his struggles with schizophrenia and drugs. He is very much influenced by a demanding father, a hyper-controlling psychiatrist and a woman who falls in love with him. The music, acting and filming are very good. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	I'll See You in My Dreams by Brett Haley (Sat 5/30/15) Blythe Danner, Martin Starr, Sam Elliott, Rhea Perlman, Mary Place RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer I'll See You in My Dreams is a romantic dramedy about a healthy attractive 70-year-old long-time widow, who finds her comforting routines with retired girlfriends upset by the death of her loving dog. Driven by increased loneliness, she seeks new experiences with dating, music, drinking and partying with friends. The film gently explores bittersweet issues of aging, loneliness, loss, sadness and time-running-out. The acting is very good, I was drawn into the story, and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Saint Laurent by Bertrand Bonello (Sat 5/23/15) Gaspard Ulliel, Jérémie Renier, Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Saint Laurent is a French-language film about a 10-year period in the life of the legendary fashion design genius -- when he was at the peak of his fame, productivity and tortured self-destructive behavior. Using a long series of non-linear episodes, the film explores Saint Laurent's daily Paris environments of high-fashion design and excesses of drugs, alcohol and promiscuous gay sex. We see dramatic growth of his haute-couture empire, in spite of his extremely erratic behavior. The filming, photography and acting are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Far From the Madding Crowd by Vinterberg (Sat 5/16/15) Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Far From the Madding Crowd is based-upon a classic romance novel and set in 1874 rural Victorian England. It tells the story of a smart fiercely-independent young-woman farmer, who is pursued by 3 very different suitors. During most of the film we see her dedication to the challenging life of farmning, with no apparent need to get married. The persistant efforts of the gentle shepherd, the wealthy land-owner and the dashing soldier slowly cause her to reconsider. The filming and acting are very good. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Ex-Machina by Alex Garland (Sat May 2, 2015) Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Claire Selby RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Ex-Marchina is a science fiction mystery-thriller about a skilled software programmer who wins a week's vacation with the genius billionaire tech company founder in his remote research retreat. He learns that he will be performing the Turing test on an advanced artificial-intelligence female android -- to verify that she is not a sentient human. Tension builds as the visitor gets to know the eccentric genius and his beautiful creation -- and their true intentions. The story, filming and special effects are very good. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Woman in Gold by Simon Curtis (Sat Apr 18, 2015) Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Katie Holmes, Charles Dance James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Netflix Woman in Gold is a based-on-a-true-story film about an 80-year-old Austrian-American woman who tries to get back her family's valuable paintings that were stolen by the Nazis during the holocaust. The story follows 2-tracks. One in 1938 when the Nazis persecute and kill the woman's Austrian-Jewish family and steal their valuables; and the other in 1998 when the woman and her lawyer navigate the Austrian legal system trying to get restitution. The acting and script are very good and many scenes are very powerful. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Amour Fou by Jessica Hausner (Sat Mar 28, 2015) Christian Friedel, Birte Schnoeink, Sandra Hüller, Stephan Grossmann RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Amour Fou is a German language film set in 1811 that tells about a married woman with terminal illness who is persuaded by a despairing romantic poet-playwright to commit suicide with him as an act of rare love. The true story unfolds at a very slow pace, mostly in the homes of the wealthy characters. Instead of using action, the film captures the culture, politics and emotionless activity of the times with the script and the camera -- including many scenes that resemble still photographs. The script, acting and filming are very good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Aya by Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis (Sun Feb 22, 2015) Sarah Adler, Ulrich Thomsen Variety Boston Globe Film Trailer Aya is an Oscar nominated live action short film set at Tel Aviv airport and a car ride to Jerusalem. It tells of an Israeli woman waiting to pick someone up at the airport, who agrees to hold a sign for a limo driver who must go to his car. The Danish traveler to be picked up approaches the woman's sign and she impulsively decides to drive him to his destination. During the car ride, their initial halting conversation slowly develops curiosity and intimacy. The story and acting were well done. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mr Turner by Mike Leigh (Sat Feb 7, 2015) Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Mr Turner is a biographical film about William Turner, an eccentric, anti-social, rich and famous English landscape artist. The slow moving film explores his creative world, his personal life and his England environment during the 25-year period ending in 1850. We see his focus and dedication to painting a variety of beautiful landscapes and seascapes and his lack of interest in anything else -- including illegitimate children, housekeeper and friends. The acting, cinematography and period detail are excellent. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Most Violent Year by J.C. Chandor (Sat Jan 31, 2015) Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, Albert Brooks, David Oyelowo James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer A Most Violent Year is a mystery-thriller about a very ambitious young married couple who own a heating-oil business in a very competitive market. Set in New York City in 1981 -- when crime and violence were very high -- the company's critical bank loan for a large property is cancelled due to hijacking of its trucks and the DA's threat to indict them. As the story unfolds, tension builds and pressure to find the hijackers and replace the loan grows greatly. The acting is excellent and the script contains many unexpected twists. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	American Sniper by Clint Eastwood (Sat Jan 24, 2015) Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer American Sniper is about a serious Texas man who is very influenced by his father's love of rifle-hunting and his strong self-image to protect his family and friends. TV coverage draws him to enlist with the Navy SEALs to fight the enemy in Iraq. As a sniper, he gets great satisfaction in protecting his fellow soldiers by killing the enemy. He becomes a legend while killing 160 during four tours in Iraq -- each time leaving his family behind. The acting is excellent and the film paints a very realistic image of war and its effect on the soldiers. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Selma by Ava DuVernay (Sat Jan 10, 2015) David Olelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Selma explores a 3-month period in early 1965, when the civil rights movement lead by Martin Luther King was focused on a protest march for voter rights in Selma Alabama. We see many civil rights leaders plot strategy, President Johnson try to avoid involvement and Governor Wallace try to crush the march. We see stresses on King's marriage, risks taken by civil rights leaders, and brutality of black's lives in the South. The acting and script are excellent. I was drawn into the true story and cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Life Itself by Steve James (Mon Jan 5, 2015) Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel, Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog James Berardinelli (4-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) Entertainment Weekly (A) Film Trailer Netflix Life Itself is a documentary film about Rober Ebert. Through interviews, photos and film clips, it traces his life from editor of his college paper to his use of social media, when fatally contracting cancer. We learn about his appointment as the youngest newspaper movie critic, his alcohol problem with journalists in Chicago, his Pulitzer Prize, his pioneering TV success with movie critic Gene Siskel, his finding love at age 50, his film writing and his book writing. The film does an excellent job of portraying this unique and talented man. I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Now You See Me by Louis Leterrier (Fri Jan 2, 2015) Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Film Trailer Now You See Me is a mystery-thriller about a brilliant magician who recruits four others -- with varied skills -- to avenge him with their magic performances. They rob a bank in Paris as their act in Las Vegas. They transfer money from a bank in England as their act in New Orleans. They steal a safe full of money in New York. Early in the film, I suspended all disbelief and watched their audacious misdirections and illusions with pleasure -- as they repeatedly foiled FBI and Interpol efforts to catch them. I enjoyed the magic and the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Imitation Game by Morten Tyldum (Fri Dec 26, 2014) Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Netflix The Imitation Game is a based-on-a-true-story film about Alan Turing -- a gay mathematician and digital computer researcher with Asberger's -- who works with a few other geniuses to break the German message code and help win World War II. We see the building of the genius team, their struggle to develop a computing machine, successful decoding of war messages and the need to keep it all secret. The acting, script and filming are excellent. I was drawn into the historic war story, cared about the characters and loved this powerful film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Gambler by Rupert Wyatt (Thurs Dec 25, 2014) Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson, Jessica Lange, John Goodman James Berardinelli (3-stars) LA Times Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer The Gambler is a film about a brilliant, ambitious, unhappy, and self-desctructive literature professor and author, who has a severe gambling problem. His obsessive behavior destroys his relationships as he falls deeper and deeper in debt to a string of dangerous loan sharks. The tension builds dramatically as the film progresses. The gambler has nobody to turn to and no options to avoid a violent end. I found myself caring about the character, hoping for a turnaround and anxious for some relief from the tension. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Wild by Jean-Marc Vallee (Sat Dec 20, 2014) Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gabby Hoffmann, Michiel Huisman James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Wild is a film about a young woman who hikes 1100 miles solo along the Pacific Crest Trail to escape very painful memories of her beloved mother's death from cancer, her descent into drugs and her divorce. Along the way, she meets some hikers and town's people, but mostly she is alone with her thoughts. Through flashbacks, we learn of her family's past and her slim future prospects. The acting and filming are very good. I engaged with the story slowly but steadily, as I was drawn into her experience of solitude and self-discovery. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Top Five by Chris Rock (Sat Dec 13, 2014) Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, Cedric the Entertainer RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Top Five is a raunchy and romantic comedy about a very successful comedian who is working to find the next phase in his life. He has beaten alcoholism and a drug habit, made a serious film, and become engaged to a beautiful reality TV star. Most of the action takes place during an extended "day-in-the-New-York-life-of" interview by a beautiful and sassy reporter. Much of the comedy didn't work for me, but the acting was good, the life-of-a-comedian script seemed autobiographical, and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	St Vincent by Theodore Melfi (Sun Dec 7, 2014) Bill Murray, Jaeden Lieberher, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer St Vincent is a heart-warming comedy about an anti-social old man -- who drinks, gambles and steals -- and the relationship he builds with the lonely young boy next door. The boy's separated mother works long hours at a hospital and happenstance causes her to hire the old man as a babysitter. The old man and the boy share experiences at the boy's school, a nursing home, a bar, a racetrack, and at the man's house with a pregnant hooker. The acting is very good, the script is clever and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Theory of Everything James Marsh (Thurs Nov 27, 2014) Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, David Thewlis, Emily Watson James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Theory of Everything is a biographical film about brilliant cosmologist Stephen Hawking. It covers the time from his 1960s PhD days at Cambridge to the 1990s and his best-selling book A Brief History of Time. The film focuses on his married life and the extreme challenges of his progressively more debilitating Lou Gehrig's Disease. His loyal wife and a close friend care for him until he can't move or speak. The acting is excellent, but there is little coverage of his work in astro-physics or his personality. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Whiplash by Damien Chazelle (Sat Nov 22, 2014) Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Whiplash is a film about a charismatic music teacher and a promising drummer in his Jazz band. It explores the effect of the teacher's use of fear and intimidation -- at the level of emotional and physical abuse -- to drive his students to achieve perfection. As the film moves forward in unexpected directions, we see the teacher-student relationship evolve, the student improve his drumming, and the tension mount. In many scenes, their interaction is so intense that it is painful to watch. The acting, filming and music are excellent. I enjoyed the film. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Birdman by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Sat Nov 15, 2014) Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, Amy Ryan James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Birdman is a quirky-dark-dramedy about a former film superhero who is attempting a career comeback with a Broadway play about love and relationships that he has written, directed and is starring in. There is endless clever dialog between the troubled and insecure characters about failed romances, poor parenting, and career difficulties. The star hears voices in his head giving him advice and exhibits telekinetic powers. I appreciated the high quality of the acting, filming and script, but I didn't engage emotionally with the story or the characters. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Interstellar by Christopher Nolan (Sat Nov 8, 2014) Matt McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine James Berardinelli (4-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Interstellar is a thinking-person's science fiction movie with great ambition. It tells of a space mission to a faraway galaxy to find a new home for earth's inhabitants -- since an environmental catastrophy will soon make earth unlivable. The plot includes dual father-daughter love stories, realistic space-time-gravity cosmology, powerful computers and relativistic human aging. The exciting story builds tension to an unexpected outcome. The acting, filming and IMAX are excellent. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Dear White People by Justin Simien (Sat Oct 25, 2014) Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Dear White People is a complex, perceptive and compelling film about current race relations on an Ivy League campus. It satirically explores issues of black and white stereotypes; parent-child and man-woman relationships; coming-of-age; power; identity; careers; and hypocritical behavior. Over a short period of time, many characters are developed and contribute to the plot. The acting, script and filming are excellent. I was drawn into thinking about -- and trying to understand -- the many complex issues being addressed. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	This is Where I Leave You Shawn Levy (Sat Sept 20, 2014) Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Corey Stoll James Berardinelli (3-stars) Variety The Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer This is Where I Leave You is a family-reunion dramedy that tells about four siblings and their mother who have returned to the childhood home to sit Shiva for 7-days for their recently departed father -- after having grown apart over the years. The unfamiliar interactions among the troubled group reveal issues of infidelity, infertility, immaturity, poor communications, and bad choices. Not all of the comedy worked for me, but the acting was very good, I cared about the characters, and I was drawn into the light-weight story. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Calvary by John Michael McDonagh (Sat Aug 9, 2014) Brendan Gleeson, Chris O'Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Calvary is a powerful, thought provocative and intense story about faith, forgiveness, doing the right thing, and coping with the evil within ourselves and all around us. A priest in a small town in Ireland is threatened anonymously to be killed in a week by one of his parishioners. He spends the next 7 days talking with his flock about their troubles, trying to determine who is threatening him and what to do about it. The dialog and acting are very well done. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Guardians of the Galaxy by James Gunn (Sat Aug 2, 2014) Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Guardians of the Galaxy is a good-natured and humorous action-adventure-space film based upon a Marvel comic book. It tells about a motley group (3 actors and 2 computer animations) of characters who get possession of an infinitely-powerful and valuable energy orb. They battle a variety of unsavory villains to protect the orb and deliver it to the authorities to prevent destruction of the galaxy. The acting, special effects and witty script are very good. I cared about the characters, became engaged in the story, and enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Snowpiercer by Bong Joon-ho (Sat July 12, 2014) Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Snowpiercer is based-on-a-graphic-novel about a post-apocalyptic world where all of mankind rides endlessly on a train around the world. Set 17 years after a failed attempt to stop global warming causes an ice age, people live in cars based on a rigid class system. The film tells of the car-by-car battle of the suffering underclass to reach the front of the train, where the rich and pampered people live. The filming and special effects are excellent and the story is imaginative. I cared about the characters, became engaged in the story and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Obvious Child by Gillian Robespierre (Sun Jun 22, 2014) Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffman, Gabe Liedman, Polly Draper RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Obvious Child is a comedy about an awkward, insecure and vulnerable standup comedian who integrates all of her life experiences into her routine and shares them with her audience. The story explores her reactions to a breakup with her boyfriend, a rebound-sex one-night-stand, her resulting pregrancy and her relationship with the young man she slept with. The acting is excellent and the humor is often awkward and painful. In spite of my discomfort with the script, I was drawn into the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Edge of Tomorrow by Doug Liman (Sat Jun 7, 2014) Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton, Noah Taylor RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Edge of Tomorrow is a science fiction thriller about powerful aliens who invade earth and correct their battle mistakes by traveling back in time. An inexperienced officer is killed by an alien and unexpectedly gets the ability to relive the past each time he dies. He repeats his battle over and over -- each time improving his ability, correcting his mistakes, and eventually finding the alien leader to fight. The acting, IMAX 3-D filming, and special effects are very good. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the complex story, and enjoyed the film. (3.0-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Chef by Jon Favreau (Sat May 24, 2014) Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Chef is feel-good dramedy about a master chef who is stifled by his trendy restaurant's owner. The owner directs him to serve a famous food critic a conventional menu. The resulting unfavorable review leads to a flame war on Twitter, which gets him fired. His ex-wife and her ex-husband help him return to his roots with a food truck and a road trip with his neglected son. The filming of the cooking was excellent, and the chemistry of the actors was very good. I cared about the characters, enjoyed the good-natured humor, and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Ida by Pawel Pawlikowski (Sat May 17, 2014) Agata Trzebuchowska, Agata Kulesza, Joanna Kulig, Dawid Ogrodnik RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Ida is a Polish language film set in postwar Poland about an orphan who has lived her whole life in a convent and is soon to take her vows as a nun. She is told to return home, visit her aunt, and find out about her past. The young woman meets her troubled aunt, finds out she is a Jew, learns her family's tragic holocaust history, and experiences her first sexual attraction. Having experienced life outside the convent, she must decide whether to return. The black-and-white filming is powerful, and the script is intense and thought-provoking. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Fading Gigolo by John Turturro (Sat Apr 26, 2014) John Turturro, Woody Allen, Vanessa Paradis, Sharon Stone Variety RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Fading Gigolo is a quirky good-natured comedy -- set in New York City -- about two old friends whose retail businesses are floundering. The nerdy outgoing one proposes to find wealthy, lonely women and persuade them to meet with his friend -- for a very high fee. The unusual script involves three beautiful women -- a dermatologist, her wealthy Hispanic friend, and an Orthodox Jewish widow. There are unexpected plot twists and quite a few laughing-out-loud lines. The acting was good and the story was witty and funny. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Finding Vivian Maier by John Maloof (Sat Apr 19, 2014) Vivian Maier, John Maloof NY Times Variety The Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer Finding Vivian Maier is a documentary about an enigmatic and secretive street photographer whose world-class work was discovered by accident late in her life. She was a spinster and worked for 50-years in multiple cities as a nanny, while recording the essence of life around her with tens of thousands of striking photographs. Many of the families that she worked for were interviewed. All found her extremely private and a bit odd. The storytelling was excellent and the filming of her photographs was very compelling. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Lunchbox by Ritesh Batra (Sat Mar 29, 2014) Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Denzil Smith NY Times Variety The Hollywood Reporter Film Trailer The Lunchbox is a film set in over-crowded Mumbai India that explores the loneliness of a government accountant nearing retirement and a young neglected housewife. One day the woman's carefully prepared lunch for her always-working husband is delivered by mistake to the widowed accountant by the service they both use. This starts a relationship that grows intimate over time -- driven by their exchange of daily lunch notes. The acting and filming are very good. I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson (Sat Mar 22, 2014) Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Ed Norton James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Grand Budapest Hotel is a quirky action-adventure-comedy caper mostly set in 1930s Eastern Europe. It tells the unlikely story of a suave hotel concierge, his lobby boy apprentice, and various distinctive characters who cross their paths at the hotel, a prison and a local mansion. All of the characters are eccentric and serious-minded, while at the same time delivering humorous dialog and action. The acting and filming are first-rate. The imaginative story-telling is fast paced, unpredictable and very well done. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me Chiemi Karasawa (Sat Mar 1, 2014) Elaine Stritch RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Netflix Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me is a documentary film about the legendary Emmy- and Tony-Award-Winning entertainer who is still performing at the age of 89. Current-day interviews and new and old film clips -- she first appeared on Broadway in 1944 -- paint a vivid picture of the feisty, indominable, and charismatic performer who is now struggling with memory loss, diabetes and alcoholism. Her love of performing and her bond with audiences drive her to continue performing despite her challenges. I was very engaged with her story and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Lady in Number 6 Malcolm Clarke (Thurs Feb 20, 2014) Alice Herz-Sommer Nick Reed Jerusalem Post Film Trailer Poster The Lady in Number 6 is an Academy Award nominated documentary short that tells the inspirational story of 109-year-old pianist Alice Herz-Sommer who has survived the holocaust's greatest atrocities and retains her positive outlook and joy of life with her music. She tells of her childhood in Prague, her early career as a concert pianist, her experiences in Nazi captivity, and her current life in a small flat in London playing the piano for 4-hours each day. Her exceptional story is heartwarming, life-affirming and inspirational. I loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Cavedigger by Jeffrey Karoff (Thurs Feb 20, 2014) Ra Paulette Karoff Films Mahvash Mossaed Film Trailer The Cavedigger is an Academy Award nominated documentary short that tells about 65-year-old sculptor Ra Paulette who uses hand-tools to create opulent and beautiful cave dwellings in the sandstone hills of New Mexico. He talks about his artistic goals, his unique projects, and the obstacles he faces from his artistic benefactors and his lack of money. We see the great pleasure and satisfaction that he gets from his extremely strenuous work. The story is fascinating and the cave sculptures are remarkable. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Facing Fear by Jason Cohen (Thurs Feb 20, 2014) Matthew Boger, Tim Zaal Jason Cohen Jared Mobarak Film Trailer Facing Fear is an Academy Award nominated documentary short that explores the ramifications of a violent encounter between a homeless gay man and a white supremicist skinhead that seemingly leaves the gay man dead. The gay man survives and the two men's lives intersect again 25-years later. Each man tells of the effects of the past violence and how they have moved on with their lives to a more healthy track. They begin a relationship that is based upon forgiveness and tolerance. The story is very powerful and I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Gloria by Sebastián Lelio (Sat Feb 8, 2014) Paulina Garcia, Sergio Hernandez, Marcial Tagle, Diego Fontecilla RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Gloria is Spanish-language film set in Chile about a passionate 50-ish divorcee whose loneliness takes her to singles dances to meet men. Even with an active family, work and social life, she is lonely being a low priority in the lives of those around her. Anxious for romance, she takes chances with men she meets and gets burnt. Multiple times she exhibits great resilience, recovering from her setbacks and moving forward with her life. The acting is very good, but I didn't engage with the story or the characters. I was mostly bored by the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Past by Asghar Farhadi (Sat Feb 1, 2014) Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa, Pauline Burlet RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Past is a French language melodrama about a French woman who is divorcing her Iranian husband to marry her Arab lover. The story involves these three, their three children, and the Arab's wife who has attempted suicide. Due to their difficult emotional transitions, each of the characters has a tense relationship and hurt feelings from another. As the story progresses, we learn more about the characters and what has caused their emotional struggles. The acting is very good. I was drawn into the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Invisible Woman by Ralph Fiennes (Sat Jan 25, 2014) Felicity Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Invisible Womoan is a based-on-a-true-story film about the secret love affair of 45-year-old married Charles Dickens and the 18-year-old actress-daughter of his actress-friend. Set in prudish Victorian Era England, the relationship develops at a glacial pace -- sustained by their mutual love of plays and books. Suppressed emotions and subtle dialog always maintain propriety. The story is told with flashbacks from the woman's married life after Dickens' death. The acting is excellent and the slow-moving story is engrossing. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit Ken Branagh (Sat Jan 18, 2014) Chris Pine, Kiera Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Variety Film Trailer Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is the 5th action-thriller based upon the popular Tom Clancy novels. Jack is recruited as a CIA analyst, based upon his military achievements in Afghanistan. While working on Wall Street, he uncovers evidence of Russian financial improprieties designed to collapse the U.S. financial system. The story quickens and the tension mounts after Jack goes to Russia. He must steal evidence and deal with the evil and dangerous Russians. The acting is good and the fast-paced story is realistic and engrossing. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Wolf of Wall Street Martin Scorcese (Sun Dec 29, 2013) Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler James Berardinelli (4-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Wolf of Wall Street is a based-on-a-true-story comedic film about the rise and fall of a charismatic salesman with extraordinary skills and huge ambition. He builds a large and successful stock brokerage using very aggressive unethical means and a culture of drugs, sex, adrenaline and profanity. The acting is very good and Dicaprio gives an academy-award-worthy performance. The script is overly long, but effective in its story-telling. I appreciated the film-making, but didn't engage with the characters or the story. My enjoyment was limited. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Her by Spike Jonze (Sat Dec 28, 2013) Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Her is an exploration of the effects of technology on relationships of the future. A young man has broken up with his wife and feels isolated and lonely. He tries out an artificial-intelligence operating system for his computer -- and is surprised and pleased that he can speak with this learning-technology named Samantha in a natural and intimate way. In a short time, he falls in love with Samantha and experiences the ups-and-downs of a typical human relationship. The acting is good and the script is very thought-provoking and insightful. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	American Hustle by David O. Russell (Thurs Dec 26, 2013) Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer American Hustle is a screwball-comedy -- based-on-a-true-story -- about a small-time con artist, his lover accomplice, and the FBI agent who uncovers their scam -- and then forces them to con and sting government officials to advance his career. As the story progresses, the ambition and complexity of the various deceptions increase dramatically. Each of the characters changes loyalty multiple times and it is never clear who is deceiving whom and what will happen next. The acting is excellent and the story is very well-written. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Inside LLewyn Davis Ethan & Joel Coen (Sun Dec 22, 2013) Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Inside Llewyn Davis is set in the early 1960s and tells about a talented -- but marginally successful -- folk singer whose carelessness with his life causes him to bounce from one failure to the next. He has no place to live, no friends, and barely enough money to feed himself. We learn about his Greenwich Village surroundings and the unique characters in his life. The acting, singing, and portrayal of the times are very good, and the humor works, but I didn't engage with the unconventional story or identify with the characters. I partly enjoyed the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Dallas Buyers Club by Jean-Marc Vallee (Sat Dec 7, 2013) Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Dallas Buyers Club is based-upon-the-true-story of a heterosexual Texas redneck who contracts AIDS in its early years. Victims are desperately seeking treatment, medical professionals are helpless and the FDA can't cope. With limited treatments in the U.S., the man finds drugs in Mexico and elsewhere. Then, he and a transvestite partner sell these unlicensed drugs to other AIDS victims. The business thrives and attracts the wrath of the medical establishment and the government. The acting is very good, the story is compelling and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Philomena by Stephen Frears (Sat Nov 30, 2013) Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Michelle Fairley, Mare Winningham James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Philomena is a buddy-movie-mystery about religious doctrine, faith and forgiveness. It tells about a working-class girl who had a baby out-of-wedlock in 1950s Ireland and decided after 50 years of hiding her sin to try to find her child. Her search is lead by an Oxford-trained journalist with little faith in god. The film follows the odd-couple from the convent of her youth to America and back again. A very powerful ending ties up the story's loose ends. The acting is excellent. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the story, and liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Hunger Games 2 by Francis Lawrence (Sat Nov 23, 2013) Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Don Sutherland James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the 2nd film of a 4-part series about a dystopian future, based upon 3 highly-successful teen-targeted novels. It continues the story of a resourceful heroine who lives in impoverished and government-oppressed District 12. In this iteration, rebellion is afoot and a battle-to-the-death of former Hunger Games victors provides the excitement. The IMAX, special effects and unique well-acted characters are very good, but this time I didn't engage with the familiar story and characters. I partly enjoyed the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	12 Years a Slave by Steve McQueen (Sat Oct 26, 2013) Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbander, Lupita Nyong'o James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer 12 Years a Slave is a film -- based upon a true story -- about a free African-American family-man who is kidnapped in 1841 and sold into slavery on Louisiana plantations. Without overly dramatizing -- in spite of the routine violence portrayed -- the film-maker shows the evils of slavery to be deeply-embedded in American culture. The crushing life of a slave is shown with great realism -- along with slave owners' cruel treatment of them as purchased property. The acting is excellent and the disturbing script is very powerful. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Rush by Ron Howard (Sun Oct 13, 2013) Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Rolling Stone Film Trailer Rush is an action-adventure film based upon the true story of the two best Formula One race car drivers who competed for the 1976 championship. One was a hunky devil-may-care playboy with great skill, passion and reckless competitiveness. The other was a controlled and serious mechanical genius with great skill, tactics and intense competitivemess. In 1976, they battled each other in most of the tense 200 mph races. The acting, filming of the highly-dangerous races, and character studies of the two men are excellent. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Don Jon by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Sat Sept 28, 2013) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Don Jon is a film about a young macho-lothario bartender who is obsessed with masterbating to porn videos and enjoys this experience more than having sex with his many one-night-stands. He meets a beautiful sexy girl and tries to give up porn to build a relationship with her. His porn obsession and her unrealistic expections contribute to their breakup. His next unexpected relationship teaches him some important life lessons. The acting is very good and the humorous script is quite unusual and good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Prisoners by Denis Villeneuve (Sat Sept 21, 2013) Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Prisoners is a mystery-thriller about serial kidnapping of children. It focuses on the kidnapping of 2 close friends and the attempts of the police and their families to find them. As the story unfolds and the tension mounts, we watch the experiences of the families, the police, a priest, and numerous suspicious characters. The film explores good and evil, guilt and innocence, religion and mental illness, and retribution and justice. The complex script and acting are excellent. I was drawn into the suspenseful story and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Spectacular Now by James Ponsoldt (Sat Aug 31, 2013) Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) RogerEbert.com (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Spectacular Now is a coming-of-age film about a popular high school boy and a shy female classmate. The boy has a drinking issue and meets the girl accidentally after passing out on her newspaper route. Their unlikely relationship transitions from her helping him with math to a genuine romance. There's a crisis at graduation, as she's going to college and he's satisfied with a retail sales job. The script and acting are very good, but I didn't identify with the characters and wasn't drawn into the story. I was mostly bored by the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Wolverine by James Mangold (Sat Aug 24, 2013) Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Wolverine is another action-adventure film about the ageless metal-clawed mutant-superhero of the Marvel Comics series X-men. It tells of Wolverine's trip to Japan to say goodbye to a dying billionaire whose life he saved during Word War II. He meets family members, samurai, politicians and gangsters -- most of whom seek to unjustly benefit from the man's death. There are many plot twists and endless fight scenes with the competing factions. I was drawn into the well-written story and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Butler by Lee Daniels (Sat Aug 17, 2013) Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding, Jr., David Oyelowo NY Times RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Variety Film Trailer The Butler tells the story of an African-American man from his 1923 experiences as a slave to his 2008 meeting with Barack Obama. Over time, he becomes a butler and serves 8 White House administrations. The story chronicles racism in America and the evolution of the Civil Rights movement. White House scenes remind us of civil rights milestones. Scenes with the butler's wife and 2 sons show highly-emotional direct responses to their living with racism. The acting is excellent and the family scenes are very powerful. I liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	When Comedy Went to School (Sat Aug 10, 2013) Jerry Lewis, Jackie Mason, Sid Caesar, Mort Sahl, Jerry Stiller NY Times Variety Film Trailer When Comedy Went to School is a documentary film about the 700 Catskill Mountain resort hotels -- affectionately known as the Borscht Belt -- that provided a training ground in the mid-20th century for Jewish comedians to learn their craft. The film interviews aging comedians and shows wonderful film clips of their past performances. It also shows the atmosphere that was so attractive to Jewish families living in the summer heat of the City. The sentimental feeling and nostalgia for a bygone era was very strong. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	This is the End by Seth Rogen (Sat Jul 20, 2013) Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer This is the End is a gross-out sophomoric comedy where the main actors play their real-life selves in a parody of their film personas. Most of the action takes place in a mansion after a wild party. The story revolves around a religious end-of-the-world Apocalypse and the actors' reactions to it. The characters get many opportunities to dialog with and lampoon each other. The humor is very physical, vulgar and profane -- and mimics the actors' many films. Not all of the comedy worked for me, but I enjoyed a lot of it and also the unorthodox story. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Attack by Ziad Doueiri (Fri Jul 5, 2013) Ali Suliman, Reymond Amsellem, Yevgenya Dodina, Uri Gavriel NY Times Salon Variety Film Trailer The Attack is a Hebrew- and Arabic-language film set in Tel Aviv and Nablus about a suicide bombing by the wife of a rich Palestinian surgeon who lives and works in Tel Aviv. When the Israeli police question the surgeon, he is dumbfounded and in complete disbelief. He embarks on a tortured journey to understand why his loving wife did such a horrible thing. He visits his Arab family in Nablus, sees what life is like, and learns his wife's secrets. The film is very powerful. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the story, and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	20 Feet from Stardom by Morgan Neville (Thurs Jul 4, 2013) Merry Clayton, Darlene Love, Claudia Lennear, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill NY Times RogerEbert.com (4-stars) Variety Film Trailer 20 Feet from Stardom is a documentary film about the musical contributions and careers of a hand-full of backup singers to famous groups over the last 50 years. The film explores the temperament, talent and skills required to succeed as a backup singer -- and in some cases move up to solo performer. The music, singing, industry stories and superstar interviews are very good. As I got to know the individual performers and their personalities, I was drawn into the telling of their experiences and cared about them. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Fill the Void by Rama Burshtein (Sat Jun 29, 2013) Hadas Yaron, Yiftach Klein, Irit Sheleg, Chaim Sharir, Razia Israely NY Times RogerEbert.com (3-stars) Variety Film Trailer Fill the Void is a Hebrew-language coming-of-age film set in Tel Aviv about an 18-year-old ultra-Orthodox woman. In an intimate and beautifully photographed story, the Orthodox film-maker tells of the young woman's life in her structured, ritualized, and tradition-filled community -- including the stressful and uncertain process of her arranged marriage. The woman's sister dies leaving an infant and great upheaval in the family. The acting was good, the filming was excellent, and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Hannah Arendt by Margarethe von Trotta (Sun Jun 23, 2013) Barbara Sukowa, Axel Milberg, Klaus Pohl, Janet McTeer NY Times Salon Variety Film Trailer Hannah Arendt explores the coverage of Nazi Adolf Eichmann's trial in Israel by a world-famous German-Jewish intellectual and philosopher. Set in 1961 New York City where Arendt lives after escaping the Nazi Holocaust, her articles in New Yorker magazine and her subsequent book prove very controversial. Her critical and emotionless analysis of the "dark days of evil" conclude that Eichmann is just a banal pawn and Jewish leaders helped facilitate atrocities. The story and the ideas are very powerful and the acting is good. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Man of Steel by Zack Snyder (Sat Jun 15, 2013) Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Man of Steel is a re-telling of the classic Superman comic origin story with a few new twists. It covers his birth on Krypton, his escape to earth, and his struggles dealing with extraordinary powers and assimilating into an alien planet. The acting is good and the IMAX 3-D and special effects are excellent. The early story involving the death of the planet Krypton and the escape of infant Kal-El engaged me, but the computer generated battle scenes at the end are very much overdone. I enjoyed the 1st half of the movie, but found the 2nd half mostly boring. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The East by Zal Batmanglij (Sat Jun 8, 2013) Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgard, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell NY Times Variety Film Trailer The East is a spy thriller about a former FBI agent who takes a high-level job with an industrial security firm that protects giant corporations against external threats. She takes an assignment to infiltrate and neutralize a group of young anarchists who are attacking corporations who do harm to the public. After finding the group and joining them, she comes under their influence and develops ambivalence about her assignment. The acting is very good, I was engaged in the story, and I cared about the chraracters. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Frances Ha by Noah Baumbach (Sun May 26, 2013) Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver, Grace Gummer, Mickey Sumner NY Times RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer Frances Ha is a dramedy character-study of a 27-year-old quirky good-natured woman who lives in present-day New York City. She has very little money, a stagnant dancing career, and no romantic relationship. She is realizing that her time for drifting between apartments and platonic relationships needs to end -- and she must enter a new mature phase of her life. The acting is good and the portrayal of single life in the City is well done, but I didn't care about the characters and I wasn't engaged in the very light story. I was mostly bored by the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Star Trek into Darkness by J.J. Abrams (Sat May 18, 2013) Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer Star Trek into Darkness is another prequel to the classic action-adventure science-fiction TV and movie series. Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise crew are young, talented, inexperienced and have excellent chemistry. They must track down and capture an extremely powerful terrorist who has attacked the Starfleet. There are distant worlds, lots of plot twists, and many high-power battles with futuristic weapons. The IMAX 3-D filming, sets and special effects are excellent and the acting is very good. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Company You Keep by Robert Redford (Sat May 11, 2013) Robert Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon NY Times RogerEbert.com (2.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer The Company You Keep is a melodrama based upon the 1960s activities of violent left-wing radical group Weather Underground. When a member of the idealistic group surrenders 30-years after a fatal bank robbery, it precipitates a search for the other missing members. As the FBI and an aggessive reporter pursue an accomplice, he tracks down the other group members -- who have moved on with their lives -- in an attempt to vindicate himself. The story is interesting, the acting is very good, and I cared about the characters. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mud by Jeff Nichols (Sat Apr 27, 2013) Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard James Berardinelli (3-stars) RogerEbert.com (3.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer Mud is a coming-of-age story about two 14-year-old boys. It is set in a small Mississippi River town in Arkansas and involves people who are poor, uneducated and struggling. The title character is a fugitive who meets and befriends the two boys on a deserted island in the river. The character-driven story follows the developing relationship between the three and explores issues of love, loyalty, family, truth-telling, doomed relationships and revenge. The acting is very good, I was drawn into the story, and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Renoir by Gilles Bourdos (Sat Apr 6, 2013) Michel Bouquet, Christa Théret, Vincent Rottiers, Thomas Doret NY Times Variety Roger Ebert (Eulogy) Film Trailer Renoir is a French-language film set in war-time 1915 that explores the relationships that develop between the aging and infirm impressionist grand-master, his 21-year-old son, and a young woman who is a muse and model to one and a lover to the other. The cinematography is excellent and the acting is very good. The simple, slow-moving and well-written script allowed me to think about the themes that were presented by the film-maker, including beauty, art, work, inspiration, family, ambition, war, loyalty and love. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Ginger & Rosa by Sally Potter (Sat Mar 23, 2013) Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks Roger Ebert (3-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Ginger & Rosa is a coming-of-age film set in 1962 London about two 17-year-old girls who are lifelong very close friends. In seeking their own identities, the girls are very much influenced by their less-than-supportive families and the constant media coverage of the threat of nuclear war. As they share their experiences with boys, sex, smoking and drinking, family, and protest movements, they begin to grow apart. The filming and acting were very good, but I was not engaged with the story or the characters, so I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oz the Great & Powerful by Sam Raimi (Sun Mar 17, 2013) James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer Oz the Great and Powerful is a fairy tale -- loosely based on The Wizard of Oz -- about a con-man circus magician who is swept away to the magical Land of Oz. The IMAX 3D filming and special effects are excellent. At the outset -- as we meet characters in the circus and then in the Land of Oz -- the story is less engaging. But once the Good Witch is introduced and the Magician Oz executes his plan to save the Land of Oz from the 2 Bad Witches, I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. I enjoyed the 2nd half of the film a lot. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts (Sun Feb 24, 2013) Simpson Daycare, Adam&Dog, Paperman, Guacamole, Head-Ovr-Heels Variety Film School Rejects Film Trailer Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts is a series of five 10-minute animated films nominated for 2013 Academy Awards. The films are a mix of clever, witty, sweet and heart-warming stories. Generally, they explore relationships and learning experiences. In each case, the stories are engaging and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed watching this diverse group of feel-good animated short films. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts (Sat Feb 23, 2013) Death of a Shadow, Henry, Curfew, Buzkashi Boys, Asad Variety Film School Rejects Film Trailer Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts is a series of five 20-minute films nominated for 2013 Academy Awards. Each of these films -- from Belgium, Canada, U.S., Afghanistan and South Africa -- are powerful and thought-provoking. They explore life-after-death, memory-loss in old age, dysfunctional siblings, and coming-of-age in dirt-poor Afghanistan and Somalia. In each case, the filming is very well done and the serious subjects were generally upsetting. I enjoyed watching this diverse group of unusual short films. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Les Miserables by Tom Hooper (Sat Dec 29, 2012) Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Poster Les Miserables is a film-opera adapted from the widely acclaimed French novel by Victor Hugo. Set during the French Revolution, it tells a number of inter-related stories about a policeman, a thief, a prostitute and young revolutionaries. The story spans about 17-years and addresses universal issues of justice, duty, redemption, love and freedom. Most of the dialog is sung. The story, songs, sets, costumes, and filming were excellent. I loved the film and was very much affected by its powerful themes and scenes. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Django Unchained by Quentin Tarantino (Tues Dec 25, 2012) Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Django Unchained is another original and complex film by Quentin Tarantino. It explores slavery and bounty hunting in 1858 America with his typical tension, violence and humor. A slave is freed by a bounty hunter to help find and kill 3 men wanted "dead-or-alive." The two men have great success and team up to free the slave's wife from a cruel and greedy plantation owner. The film has powerful scenes of racial injustice, western-style vengence and elements of a buddy-movie. The script, acting and filming are excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Barbara by Christian Petzold (Sat Dec 22, 2012) Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Jasna Fritzi Bauer, Mark Waschke NY Times Variety Film Trailer Barbara is a German-language film that tells of life in police-state East Germany in 1980, as experienced by a female doctor who has been banished to live in a remote small town for a minor infraction. The woman is under constant surveillance and is very bitter. She yearns to escape her bleak existence and live in a western country. As the story unfolds very slowly, we see her subdued reactions to her new surroundings and her new life -- and gradually learn about a secret she harbors. The acting and filming are excellent. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Fitzgerald Family Christmas by Ed Burns (Sat Dec 8, 2012) Edward Burns, Heather Burns, Kerry Bishé, Connie Britton NY Times Variety Film Trailer The Fitzgerald Family Christmas is a drama-comedy that explores the lives and family relationships of 9 members of an Irish-American Long Island family in the few days leading up to Christmas. As the story unfolds, we learn that each of the family members has some unresolved drama in their lives. Their strong family bonds and willingness to forgive are tested by their 20-year estranged father's request to join them for Christmas dinner. The script and acting are very good and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Silver Linings Playbook by David Russell (Sat Dec 1, 2012) Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Variety Film Trailer Silver Linings Playbook is a quirky romantic comedy about a man with bipolar disorder and a woman with depression. The man returns home from a mental hospital to live with his obsessive-compulsive sports-fan father and plans to reconcile with his estranged wife. He soon meets a woman whose husband has died. They develop an unorthodox relationship with many ups-and-downs and much erratic behavior. The acting is very good and I cared about the characters. Some of the comedy didn't work for me, but I mostly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Lincoln by Steven Spielberg (Sun Nov 18, 2012) Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Variety Film Trailer Poster Lincoln is a film about the 2-months before and just after the end of the Civil War. It centers on Lincoln's intense efforts to end the war, and to abolish slavery by passing the 13th Amendment. Many aspects of the great man are shown through interactions with his wife, sons, cabinet, congressmen and soldiers. The film also paints a very realistic picture of the workings of 1865 government and politics. Daniel Day-Lewis gives an Academy Award-worthy performance as Lincoln. The script, acting, costumes, sets and filming were excellent. I loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Skyfall by Sam Mendes (Sat Nov 10, 2012) Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Variety Film Trailer Skyfall is the 23rd film -- over a 50-year period -- in the hugely successful 007 Bond movie franchise. The film's story tells how an aging James Bond -- and his near-retirement boss M -- battle the tech-genius former agent who is commmitted to destroying them. The requisite chases, fights and love scenes take place in exotic locations in European cities. The IMAX filming of the action sequences, the special effects, and the music were excellent, but the story and acting were uneven. I am disappointed to say that I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Flight by Roger Zemeckis (Sat Nov 3, 2012) Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Flight is a film about an alcoholic airline pilot whose exceptional skill miraculously lands a disabled airplane and saves the lives of most of its passengers. As the story unfolds -- and the NTSB investigation proceeds -- there is a growing tension that the pilot's heroism will be trumped by the discovery that he was drunk while flying the plane. Denzel Washington gives an Academy Award-worthy performance and the filming is very good. I cared about the characters, I was drawn into the compelling story, and I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Cloud Atlas by Tom Tykwer (Sat Oct 27, 2012) Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Susan Sarandon Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Variety Film Trailer Netflix Cloud Atlas is a unique, fascinating and complex film -- based upon a bestselling novel -- that expounds the theory that humans throughout time are connected by spirituality, freedom, art and love. Six varied-genre episodic stories are told involving a lawyer, a composer, a publisher, a reporter, a humanoid and a goat-herder that span the years 1849 through 2346. Each actor plays several roles, appearing as different races, genders and ages. The acting, sets, makeup, costumes and IMAX filming are excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Perks of Being a Wallflower by Chbosky (Sat Oct 20, 2012) Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Kate Walsh James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Perks of Being a Wallflower is a sensitive coming-of-age film about the awkwardness, uncertainty, low self-esteem and angst experienced by a shy high school freshman and four outsider seniors who welcome him into their group. The story covers many familiar school experiences, including new friends, budding romances, drugs, bullying, and parties. The acting and the script are excellent and -- as the story unfolds -- the characters are well-developed. I cared about the characters, was drawn into their difficult experiences, and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	End of Watch by David Ayer (Sat Oct 6, 2012) Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Annna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer End of Watch is an action-drama-buddy movie about two adventure-seeking patrol cops in the LAPD, who also have hearts of gold and loving family lives. The film provides an extremely realistic episodic portrayal of their daily on-the-job experiences with gangs, drugs, guns, chases and violence - - as well as their close family relationships. The acting and script are excellent. I cared about the characters and was drawn into the action-filled story. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Looper by Rian Johnson (Sun Sept 30, 2012) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels James Berardinelli (4-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Looper is a science-fiction suspense-thriller about time travel and an assassin in 2044 who meets his future self from 2074. Gangs control much of the world in 2074. When they want to eliminate someone, they use a recently developed time travel machine to send him back in time to be killed by the assassin. When the gang sends the assassin of the future to be killed by himself in the past, a tense thriller ensues. The acting is very good and the script is excellent. I was drawn into the unpredictable and exciting story and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Arbitrage by Nicholas Jarecki (Sat Sept 15, 2012) Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, Brit Marling, Laetitia Casta Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Arbitrage is a suspense-thriller about a ruthless billionaire financial magnate who must sell his business immediately to prevent discovery of a fraud he has perpetrated to hide a huge trading loss. His path to closing the deal is repeatedly blocked by a tough-negotiating buyer, the accidental death of his lover, and his CFO daughter's discovery of altered financial records. This results in continuously rising tension. The filming and acting are good, but I was not drawn into the story and I didn't care about the characters. I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Bourne Legacy by Tony Gilroy (Sat Sept 1, 2012) Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer The Bourne Legacy is an action-adventure film about a super-secret government program and one of its agents whose genes have been altered to give him superior mental and physical skills. A discovery threatens to expose the program, so all of its participants must be eliminated. Most of the story tells of the government's use of massive resources to find and kill the agent -- and his skillful and exciting escapes. The story is complex and difficult to follow, but the lead actors are very good and I cared about their characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Premium Rush by David Koepp (Sat Aug 25, 2012) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Diana Ramirez, Wole Parks James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Premium Rush is an action-adventure-chase film about New York City's most talented bike messenger who has to deliver a very valuable package within 90-minutes. He encounters many challenging obstacles, including streets crowded with traffic, a competitor messenger, traffic cops, and a brutal and corrupt rogue cop. Numerous interesting characters participate in the non-stop fast-paced action. The breathless chase scenes and the unusual story are very well done. I cared about the characters, was drawn into the story, and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Intouchables by Olivier Nakache (Sun Aug 19, 2012) Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer The Intouchables is a French-language film set in Paris about a wealthy quadraplegic who hires a young charismatic streetwise African to be his live-in aid. The two men slowly develop a close personal relationship, in spite of their vastly different experiences and backgrounds. Through his persistance and upbeat demeanor, the young aid connects with the rich invalid and motivates him to enjoy his life more fully. They share many humorous and poignant experiences together. The acting is excellent and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Ruby Sparks by Jonathan Dayton (Sat Aug 11, 2012) Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Elliot Gould James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Ruby Sparks is a romantic-comedy-fantasy about a successful young writer who overcomes second-book writer's block by writing about himself and the girl he has been dreaming about. As the story unfolds, the girl he created in his book comes to life and becomes his girlfriend. At the outset, the girl of his dreams is perfect in their relationship. But as time passes, unexpected complications arise from his control of their relationship with his writing. I was drawn into the unusual story and cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Dark Knight Rises by Chris Nolan (Sat Aug 4, 2012) Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Variety Film Trailer The Dark Knight Rises ia the final episode of an action-adventure good-versus-evil film trilogy, based upon the DC Comics Batman classic. The story tells how Batman is lured out of a 7-year retirement to fight the mortal threat to Gotham City by a monstrously evil man who plans to destroy it with a nuclear bomb. Numerous characters take part in the complex plot and many battle scenes lead to a climactic finale. The filming, special effects and IMAX are excellent and the story is very good. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Beasts of the Southern Wild (Sat July 21, 2012) Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Lowell Landes James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Beasts of the Southern Wild tells of a dirt-poor 6-year-old girl and her father who live on an oft-flooded desolate island near New Orleans. They and their neighbors struggle day-to-day to survive. The story is told through the eyes of the girl and expresses many fundamental human emotions -- father-daughter love, closeness to nature, support of neighbors, fierce independence. and fighting for survival. There are numerous scenes of fantasy and spirituality. The acting and filming are very good, I cared about the characters, and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	To Rome with Love by Woody Allen (Sat July 7, 2012) Woody Allen, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg Roger Ebert (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer To Rome with Love is a light, wacky and good-natured Woody Allen comedy that explores romantic relationships, sex, family, fame and Rome. Four stories set in Rome are told with alternating vignettes that overlap only tangentially. The stories involve an American girl, her Italian fiance and their families; a boy, his girlfriend and her girlfriend; Italian newlyweds and his family; and a simple Italian everyman. The filming and acting are good, the stories are creative, and the humor is clever. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson (Sat Jun 23, 2012) Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Netflix Moonrise Kingdom is a humorous, quirky and sweet film set in 1965 at a boy scout camp and told from the perspective of a group of 12-year-olds. An orphan boy resigns from camp and runs away into the woods with his girlfriend. The film chronicles the development of their pre-teen relationship and their unusual adventures while on the run from the authorities and the girl's parents. The acting by each of the unique characters is uniformly very good. I was drawn into the story, cared about the characters, and enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (Sat Jun 16, 2012) Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Elizabeth Olsen, Nat Wolff Roger Ebert (3-stars) Washington Post Film Trailer Netflix Peace, Love & Misunderstanding is a heartwarming comedy-drama about a woman, her 2 children, and their grandmother who reconnect after a 20-year estrangement. The reunion is precipitated by the husband's divorce request. The grandmother lives in Woodstock and has never changed her hippie ways. During their stay in Woodstock, the visitors learn much about themselves, experience personal growth and find new love. The story is quite predictable, but the acting is very good and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Headhunters by Morten Tyldum (Sat May 26, 2012) Aksel Hennie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Synnove Macody Lund James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Headhunters is a Norwegian-language mystery-thriller about an executive recruiter who uses his job to assist him in his secondary work as an art thief. Anxiety rises as one of his job candidates -- who is the target of his next art heist -- reveals a deadly secret that threatens his life. As the plot twists and turns and surprises appear, the pace of the film quickens and the tension builds rapidly. During a long chase, it is never clear who is a betrayer or who can be trusted. The acting is good and the story is very compelling. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Avengers by Joss Whedon (Sat May 12, 2012) Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel Jackson James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Avengers is a comic-book-superhero action-adventure movie about the team-up of Ironman, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, and Black Widow to battle powerful invaders from another universe. As the story unfolds, each of the superheroes shows off their powers individually, until they are brought together to prevent the destruction of earth. The story is a bit long and comic-book light, but the special effects, 3-D, IMAX surround-sound, and acting are excellent. The final battle is quite amazing to watch. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Footnote by Joseph Cedar (Sat Apr 7, 2012) Shlomo Bar Aba, Lior Ashkenazi, Alisa Rosen, Micah Lewesohn Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Footnote is an Israeli film that explores academic research, father-son rivalry, the importance of pure truth, and doing the right thing. As the story unfolds with satire, farce and intense gravity, we learn about father and son Talmudic scholars who compete for a prestigious prize. An unexpected event causes an extremely knotty dilemma for all involved. Solving the problem reveals a lot about the true nature of each of the protagonists. The story is engrossing, the acting is very good, and I cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Hunger Games by Gary Ross (Thurs Mar 29, 2012) Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Hunger Games tells the post-apocalyptic story of a girl who is selected to compete in a tournament in which 24 teenagers from 12 districts of the country fight to the death. The entire competition is televised live for the entertainment of the powerful elite and the miserable masses. Most of the action takes place in a jungle where the contestants kill each other until only one is left to honor a district. The filming and acting are good and I cared about the characters. I was drawn into the fast-paced engrossing story and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Deep Blue Sea by Terence Davies (Sat Mar 24, 2012) Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston, Simon Russell Beale, Barbara Jefford NY Times Entertainment Weekly Film Trailer The Deep Blue Sea is a flim about a very melodramatic love triangle set in England just after WWII. A married woman is overwhelmed by her passionate feelings for an unemployed war hero and irrationally abandons her wealthy older husband to be with the younger man -- in spite of her awareness of their incompatibilities. The story and filming are generally slow and moody and the music ranges from operatic to soothing. The acting is excellent and I was eventually drawn into empathizing with the three tormented protagonists. I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Shame by Steve McQueen (Sat Feb 25, 2012) Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale, Nicole Beharie James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Shame is a film about a handsome and fit 35-ish successful New York City bachelor who is addicted to sex. He spends all of his waking hours thinking about and pursuing his next orgasm. He has no meaninful relationships and does not connect emotionally with his sex partners. He deals with this problem relatively well, until his homeless dysfunctional sister come to live with him. The lead performance is excellent and the fliming is very good, but the viewing experience is disturbing and unpleasant. I did not enjoy this film at all. (1.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Separation by Asghar Farhadi (Sat Feb 11, 2012) Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Sarina Farhadi James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer A Separation is an Iranian-language film about two families whose lives dramatically intersect around a grandfather with Alzheimer's. The film provides an intimate portrait of a society deeply divided by gender, religion, class and generation. Conflicts occur and tensions build. Lies are told by family members, employer and employee, and parties in the rigid legal system. The acting and cinematography are very good and the film paints a compelling picture of Iranian life and culture. I was uncomfortably engaged in the story and partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Haywire by Steven Soderbergh (Sun Jan 29, 2012) Gina Carano, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Haywire is an action-adventure film, set mostly in Barcelona and Dublin, about agents-for-hire and a secret project that goes awry. A female superagent -- played by a former mixed martial-arts professional -- is betrayed by her boss, framed for murder, and targeted to be killed. The story tells of her search to get revenge with those responsible. The superagent's fights and chase scenes were realistic and well done, but I wasn't engaged in the story and I didn't care a lot about the characters. I didn't enjoy the movie very much. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	War Horse by Steven Spielberg (Sat Jan 7, 2012) Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer War Horse is a drama-adventure about a thoroughbred horse, set in rural England and Europe before and during the First World War. The story follows the horse and its owners -- an Englilsh boy, an English Soldier, a German soldier, a French soldier, and the English boy again -- as they experience the horrors of the war years together. The film artistically portrays rural England and the chaos, hell and cruelty of face-to-face war. The cinematography and sets were excellent, I cared about the extraordinary horse, and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mission Impossible by Brad Bird (Sun Jan 1, 2012) Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Mission Impossible is a hyper-action-adventure film set in Moscow, Dubai and Mumbai. The 4th in the 15-year franchise, it tells the story of a four-person team's efforts to thwart the plot of a genius madman to start a nuclear world-war. Its non-stop fighting, chasing, climbing, shooting and explosions is very exciting and reminiscent of James Bond and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Enhanced by the large-screen and surround-sound of IMAX, the cinematography, script and acting were excellent and I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Dangerous Method by David Cronenberg (Fri Dec 30, 2011) Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Sarah Gadon Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer A Dangerous Method is a film set in 1904 about psychoanalysis pioneers Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and a woman who is a patient, a lover and a colleague. It tells about the development of the "talking cure," analysis of dreams, and sexual causes of behavioral problems. It also explores the characters' relationships with each other, their motivations, and how their personal lives interact with their professional lives. The acting and insights into the development of psychoanalysis were excellent and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by T Alfredson (Tues Dec 27, 2011) Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Netflix Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a thinking man's spy-thriller, based upon a Le Carre novel set in 1973 England and Europe. At a slow and steady pace -- with constant tension, uncertainty and suspicion -- the complex story tells of a retired British Intelligence Agent who is trying to learn the identity of a Russian mole at the highest level of his organization. It is nearly impossible to know what is true or false or who can be trusted or not. The film's cold war setting, characters and atmosphere are very authentic. I was drawn into the story and enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Mon Dec 26, 2011) Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a mystery-thriller set in Sweden and involving an investigative reporter, a goth-girl computer-genius investigator and many members of a large wealthy family. The reporter loses a libel lawsuit and takes a job investigating a 40-year-old murder of a member of the wealthy family. The investigation slowly reveals many layers of a complex plot and builds great tension as the mystery unfolds. The story was tense and compelling, and the acting and chemistry of the leads was excellent. I loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie (Sun Dec 25, 2011) Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris James Berardinelli (3.0-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Sherlock Holmes is an action-adventure murder-mystery, based on the classic English detective and his assistant Watson. Set in 1895, the story pits Holmes against his genius arch-enemy, whose bombings and murders remain unsolved. The story moves forward at a breathless pace, with endless hand-to-hand fights and battles with countless adversaries. At each step, Holmes and his enemy analyze moves and deduce countermoves. The acting is good and the film is exciting, witty and humorous. I was drawn into the story and enjoyed the movie a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Artist by Michel Hazanavicius (Fri Dec 23, 2011) Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Artist is a black-and-white silent film set at the dawn of talking pictures. It tells the story of a silent film star who refuses to adapt to the introduction of talking films and sees his career and his life decline rapidly. He will not accept good advice or help, including that offered by a female rising star in talkies that idolizes him. The filming was very authentic for the period and the acting was quite good, but I was not engaged by the story at all. On balance, I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Margin Call by J.C. Chandor (Sat Dec 3, 2011) Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Simon Baker James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Margin Call is a financial thriller set in 2008, just before the meltdown of Wall Street institutions. It covers a 24-hour period after a risk analyst predicts a rapid and catastrophic decline in the value of the investment firm's mortgage-backed assets. The crisis quickly reaches the CEO, who convenes his team at 3:00 AM to discuss their options. As the plot advances, tension rises dramatically and the characters reveal their fear, greed and cold-hearted decision-making. The script felt very authentic and the acting was excellent. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Hugo by Martin Scorcese (Sat Nov 26, 2011) Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Poster Hugo is a fable about a 12-year-old orphan boy who lives and works in the clocktower of the train station in 1930s Paris and yearns to learn about his clockmaker father and his own purpose in life. The boy meets a young girl with yearnings of her own and together they unravel a series of related mysteries involving a mechanical man and the girl's storekeeper godfather. The sets, the cinematography, the characters and the acting are excellent. I was drawn into the enchanting story and loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Descendants by Alexander Payne (Fri Nov 25, 2011) George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Beau Bridges James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The Descendants is a film about a wealthy 4th generation Hawaiian land owner whose wife has an accident that leaves her in a coma. He must learn to deal with the stress of her declining health, the parenting of his 2 teenage daughters, and the pressure from his extended family to sell a vast track of valuable land. The film shows how he deals with these issues and grows from the experience. The acting is good and the photography is beautiful, but I found the characters passive and dull, so I wasn't drawn into the story. The movie was mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	In Time by Andrew Niccol (Sat Nov 19, 2011) Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Vincent Kartheiser, Cillian Murphy James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer In Time is an action-adventure film set in the future, where people live until age 25 and then get a "time remaining" clock set to 365-days. Their bodies never age again, but to live longer, they must buy time. Everything revolves around time -- work for time, pay with time, and die when time runs out. A young man and his girlfriend are chased by the Timekeeper Police as they steal time from the rich and give it to the poor -- in Robin Hood meets Bonnie and Clyde fashion. I cared about the characters, was involved in the story, and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	J. Edgar by Clint Eastwood (Sat Nov 12, 2011) Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer J. Edgar is a based-on-a-true-story film about J. Edgar Hoover's rise to power -- and clinging to power -- as he creates and sustains the Federal Bureau of Investigation over a 48-year period, overlapping eight presidents. The film covers many historic events and period detail in a very realistic way and Leonardo DiCaprio gives an Oscar-worthy performance in the lead role. The film's portrayal of this intensely driven, idiosyncratic and very talented figure is quite compelling. I enjoyed the film's good performances and history-biopic storytelling. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Take Shelter by Jeff Nichols (Sat Oct 22, 2011) Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Tova Stewart Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Take Shelter is a suspense-thriller that tells of a happy father in a rural Ohio family who is experiencing the slow onset of inherited paranoid schizophrenia. He has very intense nightmares involving fierce storms, tornadoes and his close family members. His feeling of foreboding and dread carries over into his waking hours and he starts to act erratically and builds an underground storm shelter to protect his family. The acting in the fim is excellent, but I wasn't drawn into the very slow-moving story, so I didn't enjoy the film very much. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Ides of March by George Clooney (Sun Oct 9, 2011) Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Poster The Ides of March is a political suspense-thriller about a Democratic primary campaign in a state that's critical for the nomination. It tells of a talented political consultant and how his idealism -- and that of his candidate -- is abandoned to win the primary. The strategies and tactics of the two campaigns and the media are the main thread of the well-written script. The film's cynical feeling rings very true and is enhanced by six excellent performances. I was drawn into the compelling story, I cared about the characters and I loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Contagion by Steven Soderbergh (Sat Oct 1, 2011) Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Contagion is a medical thriller about a world-wide pandemic that is started by the random transmittal of a virus from a bird, to a bat, to a pig, and then to a chef. The virus is contagious and deadly, requiring only a touch to be transmitted and a few days to kill. The film tracks the rapid spread of the epidemic, the growing concern of government agencies, and the eventual public panic. Tension builds exponentially as the virus spreads and a vaccine is elusive. The acting is good and, except for a few scenes, the story is gripping. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn (Sun Sept 25, 2011) Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Drive is a dark action-thriller about a mysterious unnamed driver who works for films as a stuntman and for robbers as a getaway driver. We learn nothing about his past and little about what he thinks or feels. All we know is what we see and the little that he says as the tense story unfolds. He helps a neighbor-friend's ex-con husband and unexpected events spiral out of control. The tension builds greatly as the film progresses and surprises follow. The acting is good, I cared about the characters and I was engaged in the story. I liked the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Moneyball by Bennett Miller (Sat Sept 24, 2011) Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Moneyball is a based-upon a true story baseball film about the Oakland Athletic's surprisingly successful 2002 season -- including a 20-game win streak -- with a team of very low-salary players. The team's General Manager and his Economist Assistant achieve their against-tradition success by using endless baseball data and mathematical analysis for the first time in Major League Baseball history. I found the story to be a bit slow and the baseball environment inauthentic. Except for a few dramatic scenes, the film was mostly boring to me. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sarah's Key by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (Sat Sept 17, 2011) Kristin Scott Thomas, Melusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup, Aidan Quinn Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Sarah's Key is a Holocaust film about the roundup and extermination of Jews in 1942 France by French authorities. It powerfully tells of Sarah and her family and how they are taken from their apartment. A second thread tells of a modern-day reporter whose family later lived in the apartment. In the first half of the film, I was often jarred and distracted when the story abruptly shifted from Sarah to the reporter and back. The two threads differ radically in tone and pace. The acting is good, but I didn't get drawn into the story, so my enjoyment was limited. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Warrior by Gavin O'Connor (Sat Sept 10, 2011) Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Warrior is a movie about a father and his 2 sons, who are estranged from each other, whose lives intersect in training and competing for a $5 million prize in a Mixed Martial Arts tournament. The father is a recovering alcoholic, one son is a Marine home from Iraq, and the other son is a financially struggling teacher. The story of their troubled lives is revealed as the plot unfolds and they prepare for the ultimate fight. The acting is very good, I cared about the characters, and the fight scenes in the cage are realistic and exciting. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Debt by John Madden (Sat Sept 3, 2011) Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer The Debt is a classic suspense spy-thriller. In 1966, three Israeli Massad agents go to East Berlin to find a Nazi war criminal and bring him back for trial. Suspense builds as they stalk and capture the Nazi, but their plan goes awry. In 1997, we see that the 3 agents have been treated as heroes for 30 years -- and that they have kept a secret and must return to Europe to fix a problem. The acting is very good and there are many suspenseful scenes, but I didn't get drawn into the story or care about the characters. On balance, the film was mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Captain America by Joe Johnston (Sat Aug 27, 2011) Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Hayley Atwell James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Captain America is an action-adventure superhero film that describes the origin of the Marvel Comics character Captain America. The good-natured and sometimes humorous script and the excellent computer graphics provide a light comic book environment that is set in the 1940s during World War II. The film tells of the creation of a super-soldier using an experimental serum and his adventures battling a power hungry Hitler subordinate. I was drawn into the story, cared about the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Help by Tate Taylor (Sat Aug 13, 2011) Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Allison Janney Roger Ebert (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Help is a film about African-American women who serve as maids, housekeepers and nannies for white families in 1960s Mississippi. Their story is told as they are interviewed by a young woman who returns home from school to write a controversial book about their lives. Some of the roles are caricatures and much of the bigotry and violence of the time is downplayed, but the acting is very good, many scenes are powerful and upsetting, and humor is used to good effect. I was drawn into the story and enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Cowboys & Aliens by Jon Favreau (Sun Aug 7, 2011) Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Cowboys & Aliens is an action-adventure film set in a small town in the Old West in 1873. It delivers heavy doses of good and evil, and power struggles between the leading characters. The story takes a surprising turn when the town's people are attacked and abducted by alien creatures in advanced flying machines who are searching for gold. The common enemy eventually causes all the conflicting parties to cooperate. The film is well-written as a classic western tale, the acting is very good, and I was drawn into the story. I enjoyed it quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Crazy Stupid Love by Glenn Ficarra (Sat July 30, 2011) Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Crazy Stupid Love is a romantic comedy about unsuccessful relationships and unrequited love. It tells about a separating couple, their son, their babysitter, the man's lady-killer friend, the woman's boyfriend -- and others involved with them. The film interweaves comedic scenes about middle-aged, young-adult and teenage relationships. Althought the acting was quite good and there were some very funny scenes, I found the story to be unevenly told with too many characters. On balance, I didn't enjoy the film very much. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sholem Aleichem by Joseph Dorman (Sat July 23, 2011) Dan Miron, Hillel Halkin, Bel Kaufman, David Roskies, Ruth Wisse NY Times Variety Film Trailer Sholem Aleichem is a documentary film about the legendary Jewish writer who chronicled the life and times of his people during the late-19th and early-20th century in their every-day language of Yiddish. His weekly stories over 25-years -- with vividly memorable characters -- captured the unique culture and experience of Russian Jews from the Shtetl to large cities to emigrating to America. The film provides a rich and well-illustrated history of Eastern-European Jewry, shown through the life and work of the author. I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick (Sat July 9, 2011) Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn, Hunter McCracken James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Tree of Life is a very ambitious and intensely spiritual film that explores the wonders and mysteries of creation and life, and man's relationship to man and god. Using languorously filmed dramatic and sensitive images and very little dialog, the film traverses all of time and evokes many emotions from endless scenes in the lives of an average 1950s family -- including the relative importance of nature and spiritual grace. The film was thought-provoking and beautifully presented, but I didn't find it very enjoybable. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Super 8 by J.J. Abrams (Sun Jun 12, 2011) Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Super 8 is a homage to Steven Spielberg's films and it contains familiar elements from many of them. Six teenage close-friends are filming an 8mm zombie movie in 1979. At a shoot near a train station, they witness a horrendous train crash that sets in motion mysterious events that follow. The young friends become immersed in disappearances of machines, dogs and people; a military investigation; and many scary situations. The characters are appealing, the story is well-written and the special effects are excellent. I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	X-Men: First Class by Matthew Vaughn (Sat Jun 4, 2011) James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer X-Men: First Class is a prequal film about the origin of the X-Men, based upon the popular comic book series. It tells the story of isolated mutant humans who begin to discover each other and the diversity of their super-powers. As the story unfolds, we see the bad mutants threaten to start a world-war and the good mutants team up to stop them. The special effects and super-power demontrations are well done, but the characters are generally superficial and the story's momentum drags in some places. On balance, the film is partly enjoyable. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen (Sat May 28, 2011) Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Adrian Brody James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Midnight in Paris is a Woody Allen comedy-fantasy about a young writer who travels to Paris with his fiancee and future in-laws. During the visit he discovers major differences between him and his fiancee. He also fantasizes about living in romantic Paris, where many famous writers and artists have lived. The music and photography are very good. The comedy scenes with his future family didn't work for me, but I very much enjoyed the gently humorous fantasy scenes, when he meets famous characters, and thinks about himself and his dreams. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Double Hour by Giuseppe Capotondi (Sat May 21, 2011) Ksenia Rappoport and Filippo Timi NY Times LA Times Film Trailer The Double Hour is an Italian-language suspense-thriller-romance about a security guard and an immigrant hotel maid. They meet at a speed-dating event and a romance blossoms quickly. The tone of the story shifts suddenly when the couple is attacked by thieves and the man is forced to help them rob the lavish home that he is guarding. When the security guard is shot, the plot twists and turns and introduces characters that create an intricate mystery. The acting is good and the story is suspenseful and engrossing. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Bridesmaids by Paul Feig (Sun May 15, 2011) Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Bridesmaids is a female-buddy comedy by SNL veteran Kristen Wiig about a woman with low self-esteem and her 5 girl-friends, one of whom is getting married. It tells the story of their preparation for the wedding and includes various boyfriends, dress shopping, a bachelorette party, roommates, and assorted adventures. The humor runs the gamut from gross-out to heart warming. The extreme physical comedy didn't work for me, but I liked the characters and many of the good-natured humorous scenes. On balance, I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Thor by Kenneth Branagh (Sat May 7, 2011) Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston James Berardinelli (3-stars) Entertainment Weekly Film Trailer Thor is a story about a comic book superhero from Norse mythology. Thor and his brother compete for their father's throne in their godly realm, while they are threatened by a powerful adversary. After nearly starting a war, Thor is shorn of his powers and banished to the earthly realm. On earth, he meets and falls for an attractive astrophysicist. The story and acting are very light-weight, but I cared about the characters and the resolution of the superhero conflicts provided lots of battles and special effects. On balance, I partly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Source Code by Duncan Jones (Sat Apr 23, 2011) Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Source Code is a science-fiction mystery-thriller about a soldier whose brain is connected by advanced technology to the brain of a terrorist train bombing victim. In repeated visits to the train, the soldier inhabits the mind and body of the victim during his final 8-minutes of life -- attempting to find the bomber and stop his attack on a major city. The mystery unfolds as the soldier slowly gets to know the passengers and finds clues to the bomber's identity. The acting is good, the characters are appealing, and the story is engrossing. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Hanna by Joe Wright (Sat Apr 16, 2011) Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Hanna is a mystery-suspense-thriller about a renegade spy who trains his teenage daughter to be an assassin to survive the wrath of his betrayed handler. They work very hard to give her great physical and mental skills to prepare for an eventual clash with the CIA spy handler. The exciting chase of the teenage girl by the CIA, which is enhanced by excellent photography, is the heart of the story. I cared about the characters, and wanted to find out their mysterious relationship and what had happened in a violent clash in the past. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Potiche by François Ozon (Sat Apr 9, 2011) Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Potiche is a French language romantic comedy set in the 1970s with a women's liberation theme thrown in. It tells the story of a wealthy submissive wife who is reluctantly forced by circumstances to take over for her husband as CEO of the family business. The story is very light and reminiscent of a Doris Day film -- with a French cultural flavor of extramarital affairs and ambiguous paternity. Catherine Deneuve is very good in the leading role, but the story and the humor didn't draw me in. I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Win Win by Tom McCarthy (Sat Apr 2, 2011) Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale Roger Ebert (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Win Win is a good-natured comedy about a New Jersey attorney who is under financial pressure and struggles to maintain a feeling of normalcy in his family. He makes an ill-advised decision for financial gain and suffers many unintended consequences. The story involves his family, an elderly client who he is legal guardian of, the runaway wrestler-grandson of the client, and two of his assistant wrestling coaches. The acting is excellent, the humor is low key, and the characters are sympathetic. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Certified Copy by Abbas Kiarostami (Sat Mar 26, 2011) Juliette Binoche, William Shimell Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Certified Copy tells a story about an antique dealer and an art historian who meet in Italy. They talk endlessly with great wit and emotion about the value of original art and copies, and about marriage and family. They are mistaken for a married couple and then take on that role. Juliettte Binoche gives a wonderful performance and the photography is excellent. Unfortunately, I felt like the film-maker was playing artful mind-games with me, so I couldn't identify with the characters. I found the story impenetrable and I was mostly bored by the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Lincoln Lawyer by Brad Furman (Sat Mar 19, 2011) Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William Macy James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Lincoln Lawyer is a murder-mystery-thriller about a street-wise money-hungry criminal defense attorney who works from his chaffeur-driven Lincoln Continental. The story starts slowly, but once the lawyer takes on a challenging case the well-written script takes over and the suspense and tension build continuously. The story involves the arrest and trial of a wealthy playboy and includes lots of detective work. The acting is good and the story's complexity kept me engaged. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Sat Mar 12, 2011) NY Times LA Times Film Trailer Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives is a unique and strange Thai film about the time leading up to and just after the death of a sick rural beekeeper. The story integrates past and present, the living and dead, reality and dreams, and reincarnated men and animals. It unfolds in a series of vignettes at an ultra-slow and serene pace with a minimum of dialog. I felt as if I was watching and experiencing a Buddhist meditation. I can't say that I enjoyed the film, but I did find it intriguing and thought provoking. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Adjustment Bureau by George Nolfi (Sun Mar 6, 2011) Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Tony Mackie, John Slattery, Terence Stamp James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Adjustment Bureau is a science-fiction-thriller love story that explores free will and fate. An agency run by an all-powerful being oversees everyone's lives to ensure that things go according to plan. A couple's chance meeting leads to a romance that is not in the plan. Agents of the Bureau try to make an adjustment to the lover's lives and the lovers exercise free will to stay together. The story is intriguing and there is good chemistry between the leads. In spite of some problems with the script and some uneven acting, I mostly enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Whatever Works by Woody Allen (Sat Feb 26, 2011) Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood. Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr. James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Whatever Works is a farcical comedy about a 60ish cynical misanthrope, his 20ish naive paramour, his friends and her parents. It's a typical Woody Allen comedy with lots of dialog and quirky interactions among the characters -- along with Larry David's offbeat shtick. The characters make many unexpected adjustments in their ongoing search for happiness. I found that there was too much talking and I did not identify with the characters. I appreciated the creativity and cleverness of the story, but I was mostly bored. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Barney's Version by Richard J. Lewis (Sat Feb 19, 2011) Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Barney's Version tells the life story of an impulsive and incorrigible schlemiel who follows his heart into 3 marriages, in spite of the logical negative consequences of his actions. Through the lens of these marriages, the film explores friendship, loyalty, family relationships, creative expression, drunkenness, and spousal love. Giamatti gives an academy award-worthy performance and his costars are generally excellent. I found the film a bit long and the storytelling slow and uneven in spots. I partly enjoyed the flim. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Another Year by Mike Leigh (Sat Jan 29, 2011) Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville, Oliver Maltman Roger Ebert (4-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Another Year is a slice-of-life film about a long-married professional couple in England and some of their family and friends. Through many conversations over a one-year period, we learn about their lives -- the couple's happiness and their friends lack of it. Although I appreciated the high-quality of the fiming and the acting, I found the movie had too much talking, moved at a very slow pace, and was mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Company Men by John Wells (Sat Jan 22, 2011) Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner Roger Ebert (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer The Company Men tells the story of the impact of multiple layoffs at a large corporation on the careers and personal lives of 3 high-level executives. It accurately portrays the tense corporate layoff process and the frustration and stress of outplacement and job search. The executives deal with the crushing of dreams and careers, and question the value of their company dedication and loyalty. This movie will have a powerful impact on anyone who has been affected by a corporate layoff. I was drawn into the well-told story and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	True Grit by Ethan and Joel Coen (Sun Jan 2, 2011) Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer True Grit is set in the Old West in the 1890s and tells a story of vengeance. A 14-year-old girl hires a U.S. Marshall to track down and bring to justice the murderer of her father. She insists on joining him in the hunt and along the way they have many encounters with "bad-guys" in Indian country. The acting is excellent and the filmmakers capture the distinctive dialog, the pace, and the brutal atmosphere of life in the Old West. I appreciated these aspects of the film, but except for a few dramatic scenes, I found it mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Rabbit Hole by John Cameron Mitchell (Thurs Dec 30, 2010) Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Sandra Oh James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Rabbit Hole tells the story of a young couple who struggle with their grief, 8-months after their 4-year-old son dies in a car accident. Each follows their own distinctive path to handling the tragedy, regaining some emotional footing, and moving on with their life. Painful raw emotions are on full-display and healing is extremely difficult. The woman's mother and sister and a therapy group all try to help, with limited success. I found the story very slow and the acting just average. I didn't enjoy the film very much. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The King's Speech by Tom Hooper (Tues Dec 28, 2010) Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The King's Speech is set in England, just before the onset of WWII. It tells the story of the 2nd heir to the thrown, who struggles to overcome his lifelong stammering to fulfill the speechmaking obligations of British Royalty. He enlists the help of an unorthodox speech therapist and becomes his close friend. The King dies, his oldest son succeeds him, and then abdicates the throne to his brother. The script is witty and humorous, and the acting is excellent. I cared about the characters, was immersed in the story, and enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky (Sat Dec 18, 2010) Natalie Portman, Vin Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barb Hershey, Winona Ryder James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Poster Black Swan tells the story of an ambitious and dedicated ballerina who is training for the lead role in Swan Lake -- and must master the innocence and grace of the white swan, as well as the passion and abandon of the black swan. The ballerina is under the immense pressure of her physical training, as well as from her director, her mother and her understudy. She slowly descends into madness. The film's ambiguity between reality and madness builds great tension. Natalie Portman gives an Academy Award-worthy performance and the camera-work and music are excellent. I cared very much about the ballerina; I became immersed in her experiences; and I loved the film. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Fighter by David O. Russell (Fri Dec 17, 2010) Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, Jack McGee James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer The Fighter is a "based-on-a-true-story" film about a working-class Boston-area dysfunctional family who are all involved in professional boxing. The 2 sons fight and the parents manage them. The younger boxer is being held back by his mother's and brother's selfishness and ineptitude. Things begin to change when he meets and falls for a young female bartender. The acting is generally very good, but I didn't get drawn into the story or care about the characters. Except for the climactic scenes in the last 20-minutes, I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Tourist by Florian von Donnersmarck (Fri Dec 10, 2010) Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton Roger Ebert (2-stars) New York Times Film Trailer The Tourist is a romantic mystery-thriller set in Paris, London and Venice. It tells the story of a mysterious beautiful woman who is followed by government agents and gangsters to find her lover and recover the millions of dollars that he has stolen. The woman engages a math teacher tourist -- who looks like her lover -- to throw off her followers. The script is not well-written and there is not much chemistry between the leads. Except for the gorgeous scenary in Venice and a dramatic finale, I found the film mostly boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Tangled by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard (Sat Dec 4, 2010) Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman James Berardinelli (3-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Tangled is a 3-D Disney-animated romantic-musical-fairytale, based upon the classic Rapunzel. Princess Rapunzel is imprisoned in a remote castle tower by a wicked woman, so her magic powers can keep the woman young forever. She is visited by a charming rascal thief who travels with her through the forest to fulfill her dream. They encounter quirky characters and have many adventures along the way to the predictable happy ending. The storytelling and animation are excellent, and the characters, songs and 3-D are good. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Love and Other Drugs by Edward Zwick (Fri Nov 26, 2010) Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer Love and Other Drugs is a romantic comedy and a love story about a slick and ambitious pharmaceutical salesman who meets an early onset Parkinson's patient at a doctor's office. They begin a relationship that dramatically changes them both. The tone and mood of the story shifts significantly multiple times as their worlds of pharmaceutical sales and degenerative disease overlap and their relationship progresses. The acting and chemistry of the leads is excellent and the script is very well-written. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Inside Job by Charles Ferguson (Sat Nov 20, 2010) Narrrated by Matt Damon Roger Ebert (4-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Inside Job is a documentary about the financial industry's power and greed that caused the 2008 worldwide economic crisis. Interviews with high-profile experts show how Federal Regulatory Agencies allowed a significant industry expansion into high-risk mortgage loans and complex financial instruments with little oversight or accountability. Complicit -- either directly or through conflict of interests -- in causing the real estate bubble that burst were Insurance Companies, Securities Rating Agencies, Mortgage Brokers, and Academic Economists. The film is very powerful. It makes a broad and compelling case for stronger industry regulation. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Morning Glory by Roger Michell (Fri Nov 19, 2010) Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Morning Glory is a light situation comedy about a bumbling, but very energetic, young TV producer who tries to resuscitate a dying morning news show. The film has many good-naturedly funny scenes involving bad programming, TV ratings, personality conflicts, staff morale, and awkward romantic situations. In spite of some flaws in the acting and script, I enjoyed the likeable characters and the humorous story -- and I rooted for them to overcome their obstacles. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Unstoppable by Tony Scott (Sat Nov 13, 2010) Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Dunn James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Unstoppable is an action-adventure film about an unmanned half-mile long runaway freight train that's moving at high speed towards a dangerous curve in a large town. The compelling story is told from the viewpoint of a rookie conductor and a veteran engineer who try to stop the train. Tension mounts steadily as awareness of the dangerous situation expands and attempts to stop the train fail. The acting is good, the story is exciting, and the photography and special effects are excellent. I enjoyed watching the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	RED by Robert Schwentke (Sat Oct 30, 2010) Bruce Willis, ML Parker, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2-stars) Film Trailer RED is a spoof of an action-adventure spy-thriller, based upon a DC Comics graphic novel. It tells the story of a CIA operative who is forced to come out of retirement and team up with his old partners to defend himself from attack by powerful unknown assailants. The story is compelling; the action is exciting; the tongue-in-cheek humor is dry; and the acting is excellent. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Hereafter by Clint Eastwood (Sat Oct 23, 2010) Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Frankie McLaren James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Hereafter is a film that explores 3 after-life experiences . . psychic communications, coming back-from-the-dead, and responding to the death of a close relative. The stories are told in parallel by the film-maker with great care and sensitivity. He shows the heavy burden of communicating with the dead, the distraction of remembering your own death, and the paralysis of losing a twin brother. I found the film quite interesting, but a bit slow-moving. I would have preferred that only one of the 3 stories be developed with greater depth. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Never Let Me Go by Mark Romanek (Sat Oct 16, 2010) Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Never Let Me Go is a science fiction love story set in the 20th century. It explores the lives of 3 young people who are raised by an institution since birth to donate their organs to extend the lives of others in society. We follow the 3 protagonists through boarding school and entry into the limited society that they will experience -- and we watch their complex relationship grow. The story is powerful, but very sad and upsetting -- and it's told at a very slow pace. I wasn't engaged by the story or the characters and I didn't enjoy the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Secretariat by Randall Wallace (Sat Oct 9, 2010) Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Scott Glenn, James Cromwell James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Secretariat is a Disney-produced light-drama, based upon the true story of the greatest racehorse of all time. The film tells of the female owner's stubborn determination to fulfill the well-bred horse's potential -- a trait she shares with her recently deceased horseman father. It also shows the comeback and redemption of their unorthodox trainer, who had numerous recent failures. The filming of the triple-crown races is excellent, but the acting and script are average. Nonetheless, the inspirational and compelling story drew me in and I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Social Network by DFincher & ASorkin (Sat Oct 2, 2010) Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The Social Network tells the fictionalized story of the early years and meteoric growth of Facebook, including its founding by the socially awkward -- but brilliant -- software developer Mark Zuckerberg. His seminal idea for the online social networking phenomenon occurs at Harvard, after a breakup with his girlfriend. The story is told from the persectives of various key contributors, all of whom were eventually controversially forced out of Facebook. Even though I was very familiar with the story, I enjoyed the film's excellent dialog and acting. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Town by Ben Affleck (Sun Sept 19, 2010) Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Town is a story about a bank-robbing son of a bank-robbing family in an Irish Boston neighborhood with many bank-robbing families. The film graphically and realistically portrays what life is like for these people. There is bank-robbing, neighborhood loyalty, police-car chases, romance, FBI interrogations and local character. The acting is excellent, the characters are engaging, and the story is dramatic, tense and compelling. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The American by Anton Corbijn (Sat Sept 4, 2010) George Clooney, Johan Leysen, Violante Placido James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The American is a cerebral mystery thriller set in small-town Italy. It tells the story of an American assassin who has a violent encounter in Sweden and travels to Italy to hide from mysterious attackers. While in Italy, he befriends a priest and a prostitute and develops relationships with them that cause him to question his lifestyle. With little dialog, the dramatic tension builds at a very slow pace, after his whereabouts are discovered. I found the acting excellent, the photography beautiful, and the story compelling. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Get Low by Aaron Schneider (Sat Aug 21, 2010) Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek Roger Ebert (3-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Get Low is mystery set in the 1930s about an eccentric and cranky hermit who has lived by himself for 40-years in the forest. The town's people share many rumors about his violent past. When he comes to town to plan a funeral party for himself, while he is still alive, everyone is mystified as to his motives and plan. As the story unfolds we learn about his terrible secret and how it affected those around him. Robert Duvall gives an academy award-worthy performance and Bill Murray is great. I enjoyed watching the actors perform and the mystery unfold. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Other Guys by Adam McKay (Sat Aug 7, 2010) Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel Jackson, Dwayne Johnson James Berardinelli (3-stars) Entertainment Weekly Film Trailer The Other Guys is an action-comedy buddy-movie spoof about two dysfunctional police detectives who try to prove that they are as effective as two flamboyant detectives who have died. This fast-paced film is full of wild chases and shoot-em-ups -- and almost every scene has jokes and humorous shtick involving the bumbling cops. Will Ferrell gives an excellent performance. The movie is quite funny and has many laughing-out-loud moments. Even though some of the humor didn't work for me, on balance I found the film entertaining. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Kids Are All Right by Lisa Cholodenko (Wed July 28,2010) Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer The Kids Are All Right is a comedy about a family with two lesbian mothers and two natural-born teenage children -- who seek out and find their common sperm-donor father. The performances by Moore and Benning are excellent. They portray the ups and downs of family life in a humorous and natural, if unconventional, way. Unfortunately, I found many of the scenes with the sperm-donor father to be awkward and unconvincing, and this limited my enjoyment of the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Salt by Phillip Noyce (Sat July 24, 2010) Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Salt is a spy-thriller about Russian and American double agents. A Russian spy accuses the female CIA agent interrogating him of being a Russian spy. This sets in motion a long series of escapes, fights, chases and battles. The action is very fast-paced and "Bond-like." To prove her innocence, the CIA agent must thwart a well-crafted Russian plot to murder the President and start a nuclear war. The acting is very good and the story is compelling. I suspended my disbelief at the outset, became engrossed in the story, and enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Inception by Christopher Nolan (Sat July 17, 2010) Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Inception is an action thriller set in the future, where technology allows sharing of dreams -- for entertainment and for stealing secrets. The protagonists attempt the highly risky task of implanting a suggestion in the deep subconscous of a wealthy industrialist. To do so, they create a dream, within a dream, within a dream. At first, the complex story requires rapt attention, but as the plot unfolds, it's easier to keep track of the lively and intricate plot. The acting is very good, the story is quite interesting and the characters are likable. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Cyrus by Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass (Sat July 10, 2010) John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Cyrus is a quirky comedy about a lonely divorced man with an unhealthy attachment to his engaged ex-wife (7-years after they divorced) and a single mother with an unhealthy atttachment to her 21-year-old son. The film explores their budding romantic relationship and provides scenes that cover the spectrum of funny, sweet, awkward, heartwarming and discomforting. The acting is uniformly excellent and I enoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Girl Who Played with Fire (Fri July 9, 2010) Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer The Girl Who Played with Fire is the 2nd in a trilogy of Swedish language mystery thrillers. The same actors play the journalist and the troubled goth-girl computer genius. Since there is evidence implicating the girl in a series of murders, they work separately to clear her name. The story unfolds with lots of surprises, violence and tension. I didn't enjoy this film as much as the first, because I was already familiar with the unique lead characters and they spent little time on screen together displaying their unorthodox chemistry. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	I Am Love by Luca Guadagnino (Sat July 3, 2010) Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer I Am Love is an Italian-language subtitled film that explores transitions in the lives of 3-generations of an extremely wealthy textile business family. The patriarch gives up company control to his son and grandson. The son's wife and daughter embark on unconventional love affairs. Tilda Swinton's performance and the sumptuous photography are excellent. Even though the film is very slow as it reveals the story and I felt emotionally distant, I enjoyed watching the characters and reacting to their circumstances. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Sat June 26, 2010) Joan Rivers Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work is a documentary film that explores a year in the life of Joan Rivers. It skillfully reveals many details of her life and creates a multi-dimensional portrait of this insecure, obsessively driven, outrageous and talented iconic comedienne. The story-telling and interviews are excellent, but I was left with a feeling of sadness -- despite the abundant edgy comedy. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Solitary Man by Brian Koppelman (Sat June 5, 2010) Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito, Mary-Louise Parker James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Solitary Man tells the story of a charismatic and successful business owner who loses everything because of his arrogance, selfishness and hunger for power and recognition. His reckless and self-destructive behavior cause his life to crumble around him. Michael Douglas gives an excellent performance in the lead role. Even though the film is clever and humorous in many parts, I didn't like the characters or get drawn into the story, so I didn't enjoy it very much. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Please Give by Nicole Holofcener (Fri May 14, 2010) Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Please Give is a character-driven comedy drama about a New York City couple, their teenage daughter, their 92-year-old obnoxious next-door neighbor, and her two granddaughters. It explores their daily lives and the typical emotional ups-and-downs that we all encounter. Even though it had some scenes that were quite funny, I didn't care about the characters and found the film to be bland and boring. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Oceans by Jacques Perrin & Jacques Cluzaud (Sun May 2, 2010) Pierce Brosnan (narrator) Variety Box Office Film Trailer Oceans is a Disney documentary film about the world's oceans and the diverse inhabitants that live in them. With spectacular filming in closeup and panoramic views, Oceans explores many remarkable locations in the world's five oceans -- and shows both well-known and obscure creatures in their survival cycle of eat and be eaten. Many of the undersea images are quite unique and breathtaking. I enjoyed the film very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	City Island by Raymond De Felitta (Sat Apr 17, 2010) Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer City Island is a good-natured comedy about a family of four, each of whom has secrets from the other family members. The acting is very good and the well-written script delivers many surprises, awkward situations and laugh-out-loud moments. As the family secrets were revealed, I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. The film is light and funny and I thoroughly enjoyed it. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Mother by Joon-ho Bong (Sat Apr 10, 2010) Hye-ja Kim, Bin Won, Goo Jin James Berardinelli (3-stars) NY Times Film Trailer Mother is a Korean language murder mystery about a single mother and her mentally challenged son. After getting to know the characters a bit through the misadventures of the simpleminded son, a young girl is murdered and the son is implicated circumstantially. Most of the film involves the mother's efforts to find the killer and exonerate her son. The story is told with many unexpected plot elements and much culturally interesting material. The acting and cinematography are excellent, and I was engrossed in watching the unusual story unfold. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sat Mar 27, 2010) Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a Swedish language mystery thriller that tells the story of how a journalist and a troubled goth-girl computer genius investigate the mystery of the 40-year-old disappearance of a young woman from a large wealthy business family. As the plot unfolds, the two leads develop an unorthodox -- but appealing -- chemistry. In spite of some very disturbing scenes, the story is quite compelling and the characters are appealing. On balance, I enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Prophet by Jacques Audiard (Sat Mar 20, 2010) Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer A Prophet is a French language coming-of-age prison gangster movie. It tells the story of a 19-year-old inexperienced French Arab who is forced to learn the hard way how to survive and acquire power in his deadly prison environment. The filming, acting and storytelling do an excellent job of communicating what life is like in this violent world of French guards and Italian and Arab prisoners. Unfortunately, the film is much too long and the story unfolded too slowly to maintain my interest. Even though it is well-made, I enjoyed only the first half of the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Ghost Writer by Roman Polanski (Sat Mar 13, 2010) Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The Ghost Writer is a mystery thriller about a former British prime minister's ghost writer, who takes over for his drowned predecessor. The film tells the suspenseful story of the ghost writer's discoveries about the prime minister and his past, as he researches the autobiography he's writing. The story includes numerous references to recent events and political figures. It unfolds at a steady pace, as facts are revealed and tension builds. The acting is good and I was drawn into the story. I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Julie & Julia by Nora Ephron (Sun Mar 7, 2010) Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer Julie & Julia tells parallel stories about Julia Child. In the first story, Julia learns to cook in Paris and writes her groundbreaking English language book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." In the second, a young woman starts a blog to chronicle her project to cook all 524 Julia Child recipes in 365 days. Meryl Streep's performance as Julia Child is uncanny and Oscar-worthy. The story is light and a bit too long, but the characters are good-natured and appealing. I was drawn into the story and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Book of Eli by Albert and Allen Hughes (Sat Feb 13, 2010) Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Book of Eli tells the post-apocalyptic story of a lone road warrior's trek West across a decimated America with the last remaining Bible on earth. The landscape is bleak and very dangerous, but his faith and fighting skills drive him toward his destination. I was engaged and enjoying the western-road-superhero aspects of the film, until the story took a dramatic and preposterous turn near the end. For me, this did much to spoil everything that came before it. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Last Station by Michael Hoffman (Fri Feb 5, 2010) Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, Paul Giamatti, James McAvoy James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer The Last Station tells the story of the final months of author Leo Tolstoy's life in 1910, when he had achieved extreme levels of wealth, fame and adulation in Russia. The film uses Tolstoy, his family, and the leaders of the utopian Tolstoyian Movement to explore the timeless conflicts of universal love & romantic love; idealism & practicality; personal freedom & family responsibility; intellect & emotions; and ambition & humility. The acting and filming are excellent and I enjoyed the movie very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Crazy Heart by Scott Cooper (Sat Jan 30, 2010) Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Crazy Heart tells the story of a 57-year-old country singer-songwriter who has fallen on hard times and become an alcoholic -- far from his previous wealth and fame. He travels from one small town to the next, playing unmemorable gigs just to pay for his food. He has no family and no future. Not surprisingly for this formulaic story, he meets a women, falls in love, and tries to rebuild his life. Jeff Bridges gives an Oscar-worthy performance and the music, acting and singing are quite good. I liked the characters and enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Broken Embraces by Pedro Almodovar (Sun Jan 3, 2010) Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar, Jose Luis Gomez, Blanca Portillo Roger Ebert (4-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Broken Embraces tells the story of a film-maker who becomes a script-writer, due to an auto accident that blinds him. Director Almodovar explores powerful themes of family, love, sex, passionate abandon, obsession, jealousy, revenge, death, and moving past tragedy. Using flashbacks, the script weaves an intricate and enigmatic story -- enhanced by excellent acting and cinematography. I appreciated the technical competence of the film, but I didn't connect emotionally with the characters or the story, so my enjoyment was curtailed. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Up in the Air by Jason Reitman (Thurs Dec 31, 2009) George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Up in the Air is a comedy-drama-satire about a man with no material possessions or relationships with people. He is on the road traveling on business for 322 days per year and takes comfort in the familiarity and routine of his airports, plane rides, hotels and restaurants. His ordered existence is threatened by the adoption of video conferencing technology and an attractive woman that he meets in a bar. He begins to have positive feelings about relationships. The acting is uniformly excellent. I was drawn into the story and enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie (Wed Dec 30, 2009) Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Mark Strong, Rachel McAdams James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Sherlock Holmes is an action-adventure murder-mystery with elements of classic Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Da Vinci Code, and TV's CSI and House. This Sherlock is a swashbuckling, brilliant, troubled and charismatic figure who's extremely proficient at martial arts, witty banter and deductive reasoning. The story involves foiling a satanic member of a secret occult society who seeks world domination. The story is a bit far-fetched and long, but I found the acting very good, the action scenes exciting, and I enjoyed the film quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	It's Complicated by Nancy Meyers (Sat Dec 26, 2009) Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer It's Complicated is a romantic comedy about a middle-aged woman who has an affair with her married ex-husband. The script is smartly written by the female film director and includes lots of screen time for their 3 children, the new boyfriend, the daughter's fiance, and the current wife. The acting is excellent, the characters have good chemistry, and the banter is entertaining. I found the film witty, sensitive, good-natured, and quite funny. I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Nine by Rob Marshall (Fri Dec 25, 2009) Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, Fergie James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2-stars) Film Trailer Nine is a musical film about a world-famous director who struggles to make his ninth film while in the midst of a personal and professional crisis. His creativity is blocked by guilt feelings relating to his many relationships with women. Individual songs are performed by his wife, mistress, actress muse, costume designer, his mother, a prostitute, and a reporter. The acting is good and the singing by famous actresses is better than expected, but the story is disjointed and the music is not integrated well with the dialog. I didn't enjoy the movie at all. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Avatar by James Cameron (Thurs Dec 24, 2009) Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang James Berardinelli (4-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Poster Avatar is a 3-D animated and live-action science-fiction film set on an alien planet in the year 2154. It tells the story of military and scientific earthlings who try to get access to a very valuable mineral that is buried beneath the forest home of the local inhabitants. A great tension exists between the scientists who employ native look-alike avatars to befriend the locals and the military who want to destroy them. The 3-D animation and special effects are extraordinarily well-done and the story captures the spiritual harmony of the forest's exotic creatures. I was totally engrossed in the film and loved it. (4-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Invictus by Clint Eastwood (Sat Dec 12, 2009) Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Tshabalala James Berardinelli (3.0-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Invictus tells the story of the early months of Nelson Mandela's Presidency of South Africa, just after apartheid had been abolished. He sees an opportunity to unify blacks and whites in the pursuit of the rugby World Cup and works to inspire the team on behalf of their country. The film examines Mandella's challenges in dealing with racial politics and discrimination and tells the true story of how sports was used to bring the races together. The characters are not well-developed, but the movie is inspirational and I enjoyed it. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Brothers by Jim Sheridan (Sun Dec 6, 2009) Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, Sam Shepard James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Brothers is a story about 2 sons of a war veteran, one an army officer in Afghanistan and the other an ex-convict. It explores the influence of war on the family members. When the family is notified that the officer has been killed, the tragedy causes the ex-con to help his sister-in-law and nieces cope with their loss. When the officer is found alive, after being captured and tortured, his changed behavior causes deep stress in the family. The story is very powerful, but some of the actors did not deliver the performances to make it most effective. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Changeling by Clint Eastwood (Sat Dec 5, 2009) Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Changling is set in 1928 Los Angeles and concurrently tells three true stories whose overlap increases as the film progresses. A single mother's son is kidnapped. An aggressive and corrupt police force dominates the city. And a serial killer secretly does his work. Performances are generally good and I was drawn into the unsettling story. The film builds tension to an almost unbearable level as it moves forward. There is some release during the 2nd half, but not enough. I found the film very upsetting, but riveting at the same time. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Blind Side by John Lee Hancock (Sat Nov 28, 2009) Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head James Berardinelli (3.0-stars) Variety Film Trailer The Blind Side tells the true story of how a wealthy white woman from Tennessee follows her Christian instincts, takes in a homeless black boy, and facilitates the fulfillment of his great potential as a football player -- and as a student, as well. Sandra Bullock gives an academy award-worthy performance in the lead role. In spite of its almost all-positive fairy-tale nature, the inspirational, heart-warming and humorous story drew me in and I thoroughly enjoyed the film. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Precious by Lee Daniels (Sat Nov 14, 2009) Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Precious tells the story of a 16-year old obese and illiterate black girl who lives with her abusive mother in Harlem. Her life is hell, since her every action is tightly controlled by her domineering mother and she is pregnant with a second child by her father. Many of the scenes are very raw and extremely disturbing. With a teacher's help, she slowly emerges from her passive state and begins to take control of her life. The acting is excellent, but I wasn't drawn into the story. I appreciated the fine quality of the film-making, but didn't enjoy it very much. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Serious Man by Joel & Ethan Coen (Sat Oct 31, 2009) Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer A Serious Man is a Coen brothers dark comedy about the many trials and tribulations that befall an earnest nebbish physics professor, as he struggles to be a mensch and do the right thing. All the while, he maintains his faith that God is delivering meaning to his life, if only he could find it. The movie's humor is clever and the acting is quite good. The story is a bit more abstract and quirky than I am usuallly comfortable with, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Bright Star by Jane Campion (Fri Sept 25, 2009) Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Schneider James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Bright Star is a lovingly filmed period piece set in 1820 England about romantic poet John Keats and his next-door neighbor love Fanny Brawne. The story, the costumes, the beautiful scenary, and the music accurately portray life in that time and the romance that slowly grows to great chaste intensity. And the word slow describes perfectly the lives of this aspiring dreamer poet and intelligent single woman. Once I adjusted to the slow pace, I enjoyed the acting, the story, the costumes, and the beautiful filming. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Tetro by Francis Ford Coppola (Sat Sept 12, 2009) Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, Maribel Verdu Roger Ebert (3-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Tetro is an intimate and very personal film written, directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. It tells the story of a highly talented -- but quite dysfunctional -- family and how they deal with their strained relationships. The oldest son of a domineering father has run away and his younger brother visits him unexpectedly to reestablish the relationship. The filming and acting are excellent and I was drawn into the dramatic story -- which was a bit long and at times too avant garde. All in all, it was a very unusual film that I enjoyed. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	My One and Only by Richard Loncraine (Sat Sept 5, 2009) Renee Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Mark Rendall, Kevin Bacon Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) New York Times Film Trailer My One and Only is a quirky good-natured road movie comedy set in the 1950s. It tells the story of a southern-belle stereotype who takes her 2 sons cross country in search of a new husband, after catching her philandering husband in-the-act one too many times. The humor is hit and miss, but the numerous characters are interesting and likeable. After a slow start, I began to engage with the story and care about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Taking Woodstock by Ang Lee (Fri Aug 28, 2009) Demetri Martin, Imelda Staunton, Eugene Levy, Liev Schreiber James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Taking Woodstock is an unusual film about the production of the 1969 music festival in Bethel NY. It focuses on the people that were involved and the feelings that were generated. There is no concert music in the film. With humor and sensitivity, Director Ang Lee goes to great lengths in scene after scene to convey the pervasive atmosphere of peace, love, and drugs -- and the transformative effect that they have on those that were there. The story is thin and the acting is just OK, but I was drawn into the experience and enjoyed the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino (Sun Aug 23, 2009) Bradd Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth James Berardinelli (4-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Netflix Inglourious Basterds is a film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, and set in Nazi-occupied World War II France. The excellent script -- written in 5-chapters -- tells about a Jew-hunting Nazi soldier and a group of Nazi-hunting Jewish American soldiers. The story moves forward at a compelling pace, with alternating sequences of Tarantino's trademark tension, violence and humor. Each are appropriate for his very unconventional and engrossing script. The movie's story, acting and filming are excellent and I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (Sat Aug 15, 2009) By Neal Brennan with Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, James Brolin Roger Ebert (3-stars) New York Times Film Trailer The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard is a high-energy, good-natured, rude and offensive comedy. The film tells the story of a troubled car dealership that hires a team of unorthodox and hard driving professionals to help them sell cars. Most of the characters have some depth and the script delivers a non-stop series of mostly clever laugh lines. The characters are more sensitive and appealing than I expected -- and I enjoyed much of the film. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow (Sat Aug 8, 2009) Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer The Hurt Locker is a powerful and intense film that follows the activities of a 3-man team of bomb technicians as they defuse improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq -- while continuously being threatened with sniper fire. The film communicates the extremely tense atmosphere in 2004 Iraq in a very realistic way. Since the characters are appealing and I cared about them, my stomach was in a knot for most of the movie. I found the film quite compelling and I enjoyed it very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	500 Days of Summer by Marc Webb (Sat Aug 1, 2009) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer 500 Days of Summer is a romantic comedy set in today's Los Angeles. It tells the story of 500 days in the relationship of a young man who falls in love with the woman he knows is "the one." Unfortunately for him, the woman does not feel the same way. She wavers between being friends and being friends with privileges. He sees none of this reality. I found the performances to be just OK and the story to be only mildly funny. Mostly, I didn't find the characters appealing and I was bored by the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Cheri by Stephen Frears (Sun July 26, 2009) Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Cheri is a period piece film set in Paris in the early 1900s. It tells the story of a high-society courtesan who has retired to an opulent and idle life and takes as her lover the much younger son of her courtesan friend. The film explores the unexpected ways that their relationship develops. The acting is excellent and the filming is lavish, but it was hard for me to engage with the characters and their circumstances. This made me feel like a distant observer of their intense relationship and curtailed my enjoyment of the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Hangover by Todd Phillips (Sat July 25, 2009) Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer The Hangover is a comedy that tells the story of 3 men and their engaged friend who go to Las Vegas to celebrate the end of his bachelorhood. They wake up the next morning to find many things have changed and they have no memory of what happened. The film plots their journey to find the missing groom-to-be and to discover what transpired the night before. The movie got good reviews and the acting is good, but the humor is so sophomoric that I didn't enjoy it. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Yoo-Hoo, Mrs Goldberg (Sat July 18,, 2009) By Aviva Kempner with Gertrude Berg, Ed Asner, Norman Lear New York Times Box Office (3-stars) Film Trailer Yoo-Hoo, Mrs Goldberg is a lovingly filmed documentary about the life and times of Gertrude Berg, the writer, actor and producer of the pioneering radio and TV comedy show The Goldbergs. Between 1929 and 1955, Berg wrote 12,000 scripts that chronicled the Jewish immigrant experience in a way that appealed to all Americans. Using interviews and original film, the documentary includes depression-era radio, early TV, and McCarthyism that claimed her TV husband. It was a bit slow at times, but generally an enjoyable sentimental experience. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Seraphine by Martin Provost (Sat July 11,, 2009) Yolande Moreau and Ulrich Tukur Roger Ebert (4-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Seraphine is a French film with English subtitles that is both unusual and thought provoking. It tells the true story of a poor housecleaner living in the early 20th century who works very hard during the day to feed herself and paints at night for pleasure. Her great talent is eventually discovered by an art dealer who sponsors her and sells her paintings. In an engrossing way, the movie explores themes of class structure, religious devotion, god-given talent, fate, and mental illness. I enjoyed watching the film and thinking about the subject it explores. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight (Thurs July 9,, 2009) By Wendy Keys with Milton Glaser New York Times FilmCritic.com (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight was very interesting and quite enjoyable. The documentary delivers an in-depth portrait of the man and his iconic work as a pervasive New York City graphic designer. Glaser is very articulate in numerous interviews and he talks extensively about his philosophy of art as public service and his endless learning and teaching. There are countless examples of his wonderful work, including his founding of New York Magazine, his I Love NY logo, and graphic designs for every conceivable application. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Public Enemies by Michael Mann (Thurs July 2,, 2009) Johnny Depp and Christian Bale James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Public Enemies got excellent reviews and the performances were quite good, but it was a disappointment for me. I didn't care about any of the characters and the thin story didn't engage me. John Dillinger robs banks and his FBI agent nemesis tracks him down. The story is told in a business-like unemotional manner with little drama. There are lots of shootouts, good period detail, and some attempts at character development, but not enough to make me enjoy the film. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Terminator Salvation by McG (Sat June 13, 2009) Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2-stars) Film Trailer Terminator Salvation is the fourth in a series of action adventure films set in the future, after sentient machines have taken over the earth and killed most of its inhabitants. The story is about the struggle of the few remaining resistance fighters against the terminator robots that have been built to destroy them. It took me a while to follow the story line, but once I did I enjoyed the fast-paced man-machine battles and the dramatic special effects. I found the action exciting and the characters appealing -- including a robot with human heart and brain. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Up by Pete Docter (Sat May 30, 2009) Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Up is a good-natured fantasy-adventure animated film about an old man and his unlikely Explorer Scout young companion. It begins with a bitter-sweet flashback of the life the old man shared with his soulmate. When she dies, he decides to fulfill their dream of exploration and travel adventure. The young boy inadvertently joins him in his travels by balloon and they experience many adventures -- some positive and some very scary -- as their relationship grows. I found the characters appealing and I enjoyed the film a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Summer Hours by Olivier Assayas (Sat May 23, 2009) Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jeremie Renier James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Summer Hours is a French film with English subtitles that explores the meaning and importance of possessions and memories in our lives. A family matriarch dies and the movie chronicles the experiences of her children while settling her valuable estate. It illustrates how it is almost impossible to pass along feelings about material things to the next generation -- and how the status quo cannot be preserved. I found the film a bit slow, but interesting and thought provocative nonetheless. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Star Trek by J.J. Abrams (Sat May 16, 2009) Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer Star Trek is a prequel to the action adventure science fiction TV series and movies of the same name. It has all the expected ingredients: great special effects, spectacular battles, time travel, molecular transport, and a complicated story. Not being an experienced Trekkie, it took me a while to get into the story, learn about the characters, and suspend my disbelief. But, by mid-film the engaging characters and the non-stop action hooked me -- and I found it quite entertaining. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	State of Play by Kevin Macdonald (Sat May 2, 2009) Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer State of Play is a well made murder-mystery-thriller, told in the context of an investigative reporting assignment. The complex plot unfolds for the viewer as the print and blog journalists uncover facts for their big story. Russel Crowe is excellent as the ace reporter and the rest of the cast is generally good. The story involves a big city newspaper, politicians, a mercenary corporation, the police, and numerous personal relationships. It held my interest from start to finish and I enjoyed it quite a bit. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Soloist by Joe Wright (Sat Apr 25, 2009) Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer The Soloist delivers uneven storytelling with excellent performances by Foxx and Downey. It tells about an unlikely relationship that develops between a homeless and mentally ill music prodigy and a newspaper reporter who writes about him. The bonding between the musician and the reporter is told in a powerful way. And the life of homeless people in Los Angeles is also strongly depicted. But mixing both together, and adding muliple flashbacks, disrupts the flow of the story. I enjoyed many scenes, but didn't engage with the story in an emotional way. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Sugar by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Sat Apr 18, 2009) Algenis Perez Soto Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) New York Times Film Trailer Sugar is a wonderful coming-of-age baseball and immigrant movie. It tells the story of a talented 20-year old Dominican baseball player who yearns to escape his poor country to the glamour and financial payoff of U.S. baseball. In an affectionate and realistic way, the film portrays the experiences and trials of a baseball recruit and his immigrant journey in the U.S. It is rich in Dominican culture, baseball rituals, and immigrant uncertainty. I enjoyed Sugar very much. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Adventureland by Greg Mottola (Sat Apr 11, 2009) Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Adventureland didn't quite live up to its very good reviews. The film tells the story of a college graduate who is forced by economic necessity to work for the summer at an amusement park. He is portrayed as so smart, sensitive, and confident that I had trouble believing he is so inexperienced with women. And I wished there was more emotion amid the reserved and witty dialog. On the positive side, there were many charming scenes and plenty of good natured humor. (2.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Lymelife by Derick Martini (Fri Apr 10, 2009) Rory Culkin, Alec Baldwin, Timothy Hutton, Jill Hennessy Variety New York Times Film Trailer Lymelife is very well done. The acting in this autobiographical story of coming of age on Long Island is particularly good. In parallel with the awkward and painful experiences of the adolescent boy, we see the crumbling marriages of his parents and those of the girl next-door that he has a crush on. In spite of the intense emotional scenes, I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. I enjoyed the film. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Synecdoche by Charlie Kaufman (Sun Mar 22, 2009) Philip Seymour Hoffman James Berardinelli (2-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Synecdoche is so abstract and dream-like that I found it very difficult to follow. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives an excellent performance as a troubled theatre director who wins a genius award and then spends decades creating a play about his life. For much of the film, I couldn't tell what was real and what was part of the play. I felt like I was looking at an abstract painting and struggling to find meaning. In the end, there was no meaning for me and little enjoyment. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Duplicity by Tony Gilroy (Sat Mar 21, 2009) Julia Roberts and Clive Owen James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Duplicity makes a valiant attempt to be a corporate spy-thriller-romance-spoof, but doesn't quite pull it off. The acting is good and the script has all the requisite twists and turns. As you would expect, it is impossible to tell what is the truth and who can be trusted. Owen is convincing as a duplicitous spy, but Roberts less so. The nonlinear plot and the limited chemistry between the leads prevented me from being drawn into the story. And this remote feeling restricted my enjoyment. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Two Lovers by James Gray (Sat Mar 14, 2009) Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Two Lovers is a very well made film. The acting by all the characters is superb and the story is very compelling. An emotionally troubled young man becomes involved with two women at the same time. His heart chooses a woman equally as troubled as himself, who likes him as a friend. His head -- and his loving parents -- choose a caring well-adjusted woman that loves him. I was drawn into the story and cared about all the characters. This caused me to suffer along with the young man, as his passionate feelings are not reciprocated. (3-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Gomorrah by Matteo Garrone (Sat Mar 7, 2009) Toni Servillo and Gianfelice Imparato Roger Ebert (4-stars) Reel Review (3.5-stars) Film Trailer Gomorrah is a very unpleasant film. It got excellent reviews, but it was too grim and upsetting for me. Set in Naples, Italy, the film depicts -- in a docu-drama-reality style -- what life is like in a city completely controlled by warring criminal gangs. Everyone lives in mortal fear for their lives -- with pervasive hopelessness and a numbness to the incessant corruption and violence. A permanent sense of foreboding increasingly weighs upon the viewer. It was not a fun picture to watch. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Class by Laurent Cantet (Fri Feb 27, 2009) Francois Begaudeau James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer I didn't enjoy The Class at all. It got excellent reviews, but it was too slow moving and frustrating for me. Set in a lower class, multi-ethnic middle school in Paris, this docu-drama-reality film shows the challenges and frustrations endured by the teacher and his students during their year of studying French together. The performances are generally good and I appreciated the quality of the filming, but I didn't care about the story or the characters. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Coraline by Henry Selick (Sat Feb 14, 2009) Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher (voices) James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3-stars) Film Trailer Netflix Coraline is an interesting and disturbing film, with elements of a fairy tale and a nightmare -- each enhanced by excellent 3-D animation. The story picks up steam from a slow start as young Coraline dreams of visits to a parallel world where all her wishes are granted. Soon enough, the action gets intense as her dream world turns nightmarish. Coraline transisitions from a bratty young girl into a courageous and caring one, as she deals with her terrifying plight. I was surprised to find that I became absorbed in the story and enjoyed it a lot. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Revolutionary Road by Sam Mendes (Sat Feb 7, 2009) Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer I didn't enjoy Revolutionary Road very much. Even though Kate Winslet gives a wonderful performance and Leonardo DiCaprio is quite good, I found the film at various points depressing, boring, and shallow. The problem for me is the script didn't let me get to know the characters much, before introducing the incompatibilities and problems that beset the suburban married couple. I did not care enough about the characters to feel their pain as their marriage deteriorates. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Defiance by Edward Zwick (Sat Jan 24, 2009) Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer Defiance is a very powerful and well made film. It tells the inspirational story of the Bielski brothers of Belarus, who help 1200 Jews fight back and escape the Nazis and -- against all odds -- survive for 3-years in the forest with little food or shelter. The performances and the story show vividly how they deal with their fear, anger and hopelessness under the Nazi occupation, without going overboard with violence and morbidity. The Bielski's courage and leadership drive the story. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky (Sun Jan 18, 2009) Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer I didn't enjoy The Wrestler at all. It was too sad, upsetting and tragic for me. The reviews are uniformly excellent, but I didn't care about the characters and I wasn't drawn into the story. Mickey Rourke gives an exceptional performance as a professional wrestler whose best days are behind him -- and who has nothing in his life except his wrestling and his past fame. The film's graphic scenes of wrestling violence are very upsetting. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Frost/Nixon by Ron Howard (Sun Jan 4, 2009) Frank Langella and Michael Sheen James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer I didn't enjoy Frost/Nixon as much as I had expected. The reviews are uniformly excellent, but I didn't like nor identify with either of the lead characters -- and the story didn't draw me in. I do acknowledge that Frank Langella gives a tour-de-force performance as Richard Nixon. And I was moved by the 2 very powerful scenes near the end. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	The Reader by Stephen Daldry (Tues Dec 30, 2008) Kate Winslett and Ralph Fiennes James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer I didn't enjoy The Reader as much as I had hoped. Kate Winslet's performance is excellent, but the story is confusing and nonlinear. I couldn't understand the motivation of the Nazi holocaust-era lead characters and I wasn't able to identify with any of it. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Doubt by John Patrick Shanley (Sat Dec 27, 2008) Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep James Berardinelli (4-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer I enjoyed Doubt very much. It's a powerful superbly acted drama, set in a church school in the Bronx. The story involves an unproven suspicion of misconduct by the nun school principal about the priest of the parish. There is a power struggle between the two and many issues are addressed, including the effects of rumors and suspicion, certainty without evidence, right and wrong, black and white adherence to rules in the face of gray area facts, compassion, and forgiveness. Complex moral issues are left unresolved for the audience to think about. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fri Dec 26, 2008) By David Fincher with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2.5-stars) Film Trailer I enjoyed Benjamin Button quite a lot. The performances are good, not great. But, the story is excellent. I accepted the fairy tale premise of living a life in reverse time and found myself responding to the events on the screen that depict the full scope of two lives. The film reinforced for me how our lives are influenced by random events; how relationships are so important to us; and how opportunities are fleeting and can be lost in a moment. I found the film to be life affirming, romantic and bitter sweet. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Gran Torino by Clint Eastwood (Sun Dec 21, 2008) Clint Eastwood James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer I enjoyed Gran Torino very much. Clint Eastwood gives an excellent performance reminiscent of his "Dirty Harry" fims. The story is simple and light, but delivers a strong message about how people live their lives based upon their values and their experiences. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Milk by Gus Van Sant (Sat Dec 13, 2008) Sean Penn James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Rolling Stone (4-stars) Film Trailer Netflix I enjoyed Milk very much. Sean Penn gives an Academy Award-worthy performance. The story is quite compelling as it follows his personal life and his gay rights activism -- until his untimely assassination by a fellow San Francisco Supervisor. Many of the scenes show his passion for politics -- and for men -- in a vivid way. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle (Fri Dec 5, 2008) Dev Patel and Freida Pinto James Berardinelli (3.5-stars) Roger Ebert (4-stars) Film Trailer Slumdog Millionaire was excellent. It's a very distinctive film that chronicles in flashbacks the life of a very poor boy in Mumbai -- and how, because of his life experiences, he was able to provide the unlikely answers to very difficult questions, as he progresses toward winning 10 million rupees on an Indian TV program. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	I've Loved You So Long (Sat Nov 29, 2008 ) By Philippe Claudel with Kristen Scott Thomas James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer I've Loved You So Long was excellent. Kristen Scott Thomas gives an Academy Award-worthy performance as a woman who gets out of prison after 15-years and is reunited with her sister. The film explores the difficulty of her adjustment to normal life -- complicated by the fact that her crime is quite horrendous and her sister has never been given any explanation of what happened. The film is upsetting, but ultimately life affirming. (3.5-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)
	A Christmas Tale by Arnaud Desplechin (Sat Nov 22, 2008) Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Roussillon James Berardinelli (3-stars) Roger Ebert (3.5-stars) Film Trailer I enjoyed A Christmas Tale very much. The acting is generally good, but not great. The film uses a Christmas reunion setting to explore, in a very revealing way, the relationships among the members of a large extended family -- many of them dysfunctional. I found the film good natured and generally heartwarming. The film's message is that the bonds of family are usually quite strong, in spite of the many difficulties that often exist among family members. (3.5-reels) toc top top	(click to enlarge)
	Quantum of Solace by Marc Forster (Sat Nov 15, 2008) Daniel Craig James Berardinelli (2.5-stars) Roger Ebert (2-stars) Film Trailer I didn't enjoy Quantum of Solace at all. After seeing the wonderful performance by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, I was eagerly anticipating Quantum of Solace. What a disappointment! The film had no subtlety, no clever dialog, no fancy gadgets -- only non-stop fights and chases. (2-reels) toc top	(click to enlarge)