Movie Reviews and Interviews

Miracle at St. Anna

2009-04-18T11:14:00.001-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: September 26, 2008.

Starring: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Omar Benson Miller. Directed by: Spike Lee. A Touchstone release.

Drama. Rating: R. Running time: 166 min.

Sgt Aubrey Stamps (Derek Luke) is one of four members of the all black “Buffalo Soldier” Division stationed in Italy during World War II who find themselves trapped behind enemy lines after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy.

This is an inspiring and powerful story that succeeds in transcending all boundaries and touches the goodness within us all.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Spike Lee interview.

Eagle Eye

2009-04-04T11:13:00.002-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: September 26, 2008.

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis. Directed by: D.J. Caruso. A Dream Works release.

Thriller. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 118 min.

Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together under mysterious circumstances who try to save their lives as they are confronted with a series of increasingly dangerous situations.

There is enough suspense in this race-against-time thriller to fill two average action movies.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

The Dark Knight

2009-03-25T13:53:00.002-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: July 18, 2008.
DVD Release Date: December 9, 2008.

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Directed by: Christopher Nolan. A Warner Bros. release.

Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 150 min.

Follow-up to the action hit “Batman Begins.”

Batman (Christian Bale) travels across the world in his quest to defeat a growing illegal organization when a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger) unleashes a new reign of chaos.

The combination of a great story, great acting and great special effects make this an excellent movie.

Grade: A-

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Burn After Reading

2009-03-20T14:42:00.002-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: September 12, 2008.

Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt. Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen. A Focus Features release.

Comedy. Rating: R. Running time: 97 minutes.

Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) is an ousted CIA official whose memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two foolish gym employees intent on exploiting their find.

I didn’t find this movie funny in part because it tries too hard to be humorous.

Grade: C-

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Transsiberian

2009-03-18T10:08:00.001-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: July 18, 2008.
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2008

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Ben Kingsley, Kate Mara, Eduardo Noriega. Directed by: Brad Anderson. A First Look release.

Drama. Rating: R. Running time: 111 minutes.

Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer) are an American couple who take the Tran Siberian Express train from Beijing to Moscow. They form a bond with another traveling couple until they begin to realize that their friends aren’t who they appear to be.

I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. It was entertaining, smart and educational in that it showed me places and people that are rarely shown in movies.

Grade: A-

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Hancock

2009-03-16T14:23:00.001-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: July 2, 2008.

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman. Directed by: Peter Berg. A Sony release.

Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 92 minutes.

Grade: B-

Hancock (Will Smith) is a hard-drinking superhero who has grown as disillusioned with his once-admiring public as they have of him.

This superhero sometimes acts like a villain. As a result the movie is interesting, original, full of surprises but also has some inconsistencies.

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Mongol

2009-03-09T11:54:00.002-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: June 6, 2008.

Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Sun Hong-Lei, Khulan Chuluun, Odnyam Odsuren, Amarbold Yuvinbayar. Directed by: Sergei Bodrov. A Picturehouse release.

Drama. Rating: R. Running time: 120 minutes.

Based on leading scholarly accounts of the life of Genghis Khan the movie delves into the eventful early years of the future conqueror who was born as Temudgin in 1162.

The film paints a multidimensional portrait by showing Temudgin’s (Tadanobu Asano) bravery and intelligence as well as his relationship with his wife, Borte (Khulan Chuluun), his lifelong love and most trusted advisor.

Grade: A-

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

The Love Guru

2009-03-04T16:17:00.001-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: June 20, 2008.

Starring: Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco, Verne Troyer, Ben Kingsley. Directed by: Marco Schnabel. A Paramount release.

Comedy. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 88 minutes.

Pitka (Mike Myers) is an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus. After moving back to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help, he puts his unorthodox methods to the test.

This movie has no coherent plot and seems to be instead just a collection of jokes that usually don’t work.

Grade: D+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-25T10:13:00.001-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: November 12, 2008.

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor. Directed by: Danny Boyle.

Comedy, Drama, Romance. Rating: R. Running time: 120 minutes.

Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is an impoverished orphan in a Mumbai slum who is trying to win a fortune on India's variant of Who “Wants to Be a Millionaire“ despite various villains who try to stop him.

Great story telling seamlessly mixing drama, romance and humor.

Grade: A-

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Get Smart

2009-02-23T10:21:00.003-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: June 20, 2008.

Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin. Directed by: Peter Segal. A Warner Bros. release.

Comedy, Crime and mystery. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 110 minutes.

Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is the bumbling detective in this big-screen adaptation of the 1960’s-era TV comedy series. He is promoted to special agent after the evil geniuses at KAOS attack the headquarters of the U.S. spy agency Control and compromise the identity of the other agents.

This movie is not as funny as the TV series because the main actor is not put in as many silly and far-fetched situations.

Grade: C+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Steve Carell interview.

The Incredible Hulk

2009-02-19T11:18:00.003-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: June 13, 2008.

Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson. Directed by: Louis Leterrier. Action and adventure, Fantasy, Science fiction. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 114 minutes.

Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is a scientist who hunts for a cure to the radiation that causes his body to grow into: The Hulk. At the same time, he tries to avoid a powerful general who seeks to capture him and exploit his power.

This superhero movie is more unpredictable and suspenseful than most movies of this genre because of the hero’s unusual anger management problem.

Grade: B

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Liv Tyler interview.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-07-02T12:51:00.001-04:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: May 22, 2008

Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone. Directed by: Steven Spielberg. A Paramount release.

Action and adventure. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 120 minutes.

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) reprises his role as the famous archaeologist; this time venturing into the jungles of South America in a race against Soviet agents to find the mystical Crystal Skull.

Although the movie is not always believable, has a weak script and many jokes that fall flat, there are some great action/adventure scenes.

Grade: C+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Iron Man

2008-06-23T09:07:00.001-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: May 2, 2008

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow. Directed by: Jon Favreau. A Paramount release.

Action and adventure. Rating: PG-13 Running time: 126 minutes.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is a wealthy industrialist who is kidnapped and forced to build a missile Instead, he constructs an indestructible robotic suit to escape his captors. Once free, he dons his suit to fight evil and protect the innocent.

This is a funny and entertaining superhero movie which is surprisingly thoughtful and original.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Gwyneth Paltrow interview.

The Visitor

2008-06-21T10:06:00.002-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: April 11, 2008

Starring: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira. Directed by: Tom McCarthy. A Overture Films release.

Comedy, Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 108 minutes.

Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) is a lonesome college professor who goes to New York for a conference and finds that a young couple has moved into his apartment. After he decides to let them stay and befriends them, he learns that they are illegal immigrants who risk being deported.

This movie has a great script full of unpredictable twists which are always clever and alternatively funny, moving and sad.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Thomas McCarthy and Richard Jenkins interview.

21

2008-06-20T10:51:00.002-04:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: March 28, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 22, 2008

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Spacey. Directed by: Robert Luketic. A Columbia Pictures release.

Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 123 minutes.

Based on a true story.

Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is one of six brilliant M.I.T. students who are recruited by math professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) to join a team he trains to beat the odds at blackjack, during weekend excursions to Las Vegas. They make lots of money until the casino security chief Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) catches on to the group and makes it his mission to put an end to their scam.

There is not enough suspense during most of the movie; the team just keeps on winning without any one figuring out what they're up to. There is more conflict toward the end but not enough to save the movie.

Grade: C-

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns

2008-06-18T09:46:00.003-04:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: March 21, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 1, 2008

Starring: Tyler Perry, Angela Bassett, Rick Fox, Margaret Avery. Directed by: Tyler Perry. A Lionsgate release.

Comedy, Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 100 minutes.

Brenda (Angela Bassett) is a single mother living in inner city Chicago, who starts to lose hope when she is laid off from her job. When a letter arrives announcing the death of a father she's never met, she takes her family to Georgia for the funeral. There, she finds that her luck begins to change.

The script is far too predictable which takes away from the movie’s attempts at humor. The first half is sometimes boring, sometimes melodramatic. The second half is better because there is more conflict.

Grade: C

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Vantage point

2008-06-16T16:07:00.002-04:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: February 22, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 1, 2008

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Matthew Fox, William Hurt, Dennis Quaid, Bruce McGill. Directed by: Pete Travis. A Sony release. Drama, Crime and Mystery.

Rating: PG-13. Running time: 90 minutes.

Forest Whitaker (Howard Lewis) is an American tourist who has captured footage of an assassination attempt on the president of the United States, in Salamanca, Spain. As the stories of the other four witnesses are told from their unique perspectives, the audience finds how it happened.

The action is riveting from the beginning to end. There are many exciting twists even when the story is not completely believable.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

There Will Be Blood

2008-06-13T14:57:00.003-04:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: December 26, 2007
DVD Release Date: April 8, 2008

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds. Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson. A Paramount Vantage release.

Drama. Rating: R. Running time: 158 minutes.

Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a ruthless oil pioneer who builds an empire by convincing small-town property owners to let him drill their land despite the opposition of eccentric teenage preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano).

The movie is successful at depicting a shrewd but ruthless businessman. Although it’s slow at times the acting is always excellent.

Grade: B

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Daniel Day-Lewis interview.

I Am Legend

2008-02-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: December 14, 2007

Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Directed by: Francis Lawrence. A Warner Bros. release.

Action and Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 100 minutes.

Robert Neville (Robert Neville) is a virologist who thinks he may be the last human survivor of a man-made virus. He works to create a cure while living in a city inhabited by mutant victims of the plague.

This movie pulls off with only a few actors, what most movies with huge casts don’t. It succeeds in drawing you in with constant suspense and doesn’t let you relax until it’s surprising end.

Grade: A

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Will Smith interview.

Revolver

2008-02-14T12:02:00.001-05:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: December 07, 2007

Starring: Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore, André Benjamin. Directed by: Guy Ritchie. A Samuel Goldwyn release.

Drama, Crime and Mystery. Rating: R. Running time: 106 minutes.

Jake Green (Jason Statham) is a gambler and conman who becomes entangled in a confusing story of revenge against someone responsible for him spending time in jail.

I found this to be one of the most boring movies I’ve seen in many years. It looks and feels like a film made by film school students with little talent and a limited budget.

Grade: F

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Charlie Wilson’s War

2008-02-12T15:36:00.000-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: December 21, 2007

Starring: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams. Directed by: Mike Nichols. A Universal release.

Drama. Rating: R. Running time: 97 minutes.

Based on a true story.

Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is the former Democratic Texas congressman who helped the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, along with CIA operative Gust Avrakotos and anti-communist socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts).

This is a well acted movie with a clever script and an excellent cast. It’s so much fun to watch that it almost seems to go by too fast.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Tom Hanks interview.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

2008-02-07T10:26:00.000-05:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: December 21, 2007

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris. Directed by: Jon Turteltaub. A Walt Disney Pictures release.

Action and Adventure. Rating: PG. Running time: 124 minutes.

Nicolas Cage (Benjamin Franklin Gates) is back as the famous treasure hunter in this adventure-filled sequel to the 2004 blockbuster National Treasure. This time he is looking to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Although it’s not always believable how the hero and his team achieve their goals it’s always fun to watch.

Grade: B

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

The Great Debaters

2008-02-05T15:54:00.000-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: December 25, 2007.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker. Directed by: Denzel Washington. A MGM release.

Drama. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 123 minutes.

Based on a true story.

Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) is a debate coach at historically black Wiley College during the Jim Crow 1930’s. He shapes his students into an elite debate team, which is eventually invited to take part in a debate with Harvard University.

It’s fun to learn about something that really happened while at the same time being entertained by a movie which is at times moving, sad and funny.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey interview.

No Country for Old Men

2008-02-04T14:31:00.000-05:00

Movie review and movie trailer.

Theatrical Release Date: November 9, 2007.
DVD Release Date: March 11, 2008.

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson. Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen. A Miramax release.

Drama, Crime and Mystery. Rating: R. Running time: 122 minutes.

Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is a Vietnam vet who finds a load of heroin and two million dollars in cash in the back of a pickup truck, while hunting in southwest Texas. When he takes the money, he sets off a mysterious mastermind who goes on a rampage that the sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) can’t contain.

This is a very entertaining and well acted movie. It’s full of man-on-the-run sequences between the hero and the relentlessly violent sociopath.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

American Gangster

2007-12-07T11:14:00.000-05:00

Movie review, movie trailer and interview.

Theatrical Release Date: November 2, 2007

Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Directed by: Ridley Scott. A Universal release.

Drama, Crime and Mystery. Rating: R. Running time: 157 minutes.

Based on a true story.

Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is a Harlem drug kingpin who builds a huge heroin operation during the Vietnam War, while outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) tries to gather enough evidence against him to put him in jail.

This is a fascinating and well acted story with two complicated main characters. They are similar in their belief in loyalty, diligence and hard work and surprisingly different in that Lucas is a family man and Roberts has a dysfunctional personal life.

Grade: B+

Click on the image below to watch the trailer to this movie.

Click on the image below to watch a Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe interview.