"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story--A satirical send up of "Walk the Line" and "Ray" with John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox who tragically slices his brother in half with a machete when he's about 6 years old and goes on to become a musical legend! It's from Judd Apatow the guy who brought us "Knocked Up" and "SuperBad" two of my favorite comedies from earlier in 2007. Suffice it to say this will not be included in the same grouping. The musical parodies are funny and St. Louisan Jenna Fischer who plays June Carter Cash role is saucy and fun. But the movie comes off more like an extended uneven Saturday Night Live bit with less sharp biting humor than Apatow usually provides. It's rated R and that's for a reason. There are a couple of scenes with full frontal (flaccid) nudity. Matinee recommendation at best...but I'll go generously 3 out of 5
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"--Tim Burton's film version of the Broadway hit about a barber who sets up a shop in downtown London to seek revenge against a judge who stole his lover. He slices the throats of his customers and they drop to the basement where a fellow tenant makes meat pies with the bodies. Yeah...a huge YUCK factor, but it's a story told with Burton's unique style and flair. Johnny Depp is great as Sweeney the Mrs. Burton Helena Bonham Carter is the sinister Mrs. Lovett. Don't forget this is a musical and the characters---as they do in musicals---just bust into songs to tell the story. The signing is OK, but the songs for my taste weren't that memorable. The best moment of the film comes when Sacha Baren Coehn (Borat) arrives as Signor Pirelli. The blood gushes every which way it can and the film is beautifully photographed as all Burton films are---but it didn't pack the punch I expected. Burton fans will love it---but not quite the crowning achievement that I had expected. 3 out of 5
"Charlie Wilson's War"--The true story of a boozing, womanizing, cocaine snorting Texas Congressman who managed used his clout on the House Appropriations Committee to fund a covert war to battle the Soviets in Afghanistan. Tom Hanks plays Wilson, Philip Seymour Hoffman steals scenes as a quirky CIA agent, and Julia Roberts is the Houston socialite who provides a lot of the cash for the operation. Aaron Sorkin uses the same sharp, snappy and witty dialogue he made so famous on television's "The West Wing" on this script directed by Mike Nichols. It's a political movie for people who don't care about politics. Immensely entertaining but still tells an great story and tears out a great untold page of American History without getting preachy and boring. 4 out of 5.
"Juno"-I heard Jennifer Garner one of the co-stars of this movie talk about how part of the joy of movies like this is the process of discovering something on screen that's so special. The downside of everyone, including me hyping "Juno" so much is that discovery process now has such high expectations---which is not always a good thing. Having said that this is one of the more refreshing, touching, and funny movies about a tough topic---teenage pregnancy---to come along in a while.
Ellen Page is simply magnificent as Juno MacGuff a whip smart but sassy high school student who finds herself with child after losing her virginity to her best friend Paulie Bleeker played by Michael Cera. Initially she considers abortion, but quickly changes gears and finds who she thinks would be the perfect adoptive parents in Vanessa and Mark Loring played by Garner and Jason Bateman. The whole process...from taking the pregnancy test, to telling her parents to making the decision to give the baby up for adoption is handled with a charming comic flair thanks to the great script by Diablo Cody, and Ellen Page's star-is-born performance. She's already been nominated for a Critics' Choice Award and a Golden Globe---Oscar is next and I wouldn't be shocked if she pulls an upset in that category. This is 2007's little movie that could---sort of what "Little Miss Sunshine" became last year. When I first saw "Juno" I was a little worried that it was too full of itself, but these characters became so interesting and endearing in the end that I couldn't wait to see it again. So about three days later I watched it again and loved it as much as the first time. The soundtrack is stuffed with slow indie rockers that fit the mood perfectly and the whole cast is great including Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons as Juno's parents---and Olivia Thirlby as best friend. It seems "Juno" is only going to open limited as an art house release----but I'm hoping it will expand wider so a bigger audience will get to experience what is truly one of the best films of the year. 4.5 out of 5.
"The Bucket List"--Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two terminally ill cancer patients who put together a list of things to do in life before they kick the bucket---get it---The Bucket List. Rob Reiner directs and I wanted to like this one, but it rests on its star power laurels a little too much. There are some funny moments and these two guys on screen are always fun to watch---but there's nothing truly memorable. 3 out of 5
"The Kite Runner"--I'll have to be honest and tell you that I saw this movie about two months ago and it's gotten lost in the shuffle a bit in the year end rush to awards. That's a shame because Marc Forsters (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland) adaptation of Khaled Hossein's best selling novel is one of the more emotionally powerful films of the entire year. It's the story of an Afghani man now living in America who is compelled to return to his homeland in hopes of finding forgiveness for a terrible act of cowardice he made when he was a young boy. The story is told as a flashback to his youth in Afghanistan when Amir---played as an adult by Khalid Adballa and as a child by Zekeria Ebrahimi---at first remembers the more innocent and fun times of being a boy and taking part in ritual kite fighting festivals with his best friend Hassan, played by Amad Kahn Mahmidzada. I should point out that there's a very disturbing scene involving a rape, but it's handled about as tastefully and non-graphically as one could handle such a thing. Forster also wisely chooses to put all of the scenes in Afghanistan in subtitles instead of English, which might turn off some viewers, but adds to the films authenticity. One of the best performances in the film comes from Homayoun Ershadi who plays Amir's strict and controlling father Baba---I would have predicted he would be getting more attention during this awards season, but honestly I think the fact that these are actors with names not easily recognizable to say the least hurt their chances. "The Kite Runner" is heavy drama at its best---not exactly the uplifting Christmas film people might be looking for, but outstanding filmmaking. Movies like this are never as good if you've read the book---but I didn't and I really thought it was excellent. 4 out of 5.
"Margot at the Wedding"--from writer/director Noah Baumbach whose last film "The Squid and the Whale" made my top ten list two years ago. Dysfunctional family doesn't even begin to describe this cast of characters including Margot played by Nicole Kidman who takes her son to her sister's wedding to try to stir the pot a little. Jennifer Jason Leigh is Pauline the sister---and she's marrying a big loser named Malcom played by Jack Black. I think it's fair to say based on his earlier film that Baumbach had one really messed up childhood---I mean---REALLY messed up. I'm all for darker and non-conventional stories, but I never connected with this movie the way I did with "Squid". One reason I loved his first film so much was the younger actors really did a great job---and Zane Pais who plays Claude the son in this film is a big bore. So is the movie for the most part. 2.5 out of 5.
"P.S. I Love You"--the chick flick of this Christmas season with Hillary Swank playing a young widow who discovers her late husband has secretly left her a series of 10 messages to try to help her start a new life. Gerard Butler plays the hunky husband and the cast is rounded out by Lisa Kudrow, Gena Gershon and Kathy Bates. It's not terrible, but for me Swank doesn't work in a role like this and the movie is too sappy and sentimental. There's just too much other good stuff this time of year to waste your money on this one.
2.5 out of 5.
"The Great Debaters"--Denzel Washington stars and directs this based on a true story about the championship run for the debate team at a small, black Texas College in the 1930's. Washington plays Melvin Tolson the professor who inspires a young group of young students to make their brains as strong as possible to survive the Jim Crow South. He tells his class from the very start that there's nothing like the power of knowledge and the mastery of information. Inspirational based on a true story movies like this typically fall into the same formula and "The Great Debaters" sort of fits that typical mode. What does make it a little better than most are the performances not only by the A-list actors like Washington and last years Best Actor winner Forest Whitaker, but the cast of young students including a kid names Denzel Whitaker. I thought for sure he was Forest Whitakers son, but apparently he's not. How strange is it to have a kid starring in this movie whose name is a combination of the two biggest stars in the film. Plus---the kids nails his part. This is a story that needs to be told...and Washington's direction and storytelling is fine---but I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he decided to just act in this one and let a more polished director take over control. It's good---really good---but I think it would have been really great. 3.5 out of 5.
I haven't seen "National Treasure: Book of Secrets or "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deerp" so I'll post reviews on those soon.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story--A satirical send up of "Walk the Line" and "Ray" with John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox who tragically slices his brother in half with a machete when he's about 6 years old and goes on to become a musical legend! It's from Judd Apatow the guy who brought us "Knocked Up" and "SuperBad" two of my favorite comedies from earlier in 2007. Suffice it to say this will not be included in the same grouping. The musical parodies are funny and St. Louisan Jenna Fischer who plays June Carter Cash role is saucy and fun. But the movie comes off more like an extended uneven Saturday Night Live bit with less sharp biting humor than Apatow usually provides. It's rated R and that's for a reason. There are a couple of scenes with full frontal (flaccid) nudity. Matinee recommendation at best...but I'll go generously 3 out of 5
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"--Tim Burton's film version of the Broadway hit about a barber who sets up a shop in downtown London to seek revenge against a judge who stole his lover. He slices the throats of his customers and they drop to the basement where a fellow tenant makes meat pies with the bodies. Yeah...a huge YUCK factor, but it's a story told with Burton's unique style and flair. Johnny Depp is great as Sweeney the Mrs. Burton Helena Bonham Carter is the sinister Mrs. Lovett. Don't forget this is a musical and the characters---as they do in musicals---just bust into songs to tell the story. The signing is OK, but the songs for my taste weren't that memorable. The best moment of the film comes when Sacha Baren Coehn (Borat) arrives as Signor Pirelli. The blood gushes every which way it can and the film is beautifully photographed as all Burton films are---but it didn't pack the punch I expected. Burton fans will love it---but not quite the crowning achievement that I had expected. 3 out of 5
"Charlie Wilson's War"--The true story of a boozing, womanizing, cocaine snorting Texas Congressman who managed used his clout on the House Appropriations Committee to fund a covert war to battle the Soviets in Afghanistan. Tom Hanks plays Wilson, Philip Seymour Hoffman steals scenes as a quirky CIA agent, and Julia Roberts is the Houston socialite who provides a lot of the cash for the operation. Aaron Sorkin uses the same sharp, snappy and witty dialogue he made so famous on television's "The West Wing" on this script directed by Mike Nichols. It's a political movie for people who don't care about politics. Immensely entertaining but still tells an great story and tears out a great untold page of American History without getting preachy and boring. 4 out of 5.
"Juno"-I heard Jennifer Garner one of the co-stars of this movie talk about how part of the joy of movies like this is the process of discovering something on screen that's so special. The downside of everyone, including me hyping "Juno" so much is that discovery process now has such high expectations---which is not always a good thing. Having said that this is one of the more refreshing, touching, and funny movies about a tough topic---teenage pregnancy---to come along in a while. 
"The Bucket List"--Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two terminally ill cancer patients who put together a list of things to do in life before they kick the bucket---get it---The Bucket List. Rob Reiner directs and I wanted to like this one, but it rests on its star power laurels a little too much. There are some funny moments and these two guys on screen are always fun to watch---but there's nothing truly memorable. 3 out of 5
"The Kite Runner"--I'll have to be honest and tell you that I saw this movie about two months ago and it's gotten lost in the shuffle a bit in the year end rush to awards. That's a shame because Marc Forsters (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland) adaptation of Khaled Hossein's best selling novel is one of the more emotionally powerful films of the entire year. It's the story of an Afghani man now living in America who is compelled to return to his homeland in hopes of finding forgiveness for a terrible act of cowardice he made when he was a young boy. The story is told as a flashback to his youth in Afghanistan when Amir---played as an adult by Khalid Adballa and as a child by Zekeria Ebrahimi---at first remembers the more innocent and fun times of being a boy and taking part in ritual kite fighting festivals with his best friend Hassan, played by Amad Kahn Mahmidzada. I should point out that there's a very disturbing scene involving a rape, but it's handled about as tastefully and non-graphically as one could handle such a thing. Forster also wisely chooses to put all of the scenes in Afghanistan in subtitles instead of English, which might turn off some viewers, but adds to the films authenticity. One of the best performances in the film comes from Homayoun Ershadi who plays Amir's strict and controlling father Baba---I would have predicted he would be getting more attention during this awards season, but honestly I think the fact that these are actors with names not easily recognizable to say the least hurt their chances. "The Kite Runner" is heavy drama at its best---not exactly the uplifting Christmas film people might be looking for, but outstanding filmmaking. Movies like this are never as good if you've read the book---but I didn't and I really thought it was excellent. 4 out of 5.
"Margot at the Wedding"--from writer/director Noah Baumbach whose last film "The Squid and the Whale" made my top ten list two years ago. Dysfunctional family doesn't even begin to describe this cast of characters including Margot played by Nicole Kidman who takes her son to her sister's wedding to try to stir the pot a little. Jennifer Jason Leigh is Pauline the sister---and she's marrying a big loser named Malcom played by Jack Black. I think it's fair to say based on his earlier film that Baumbach had one really messed up childhood---I mean---REALLY messed up. I'm all for darker and non-conventional stories, but I never connected with this movie the way I did with "Squid". One reason I loved his first film so much was the younger actors really did a great job---and Zane Pais who plays Claude the son in this film is a big bore. So is the movie for the most part. 2.5 out of 5.
"P.S. I Love You"--the chick flick of this Christmas season with Hillary Swank playing a young widow who discovers her late husband has secretly left her a series of 10 messages to try to help her start a new life. Gerard Butler plays the hunky husband and the cast is rounded out by Lisa Kudrow, Gena Gershon and Kathy Bates. It's not terrible, but for me Swank doesn't work in a role like this and the movie is too sappy and sentimental. There's just too much other good stuff this time of year to waste your money on this one.
"The Great Debaters"--Denzel Washington stars and directs this based on a true story about the championship run for the debate team at a small, black Texas College in the 1930's. Washington plays Melvin Tolson the professor who inspires a young group of young students to make their brains as strong as possible to survive the Jim Crow South. He tells his class from the very start that there's nothing like the power of knowledge and the mastery of information. Inspirational based on a true story movies like this typically fall into the same formula and "The Great Debaters" sort of fits that typical mode. What does make it a little better than most are the performances not only by the A-list actors like Washington and last years Best Actor winner Forest Whitaker, but the cast of young students including a kid names Denzel Whitaker. I thought for sure he was Forest Whitakers son, but apparently he's not. How strange is it to have a kid starring in this movie whose name is a combination of the two biggest stars in the film. Plus---the kids nails his part. This is a story that needs to be told...and Washington's direction and storytelling is fine---but I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he decided to just act in this one and let a more polished director take over control. It's good---really good---but I think it would have been really great. 3.5 out of 5.