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MAD HOT BALLROOM: In this charming documentary we watch New York City 4^th, 5^th and 6^th graders learn ballroom dancing, American style. They master the steps, postures, and attitudes of the fox trot, merengue, rumba, tango and swing. At the end of the 10-week program, the best dancers from each school compete in a citywide dance competition. The would-be dancers are adorable as they struggle to make dance "a dialogue between a gentleman and a lady," as one of their instructors defines it. The hardest thing of all seems to be looking directly at each other—important in ballroom dancing. At their age, eye contact between boys and girls is very difficult. We also hear some of the students talk about dancing, life, the opposite sex, and their hopes for the future. The film is funny, exciting, and frequently touching as these youngsters struggle to be good enough for the final competition. The film follows classes at three different schools: their practice sessions, the selection of the best students to form the school’s team, and the final competition. Along the way, the youngsters learn about partnership, teamwork and how to handle the disappointment of not advancing to the finals. The kids are delightful and the documentary is certain to give you a good feeling about today’s youngsters. GRADE B+

MADE: In 1997, Jon Favreau wrote and starred in an Independent film called Swingers. His best friend, Vince Vaughn also starred. We saw that movie on video and enjoyed it, so we were anxious to see Favreau's latest effort. He wrote and directed Made, and once again is teamed with Vaughn. Favreau is Bobby, a stone mason/amateur prizefighter. Vaughn is Bobby's childhood friend, Ricky, an intellectually challenged motor mouth who always seems to make things more difficult than they should be. When Bobby accepts a job from Max (Peter Falk), he asks that Ricky be included. The job is mysterious, but definitely on the far side of the law. Max is an old-style Jewish mobster, and Falk plays him to perfection. If you see the movie, don't try to figure out the particulars of this job--it's incomprehensible. Besides, it really doesn't matter: the fun is in seeing how Bobby and Ricky go about it. Sean "Puffy" Combs appears as a sophisticated New York mobster. There are lots of laughs and lots of objectionable language in MADE. In fact, if you took out all the "F" words, the movie's 95 minute running time would be cut in half. This is not an easy film to categorize. Roger Ebert suggests that Favreau and Vaughn made this movie together " because no one else could understand how it could work. The best part of this movie is the fun that the two actors seem to be having with their characters. We enjoyed the film, but have a hard time recommending it. Unless you enjoy offbeat, independent movies, and aren't bothered by pervasive language and drug use, we suggest you skip this one. GRADE: B

THE MAGDALENE SISTERS: This powerful film tells the story of The Magdalene Laundries which were run by the Catholic Church as places where fallen women could save their souls through hard work. They got their name from Mary Magdalene, the fallen woman who became one of Jesus' closest followers. The Laundries began 150 years ago as homes to rehabilitate prostitutes, but by the early 20th century, the role had been expanded to care for unwed mothers and other young women the church considered to be wayward. The film, set in 1964, introduces us to three young women who were sent to a Magdalene laundry. They were forced to work long hours, without pay, for 364 days a year in the profit-making convent laundry to "wash away their sins." Margaret (Anne-Marie Duff) was sent there because she had been raped and that somehow put her in moral danger. Bernadette (Nora-Jane Noone), an orphan, was sent to the Laundry because she was pretty and liked to flirt. Rose (Dorothy Duffy) was brought to the convent labor camp by her father who effectively disowned her because she had given birth to an illegitimate child. Once incarcerated, the girls worked long days without pay and with no hope of release. They worked alongside women who had been there for forty years. The laundry workers were poorly fed, humiliated, and cruelly treated. The Mother Superior of the Convent, Sister Bridget, is beautifully brought to life by Geraldine McEwan. She is an evil woman, but McEwan plays her as a complex character who truly believed she was helping the Magdalene women. We were shocked to learn that the last Magdalene Laundry didn't close until 1996. The screenplay was written by the director, Peter Mullan, and is based on testimony by Madgalene inmates. The film is beautifully made and beautifully acted and is likely to elicit strong emotional reactions. As we watched the credits roll, we expressed our shock at how recently these abuses occurred, and a man walking in front of us said, "If you think the Nuns were bad---the Priests were even worse!" I'm sure many people have had positive experiences in Catholic Schools, but this bitter man was not one of them. We think this memorable film deserves a GRADE: A.

MAGNOLIA: When Roger Ebert reviewed Paul Thomas Anderson's film on his television show, his guest critic said she didn't like it and didn't know what it was about. Magnolia is about so many things that it's a wonder she couldn't see at least one of them. It's about life and death, love and betrayal, regrets and forgiveness. Most of all, it's about how chance and coincidence rule our lives. Anderson warns us in the opening segment that we shouldn't look for structure and meaning in our lives or in his movie. Instead he shows us a twenty-four hour period in the lives of several people. Here is a partial list of these characters: Tom Cruise as the loathsome stud; Jason Robards as the dying television producer who deserted his wife and child; Phillip Baker Hall as the dying game show host who has much to regret; the wonderful Julianne Moore as a woman who married a man she didn't love and then fell in love with him as he lay dying; Melora Waters as a drug-addicted daughter who can't forgive her parents; John C. Reilly as a gentle cop who is looking for love; Jeremy Blackman as a young child genius; William H. Macy as a former child quiz star who has turned into a broken-down loser; and the ubiquitous John Philip Semour as a nurse who gives loving care to a dying man. If you give yourself time, you will get involved in all these stories. All the actors are flat out terrific, but Tom Cruise outdoes himself. Anderson uses a modern day deus ex machina for the climax of all these partially intersecting tales and it is a doozie! We didn't care much for Boogie Nights, but this is inspired filmmaking. Whether you like this film or not, you're sure to talk about it afterwards. Magnolia is weird, that's true, but it may be brilliant. (The B+ is Gary's.) GRADE: A/B+

MAN ON FIRE: This movie is a case of style over substance. Unfortunately the style is irritating, characterized by a jerky camera and quick cuts to out-of-focus imagines that confuse rather than enlighten. Pittsburgh Live.com referred to director Tony Scott's style as "camera and editing hysteria," and A.O. Scott of the New York Times felt that Scott's filming tricks have "overwhelmed whatever story sense he once possessed." The cast is excellent: Denzel Washington is Creasy, a former counter-insurgency mercenary who drinks too much. The adorable Dakota Fanning is Pita, a young girl living in Mexico City whom Creasy is hired to protect from kidnappers. It probably doesn't surprise you to learn that she is kidnapped, but not before she has softened the taciturn Creasy and they have established a bond. We enjoyed this part of the film. When the ransom payoff goes wrong, and Pita is not returned to her parents, Creasy goes on a mission of revenge. That's when the fragmented camera technique really gets annoying. Rachel Ticotin is a journalist who helps Creasy identify the kidnappers and Giancarlo Giannini is a Federal agent who stays out of his way so that, in the words of Creasy's friend, Rayburn (Christopher Walken) Creasy can paint his masterpiece of death. One critic wrote that Man On Fire has an A cast list and a B story line. Screenwriter Brian Helgeland did a much, much better job on L. A. Confidential and Mystic River. In spite of our appreciation of the A-list cast, I can't give this film higher than C+ and Gary can't go higher than C. GRADE C+/C

MAN ON THE TRAIN (French-Subtitled): We went to see this film because several critics raved about it. Although we agree with them that the acting is excellent, we didn't care that much for the movie. It is about two men who meet by chance: Manesquier (Jean Rochefort), a retired school teacher, and Milan (John Hallyday) a bank robber. Both actors create interesting characters. Manesquier talks all the time and Milan rarely utters a word. Each man envies the life the other leads. Manesquier feels his life has been empty and fantizes about being a western outlaw or a criminal. Milan is tired of a life of crime and sees value in a simple, uneventful life. We especially didn't like the ending of this one, and can't give it higher than a GRADE: C.

THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE: The Coen brothers are nothing if not inventive. No two of their movies are alike, and none of their previous films is anything like this one. I think they were flexing their creativity here, making a film that will be studied in film classes but will not be very popular in the theaters. They took a classic 1940s film noir plot, shot it in color, and then printed it in black and white. I thought the lack of color would bother me, but on the contrary, the film looked beautiful, and black and white certainly fit the post WWII period. Gary commented that when he thinks of that era, he tends to remember it in black and white, probably that was the look of many of the films we saw growing up. Billy Bob Thornton is Ed, a second chair barber in his brother-in-law's shop. He is a man so devoid of affect that he is almost invisible. When he discovers that his wife, Doris (Frances McDormand) is having an affair with her boss, Big Dave (James Gandolfini) it doesn't really bother him. However, when he decides to invest in the dry cleaning business, he blackmails Big Dave to raise the money. As with all film noir plots, things do not go well. These films all have a pervading sense of doom, intensified here by Ed's first-person narration. Thornton's total lack of facial expression makes it impossible to identify with Ed, and none of the other characters is likeable enough to care about. We were interested in the film, but not involved. There is a point about two thirds of the way through the movie that we both thought would have made a good ending. But the movie goes on and on past that point. As filmmaking, The Man Who Wasn't There is interesting, but I wouldn't call it entertaining. Fargo it isn't.
GRADE: B-

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE: I don't remember much about the 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate, so I won't try to compare them. Besides, as Roger Ebert said, To compare Demme's version with Frankenheimer's is sort of irrelevant. That was then and this is now. The current version is a compelling thriller elevated by the performances of Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber. Ben Marco (Washington) and Raymond Shaw (Schreiber) served in the Gulf War together. Shaw was decorated for saving the lives of their company and he has just been nominated for Vice President. Shaw's mother (Streep), is a U.S. Senator and his ardent supporter. In fact, it is her behind-the-scene manipulations that have secured his nomination. Marco, Shaw's commanding officer in Kuwait, has been having dreams that make him doubt what really happened to his company. The villain in this version is a huge conglomerate, Manchurian Global. Their evil plan to control the mind of the next President eventually becomes clear. The brain implant device used to control Shaw smacks of science fiction, but you have the feeling that in a few years it could be possible. And that is a frightening thought. Jonathan Demme directed and has managed to sustain the tension throughout. Jon Voight also appears and we were pleased to see Vera Farmiga from TV's Touching Evil playing Voight's daughter and Shaw's former girlfriend. GRADE B

THE MAP OF THE WORLD: I read the book by Jane Hamilton on which this movie was based, and I was impressed that the director was able to make visual a story that was so internal. The book centered on the thoughts and feelings of Alice Goodwin, its heroine. Sigoumey Weaver is impressive as Alice and David Strathairn is believable as her husband, Howard. Alice is a difficult woman--not your typical movie heroine. She is outspoken and seems uncomfortable in her own life. She can't seem to organize her house or control her children. Her older daughter, Emma, is a difficult child and Alice admits, "Sometimes I don't even like her." One day when Alice is taking care of her best friend's daughters, the younger child tragically drowns. Alice is overcome with feelings of guilt and sorrow. She can hardly get out of bed. A few weeks later, Alice, who works in the local school as a nurse, is accused of the sexual abuse of a young boy. Her life spins out of control. A Map of the World, is the story of a terrible year in the life of a family. The luminous Julianne Moore is Theresa, Alice's friend, and Chloe Sevigny plays the mother of the young boy who makes the unspeakable accusation. This is not an easy movie, but we thought it was a good one. I wouldn't be surprised if Weaver gets an Oscar nomination. She deserves it. GRADE: A/B

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS: Hollywood, with all its fabulous digital imaging, can’t come close to providing the drama of this documentary. We were spellbound watching penguins doing what penguins do. The Emperor penguins of Antarctica leave their home in the water at the end of every summer and walk—that’s right, walk—over 70 of the coldest most inhospitable miles imaginable to their breeding ground. Once there, each penguin searches for a mate. To us, they all look alike, but apparently penguins are able to find that special individual with whom they want to make a family. They are monogamous for that breeding cycle and together the mother and father care for and protect their single offspring. Luc Jacquet and his team filmed this remarkable journey under the harshest conditions, and they captured some amazing footage. Morgan Freeman is the narrator. GRADE A

MARIA FULL OF GRACE: This subtitled foreign language film has received high marks from nearly all the critics. It is the harrowing story of Maria Alvarez, a fiercely independent 17-year-old girl from Colombia. The film gives a compelling picture of how the desperation of poverty can drive a good girl to bad decisions. Catalina Sandino Moreno gives a stunning performance as Maria. Maria quits her job as a rose de-thorner after a bad experience with an unsympathetic boss. This is an economic tragedy for Maria’s extended family that relies on her meager wages to survive. Worse yet, she learns that she is pregnant, but she refuses to marry the child’s father. The lure of a way out of poverty leads her to explore an "employment opportunity’ that requires her to act as a "mule." In the drug world mules are used to carry the product into countries without being detected. In this instance, heroin is put into small balloons and the balloons are transported in the stomach of the mule. It is a dangerous, often fatal business. This is why desperate poverty stricken people are exploited. A uniformly excellent cast and a small budget has resulted in a powerful film that Barbara and I strongly recommend. GRADE B+

MARIE ANTOINETTE: Marie Antoinette was only 14 years old when she was dispatched to France to marry Louis XVI in order to cement relations between Austria and France. Louis was only 15. Director Sophia Coppola’s film is beautiful to look at: the settings, room decorations and costumes are breath-taking. I understand that some of the scenes were actually shot at the Palace of Versailles. Coppola’s film doesn’t cover Marie and Louis’s arrest, imprisonment and beheading. Her film concentrates on the life that lead up to the Revolution. She shows us two naïve young people who lived an incredibly rich and idle life. We see Louis spending almost all his time hunting while Marie spending hers buying clothes, drinking champagne and partying, both completely oblivious to events outside the palace. The problem with the film is that Coppola shows us this over and over again. Perhaps if the movie had been only 90 minutes instead of 123, we would have appreciated it more. As it is, we longed for something dramatic to happen. Anything. Although sympathetic to Marie, the film is remarkably dispassionate. Even the death of one of her children is handled by simply changing a portrait hanging on one of the palace walls. I also have a quarrel with the music Coppola chose. It is popular these days to use anachronistic music, but I thought her choices were distrating, and, on two occasions, loud and irritating. Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman are fine as the Queen and her King. Dunst looks adorable in the period costumes. In an interesting casting note, Marianne Faithfull appears as Marie mother, Austrian Queen Maria Teresa. The look of the film is definitely A+, but as an overall grade, we cant’t go higher than C+. GRADE C+.

MASTER AND COMMANDER: When I was young I read every book in the Horatio Hornblower series. I thought they were wonderfully exciting. I've decided that adventure on the high seas makes for better reading than viewing. At least for me. This movie is very well made and offers some gorgeous views of tall ships riding the waves, but it just didn't get either one of us excited. There are two battles, one raging storm, several shipboard surgeries and at least three scenes of "Lucky Jack" Aubrey playing the violin and, of course, the obligatory flogging scene. Russell Crowe certainly looks the part of a strong and respected ship's captain, but there seems to be something missing. The film is based on the novels of Patrick O'Brian and re-creates the world of the British navy circa 1805. It seems to give a realistic picture of what life was like on a naval vessel far from home. We did enjoy the relationship between Aubrey and the ship's doctor, Stephen Matruin, played by Paul Bettany, and we both liked the scenes in the Galapagos Islands the best. However, while we think the film was beautifully directed and photographed, we can't give it more than B- on our enjoyment meter. I should mention, though, that many critics found the movie "tremendously entertaining," and we don't want to discourage anyone from taking a look at it. GRADE: B-

THE MATADOR: Pierce Brosnan is noted for his sophisticated charm, but you’ll see none of that in this film. Oh, he’s still charming, but it’s a very scruffy, odd kind of charm. What a treat it is to watch Brosnan to play a worn-out, sleazeball assassin named Julian Noble. Noble works for some mysterious company and takes jobs all over the world. He refers to himself as a "facilitator of fatalities," and maintains that his jobs are mostly "corporate gigs." When a job brings him to Mexico City, he strikes up a bar-room conversation with nice, normal guy Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear). In spite of Julian’s incredibly poor interpersonal skills, the two do make a connection, perhaps because Julian is a nice guy—for an assasin, that is. Later, when Julian is in big trouble, he calls upon Danny’s friendship. Hope Davis is Danny’s wife, and she and Brosnan have a lovely scene together. This is a very odd movie—not at all predictable. It is extremely well written, perfectly acted, and very amusing. It’s worth seeing the film just to watch Brosman walk across a hotel lobby on his way to the swimming pool carrying a can of beer and wearing nothing but a pair of boots and tight swim trunks. Gary really enjoyed this film and give it an A-. I’m in the B+ range. GRADE A-/B+

MATCH POINT: Who among us has not contemplated how profoundly altered our lives might be if some frivolous random event had been different? Woody Allen has the writing and directing skill to turn this philosophical question into an award winning film that may revive his flagging career. And he does it without resorting to a single "one liner" joke for which he is so famous. Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Emily Mortimer, and a talented supporting cast make this drama with twists and turns very believable. Set in London among the wealthy, and dealing with love and lust, fidelity and infidelity, morality and lack of it, the film is fantastic to watch. It would be immoral to give away too much of the plot, but my attention never wavered. I grade this film A-. How do you feel, Barbara?

(Barb's comments) How much of our success in life depends on talent and skill, and how much depends on luck? That’s the underlying question in Match Point. The film is reminiscent of An American Tragedy, in that a poor man yearns for a wealthy life, but is betrayed by lust and selfishness. Allen made in good choice when he cast Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Bend It Like Beckham) in the lead role. His face beautifully reflects the moral dilemma faced by his character. Brian Cox (Red Eye, The Bourne Supremacy) and Penelope Wilton (Calendar Girls) were perfect as Emily Mortimer’s wealthy parents, as was Matthew Goode as her brother. I was also struck by the music in the film. Allen always uses music effectively, usually relying on old standards. Here he uses operatic arias throughout the action. I asked Gary why the "minus," and he said that in order for him to give an "A," the movie has to blow him away. This is an expertly crafted film, but it didn’t blow him away. I agree with Gary’s grade and the reasons for it. GRADE A-

MATCHSTICK MEN: Roy (Nicholas Cage) is Obsessive-Compulsive, Anal Retentive, Agoraphobic, and he suffers from numerous tics. He is quirky personified. He is also a low-level con man working with a partner played by Sam Rockwell (Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind). When Roy discovers that he has a 14-year-old daughter, played winningly by Alison Lohman (Freaky Friday), his whole life becomes increasingly complicated. I can't tell you much about the plot because it would spoil the surprises in the film, but I can say that we enjoyed watching Nick Cage do his quirky thing. I'd like to hire Roy to clean my house. It would be spotless! We thought Rockwell was charming and were once again impressed by Lohman's acting ability. She and Cage have some very nice scenes together. GRADE: B.

ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW: This film is about relationships: those beginning, those ending, those enduring and those only imagined. It’s a film about falling in love and wanting to fall in love. It is either the oddest movie you’ve ever seen, or the most unique and charming movie you’re ever likely to see. We loved it, but then we are suckers for those quirky film-festival kinds of movies. The story revolves around four people. Richard (John Hawkes—Deadwood) is separating from his wife. He has shared custody of his two sons, 14-year-old Peter and 7-year-old Robby. Christine (Miranda July) is an aspiring artist who takes a fancy to Richard. We agree with Roger Ebert who said the film "creates a fragile magic." That the film plays like a piece of performance art is not surprising, since July, who wrote and directed the film, is a performance artist. This is her first feature film and it won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance,. At Cannes, Me and You and Everyone We Know won the Camera d'Or as best first film. We look forward to her next film. GRADE A-

MEAN GIRLS: This teen comedy is better than most because the script is witty and Lindsay Lohan is very appealing as the new girl in school. Cady (Lohan) has moved to Evanston, IL from Africa where she was home schooled. She has no experience with public education and is nervous about being plunged into the social jungle of high school. She infiltrates the "Plastics," a trio of the most popular girls in the junior class, in order to discover their secrets. These girls are mean, and Regina (Rachel McAdams) is the meanest of the three. Cady learns all about the social pecking order, the lunchroom seating priorities, and the rules of being popular. When Cady develops a crush on Aaron (Jonathan Bennet), Regina's former boyfriend, she learns just how mean Regina can be. Unfortunately, Cady gradually becomes more and more like Regina until she herself qualifies as one of the mean girls. There is a message here, though, as Cady eventually realizes the error of her ways. Tina Fey, of SNL, wrote the script and based it on some of her own high school experiences. She also plays Mrs. Norbuy, Cady's calculus teacher. Tim Meadows is funny as the school Principal and Anna Gasteyer is Cady's Zoology professor mom. Mark S. Waters, who directed Mean Girls with a sure hand, also worked with Linsay Lohan in Freaky Friday. This young woman definitely has a future in the movies. GRADE B

MEET THE FOCKERS: Many will see this as a not so inspired sequel to Meet The Parents" but it tickled our funny bone. Both Barbara and I, and the people with us in the theatre the day we saw it, laughed frequently. Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, and Blythe Danner reprise their roles but it was the inspired casting of Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand as father and mother of the groom that made the film special for us. Most of the comedy comes from the contrasting families. The bride’s parents are made up of an uptight retired CIA spook and his compliant military wife. The grooms parents are made up a"touchy/feely" sex therapist and her warm/fuzzy always positive husband. Don’t ask how they produced such and uptight anxiety ridden child as Greg (Ben Stiller). Although we both had fun at this movie, we recognize that not all will love it. One of our readers advises against seeing it and calls it "crap." To be objective, it won’t win any awards, but we think it deserves a look and grade it a B. GRADE B

MEET THE PARENTS: No one is better than Ben Stiller at portraying an ordinary man caught in bizarre circumstances. In this film, Ben plays a male nurse with the unfortunate last name of Focker. He accompanies his girlfriend when she goes home for her sister's wedding, hoping to ask her father for permission to propose. (He has been led to believe that the father will appreciate this archaic gesture.) Robert DeNiro, taking another comedy turn, plays the girl's father. This time he is ,a former CIA agent who puts his prospective son-in-law through a series of interrogations that are mostly fimny but occasionally downright mean. The plot is in the mold of the National Lampoon movies: you know things will go poorly from the first minute. There isn't much substance, but there are plenty of laughs. We particularly liked an airport scene toward the end of the film, although we seemed to be the only ones who laughed at that. Owen Wilson (Shanghai Noon) is the ex-boyfriend and Blythe Danner is Stiller's future mother-in-law. I really like her! GRADE: B-

MEMENTO: This movie is a gimmick in search of a story. The gimmick is unique: the story is told backwards, reminiscent of Pinter's classic Betrayal. Since the movie's hero, Leonard (Guy Pearce) suffers from the inability to put anything into long-term memory, the gimmick serves to make us as confused as he is. Leonard is on a mission of revenge. He is focused on killing the man who raped and murdered his wife and caused Leonard's brain injury. He is a detective with no memory, so he tatoos notes on his body and takes Polaroids of everything. What we want to know is, how can he remember that he has no memory? As in the Pinter movie, the time within the scene runs forward but the scenes themselves proceed backwards: we see the ending first. In Betrayal the device helped us understand the people and what happened to them. In Memento the device merely confuses us. We spent a great deal of time trying to figure out the story, but the plot has gaping holes, and the memory element, though interesting, is inconsistent, scientifically unsound, and ultimately unbelievable. It was not a unsatisfying movie. We have to agree with Roger Ebert who said that Leonard suffered from a screenplay that makes the movie too clever for its own good. Guy Pearse, memorable in L.A.Confidential, is convincingly intense and confused as Leonard, and Joe Pantoliano creates a unique "bad-guy." Christopher Nolan directed and also wrote the screenplay. It was based on a short story by Jonathan Nolan. GRADE: C

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA: If you are interested in the life of a Japanese geisha, you may enjoy this beautifully filmed movie, directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago). Although it apparently rains frequently in Japan, many of the scenes are breathtaking, especially those in Japanese gardens. We, however, were unable to get emotionally involved in this story of a young girl who is sold to a geisha house, treated cruelly, but eventually grows up to be a famous geisha. At her debut, Sayuri performs a dance that captivates the men in the audience. It didn’t do much for us, although the filming of the dance was quite spectacular. The movie is based on a popular novel of the same name. Ziyi Zhang is Sayuri and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) is the older geisha who trains her. They are both Chinese—a fact that has caused some controversy in the film world. Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai) is The Chairman, a wealthy man whose kindness to Sayuri when she was a sad young girl engenders a lifetime of devotion in the celebrated geisha. He has a dominating screen presence, and the women are captivating, but because the movie left us emotionally cold, we can’t give it a high grade. Here are some comments by other critics: ..all fabric and no flesh—Chicago Tribune; A beautiful bore—Atlanta Journal-Constitution; flatly picturesque—Entertainment Weekly. Roger Ebert said in his review, I suspect that the more you know about Japan and movies, the less you will enjoy "Memoirs of a Geisha." GRADE C+

MEN IN BLACK II: They should have quit while they were ahead! I loved MIB, but this sequel does not live up to the fun of the original. Will Smith is still funny, and we liked Tommy Lee Jones, but the film is just a series of special effects and weird aliens, and that gets tedious after a short while. There isn't much of a story, and Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) just isn't an interesting villain. She can't compare to Vincent DeNofrio's inspired performace as the cockroach who inhabited a human form in the original MIB. We liked Roasario Dawson and she and Smith were cute together, but their story was too slight to rescue the movie. We did enjoy Frank the talking Pug--He has some of the best lines--and the little guys in the locker were intriguing. But, although we laughed a few times, I'm sorry to say we thought that most of it was boring. Gary liked it less than I did.
GRADE: C-+

MEN OF HONOR: This is a good old-fashioned bio-pic. It tells the true and inspiring story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American Navy diver. It begins when Brashear is an adolescent in the late 40's and ends in the mid-60's. In between, Brashear had to face terrible prejudice against blacks in the military. He was the first back man to enter diver training school, but only after writing more than 100 letters requesting the transfer. Over and over again, his progress is hampered by racist attitudes. Robert DeNiro is Billy Sunday, the man who trains Brashear and, over time, comes to respect him as a diver and as a man. Of course this is predictable: You know going in that the hero will triumph through adversity. It's also rather heavy with testosterone. But, its still fun to watch, and you can't help cheering for the hero. It was also good to see Cuba Gooding Jr. in a lead role. The film features Charlize Theron as Sunday's younger, make that, MUCH younger, wife. Are she and Helen Hunt taking over Hollywood? The film was directed by George Tillman Jr., whose first movie, Soul Food, was a success in 1997. GRADE: B

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE: Despite her passion for Shakespeare, Barbara has allowed me to try my hand with this review. For me, the film has many highs and lows. Among the highs is the prologue, which informs us of the conditions of Jewish life in Venice in 1586. Jews were forced to live in a confined area that gave the word ghetto to the world. Jews were both reviled and needed in a city where Christians were forbidden to lend money at interest. Jews were forbidden from owning property, but were allowed to lend money as this was an economic necessity to the city. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE is a sometimes-awkward blend of tragedy, comedy and anti-Semitism. You probably remember that it is in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE that Shylock lends money, which if not repaid on time, will result in the forfeiture of a pound of flesh. If you are not a lover of Shakespeare, I doubt that this film will win you over. But if you, like me, admire the Bard, I think you will find Al Pachino’s Shylock mesmerizing. The acting of Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes and Lynn Collins was also brilliant. Costumes, sets, and make-up were inspired. The film deals with many moral dilemmas and you may find yourself troubled by the ways they are resolved. Many scenes in the film rise to a level of A, but overall Barbara and I agree on a grade of B+. GRADE B+

THE MEXICAN: We thought this movie featuring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts was entertaining. If its running time of 123 minutes had been shortened by ten minutes or so, it might have been even better. Toward the end of the film, I began to worry that they didn't know how to end it. However, when the end came, it was satisfying. Pitt is quite funny here but the scenes between Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini (from TV's SOPRANOS) are the best part of the movie. Pitt is Jerry, a commitment-phobic loser who has to perform one last job for his mob-connected boss. He has to go to Mexico and bring back a valuable antique pistol. Meanwhile, a mob hit man, Leroy (Gandolfini) takes Julia/Samantha hostage to insure that Pitt will come back with the gun. The movie has been criticized because its two high-priced stars are not on screen together enough, but that doesn't seem like a legitimate criticism to me. If they had been onscreen together for the whole movie, it would have been a completely different story. And, we would not have had those wonderful scenes with Roberts and Gandolfini. GRADE: B-

MICHAEL CLAYTON: This is a terrific movie. Writer and first time director, Tony Gilroy, who was the screenwriter on all 3 Bourne films, has crafted a compelling story, and, thankfully, uses the classic style of filming—steady cams. Michael Clayton is an in-house "fixer" for a prestigious law firm—an attorney who specializes in cleaning up complex or dirty cases for the firm’s clients. His employers call him a miracle worker, but he calls himself a janitor. The camera lingers on Clooney’s face because the story is told from his point of view. Michael Clayton is middle-aged and not as prosperous as he looks. He’s hurting from a failed restaurant business and owes a lot of money to some questionable people. Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), Michael’s colleague and friend, is the lead attorney defending an important client against a class action lawsuit. The client is a huge agri-chemical manufacturer being sued for alleged poisonous pollution. When Arthur goes wacko during a routine deposition, Michael is called in to fix things. Arthur proclaims that he now believes the client is guilty of murder, but Michael thinks that Edens, who is bipolar and has gone off his medication, is talking "crazy." Tilda Swinton is wonderful as Karen Crowder, the chief counsel for the client. She is mesmerizing on screen and the final scene between Swinton & Clooney is unforgettable. Crowder, along with the head of Clayton’s law firm, played by Sydney Pollack, who seems to be the go-to guy when a high-class corporate executive is required, are desperate to clean up the mess that Arthur has made. That "clean-up" makes for a riveting film, especially with the brilliant cinematography of Robert Elswit, who also gave us the visually memorable films Syriana, Good Night, and Good Luck, and Magnolia.Gary says B+ but I think it deserves an A-. GRADE A-/B+

A MIGHTY HEART: It is difficult for a filmmaker to maintain tension when everyone knows the outcome of the story. We thought Paul Greengrass was successful in doing that in United 93 (2006) and gave that film an A. We didn’t think Michael Winterbottom was as successful in A Mighty Heart. Both movies were filmed in documentary style with a lot of hand-held camera work, which lent an air of realism to both films. But, in A Might Heart, the wait for the inevitable was sometimes tedious. It is worth seeing, though, for Angelina Jolie’s performance. She is Mariane Pearl, the wife of journalist Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped by terrorists in Pakistan. After nine gut-wrenching days of waiting for news, Pearl was executed. We live through those days with Mariane and the people who desperately searched for her husband. There are some genuinely touching moments in the film and Jolie handles them expertly. Dan Futterman plays the kidnapped journalist and although his role is small, he is very effective in it. We also liked Irfan Kahn (The Namesake) as the Captain of the Pakistani police. We were disturbed by a scene that shows a suspect being tortured for information about Pearl. It makes the good guys look too much like the bad guys. We can’t give this movie higher than a B. GRADE B

A MIGHTY WIND: This is Christopher Guest's fourth Mockumentary, and in this one he parodies folk singers. When a legendary folk promoter, Irving Steinbloom, dies, his son, Jonathan (Bob Balaban) wants to stage a memorial concert in his honor at New York's Town Hall. He re-assembles three folk song groups, and we see them in past performances, present interviews, and performing at the memorial concert. All the hilarious Guest regulars are present: Michael McKean, Eugene Levy, Harry Shearer, Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, and Guest himself. Levy and O'Hara, as Mitch and Mickey, are the centerpiece of the movie. Their scenes are both funny and poignant. As usual, Guest and Levy collaborated on the script, although I have read that they merely outline characters and situations and let the actors improvise their own dialogue. What fun it must be to work on a Guest film! Such funny people! In addition, much of the music in the film was written by Guest and others in the cast. Such talented people! The Washington Post said this film is subtler and gentler Guest's earlier films, This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting For Guffman, and Best In Show. Their reviewer said, "You may not laugh as uproariously as you did with the other comedies, but you'll love the characters more." We, too, don't think it is quite as funny as Guest's previous films, but we still laughed a lot. Gary says that "the bottom rung of Christopher Guest's ladder is a lot higher than the top rung of many other filmmakers' ladders." We are devoted fans of all his films and we give this one an A. (Note: If you have missed his three earlier films, by all means rush to your nearest Video Store and rent them.) GRADE: A

MILLION DOLLAR BABY: (2004) Movies about boxing are my least favorite sports films, but this is so much more than a movie about a fighter. It’s about getting respect and living your dream, but mostly it’s about love and redemption. It is a truly wonderful movie. Some critics belive that this film is Clint Eastwood’s masterpiece, and they may be right. I am so impressed with Eastwood’s ability to tell a story with no frills and no resorting to cliches. His scenes are perfect and beautifully spare: they have exactly what they need—no more, no less. And his acting isn’t bad either. Eastwood is Frankie Dunn, a former cutman who runs a down and dirty gym. When approached by an eager would-be fighter named Maggie (Hillary Swank), he says, "I don’t train girls." Morgan Freeman is Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris a former fighter who manages the gym for Frankie. The two men have some wonderful scenes together, but it is the growing relationship between Frankie and Maggie that gives this movie its heart and soul. I don’t want to ruin it by telling too much about the story. Just see it for yourself. Both Gary and I were incredibly moved by Million Dollar Baby and have no trouble giving this film an A. GRADE A

MILLIONS: (2004 Release) The most remarkable thing about this film is that is was directed by Danny Boyle who gave us very dark and, for us, unwatchable Trainspotting (1996). This film is eminently watchable. An adorable young actor, Alex Etel, plays Damian, a young boy who finds a satchel with over 265,000 British pounds. The satchel bounces off a train and on to Damian’s playhouse, and he thinks it is a gift from God. Damian’s older brother (Lewis McGibbon) wants to spend the money; Damian wants to give it to the poor. This takes place just a week before the U.K. will convert to the Euro. After that, the money will be worthless. Damian is a devout child whose heroes are the Catholic Saints. He knows everything about them and they frequently appear and talk with him. The story is a charming mixture of fantasy and reality, and Boyle uses creative film techniques to tell us his story. James Nesbitt (Waking Ned Devine) is the boys’ widowed father. The two boys are terrifically appealing and the movie is both amusing and touching. Gary always has some difficulty hearing heavily-accented British films, so he only gives the movie a C+. For me, it was a delightful B. GRADE B/C+

MINORITY REPORT: This movie is so much more than a futuristic thriller. It does have some amazing special effects, but it also has a human story and thought provoking issues. In addition, there is an engrossing mystery with a satisfying ending. Tom Cruise is splendid as John Anderton, the chief of Washington D.C.'s Pre-Crime unit. He created a character that I cared about. His unit is able to predict murders before they happen. They depend on three Pre-Cogs--modern-day Cassandras who can foresee the future. They drift in a flotation tank, their brain waves tapped by computers. Samantha Morton is Agatha, the strongest of the three Pre-cogs, and she again amazes me with her ability to captivate with little or no dialogue. (She was the young mute woman who loved Sean Penn in Sweet and Lowdown.) Anderton is convinced that the pre-cogs are infallible, until they predict that he will murder someone--a man he does not know. I don't want to tell anymore of the story because I don't want to spoil it for you. I was totally engaged from the beginning, but Gary had some trouble getting into it. He can't go higher than B+, but I would have to give it an A. Spielberg has proven once again that he is one of the best, if not the best, director working today. Max von Sydow, Colin Farrell, and Tim Blake Nelson also appear. Roger Ebert loved the film and said, "Minority Report is a triumph--a film that works on our minds and our emotions. (It) reminds us why we go to the movies in the first place." GRADE: A/B+

MIRACLE: (2004 Release) I think hockey fans are going to love this movie, and the 135 minute running time will seem short to them. It seemed a bit long to me, but it did have some exciting moments. This is another film where you know the ending in advance, but the game against the Russian hockey team at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics was still thrilling to watch. The centerpiece of this film is not the individual players on that gold medal hockey team, but on their coach, Herb Brooks. It is interesting to watch how Brooks takes a group of players still focused on old college rivalries and turns them into a cohesive, interdependent team. Kurt Russell does a fine job of bringing this controversial coach to life. His clothes and even his hairstyle make him look remarkably like Brooks. The wonderful Patricia Clarkson is wasted playing a typical coach's wife--the staple of all sports films. She alternates between supporting her man and complaining that he's neglecting the family, but she does it with style. I have read that the filmmakers recruited real hockey players and taught them to act, rather than hire actors who had to pretend to be hockey players. That's what makes the action on the ice look so authentic. This is a standard sports film with the added element of Cold War patriotic fervor. The director Gavin O'Connor's previous film was the 1997 independent film, Tumbleweeds. Gary was quite moved by the film and gives it a grade of A-. I'd have to say that, for me, it was a solid B movie. GRADE A-/B

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY: It’s delightful. It’s delovely. It’s a fast-talking thirties-style romantic comedy with the adorable Amy Adams and the redoubtable Francis McDormand. Adams is Delysia, a flighty somewhat promiscuous American singer working in London on the eve of WWII. McDormand is an unemployed nanny who maneuvers herself into a job with Adams. Only after a few hours does Miss Pettigrew discover that the job isn’t for a nanny, but for a social secretary. The film chronicles Miss Pettigrew’s adventures in the glamorous social whirl that is Delysia’s life. She helps the young actress manage the three men in her life and along the way, finds an admirer for herself, played by Ciarán Hinds. Adams and McDormand are wonderful, and we both especially liked Lee Pace (The Good Shephard, and TV’s Pushing Daisies) who plays one of Delysias’s boyfriends. The only serious element in the film is the impending conflict with Nazi Germany. The rest of the film could have been directed by Frank Capra or Preston Sturges, considering the sprightly dialogue and the thirties costumes and sets. It’s a quaintly old-fashioned movie and extremely entertaining. I loved it. Gary had a bit of trouble hearing the fast-talking women and missed some of the dialogue, so he doesn‘t feel he can grade the film. I don’t have any trouble giving it a B+. GRADE B+

THE MISSING: I don't care how much Ron Howard denies it, this is a remake of the John Wayne film, The Searchers. However, there are a couple of differences. First, it has Tommy Lee Jones as the heroic tracker. Now I like John Wayne, but let's face it, Jones can act circles around him! Second, tt has many elements of native mysticism--witches, curses, spiritual healing, etc. The first is a plus; the second is a minus. Cate Blanchett, who was referred to recently as the Meryl Street of the 21^st Century, is excellent as Maggie, a woman alone in the West with two daughters to raise. When renegade Indian scouts capture her oldest daughter, she is forced to turn for help to her father, Samuel. He deserted her mother years ago and has lived with the Apaches, even taking an Apache wife. Jones is craggy and weary and wonderful in the role. Maggie cannot forgive her father, but she needs his tracking skills. Excellent acting is a given with these two, but the movie has some problems. It is far too long, and there are too many unbelievable confrontations with the renegades. It almost reminded me of soap opera! Half-way through Gary was ready to give this film a B+, but as the story became more and more implausible, and more and more mystical, he downgraded it. Because we liked the beginning of the film, and because we like Jones and Blanchett, we give it a C+. GRADE C+
From Roger Ebert's Review: I couldn't believe any part of this movie. It's such a preposterous setup that I was always aware of the plot chugging away, and the logistics of the chase defy all common sense.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2: Immediately after the movie ended I was ready to give it a B-, but perhaps I was blinded by that Cruise smile. On reflection, I decided it was only worth about a C+. We saw the movie in Laughlin, NV with Willie & Bill Enoch. Both Willie and I liked it a bit better than Gary and Bill who voted for a C. Apparently Thandie Newton didn't do as much for the men as Cruise did for Willie and me. I liked the fact that the story was not convoluted, but I didn't care much for Dougray Scott as the villain. He was too bland. Thandic Newton (Beloved) is a lovely girl and I liked the fact that she was more than just a pretty face-she had gumption. Ving Rhames was wasted in the role of a sidekick with little to do. I thought all that pulling off of rubber facemasks got just a bit tedious. We couldn't figure out where Cruise carried all those masks. The movie a satisfying number of car chases and explosions and the opening shots of Tom Cruise rock climbing were spectacular. GRADE: C/C+

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sit through two hours of explosions, deadly gun fights, crashing helicopters and explosive devises—some of them implanted in people’s heads. Don’t look for much of a plot, or any character development to speak of. There are some good actors here—Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Lawrence Fishburn, Billy Crudup, Ving Rhames—but you only see them sporadically through the fire and falling debris. Johnathan Rhys-Meyers, so good in Match Point, is wasted here, and the lovely Michelle Monaghan has the thankless task of playing Cruise’s girlfriend/wife in peril. This kind of non-stop action stuff works better in a comic book movie like Superman or Spiderman, where you don‘t expect any similarity to real life. This third MI is all about a doomsday weapon called the "Rabbit’s Foot," that is being sold to Middle Eastern terrorists. We never do learn just what the "Rabbit’s Foot" is, and we really don’t care. I think this franchise has had its day. (Although the theme music is still good.) I don’t think either one of us will bother to see Mission Impossible IV, if they choose to make it. And let’s hope they don’t. GRADE C

MONA LISA SMILE:When a woman went to college in the 1950's it was common to hear people say, "She's going for her Mrs. Degree." I know, because that's when I went to college. In this movie, Julia Roberts is Katherine Watson, a Californian who comes to Wellesley to teach. Because she introduces her students to modern art and tells them they must consider it and decide for themselves if it is good or not, she is considered "subversive." Imagine-- she wants the students to think for themselves! This film is a good depiction of that era and it is enjoyable. Julia Stiles, Kirsten Dunst, and Maggie Gyllenhaal are three students who are most influenced by Watson. It's a bit hard for me to believe they actually had classes in table setting and dinner planning at Wellesley. It's also a bit hard for me to believe that any teacher can have such a powerful influence on an entire class in just one year. And I thought that the Kirsten Dunst character was such a bitch that she hardly seemed human, although an attempt was made to soften her by the end. I liked seeing Juliet Stevenson in a small part, and Marcia Gay Harden is perfect as a woman who has bought the whole fifties package. Toward the end of the film, a colleague tells Watson that he thinks she didn't come to Wellesley to teach the girls to think for themselves, but rather to think like she does. And there is some truth in that. The film does advance the idea that getting married and staying home to raise children should not be viewed as some sort of failure. Gary liked this film a lot and he thinks it deserves an A-. I don't think the script is anywhere near the "A" category and couldn't grade it any higher than B-. GRADE: A-/B-

MONSIEUR IBRAHIM: It's wonderful to see Omar Sharif on the screen again. He is terrific in this French film about the friendship between a French Jewish boy and an elderly Muslim shopkeeper. Ibrahim has taken a kindly interest in the motherless Momo (Pierre Boulanger), even to the point of overlooking the boy's shoplifting. Momo's mother ran off years ago and the boy has been doing all the shopping and cooking for his humorless, depressed father. The film is set in the early 60s, and, in this more innocent time, we completely accept the friendship between the man and the boy. Ibrahim acts like a surrogate father to Momo, and without him, the lonely boy's life would be bleak indeed. The local prostitutes also befriend Momo. They introduce him to sex and treat him with motherly affection. This is a charming film and we hope you will get the chance to see it. GRADE B.

MONSOON WEDDING: Monsoon Wedding is a colorful and lively look at a family in Delhi as they prepare for their daughter's wedding. Everyone speaks English, although they also speak Hindi, and, occasionally, Punjabi, sometimes in the same sentence. There are subtitles for all the non-English dialogue. The parents have arranged the marriage. The groom has traveled here from Houston to marry in a traditional ceremony, and the bride is still involved with a former married boyfriend, but that is not the only story here. There are multiple subplots. One of most entertaining of them involves the wedding planner, P.K. Dube, who falls in love with the family's maid, Alice. Apparently a traditional wedding demands several parties leading up to the main event. And these people love to party! We had a problem identifying all the characters and their relationships, and that meant we really didn't get into the story until almost 1/3 of the way through it. Once I got the people straight, I enjoyed the film, but Gary never really identified with any of the stories. This movie did not make me want to visit India, and it confirmed my dislike of Indian music. But those are my problems. Many others have enjoyed this look at another culture. (See Readers' Views) GRADE: B-/C

MONSTER: There just aren't enough words to describe the extraordinary performance of Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Powerful, riveting, intense, compelling, unforgettable--all these words apply. It will be a travesty if Theron does not win an Oscar! There is no other female performance this year that can match hers. Wuornos was severely abused as a child, became a prostitute by age 13, and in 1989 began to kill her customers. In Monster, we meet her before the first murder. When Wuornos fell in love with a young woman, Selby Wall (Christina Ricci), she dreamed of earning enough money to set the two of them up in a "normal" lifestyle. She vowed to give up hooking but, unable to find work, the need for money drove her back to prostitution. The hurt and rage that Wuornos felt toward men ever since a friend of her father's raped her repeatedly at the age of eight, finally burst forth in violence. From 1989 to 1990, Wuornos murdered seven men. Wuornos was executed in October 2002. Theron wore false teeth, gained 30 lbs. and wore makeup that made her skin look sun damaged in order to look remarkably like the ungainly Wuornos. Theron dominates the screen. She is unrecognizable and totally inhabits the role. We agree with Roger Ebert that "this is one of the greatest performances in the history of the cinema." GRADE A; ACTING GRADE A+++

MONSTER'S BALL: Our local critic praised this film's "gritty realism" and said it was "hard to watch but impossible to ignore. We don't usually agree with him, but this time he got it right. Monster's Ball is painfully realistic. It is an unlikely love story, bringing together Hank (Billy Bob Thornton), a racist Corrections Officer, and Leticia (Halle Berry), the widow of a man whose execution Hank supervised. Leticia is black, and Hank has learned to hate African-Americans from his father, Buck (Peter Boyle). Nothing is prettied up here: We see these people with all their flaws. Thornton is his usual understated self as Hank, a man who undergoes amazing changes in his attitude. Berry is splendid. She has long been one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, and, with this performance, she joins the ranks of one of the best actors in Hollywood. Boyle is effective as the epitome of redneck racism, spewing forth hatred at every opportunity. Heath Ledger is Sonny, Hanks son and a third generation Corrections Officer. Sonny apparently takes after his mother, because he is not racist and his father and grandfather despise him for his "weakness." This is not a "nice" movie and I suspect many people will not like it. It is not a film we will soon forget; especially Halle Berry's Oscar caliber performance. GRADE: B+ (Barbara)/B (Gary)

THE MOONLIGHT MILE: Brad Silberling has given us a realistic picture of grief in this film that is based on his own real-life experience. Silberling's girlfriend, actress Rebecca Schaeffer, was murdered by a stalker in 1989. The Moonlight Mile is based on Silberling's relationship with Schaeffer's parents. The movie introduces us to Ben and JoJo Floss (Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon) at a terrible time in their life. Their daughter, Diana, has been killed. She was sitting at a lunch counter when she got in the way of a man shooting at his wife. They are devastated by their daughter's death, and the presence of Diana's fiancée, Joe Nast (Jake Gyllenhaal), seems to be the only thing that helps Ben and JoJo deal with their grief. The film opens as the three of them are getting ready for the funeral. We see that Jake planned to leave after the funeral, but he winds up staying with the bereaved parents. Jake's subsequent relationship with Ben and JoJo forms the basis of the story. Sarandon and Hoffman are wonderful. They have some scenes that will touch your heart. Gyllenhaal plays his usual shy, boyish character, but he plays it well. Holly Hunter is the D.A. who is prosecuting the shooter. . For some inexplicable reason, the movie is set in 1973, and that bothered me a bit. I wish I knew why Silberling close that time period. We both thought the ending of the movie was strong and we appreciated the fine acting. However, something I can't quite articulate seems to be missing from the script. GRADE: B.

MOSTLY MARTHA: (German--subtitled) Martha is, according to her boss, the second best chef in the city. She runs a tight ship in her kitchen, believing that timing and logistics are everything. In fact, the restaurant kitchen is her real home. Away from it, she is lonely and unfulfilled. All at once, two things happen to disrupt her perfectly ordered life. First, her sister dies in an automobile accident and she takes over the care of Lina, her eight-year-old niece. There isn't a recipe so complicated that Martha cannot follow it, but there is no recipe for raising a child and Martha flounders in the unfamiliar situation. What even worse, Martha's boss hires Mario, an eccentric Italian sous chef, to assist in the restaurant. Martha feels that Mario has invaded her kitchen just as Lina has invaded her life. The German actress, Martina Gedeck, is marvelous as Martha, making her completely believable and totally endearing. The ending is predictable, but getting there is a delight. I particularly loved the restaurant cooking scenes--I want to eat there! Gary enjoyed the movie, but the cooking scenes didn't do much for him. He gives the film a B, but I think it deserves a GRADE : A-.

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES: In the spring of 1952, two young men set out on a road trip from Argentina to Peru. Their mode of transportation is a dilapidated motorcycle. This is significant only because one of the men was Ernesto "Che" Guevara. The other was his best friend, Alberto Granado. The film is adapted from diaries written by the two travelers. The trip changed Guevara's life. He writes that when he returned he was no longer the same person. The trip showed him both the beauty of the continent and the poverty and injustice that were the lot of the indigenous people. The trip was the making of a revolutionary. Four years after the motorcycle trip, Che, along with Fidel Castro, traveled to Cuba to mount the only successful socialist revolution. Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros and Y Tu Mamá Tambien) makes a very handsome and appealing Guevara. The scenery is breath taking, especially when they visit Machu Pichu in Peru. Also memorable are the people they meet along the way. One of the best segments is their visit to a leper colony on the banks of the Amazon River in Peru. The film does start rather slowly and we both had some difficulty keeping our eyes open. (Note: When you close your eyes in a sub-titled film, you miss everything!) Eventually the film captured our attention, but we can't grade it higher than a C+. GRADE C+

MOULIN ROUGE: The story is grand opera and the music ranges from Learner & Lowe to Madonna. The movie is set in 1900 in Paris at the famous Moulin Rouge. The sets and costumes are phantasmagoric. (I think the director, Baz Luhrman was frightened by a kaleidoscope when young.) The opening fifteen minutes were extremely irritating, with too many quick camera cuts and too much anachronistic music. Can you believe "The hills are alive, etc.? The first scene in the nightclub is a hymn to MTV-style excess and reminded me of a video game. We were tempted to leave, but the movie settled down a bit after that and we did stay until the end. The story is straight out of LA TRAVIATA, with Nicole Kidman as Satine, the beautiful courtesan who is dying of consumption and is forced to give up the man she loves to save him. It's Camille with a backstage setting. Kidman's singing was very adequate and she did look lovely. Ewan MacGregor's singing was impressive. John Leguizamo is an interesting Toulouse-Lautrec and he and his three thespian friends appear throughout as sort of turn of the century Marx brothers. Jim Broadbent, as the nightclub owner, does a chubby Joel Grey from Cabaret. At one point he actually sings, "Like A Virgin." I liked the movie better when I figured out what it was trying to do and can give it a C+. Gary can't go higher than C. Neither one of us got emotionally involved with the characters. The movie is all flash and style with littleor no substance. GRADE: C+/C

MR. 3000: I like Bernie Mac. He's very funny and also a bit vulnerable and he was the perfect choice to play Stan Ross in this baseball movie. Ross was the best hitter on the Milwaukee Brewers team and he was a fan favorite, but he was an arrogant man who played only for himself. When he got his 3000^th hit, he quit baseball and opened several businesses trading on his "Mr. 3000" record. However, nine years later he has not been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and that bothers him mightily. When a statistician discovers a recording error that credited him with three more hits than he actually had, Ross joins the Brewers once again to get those three hits. Because his presence brings in fans, Brewers management is delighted to have him back. However, the coach (Paul Sorvino) is definitely not delighted. Angela Bassett appears as a reporter and former girlfriend; Tom Arnold, Jay Leno, and several others appear as themselves. The movie is amusing and surprisingly low-key. Mac gives a funny and rather touching performance as a man who learns something about teamwork. We went with Grandson Nathan and all three of us agreed that it was a B movie. GRADE B.

MR. & MRS. SMITH: This movie has an intriguing beginning. John and Jane Smith have been married for six or seven years. Their relationship has gone stale, perhaps because they both have secrets. Actually, they have the same secret: Neither knows that the other is a paid assassin. When they are both hired by their employers to eliminate the same target, they finally discover the truth. When each one is ordered to eliminate the other, the action really begins. (I noticed that these professional killers were very bad shots when shooting at each other.) This section of the movie has some good moments between Pitt and Jolie and is enlivened by the humor of Vince Vaughn. But we both felt that the gunplay and explosions in the last third of the movie get increasingly tedious. The final scene is clever, but by then we were a bit tired of the whole thing. Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie are quite good together—on film, anyway. They seem to be having fun with their roles, and, of course, they are very pretty to look at. It’s not a bad way to spend a hot summer afternoon, but we can only give it a mild thumbs up. GRADE B-

MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT: Now here’s a film that those of us in the "advanced age" group can identify with. It’s a three-hankie movie about an elderly widow (Joan Plowright) who moves into a London residential hotel so that she won’t be a burden to her daughter. She also wants to live an independent life. The Claremont doesn’t live up to its advertising brochure, but Mrs. Palfrey makes the best of it. One day, stumbling on the street, she meets Ludovic (Rupert Friend), a young writer and they develop an "unlikely friendship." The scenes between Plowright and Friend are lovely. Every elderly widow should be lucky enough to find a young friend like Ludovic. When Ludovic has dinner with his new friend at the Claremont, he looks around the room at the handful of elderly characters and says to her, "We’ve been trapped in a Terence Rattigan Play. (From Stephen Holden, NYTimes critic: The Rattigan play to which Ludovic refers is "Separate Tables," and the scenes set in the Claremont dining room . . . are ur-Rattigan in their air of embattled gentility. The oddly old-fashioned characters, who might have been extracted from a game of Clue, epitomize a particular breed of British eccentric.) BoxOffice Magazine called this movie a "tedious heart-tugger." However, the on-line Move Chicks review calls it "an absolute delight." We’re with them. GRADE B+

MULHOLLOAND DRIVE: When we look at clouds in the sky, we try to find familiar shapes. When we look at an abstract painting, we try to find meaning. So it is with a film by David Lynch. Our linear minds try to make sense of it. Roger Ebert said in his review, "If you require logic, see something else." That's good advice. Like Hollywood itself, this film about Los Angeles and the movie industry is a mixture of fantasy, dreams, and reality, and it's almost impossible to tell which is which. Gary theorized that this film could be the ramblings of a demented woman. I believe it shows us the fantasies of a young girl who came to L.A. with ambitious dreams--She was determined to be a movie star, or at least a great actress. Real life intruded on her dreams and when her lover betrayed her, it tipped her over the edge. We are asked to join the disappointed actress in her abyss. It is quite a journey. Naomi Watts is very impressive, and Laura Elena Harring, who is an Ava Gardner look-alike, is lovely. Mullholland Drive is beautifully photographed and all the acting is top notch. We liked this movie, but then, we also liked Lynch's very strange 1985 film, Blue Velvet. If you are uncomfortable with ambiguity, we suggest you avoid this one. Gary gives the movie a B and I vote for B+. GRADE B/B+

From Roger Ebert’s Review of Mulholland Drive: "If you want an explanation for the last half hour of the film, think of it as the dreamer rising slowly to consciousness, as threads from the dream fight for space with recent memories from real life, and with fragments of other dreams--old ones and those still in development."

MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS: I am the designated hitter on this review, although Barbara agrees with the grade I’ve given it. As I expected, Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins are splendid together and make the film even more enjoyable than I expected. The story takes place mostly in London’s Windmill Theatre, famous for tasteful nude tableaux and for being the only theatre to remain open during the Nazi bombing of London in the 1940’s. The British have the same nostalgic fondness for the memory of the Windmill as older Americans do for the Ziegfeld Follies, perhaps more. The film was inspired by a true story, though I’m sure it takes the usual liberties with history. It is funny and at times extremely moving. Director Stephen Frears has given us excellent films in the past such as The Grifters, Dangerous Liaisons, and Dirty Pretty Things, and adds to his diversity with Mrs. Henderson Presents. Unless you are offended by nudity (both male and female) even when it is tastefully done, I think you will find the time (1 hour and 43 minutes) well spent. (Barb’s comments: I got teary several times during the film. I also want to mention Kelly Reilly, because we both thought she was particularly good. Reilly was Caroline Bingley in the recent Pride & Prejudice, although she looks quite different in this movie. Here, her hair is lighter and her clothes are fewer.) GRADE B+

MUNICH: Revenge can be sweet and may be absolutely essential to those harmed by some intentional act of violence. But revenge can also be extraordinarily expensive by whatever measure you wish to apply. Steven Spielberg is wading in moral quicksand with this film. Roger Ebert puts it in perspective when he writes, Spielberg's film has been called an attack on the Palestinians and he has been rebuked as "no friend of Israel." By not taking sides, he has taken both sides. Those of you who are old enough, remember with horror the news that came out of the 1972 Munich Olympics. Eleven Israeli athletes were kidnapped by a terrorist group called "Black September." The Israeli athletes were all killed by the terrorists during a failed rescue attempt by German police. The film deals with the Israeli mission to kill all the planners of the tragic Munich events. Eric Bana is very good as Avner, a man who begins his murderous task with patriotic fervor but is ultimately tortured by what he has done. Munich is not intended to be a happy film nor a hopeful one. It is efficient filmmaking and the excellent acting makes it an absorbing experience. But one is left with the rather depressing thought that a solution to the centuries old hatred between Palestinians and Jews may never be resolved. GRADE B

MURDERBALL: You can’t judge a book by its cover and you certainly can’t judge this documentary film from the title. Murderball is a sport played by quadriplegic athletes in armored wheelchairs. It had its beginnings in the 1970’s in Canada, but the name of the sport changed to "Wheelchair Rugby" and "Quad Rugby" in order to better attract corporate sponsors. A quadriplegic has some impairment in all four limbs. The makers and participants in this film are not looking for pity. In fact they consciously steer away from the tears and gooey inspirational uplift associated with disability movies. Watching these athletes in competitive World Championship matches is a little like watching a Mad Max movie. And by the film’s end, you realize that your attitude toward physical impairments may have undergone a subtle change. One star of the film is Mark Zupan. He is tough, terse, genuine, and ribald. The camera loves him and if you see the film, you will not soon forget him. This sounds like another sports film, but it is so much more than that. The film uses an unusual sport as a way to glimpse the lives of really interesting people. I read several critics who view this as one of the best films of the year. Barbara and I think it is an outstanding documentary but not quite in the superlative range. Barbara says B. I think maybe it is worth a B+. GRADE B+/B

MUSIC AND LYRICS: If you appreciate Hugh Grant’s charm and you think Drew Barrymore is appealing, then you will enjoy this film. If you don’t care for the actors, then you’ll want to skip this one. The plot is standard romantic comedy: 1. boy and girl meet cute; 2. boy and girl fall for each other; 3. some problem separates them; 4. boy and girl get back together. The problem with this film is #3. I thought the separating issue was poorly written and not credible. #1, #2, and #4 were fine. Both Gary and I are Hugh Grant fans. There is no one who can throw away a funny line as effectively as he can. Here he plays Alex Fletcher, a 80s music star, relegated to performing at amusement parks. The opening credits play over an 80s music video that is hilarious. When the group, "POP" was high on the charts, Alex wrote the music and his friend wrote the lyrics. Since the group broke up, he hasn’t been able to write a good song on his own. His agent, Brad Garrett, gets him the opportunity to write a song for a Brittany Spears type phenomenon, but he needs a lyricist. Enter Drew Barrymore, the plant lady. And, as Elaine would say, Yada, Yada, Yada. Haley Bennett is perfect as the Brittany Spears performer, and Kristin Johnson (TV’s 3rd Rock From The Sun) appears as Barrymore’s older sister and an avid Alex Flectcher fan. I agree with the critics who called the movie "bland" and "unoriginal." But I also agree that it is charming. If you do go, be sure to stay for the closing credits. Some of the funniest lines appear over the 80s video of the bands biggest hit, Pop Goes My Heart. GRADE B-

MUST LOVE DOGS: This romantic comedy will never rank up there with the great ones, but it’s a pleasant way to spend a hot summer afternoon. It does have some clever dialogue and some very good supporting characters—Stockard Channing, Elizabeth Perkins, Dermot Mulrooney and Christopher Plummer. Their scenes are some of the best in the movie. But most of all, it has two of our favorites, Diane Lane and John Cusak. Of course you know from the very beginning that they are made for each other and it’s only a matter of time before they realize it. Lane is a recently divorced woman whose family is urging her to get back into the dating game. Her sister (Perkins) puts her profile up on a dating website and we see her go out on the requisite bad dates. There’s nothing very new here—the plot takes the predictable turns—but until the rather lame ending, we enjoyed ourselves. This one isn’t going to make our "Best Movies of all Time" list, but it won’t make our "Worst" list either. It gets a B from us. GRADE B

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING: Gary grew up in a Greek neighborhood and he remembers that they really knew how to throw a party. Apparently, they also give vigorously enthusiastic weddings, as evidenced by this film. Nia Vardalos was an actress at Chicago's Second City when she developed this material for a one-woman play, which she performed off-Broadway. One night Rita Wilson, who is a Greek-American, was in the audience and she loved the material. Wilson persuaded her husband, Tom Hanks, to option the piece for a movie, and that's how My Big Fat Greek Wedding came about. Vardalos grew up in Winnipeg Manitoba, where even though the Greek population was very small, her father still insisted she marry a good Greek boy. She didn't. And therein lies the story. John Corbett (from TV's Northern Exposure) is Ian Miller, the non-Greek with whom Toula (Vardalos) fall in love. The setting is Chicago, where there is a lively Greek population. We are introduced to Toula's father (Michael Constantine) who thinks Windex solves every problem, and who can trace any word, even kimono, back to its Greek roots. Lanie Kazan is especially good as Toula's mother. Roger Ebert said: "Everyone in this movie looks like they could be a real person." We, too, enjoyed the joyous & believable ambiance of this movie and we think it deserves GRADE: B.

MY DOG SKIP: We went to see this movie because Roger Ebert raved about it. Of course, as a young boy, Ebert had a dog that was his best friend, while neither Gary nor are dog lovers. But it didn't matter: we developed great fondness for this sweet film. Made for children, it has great appeal for adults as well. Frankie Muniz (From TV's Malcolm In The Middle) is perfect in the part of Willie, a lonely only child who gets a puppy for his ninth birthday. Diane Lane is his mother and Kevin Bacon plays Willie's father, a veteran of the Spanish Civil War who lost a leg and "a piece of his heart". in that conflict. There are many nice moments in the film, which beautifully handles such themes and love, friendship, courage, and loyalty. It is set during WWII, and nicely recreates a Yazoo, a small town on the Mississippi Delta. Even if you never had a dog, we think you will enjoy this film. GRADE: B

MYSTIC RIVER: This is a beautifully crafted film and a faithful adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel. It is a murder mystery, but so much more than that. It is also a character study of three men who were damaged by an incident that happened when they were young. Dave, Sean, and Jimmy were playing hockey in the street when a man purporting to be a detective forced Dave into his car. Dave was kept prisoner and escaped four days later, but the horror of those four days haunted him forever. Sean & Jimmy didn't get in the car, but they were deeply affected by the incident. The movie begins with Dave's kidnapping but quickly moves to 25 years later. Sean (Kevin Bacon) is a police detective, Jimmy (Sean Penn), who spent two years in prison, now runs a corner grocery story, and Dave (Tim Robbins) is married with a young son. The three have grown apart, but the violent murder of Jimmy's daughter brings them together. The acting is uniformly powerful but I was particularly impressed with Sean Penn. His performance is stunning and he deserves, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. Robbins is also impressive in a role that is dramatically different from others he has played. Marcia Gay Harden gives a memorable performance as Dave's wife and the always-wonderful Laura Linney is Jimmy's wife. Clint Eastwood's direction is masterful--there are no false notes. And, speaking of notes, he also composed the score! What a guy! Both Gary and I read the Lehane novel recently, so we could not get caught up in the mystery, but we could appreciate the acting, the directing and the look of the film. I expect Mystic River will garner multiple Oscar nominations. GRADE: A.