B

BABEL: As the biblical title would suggest, this is a film about failures to communicate. Three seemingly unrelated stories taking place in four widely differing cultures ultimately are tied together in unexpected ways. Barbara and I both were impressed by the power of this film, but I fear many will not have the high regard we do. User Reviews on the Yahoo Movies website range from A+ to F. Professional Reviews range from A to C-. The biggest names in the cast are Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, but it is an ensemble effort that is skillfully carried along by a first rate cast of lesser known actors. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who received accolades for his direction of 21 Grams, uses a similar nonlinear approach in this film. Scenes are often like fragments of a puzzle which take shape gradually. It is my hope that the chaotic array of tragic misunderstandings in Babel will leave viewers better prepared to cope with the dangerous world in which we now live. GRADE B+

BABY MAMA: Both Barbara and I are enthusiastic Tina Fey fans so we were anxiously awaiting the opening of Baby Mama. High expectations often end in disappointment, but not this time. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Steve Martin, Sigourney Weaver, and a strong supporting cast were great fun to watch in this predictable but laugh-out-loud comedy. Fey plays a single 37-year-old type A career business executive whom of late is hearing the ticking, if not the chiming, of her biological clock. Being told she has about a million-to-one shot at getting pregnant kicks her into problem-solving gear and she starts the search for a surrogate mother (baby mama). The unlikely choice played by Amy Poehler is a comically crude, down-on-her-luck, South Philly girl who proves to be a great foil for Fey. Predictably, Steve Martin adds texture and many smiles as a laid-back 60’s throwback. Weaver is very funny as the head of the surrogacy agency that bring Fey and Poehler together. To be fair, many critics were less enthusiastic than I was. I say "B+" and Barb says "B". Grade B+/B

BAD COMPANY: Jake Hayes (Chris Rock) is a street-wise New Yorker who makes his living playing chess in the park and scalping tickets to sporting events. Unbeknownst to him, he has a twin brother (they were separated at birth) who is a CIA operative. When the brother is killed in the midst of an important mission, the CIA approaches Hayes and offers to pay him a lot of money if he will impersonate his twin and complete the mission. He must work with Gaylord Oakes (Anthony Hopkins) his brother's partner in the mission. I was puzzled as to why Hayes's training consisted mostly of recognizing fine wine and cognac. What does that have to do with buying a suitcase nuclear bomb from some Russian thugs? The only good thing in this film, is Chris Rock. He is a funny man, and we liked him in spite of the totally implausible thriller aspects of the movie. The movie seemed incredibly long and all the battles with assorted baddies and terrorists got quite tedious. Funny how in movies like this, the good guys never get hit. Only the bad ones get killed. The climax of having to disarm a bomb only seconds before it explodes is such an old chestnut that it was laughable. Hopkins is always believable, but he could have phoned this one in. We liked Kerry Washington who plays Hayes's girlfriend, although her part is minimal. Only because of Rock are we willing to give this one as high as GRADE C.

BAD EDUCATION: Pedro Almodóvar is a talented filmmaker and a superb storyteller. His stories are always unique and unpredictable. They are a journey of discovery for the audience. He draws us into the story with striking visuals and characters that gradually unveil their secrets. The first Almodóvar film we saw was Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. We also enjoyed All About My Mother and Talk to Her. I don’t want to give away any of the plot in Bad Education because it will be better if you discover it for yourself. It’s enough to say that child abuse at the hands of a Priest is a significant event in the lives of two young men. There are numerous flashbacks, a movie within the movie, and Gael Garcia Bernal (Che Guevera in The Motorcycle Diaries) plays three characters. He is remarkable in all three roles. (That all sounds complicated, but it is not difficult to follow.) Fele Martinez is also excellent as the young filmmaker. Some scenes involve explicit homosexual behavior and that may be difficult for some, but we think the film is definitely worth seeing. Gary says B; I saw B+. GRADE B+/B

BAD NEWS BEARS: Billy Bob Thornton reprises his Bad Santa character in this remake of the 1976 Walter Matthau film. Thornton is very good at playing a profane, alcoholic loser who, way down deep, is kind of sweet. Directed by Richard Linklater, the film is surprisingly low-key. I expected a higher energy level, but I guess low-key is Thornton’s stock in trade. Thornton plays Morris Buttermaker, who is, as he explains it, "a drunk who makes a living killing rats to live in a trailer." For reasons that are never fully explained, he agrees to coach a little league baseball team.—a team of losers who have been rejected by the other teams in the league. Greg Kinnear is a rival coach and Marcia Gay Harden is the mother who sued the league to allow the kids to play. If you saw the 1976 version, you pretty much know the story. Not much new here, except for Billy Bob. The kids are fine and there are plenty of laughs, but we can’t go higher than B-. GRADE B-

BAD SANTA: This is a perverted Christmas movie and it takes slightly perverted mind to enjoy it. I'm almost afraid to admit that we did enjoy it. It's terribly profane. It's also quite funny. But, and this is a big "BUT," if the thought of Santa using obscene language and engaging in explicit sex bothers you, avoid Bad Santa. (Everyone in the movie uses four-letter words almost constantly.) Willie T. Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) and Marcus (Tony Cox) are thieves who hire themselves out to a different department store each Christmas as Santa and his helper elf. While on the job, they case the store and on Christmas Eve they crack the store's safe. This year they are in Phoenix, AZ. Bernie Mac is amusing as the store's security chief, and John Ritter, in his last movie role, is the timid Store Manager. Lauren Graham (from TV's The Gilmore Girls) is a bartender who has a soft spot for older men in Santa suits. Willie loves liquor and hates kids, and he is especially annoyed when a chubby boy becomes obsessed with "Santa." Thorton is wonderfully consistent as the world's worst Santa and I admire the filmmakers for not tacking on a traditional happy ending. (See Ebert's comment below.) If you feel overdosed on sweet syrupy Christmas spirit, this would be a good antidote. Terry Zwigoff directed and the film is rated R. GRADE B

Roger Ebert: The ending is happy in the same sense that a man's doctors tell him he lost his legs but they were able to save his shoes. (Ebert also thought the movie was demented, twisted, and unreasonably funny. He gave it three and 1/2 stars.)

THE BAND'S VISIT: This is light hearted and charming independent film that few will ever see or even have an opportunity to see. Although for some it may seem slow moving, Barbara and I were both won over by the characters and the story. It is a film about cultural differences and human similarities. A small Egyptian Police band has traveled to Israel to play for the opening of a new Arab Cultural Center. Because of a little communication problem, they end up in a small Israeli town with no Cultural Center and according to an informed resident, "no culture." The Egyptians speak Arabic and the Israelis speak Hebrew so the compromise language is English. Although it was one of the most acclaimed foreign films of last year, it was not eligible for an Academy Award because more than half of it was in English. It is refreshing occasionally to see a film that focuses on common human values rather than political and religious differences. This is a film both of us will remember with fondness. GRADE B+

BANDITS: This is the most amusing film we've seen recently. The critics were rather pompous about BANDITS, but many of our readers have told us that they enjoyed it. Barry Levinson directed this story of Joe (Bruce Willis) and Terry (Billy Bob Thornton). They are a criminal odd couple: Joe is a man of few words and he is very, very cool. Terry is a lactose intolerant hypochondiac who develops symptoms for every disease he hears about. Collapsing on the dance floor because he believes he has a brain tumor is one of Thornton's funniest scenes. Joe and Terry escape from prison in a cement truck and embark on careers as bank robbers. They develop a unique MO, which earns them the nickname of "The Sleepover Bandits." Joe's cousin, Harvey (Troy Garity), an aspiring stunt man, drives their getaway car and he has some amusing moments. When Kate (Cate Blanchett), an unhappy housewife, finagles her way into the "gang," both Joe and Terry fall in love with her. This makes BANDITS a romantic crime caper comedy. Thornton is very funny and Willis is, well, Willis. They work well together. Blanchett shows a flair for comedy, plus, she looks great in all those wigs. There are some slow moments here and there, but it is always entertaining and the ending is great fun. GRADE B+
(Be sure and stay for the outtakes. There is a great line--Willis is talking to the TV host. He says, ""Expect the unexpected. That's good advice. Except that if you're expecting the unexpected then it isn't unexpected is it? And that leaves you vulnerable to the REALLY unexpected."

THE BANGER SISTERS: It is reported that Sarandon and Hawn jumped at the chance to work together in this film. Too bad they couldn't have landed in a better script. These two actresses are remarkable and they are the strength of the movie. It's only strength, I'm afraid. There are too many unmotivated actions and too many unbelievable emotional turn-arounds to raise the script to the level of the acting. Goldie Hawn has the role with the most depth and she is adorable as a sixties groupie whose claim to fame involves an X-rated evening with Jim Morrison. She and Sarandon were best friends in the sixties, and such famous groupies that Frank Zappa named them "The Banger Sisters." Sarandon has become Lavinia, a typical Suburban Mom, and she wants to forget her checkered past. When Suzette turns up on her doorstep, she is forced to reconnect with her groupie-self. We rather liked Geoffrey Rush as a conflicted writer, although most of the critics have ignored his efforts. Sarandon does her best to give Lavinia some poignancy, but Goldie pretty much has a corner on that market. At 56, it is amazing that she can still play "cute." It is fun to watch these two amazing women, but we can't give the movie a higher grade than C+.

THE BANK JOB: This British bank heist movie is based on a true 1971 bank robbery. It’s difficult to know if it accurately portrays what happened, because information on the original heist was suppressed for reasons of National Security. Suppressed primarily because it involved compromising photographs of a member of the Royal family. However, the low level villains who carried out the bank vault heist had no idea of what was involved. (I like the way the film referred to street criminals as "villains.") When Terry (Jason Stathan) is approached by an old friend with a "fool-proof" plan to rob the safety deposit boxes in a London bank, he agrees. He puts together a crew and they proceed to tunnel into the vault. While he and his men retrieve cash and jewelry from the boxes, his friend, Martine (Saffron Burrows) secures the compromising photographs. The whole caper has been engineered by a high-level government security agency who desperately wants those photos. However, unbeknownst to the agency, there are other extremely sensitive photographs and documents in those boxes, and soon everyone is desperate to retrieve their property: Everyone is after Terry and his friends. How he manages to keep the loot and escape arrest is the best part of the movie. We thought the film was tightly paced and, although complicated, relatively easy to follow. The costumes and settings evoked the ambience of London in the early 70’s. I have been a Stathan fan ever since seeing him in the Transporter films. A native of London’s east end, his accent is natural and he is a great combination of toughness, humor, and likability. As with most heist films, your sympathies are for the bank robbers. We give this movie a solid B. GRADE B

THE BASKET: The AZ Republic critic raved about this film, so Gary and I went expecting something special. It was not special. It was not even good. The story is hokey and predictable, and there are so many subplots you need a basket to hold them all. There is a German war orphan story, a basketball story, a child getting picked on at school story, a wife standing up for herself story, a W.W.1 veteran story, and a teacher (Peter Coyote) tells the story of an opera to his class. By the way, the title of the German opera is, you guessed it, "The Basket." And there's a basket in the basketball story too. Isn't that clever? The only good parts of this movie are the photography, which is pretty, and the presence of Karen Allen and Peter Coyote, two actors who don't work often enough to please us. We wish they had been in a better movie. Oh yes, basketball was a new sport in 1918 and that was marginally interesting. We can't even recommend this one for video viewing. GRADE: D

BATMAN BEGINS: Yes, the special effects are spectacular, but what we liked best was the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman. We could almost believe that the frightened child who grew into a man dedicated to fighting evil was real. Christian Bale is outstanding as a complicated super-hero who doesn’t rely on magic powers. It was fascinating to watch Wayne develop his crime-fighting persona, design his costume and weapons, and learn to handle the Batmobile. This version of the story is far superior to the other Batman movies. We loved Michael Caine as Alfred, Wayne’s butler/valet/father figure. There is a great deal of hand-to-hand combat in the film and this was less interesting to us. That may be partly because the entire film is shot in semi-darkness and it was almost impossible to figure out what was going on in the fight scenes. And because this genre is not a favorite of ours to begin with. Liam Neeson, Rutger Hower, Gary Oldman, and Katie Holmes are all fine, but our favorite character was Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox. Both Caine and Freeman supply some welcome humor. The film was shot partly in Chicago, but except for Lower Waker Drive, I couldn’t recognize much of the city. Apparently the Chicago Board of Trade building was used as the Wayne Corporation headquarters. There was enough of the Bruce Wayne story for us to give the film a B, but too many murky fight scenes for us to grade it any higher. I’m sure it will be an "A" movie for lovers of this genre. GRADE B

A BEAUTIFUL MIND: Gary went to this movie with great expectations. He was not disappointed. Finally an "A" movie! It may be true that Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the screen play, changed some of the events in the life of John Forbes Nash, the Nobel Prize Winning mathematician, but he nevertheless wrote a fascinating script. It may also be true that the script makes Nash more likeable than he was in real life. But, under Ron Howard's direction, the film gives us a glimpse into a brilliant and troubled mind that is extraordinary. Russel Crowe delivers a performance that is, quite simply, brilliant. Crowe truly inhabits the role. He deserves to win the Oscar. Jennifer Connelly is Alicia, Nash's wife. When Nash was in first grade, his teacher told him he had "two helpings of brain and a half-helping of heart." Alicia is Nash's heart, and Connelly is outstanding in the role. Nash was a victim of schizophrenia and suffered from debilitating delusions. Howard has chosen a stunning way to present these delusions to us. We seem to enter the mind of the mathematician and see his psychotic world the way he does. Robert Wilonsky, who writes for the Los Angeles New Times, said that A Beautiful Mind is "everything most movies this year have not been: deeply felt, genuine, gracious." It is, indeed. And we give it an unqualified GRADE A.

BE COOL: This sequel to Get Shorty tries very hard to be cool. Mostly it isn’t. Travolta and Thurman are definitely cool, especially when they reprise their dancing from Pulp Fiction. Vince Vaughn, as a white man who thinks he’s black, is funny, but the rest of the movie is decidedly uncool. Chili Palmer, tired of making movies, gets into the music business and finds that it is even more messed up than the movie business. Palmer takes over the management contract for Linda Moon, a talented young singer capably played by Christina Milian. All sorts of complications and criminal behavior follow. The plot is one big mess and, even if I wanted to, it would be impossible to give you a synopsis. Milian is a singer/song-writer who is completely credible as Linda Moon. The film features assorted gangsters, including Cerdric The Entertainer as a gangster/music producer. Robert Pastorelli, in what must have been his last movie role, plays a hit man, and Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) appears, rather unsuccessfully, as himself. The Rock is out of character as a gay would-be movie actor, and Harvey Keitel is a gangster/manager who is almost always on the telephone. Grandson Nathan thought it was a good movie, but Gary and I can’t go higher than C. Even that is a stretch. GRADE C

BEFORE NIGHT FALLS: We are really at odds with the critics on this film. The story of Reinaldo Arenas, a homosexual Cuban poet and novelist who was persecuted by Castro's government, has been praised for its visual creativity. We thought the story was disjointed and difficult to follow. It seemed to have been produced for people who had read Arenas's memoirs and were familiar with his story. In addition, the mixture of reality and imagination was frequently confusing, and the sound quality and the accents made it hard to understand. I was irritated by the constant use of hand-held cameras. Scenes shot that way are almost impossible for me to watch. They give me a headache. The director, Julian Schnabel apparently subscribes to the current conceit of jittery camera work and natural light. Definitely not my favorite things! Javier Bardem, as Arenas, was good, but since we didn't care for the film, we wouldn't have thought of him for a best actor nomination. Sean Penn appears in a cameo, although we never recognized him. Johnn Depp plays two different characters: He first appears as "Bon Bon," a prancing tranvestite who helps Arenas by smuggling his manuscripts out of prison. His second character is a sleek and handsome military officer. Gary gives it a C-, but, because I was alternately bored and irritated, I give it a D. GRADE C-/D

BEFORE SUNSET: In 1995 Richard Linklater directed a delightful little film called Before Sunrise. In it, a young American (Ethan Hawke) and a French student (Julie Delpy) meet on a train. She is bound for Paris and home, he is flying back to the States from Vienna the next morning. He persuades her to get off the train and spend the night exploring Vienna. The film is the story of their conversations as they wander around Vienna and fall in love. When they part in the morning they agree to meet back in Vienna in six months. We saw Before Sunrise on video and were charmed by it. Were delighted to learn that Hawke and Delpy decided to do a sequel. The two actors, along with Linklater, wrote the script for Before Sunrise, and in it we learn what happened to the young lovers since Vienna. It is nine years later and Jesse has written a best-selling novel about his night with Celine. He is in Paris signing his book at a quaint bookstore, when he sees Celine in the audience. Jesse has only a couple of hours before he must catch a flight back to America, but he wants to spend the time with Celine. The camera follows them as they walk and talk. Richard Linklater films them in long, uninterrupted takes, so that the film feels like it exists in real time. And the dialogue is wonderful--funny and touching and sounding remarkably spontaneous. It's a credit to the writers and the actors. We loved this movie just as much as the first one--maybe even more. Hope we're still around to see what happens to Jesse and Celine. We've always admired Hawke as an actor and Delpy is one of the most charming young women to grace the screen. GRADE A

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD: Were I to write a one word review of this film it would be, "WOW!" Eighty-three year old legendary director Sidney Lumet summons his genius and film mastery to give us what I think is a nearly flawless film. If you were as old as Barbara and I you would remember the power of his Twelve Angry Men (1957), Serpico (1973), and Dog Day Afternoon (1975). I like "thrillers," but they are usually filled with unlikely incidents that strain credulity. Not once in this film did I have to suspend disbelief. Superb directing and believable characters portrayed by a brilliant cast combine to bring us a tight story of two brothers who try to relieve some of their financial woes with a crime that goes horribly wrong. The cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and Marisa Tomei. In less talented hands a non-linear story line can be confusing, but here it serves to clarify and enhance the drama. It is hard to predict so far in advance, but I believe this film deserves several academy award nominations. The Irish among you will recognize that the title of the film comes from an old Irish Toast: "May your glass be ever full. . .And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead." GRADE "A"

BEING JULIA: Annette Bening is Julia Lambert, a beautiful and famous actress on the London stage. She is currently starring in a popular play, but she is approaching the age where she will soon be relegated to character parts, and that frightens her. When she meets a young American named Tom Fennel (Shaun Evans), she is intrigued by his adoration--intrigued enough to begin an affair with the young man. The indiscretion rejuvenates her. She is suddenly all sparkling and giggling, and looks at least ten years younger. There's nothing unique about the story, which is adapted from a novel by Somerset Maugham, but Bening's performance is quite something. Jeremy Irons is Julia's director and manager and, rather incidentally, her husband. They have, Irons says, "a terribly modern marriage." Juliet Stevenson is Julia's dresser, assistant and confidente and she is, as usual, fine in the role. Bruce Greenwood is Lord Charles, another adoring fan of Julia's and Lucy Punch is Avice Crichton, a young actress who appears to be stealing Julia's thunder both on and off stage. Julia's triumph in the closing scene is delightful. We probably enjoyed this one more because of our theater background, but it is worth seeing just for the pleasure of Bening's joyous perfromance. The film is set in 1938, and the music is also delightful. GRADE B

BEHIND ENEMY LINES: According to our President, we are at war. What better time, then, to bring out a good old-fashioned war movie like the ones I saw as a kid. BEHIND ENEMY LINES is a standard pilot-down-in-enemy-territory-and-needs-to-be-rescued plot and we liked it. Who better than Gene Hackman to play Admiral Reigart, an uncomplicated man who puts himself "in harm's way*" to rescue one of his "boys," despite orders to the contrary. And Owen Wilson proves is can be an action figure as well as a comedian. Wilson is Burnett, the pilot/navigator who survives ejecting at Mach 3 and then has to survive in war-torn Bosnia. The action scenes are exciting and the supporting cast admirable. The ending is no surprise, but the movie grabs your attention and never lets go. The story was inspired by the adventures of Air Force pilot Scott O'Grady, who was rescued after being shot down over Bosnia in 1995. Roger Ebert thought the film was far too unrealistic, and said that "Its hero is so reckless and its villains so incompetent that it's a showdown between a man begging to be shot, and an enemy that can't hit the side of a Bosnian barn." Admittedly, there some comic book aspects to the film--but who cares? The New York Times critic said the film "conveys a steady visceral charge from its opening moments to its predictably triumphal finale." That it does. GRADE B
(*When Hackman uttered those words, I thought I remembered an old war movie by that name. Sure enough, In Harm's Way is the title of Otto Preminger's 1965 epic rendition of the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. It stars John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal, Henry Fonda, Paula Prentiss, Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Franchot Tone, and George Kennedy.)

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: This is a delightful film that is about the clash of cultures and the struggle of a young person to free herself from her parent's control. But mostly it is about the joy of being good at something that you love doing. Jes, a young Indian girl living in London, loves playing soccer and she is very good at it. Her parents, however, are traditional and want her to get an education and a husband--not necessarily in that order. Jes meets a young woman who plays on a woman's soccer team and she is thrilled when the coach asks her to become a player. She must, however, hide her playing from her parents, and that causes problems. Parminder K. Nagra is charming in the role of Jes and Keira Knightley is a perfect playing partner as Jules/Juliette. We also liked Juliet Stevenson as Jules's mother. She doesn't approve of her daughter's obsession with sports, but the way in which she expresses her disapproval is quite amusing. This is a fairly traditional story, and we can anticipate that Jes's championship soccer match will conflict with her sister's wedding. The wedding celebration reminded me of Moonsoon Wedding. Those Indians really do love to party. Director Gurinder Chadha previously directed the film What's Cooking about four American ethnic families all preparing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We took at look at it, and, although it was interesting, it's not one we would recommend. Bend It Like Beckham is a much better film. Grade B+

BEST IN SHOW: We were looking forward to this film because we thought Waiting For Guffman, Christopher Guest's 1997 film, was hilarious. Best In Show did not disappoint us. It may be the funniest film we have seen this year. Guest has perfected his pseudo-documentary style in the three films he has written and directed. (This is Spinal Tap was his first.) His actors improvise from a bare-bones screenplay and the dialogue and monologues sound amazingly real. Guest wrote this film with Eugene Levy and both men also appear in the movie as dog owners. Best In Show is about a National dog show, and focuses on the owners and trainers of five dogs taking part in the show and on what goes on behind the scenes. In addition, we see two commentators--one is knowledgeable and experienced but the other one, played by Fred Willard, is completely clueless. His attempts at adding "color commentary" are particularly hilarious. Some of the same actors that Guest used in Waiting For Guffman are seen here: Parker Posey, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, and Fred Willard. If you liked Guffman, be sure to see this one. If you like this one and haven't seen Guffman, be sure to rent it. GRADE: A-

BEYOND THE SEA: Kevin Spacey has been trying to make this movie for years. He is the producer, co-writer, and star of this story about Bobby Darin. Many critics had trouble with 50-year-old Spacey playing the young Bobby Darin. After all, Spacey is 7 years older than Darrin was when he died. Spacey attempted to explain the age thing with a plot device that reminded me a bit of All That Jazz. However, it didn’t work for me, and I was bothered by the sight of Spacey playing a 19 year-old. Gary was not bothered by it, and he gives the movie a higher evaluation than I do. We were both impressed with Spacey’s singing. He sounds great, and he has Darin’s stage presence down pat. Darin was both a songwriter and a performer who was able to electrify an audience. He was super cool! Sammy Davis was once asked if there was any performer he wouldn’t want to follow on stage. His answer was, "Bobby Darin." Beyond The Sea introduces a new generation to the singer and details his life and his romance with Sandra Dee. Dee is played by Kate Bosworth. She definitely has the look of Sandra Dee and we thought she did a good job with the dramatic moments. I understand that Dee is extremely pleased with the film. Darin was the love of her life and although she divorced him, she never remarried. The movie has been responsible for a renewed interest in Bobby Darin and I have heard that his CDs are selling briskly. GARY—GRADE B; BARB—GRADE B-

BIG FISH: Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) is a teller of tall tales. Everyone loves to hear his embellished versions of the truth--everyone except his son, Will (Billy Crudup). As a kid, Will was fascinated by his dad's stories, but as an adult, he feels that he has been lied to all his life, and that he never knew his father. When Will's mother, Sandra (Jessica Lange), calls to say that Edward is dying, Will goes home to see if he can find the truth in Edward's stories. We are treated to the tall tales told in flashback fantasy with Ewan McGregor playing the young Edward and Alison Lohman as the young Sandra. Edward's fantastic tales were about giants, witches, Siamese twins, a mysterious town, and a really big fish. Director Tim Burton brings the stories and the characters to vivid life for us and they are delightful to watch. Finney and Lange are wonderful, and the love relationship between Edward and Sandra is beautiful and moving. We also thought Ewan McGregor was the perfect choice to play young Bloom. He is a charming actor. Steve Buscemi, Danny DeVito, Helena Bonham Carter, and 7' 6" Matthew McGrory are all characters in Bloom's tales. This is a delightful feel-good movie and Gary loved it. He gives it a solid A. I enjoyed the movie, but would grade it a bit lower at B+. GRADE A/B+

THE BIG KAHUNA: I expect that many reviewers will criticize The Big Kahuna for not taking advantage of the film medium. It is a filmed play, but that's what we liked about it. As theater buffs, we have often noticed how "opening up" the action of a play destroys the story. (Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Luv are prime examples.) All the action in this movie takes place in a hospitality suite at a convention in Witicha. Larry (Kevin Spacey) and Phil (Danny Devito) are seasoned marketing reps, and Bob (Peter Facineiii) is a young, idealistic, newly-hired employee from the Research Department. He is there to provide the "brains," while Larry and Bob will take care of the marketing. The scenes that take place outside of the suite do not have any dialogue and are there to deepen our understanding of these men. Spacey thinks that this could be the story of one man at three stages of his life. It's an interesting idea. We thought the acting was outstanding and the dialogue both funny and meaningful. Spacey is at his sardonic best and Devito is splendid. It says a lot that young Facincili could hold his own with these two. GRADE: A-

BIG TROUBLE: This movie is sort of a madcap crime comedy with a large cast of oddball characters. There's the hit man who's come to Miami on a job; There are two young boys playing a "Killer" game with water pistols. There are two Russian arms dealers who run a wildly unpopular bar. There is a homeless man who lives in a tree and looks a lot like Jesus; and there's a toad who spits, and a lot of goats. There's also a nuclear bomb in a suitcase and two terminally stupid thugs who steal it. (Because the bomb winds up on a plane, the movie's release was delayed after 9-11.) Oh, and I forgot to mention, Martha Stewart appears briefly. Barry Sonnenfeld (Men In Black) directed this film which is based on a novel by Dave Barry. Gary read the novel and thinks it makes a better movie than a book. This is one goofy movie, and it made us laugh a lot. Tim Allen and Rene Russo are the two sanest people in the film. Janeane Garofalo and Patrick Warburton (Puddy on Sienfeld) are two Miami cops, Dennis Farina is funny as the hit man, and Stanley Tucci is suitably obnoxious as his target. It's impossible to synthesize the plot, you just have to see it. And you still may not believe it! GRADE: Barb-B; Gary laughed more than I did, and he says B+. GRADE B+/B

BILLY ELLIOT: This is the story of a miner's son who wants to be a ballet dancer. Billy Elliot's father and older brother are coal miners out on strike and the idea of having a ballet dancer in the family doesn't sit well with them. Billy Elliot is another small film, but it deals with large dreams and ambition. We were lukewarm during the first half for two reasons: The accents were difficult to understand and Billy didn't look that good on the dance floor. However, the second half won us over. Jamie Bell makes a sympathetic Billy and Julie Walters is good as a worn-down ballet teacher. GRADE: B+

BIRTHDAY GIRL: The best thing about this movie is its unpredictability. You're never sure where the story is going next. It begins when John (Ben Chaplin) uses an Internet matchmaking service to find a Russian bride. When Nadia (Nicole Kidman) arrives in London, John is dismayed to learn that she knows no English. Since he speaks no Russian, they have some difficulty communicating, at least during the day. At night, behind closed doors, they communicate quite well. One day, in halting English, Nadia tells John that it is her Birthday. That night, as John brings in a Birthday cake alight with candles, two Russian friends of Nadia's arrive at the front door. They have come for a visit. From that point on, John's quiet life undergoes dramatic changes. Chaplin is quietly understated as the confused John, and Kidman proves once again that she is a fine actress as well as a true movie star. She gets your attention immediately and holds it throughout the film. This is not a great film, but we think you will enjoy it. GRADE B-

BLACK BOOK (Zwartboek): This is a harrowing tale of courage during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands toward the end of WWII. It is inspired by real events. Rachel Stein (Carice van Houten) is a beautiful young Dutch Jew who is hiding from the Nazi’s. She and her family are offered safe passage to neutral territory by a Dutch resistance worker, but the Germans discover the group and Rachel is the only survivor. From her hiding place, she must watch the Germans rob the dead bodies. Rachel joins the Dutch resistance, dyes her hair blond, and takes a more Dutch-sounding name. In order to save some hostages, Rachel/Ellis agrees to seduce an Gestapo commander, Ludwig Müntze (Sebastian Koch, The Lives of Others). Surprisingly, the German officer turns out to be a gentleman. The same cannot be said of some of the resistance fighters. This film has everything: Nazi sadism, revenge. heroism, betrayal, and even a love story. The film was directed by Paul Verhoeven, who gave us Basic Instinct and Showgirls, so it’s no surprise that there is nudity, sexual explicitness, and a fair amount of violence. The film is rather long (145 minutes running time) and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the traitors from the heroes, but Black Book is a satisfying old-fashioned kind of adventure. Van Houten and Koch are outstanding as the ill-fated lovers. The film is in Dutch with English subtitles. GRADE B+

BLACK HAWK DOWN: In most war movies the battle scenes are confusing and often impossible for the viewer to tell what is happening. It is to director Ridley Scott's credit that the battle scenes in Black Hawk Down are both compelling and comprehensible. I could understand what was happening and appreciate the logistics involved in a military raid such as this one. (You should be aware, thought, that the movie has a 143 minute running time, and the battle scenes take up almost two hours.) The movie attempts to accurately show an effort by the United Nations peacekeeping force to kidnap members of the inner circle of Gen. Muhammad Farah Aidid, the Somali warlord who used hunger as a weapon and literally starved over 300,000 people. The raid was planned to take about 30 minutes, but in fact lasted for hours. Two Black Hawk helicopters crashed in the center of Mogadishu, and since the U.S. rangers vow to "leave no man behind," every effort is made to recover the wounded and the dead. The movie does not depend on stars but depicts the heroism of ordinary soldiers. However, there are some cast standouts. Tom Sizemore is especially memorable, and Josh Hartnett redeems himself somewhat after his lackluster performance in Pearl Harbor. Jeremy Piven and Ron Eldard are effective as helicopter pilots. But the actor who most captured my attention was Eric Bana as Hoot, a man who seems born to be a soldier. Some critics have accused the film of jingoism, but one person's jingoism is another person's patriotism. We liked it. GRADE A

BLACK SNAKE MOAN: This is a powerful and moving film that received mixed reviews from the critics. Roger Ebert called it "...the oddest, most peculiar movie I've seen about sex and race and redemption in the Deep South." Rolling Stone called it "Offensive on multiple levels," and A.O. Scott (New York Times) thought that at it’s heart was "pure, buttery cornpone." I guess Gary and I like cornpone, because we really liked this movie. Lazarus (Samuel Jackson) is troubled because his wife ran off with his brother. Rae (Christini Ricci) is distraught because her boyfriend left for the Army. Lazarus is a former blues musician who hasn’t picked up his guitar in years. Rae suffers from a lifetime of abuse and tries to relive her demons through promiscuity. When Lazarus finds Rae left for dead on the side of the road, he takes her home and cares for her, determined to cure both her physical and moral ills. The fact that he chains her to his radiator to keep her from running away gets big play in the advertisements, but it gives the wrong impression of this film. Black Snake Moan is more about redemption than it is about sex in spite of several sexually charged scenes. That Lazarus treats Rae with kindness and that the film ends on a note of hope may be why some critics dismiss it as "cornpone." Ricci is superb as Rae, and Jackson shows us that he as good a blues musician as he is an actor. Justin Timberlake is fine as Rae’s boyfriend, and John Cothran, Jr. is especially effective as a sympathetic pastor. We saw this film in a nearly empty theater, and two audience members walked out halfway through, so I don’t imagine it will be around for long. But we liked it! A lot! I say B+ and Gary says A-. GRADE A-/B+

BLADES OF GLORY: We decided that after all the serious films we’ve seen this month, we badly needed to see a silly comedy and thought this Wil Ferrell movie would fit the bill. We were right. It is a silly comedy, but then, nobody does silly better than Wil Ferrell. He will wear anything, or nothing, if he thinks it will get a laugh. The ridiculous skating outfits and skating routines aren’t the only laughs in this movie, though. There are also some very funny lines. Some of the best are throw-away lines, so you have to listen closely. The setup is this: Chazz (Ferrell) and Jimmy (Jon Heder) are rivals on the ice. When they tie for the gold medal at an Olympic event, they start pummeling each other on the winners’ podium and are banned for life from the men’s singles event. How Jimmy’s former coach (Craig T. Nelson) persuades them to enter the pair skating event takes up the first half of the story. The rest of the movie is centered around their training efforts and the efforts of their pair-skating rivals, the Van Waldenberg sister and brother team (Will Arnett & Amy Poehler), to derail their attempt to win the gold. We were delighted to see Jenna Fischer (from TV’s The Office) as the Van Waldenberg’s put-upon little sister and Jimmy’s love interest. William Fichtner is terrific as a wealthy man who adopts orphans in order to turn them into star athletes, and then un-adopts them when they disappoint him. It was also fun to see a lot of former skating stars appear as themselves. But the movie really does belong to Ferrell. I am amazed at the humanity and vulnerability he can bring to even the most bizarre character. You just have to like the guy. And we also liked his movie. GRADE B

BLOOD DIAMOND: "Diamonds are a girl’s best friend" might take on new meaning if you chose to see this action thriller directed by Edward Zwick. As might be expected from the director of "The Last Samurai," Zwick delivers a historically based action thriller filled with violence. Many innocents suffer and die but the violence is not gratuitous. Set in war-torn Sierra Leone in the 1990’s, the film focuses on the greed triggered by the presence of diamonds. The story is driven by three powerful actors, Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, and Jennifer Connelly. DiCaprio plays a South African mercenary, Connelly plays an American reporter, and Hounsou plays a South African taken from his family and forced to work the diamond fields. Although there is not so much as a screen kiss between Connelly and DiCaprio, the screen chemistry between them is more palpable than in lesser films where entangled body parts substitute for screen romance. The film’s title refers to the illicit dealing in "conflict diamonds," or "blood diamonds" smuggled out of war-torn nations with profits that further the bloodshed. I went to this film hoping that the violence I glimpsed in the trailers would be justified by the social message. Barbara and I felt the film accomplished this. GRADE B+.

BLOOD SIMPLE: (Re-release) We saw this film when it first came out in 1985. We thought then that it was a bizarre film, but we loved it. We feel the same way now. This was the first film of Joel and Ethan Coen's to receive wide release and it started their careers with a bang. The story is fairly simple: Julian's (Dan Hedaya) wife, Abby (Frances McDormand) gets involved with one of his employees, Ray (John Getz). Julian hires a private detective (M. Emmet Walsh) to kill Ray and Abbey. Standard crime plot, yes, but the events in this sordid crime story are unbelievable. And yet, the events all make perfect sense as the plot develops. Walsh is quite wonderful in this movie. There aren't as many laughs in this film as there were in Fargo, but you can see glimpses of the Coen brothers' quirky sense of humor. Joel Coen directed Blood Simple and he and his brother wrote the script. The B+ is Gary's. GRADE: A-/B+

BLOOD WORK: We went to see Blood Work because we both enjoyed Michael Connelly's novel. We liked the movie because it concentrates on an intriguing investigation. We apprecited the painstaking detective work involved in solving a case. Blood Work also has a rather touching emotional element. Terry McCaleb (Clint Eastwood) is an FBI profiler who had a heart attack while chasing a killer. This is the opening scene, and the rest of the story takes place two years later after McCaleb has had a heart transplant and has retired from police work. Anjelica Huston is McCaleb's doctor and she cautions him to take it very easy, but when the sister of a murder victim comes to him for help, he feels compelled to investigate. Graciella Rivers (Wanda De Jesus) tells McCaleb that he received her sister's heart on the day that she died in a convenience store killing, and that convinces McCaleb that he has a responsibility to find his donor's killer. As the former profiler investigates, his relationship with Rivers begins to turn romantic. We particularly liked De Jesus--I don't remember ever seeing her before--and we were also quite taken with Tina Lifford who played a detective who had previously worked with McCaleb. Less successful was Paul Rodriquez, a LAPD detective who has long resented McCaleb's celebrity and is hostile to him. Their conflict is pure formula cliche, and the attempt to inject some humor into the mix failed utterly. In addition, we didn't care much for the ending. It is pretty standard stuff and not up to the rest of the movie. I have a suspicion that the novel's ending was tinkered with in the film, but can't remember it well enough to be sure. Jeff Daniels, who we haven't seen for quite a while, is Buddy Noone. Buddy gives McCaleb some help and does provide a few chuckles. Clint Eastwood directed. GRADE B

BLOW: In spite of the fact that this movie stars one of my favorite actors, I simply could not get involved in the story of George Jung, one of the first high-volume cocaine importers. The script is based on a book by Bruce Porter. Jung started out selling weed and thought it was such an easy way to make lots of money that he graduated to becoming a cocaine distributor working for the infamous Pablo Escobar. Living the high life, he married a beautiful Colombian girl (Penelope Cruz) and had a daughter on whom he doted. It's no news to us that the drug life is not a happy one. Betrayed by his partners and friends, Jung is spending his life behind bars. Franka Potente, from Run, Lola, Run is Jung's first girlfriend, and Ray Liotta and Rachel Griffiths appear as his parents. The film was directed by Ted Demme, and while some critics have compared it favorably to Traffic, I cannot. It doesn't even come close. Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper disagreed over this movie on their TV show. I agree with Ebert who said, "The failure (of the movie) is George Jung's. For all the glory of his success and the pathos of his failure, he never became a person interesting enough to make a movie about." Gary liked it better than I and give it one grade higher. GRADE: C/B

BLUE COLLAR COMEDY TOUR: Movie View readers Bill & Rita W., Scottsdale, AZ recommended this comedy concert film to us. They saw it and laughed a lot. So did we. If you like Jeff Foxworthy and his blue collar brand of comedy, you will enjoy this movie. The other performers are Ron White, Larry The Cable Guy and Bill Engvall. Engvall is the comedian who says that stupid people should wear a sign. Foxworthy, of course, is the "If you might be a redneck" guy. Each comedian does a set and inbetween, they visit some local spots such as a Victoria Secrets store, a spa, and a Spencers Gift story where Larry The Cable Guy buys a remote fart machine. At the end of the show, all four men come on stage and share stories. We thought this was the funniest part of the movie. Blue Collar Comedy Tour was filmed at the Dodge Theater in Phoenix. When I went to the Movie Review Query Engine to look at reviews, the only one listed was from the Arizona Republic. The film may not be in general release, but I suspect it will be available on video before long. We recommend it for anyone who likes to laugh. GRADE B

BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS--Although most of the critics found this film uninspired, we think golfers will enjoy it. Without any theatrics and false conflicts, it tells the story of Bobby Jones, the greatest golfer who ever lived. Jim Caviezel, a non-golfer, does his best to imitate the extraordinarily graceful swing of Jones, the only golfer in history to record the "Grand Slam, " winning the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, British Amateur and British Open championships in a single year, 1930. Jones was 28 years old at the time. Born into a life of privilege, he was also born with a spinal disorder (syringomyelia) which caused him great physical agony. The film reveals the man and the glorious, frustrating game of golf. There are some wonderful shots of the Old Course at St. Andrews. Just seeing the dawn coming up on a fairway made me want to rush out to a golf course! Malcolm McDowell as O.B. Keeler, an Atlanta newspaperman and Jones' friend, added a lot to the film. We also liked Jeremy Northam (Gosford Park) as the flamboyant Walter Hagen. Claire Forlani is appropriately supportive as Mr. Jones' wife. There isn't a lot of excitement in the film and it's true that Bobby comes off as a bit of a saint. The NY Times reviewer called it "...lethally dull...," and Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune said "...this film has nothing whatsoever to recommend it." I'm willing to bet that neither one of them ever played golf. I agree with John Pattterson of LA Weekly who said " Stroke of Genius remains relaxed, leisurely and unforced, exactly the way a pleasant round of golf ought to be." Gary loved it! He gives it an A. I too enjoyed it and never for one moment got bored. I give it a good solid B. GRADE A/B

BONNEVILLE: If you put Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen in a vintage Bonneville convertible and send them on a road trip, you really ought to have a better script. Lange plays a newly widowed second wife who must deliver her husband’s ashes to his daughter so that she can bury him next to her mother. Bates and Allen go along for the ride. They seemed to be having fun. Wish I could say the same for us. Don’t get me wrong, it has a few nice moments, and those three actresses are always interesting to watch. The addition of Tom Skerritt as a trucker they meet on the road is a good one. It’s just that there are too many dull moments, and too many shots of Lange looking sad and pensive. It’s as though they had enough script for a 60 minute movie and padded it with lackluster material to stretch it out to 104 minutes. They should have found some good writers instead. GRADE C.

BON VOYAGE: (2003 Release--Subtitled) This French film is part comedy, part romance, part farce, and part thriller woven together in a skillful and entertaining way. We meet a beautiful and famous actress (Isabelle Adjani), a young writer who loves her (Gregori Derangere), a French Cabinet Minister (Gerard Depardieu), a physics professor who is trying to get to England with his supply of heavy water (needed to help create a nuclear chain reaction), and several German spies. The time is 1940, shortly before the Germans march into Paris, and it begins with a death. Is it murder? Or an accident? Only time will tell. There are several frantic chase scenes and some exciting moments, along with some political intrigue. All in all, a good time at the movies. GRADE B+

BORAT!: CULTURAL LEARNING OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KASAKHSTAN: This is a difficult movie to review. I think you’ll have to see it for yourself. But be warned: It is loaded with crotch jokes and other unmentionable material, including a nude wrestling scene that is better left undescribed. Borat! has gotten many favorable reviews--even A’s--from almost all the critics listed on Yahoo Movies. I can’t imagine why. Maybe they were grading on the length of the title. Granted, there are some funny things in it and both Gary and I chuckled quite a few times. But an A movie? I don’t think so. Sacha Baron Cohen plays Borat, a newscaster in Kasakhstan who is dispatched to the United States to make a documentary. The plan is to spend his time in New York, but, watching TV one night in his hotel room, he tunes into Baywatch and falls madly in love with Pamela Anderson. Naturally he has to travel to California to "make meet with her." (And anything else he is able to do with her.) Cohen is a British comic best known until now for another of his pseudonymous identities, Ali G. In this film he reminded Gary of some of Andy Kaufman's characters. William Arnold of the Seattle Post Intelligencer gave Borat a C saying that the movie "cannot begin to match its delicious high concept. It's offensively funny in places but it can't sustain itself for a feature length running time and it's not nearly as clever or as fun as it should be." I’m with him. Gary agrees on a GRADE C.

BOILER ROOM: Giovanni Rabisi is a young man who wants to make money in this testosterone festival of a movie. Rabisi's Seth is a disappointment to his father, the judge. Little wonder, since he dropped out of school and made his living running an illegal gambling parlour. When Seth joins a brokerage firm, his father seems pleased. But J.T. Marlin is a most unusual brokerage firm. Located miles from Wall Street, it agressively sells of stock in companies that exist only on paper. Ben Affieck is perfect as the sales trainer. "There is a sale made on every phone call you make. Either you sell the customer some stock, or he sells you on a reason not to buy." Seth is too bright not to catch on to J.T. Marlin's scheme, and his discovery plunges him into a moral dilemma. There are some nice scenes between Seth and his father, played by Ron Rifkin, and Vin Diesel is interesting as a successful broker. There is also a bit of a love story, but mostly it is the story of young men frantic to be millionaires. You can almost smell the testosteone! GRADE: B

BORN INTO BROTHELS: (2004 Release) Winner of last year’s academy award for best documentary, this is a truly unique film. It is a documentary about children of prostitutes growing up in Calcutta’s squalid red light district. The film focuses on the efforts of Ms. Brinski, an American photographer, to help seven of the children escape their environment. She hit on the brilliant idea of giving cameras to the children, teaching them how to take interesting photos, and asking them to use the cameras to record the world in which they lived. This may sound like exploitation, but if you see this extraordinary film you will appreciate the efforts of a truly compassionate woman who is trying to make a difference in the lives of children who never before had a ghost of a chance. The red light district has existed for centuries in Calcutta and the culture seems to assure that it will continue. Ms. Brinski’s efforts are only partially successful, but to make even a small difference is heart warming. The film is slow in starting, but by the end you will very glad you made the effort. GRADE B+.

BOUNCE: We enjoyed this romance starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow. It will never be a classic, but Affleck and Paltrow are both so skilled and so totally watchable, that is makes for a pleasant afternoon's entertainment. Affleck is Buddy, a super-yuppie Ad agency guy with a gorgeous beachside apartment in Los Angeles. Travelling back from Chicago to LA one night, he hits bad weather and cancelled flights. In the airport bar, he meets an attractive woman and plays the charm card with good results. He also meets a man trying to get home to his family in LA and gives the family man his first-class ticket so that he can spend the evening with his new conquest. The plane crashes, killing all on board. Buddy is plunged into a yearlong binge. After rehab, he seeks out the widow (Gwyneth Paltrow) because of a desire to make some sort of amends. He cannot bring himself to tell her the truth, and precipitates the crisis in their growing relationship. Affleck and Paltrow work very well together, and each has the chance to display deep-felt emotion. We thought the script was mediocre, but the acting was first rate. Johnny Galecki, who appeared on the TV comedy, Roseanne, is amusing as Affleck's gay assistant, a man with a healthy disrespect for his boss. The director, Don Roos, also gave us The Opposite of Sex, a much edgier film than Bounce. GRADE B-

THE BOURNE IDENTITY: This is a fairly standard CIA assassin thriller with exceptionally good performances from Matt Damon and Franka Potente. The screen play was based on Robert Ludlum's novel of the same name. As the action begins, we see an almost dead man hauled out of the ocean by the crew of a French fishing boat. The ship's doctor takes two bullets out of his back, and a microchip out of his hip. The chip contains the number of a Swiss banking account. When Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) comes to, he cannot remember anything about himself. He does, however, remember about seven languages and some awesome fighting skills. The rest of the story is how Bourne discovers who and what he is. We, however, know who and what he is, and we know that the C.I.A is trying to kill him. After obtaining the contents of the Swiss safety deposit box, he pays a young woman named Marie (Franka Potente) to drive him to Paris. At one point, there is an exciting car chase through the streets of Paris, and Damon exhibits his martial arts skills many times throughout the film. This story doesn't rely on special effects, though. It is the story of a CIA assassin who has developed amnesia and a conscience. Chris Cooper and Brian Cox appear as CIA villains, and Julia Stiles has a small role. Franka Potente is the girl from Run, Lola, Run, without the flaming red hair she sported in that film. The uncomplicated story and the non-stop action kept us totally engaged. Seeing this movie is a great way to spend a hot Arizona summer afternoon. GRADE: B

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY: Who knew that the boyish-looking Matt Damon would make such a terrific and credible assassin! This second movie with Damon as Jason Bourne, the CIA killer with amnesia, is much like the first one--The Bourne Identity. In that film, Bourne's amnesia kept the facts of his life secret but left him all the skills of an assassin. At the end, he had escaped with Marie (Franka Potente) and hoped to live a quiet life. Alas, that was not to be. In The Bourne Supremacy, Jason and Maria are living quietly in India, but people are still trying to kill him. What's more, he is beginning to have brief flashbacks to his former life. The film has fistfights, lots of car chases--the last one borders on the ridiculous--and several frantic chases on foot. If it weren't for the outstanding cast, this movie would rate a C, but, with Damon and the wonderful Joan Allen in the role of a CIA chief, the movie rises above it's standard plot. Brian Cox, as another CIA operative, is also terrific. Julia Stiles reappears here and she and Damon have a short but intense scene together. I particularly like the fact that Damon plays an assassin with a conscience--a killer you can sympathize with. In addition, the film is very stylishly made and full of strong visual images and fast action. The ending leaves you with the impression that Jason Bourne will not go gently into obscurity. After all, there is Ludlum's next book in the series, The Bourne Ultimatum. I look forward to it. GRADE B

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM: Jason Bourne, John McClane, James Bond, Jack Bauer: I like them all. They are cool, tough, clever and literally invincible. They walk away from car crashes that would break every bone in an ordinary man’s body, but all they have is a slight limp. This third, and perhaps final, episode in the Bourne saga is a lot of fun. No startling special effects, but some great foot chases, car chases and a whole raft of very skillful stunt people. Wherever Bourne (Matt Damon) goes—London, Madrid, Tangiers, New York—people try to kill him in creative ways, but outwits them all in equally creative ways. Director Paul Greengrass knows how the keep the action jumping, but, if he makes a 4th Bourne film, I hope he buys a steady cam. I am getting used to those jerky hand-held cameras, and they probably enhance some of the action scenes, but after a while I long for a steady shot. Once again, Joan Allen is terrific as a CIA boss who is sympathetic to Bourne’s plight. The always exceptional David Strahtairn plays a bad guy here—a CIA chief who believes that anything he does is patriotic, even when it comes to eliminating his own agents. Although the beginning of the film is hard to follow, it does put us in Bourne’s shoes—he can’t figure things out either. Robert Ludlum only wrote three Bourne novels, but this film’s dynamite ending leaves the door open for a 4th. On the Daily Show, Damon said that Greengrass thinks a 4th film, if it were made, should be titled The Bourne Redundancy. I think they should quite while they’re ahead, but if they make a 4th, I’ll definitely go see it. Those who thought that Matt Damon was too young and boyish to be believable as Jason Bourne in the first film will find that he has matured nicely into the role. Gary and I both liked the film and so did son John and daughter-in-law Wendy. We give the film a B+. GRADE B+

BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE: If you saw and hated Michael Moore's Roger & Me, nothing I can say will get you to Michaels newest documentary effort titled Bowling for Columbine. If you saw this overweight unkempt man on the street, it would not surprise you that he is a lifetime member of the NRA. I will reveal why he joined NRA at the end of this review. With a title like Bowling for Columbine, you would expect a film about guns. And it is--sort of. Moore wants to explore why we in the United States so often use those guns to kill each other. But Moore never lets a good piece of film get away just because it doesn't quite fit the logical sequence of a story. He uses what many would call a "shotgun approach." The thing is, I like his style and I like his shotgun approach and I usually like his message. The film is funny, informative, thought provoking, and poignant. More questions are asked than answered and he does a better job of poking fun at facile answers than at proposing plausible ones. I have no difficulty recommending this rabble-rousing film even to my right wing Republican conservatives. Barbara and I grade it a "B". Now for why Moore is a lifetime member of NRA. An interview in Entertainment Weekly reveals that he joined after the Columbine tragedy with the unrealistic intent of finding five million (NRA has four million members) people to join with him to unseat Charlton Heston as president and dismantle the organization. Grade B. . . (Note from Barbara: I thought Chris Rock had the best idea: If bullets cost $5,000 it would certainly eliminate indiscriminate shooting. And, as he says, there would be no more "innocent bystanders.")

THE BRAVE ONE: The "revenge theme" has been around a long while and brings to mind Hamlet, Taxi Driver, and Death Wish (all 5 Death Wishes) just to mention a few. In the hands of a talented director like Neil Jordan (The Crying Game) and two brilliant leads, Jodie Foster and Terrance Howard, the theme can stir the blood….or it can stir guilt as you cheer on a vigilante killer. Foster is so good in the role of radio-show host Erica Bain that it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role even though it was originally set to star Nicole Kidman. The first reel sets up ample motivation to turn Erica Bain into an avenger and turn the audience into sympathetic enablers. Although the following reels frequently strain credulity, Barbara and I both enjoyed the unfolding of the story and especially the dramatic interplay between Foster and Howard. The buzz in film magazines is that Foster stands an excellent chance of winning awards for her portrayal. Even though we may feel a little uneasy about it, Barbara and I liked the film and think it deserves an audience. GRADE B+

(Barb’s 2 cents: I also liked Nicky Katt as Howard’s detective partner.

He provides some welcome humor and the two men work well together.)

BREACH: If you like spy thrillers, as I do, and if you think Chris Cooper is one of the best actors in film today, as I do, then you should certainly put this film on your "must see" list. Breach is based on the true-life story of Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent turned Soviet spy who betrayed his country for complex reasons that may never be fully understood. This is the story of how Hanssen finally got caught after over twenty years of selling secrets to the Soviets. Cooper is outstanding as Hanssen. Barbara and I agree that it is rare to see a film in which there may be an award worthy performance so early in a new film season. Co-staring with Cooper is Ryan Phillipe, a handsome actor who at times seems low on affect, but who makes it all work for him in this role. He plays the role of Eric O’Neill, a cocky aspiring federal agent who is given what appears to be a creepy assignment: keeping tabs on a sexual deviant. Working as Hanssen’s assistant, he begins to admire and respect the man and rebel against the assignment. Only then is O’Neill told the full extent of Hanssen’s treachery. The cast is ably filled out by Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, Kathleen Quinlan, and Gary Cole. GRADE B+

THE BREAK-UP: This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. Although the first scene is a meet-cute, the movie really begins with a break-up. I thought a director did a good job of introducing us to the couple by showing snapshops of their relationship over the opening credits. When the action starts, Gary (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke (Jennifer Anniston) are giving a family dinner party. It is a disaster, and the argument between the couple after their guests leave is painfully realistic. It’s also quite funny. The movie chronicles their initial break-up and then follows their efforts to get back together. It’s always fun to watch Vaughn do his things and Gary is very funny, but he would be impossible to live with. It’s a wonder Brooke lasted as long as she did. The Boston Globe critic said Vaughn and Aniston bicker endlessly, and uninterestingly, and The Hollywood Reporter called it a major disappointment. We’re easier on it than that, although Gary enjoyed it a bit more than I did. He says B, I say B-. GRADE B/B-

BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY: What a surprise! They got it right! BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY, the movie, is almost as good as Helen Fielding's novel. And Renee Zellweger, our least favorite actress, is terrific as the title character. Her accent may not be letter-perfect, but her character is. She is funny, bright, vulnerable and generally adorable. We are going to have to rethink our evaluation of her as an actress. Watching Bridget struggle with men--mostly rotters, her weight--at least 10 lbs too much, and her smoking--can't seem to quit, is pure delight. We understand she gained over 20 lbs. to play Bridget and the extra weight adds greatly to her appeal. Hugh Grant is splendid as a charming cad and Colin Firth is perfect as a communicationally-challenged nice guy. Jim Broadbent (TOPSY TURVY) is Bridget's father and Gemma Jones plays her mother. Both are very funny. If you read and enjoyed the novel, I don't think you will be disappointed with the movie. If you didn't read the novel you may want to after seeing the movie. Be sure and stay for the closing credits. GRADE A-

BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON:Been there. Done that. It was a lot better the first time. Renée Zellweger, about 10 lbs. past cute, does her best to breathe some life into this pale sequel. She falls out of a plane into a pig sty, risks death on the ski slopes, and spends some time in a Bankok jail. But she is a caricature of the awkward, overweight, socially inept heroine we feel in love with in the first movie. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant are as yummy as ever, but even their best scene--grappling in a fountain--is déjà vu all over again. I'm afraid we can't give this one more than a C. Roger Ebert liked the movie, but most critics didn't. Here's a quote from the New York Times: This one make the first movie look like a masterpiece. What was Renée Zellweger thinking? What, indeed? GRADE C

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN: Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger) meet in 1963 when they are hired to herd sheep for the summer up on Brokeback Mountain. Over the lonely summer, they slowly become friends, and, ultimately, more than friends. Each thinks they will never see the other again. Ennis marries his girlfriend (Michelle Williams) and has two daughters. Jake, a rodeo cowboy, meets and married a pretty barrel racer (Ann Hathaway) and has a son. Four years later they see each other again, and the attraction between them is stronger than ever. Over the next twenty years, they meet several times a years to go fishing—at least that’s what they tell their wives. Brokeback Mountain is a homosexual love story, told with great understanding and compassion. The two men are wonderful. Gyllenhaal and Ledge are heart breakingly believable in their roles, and they are supported by fine acting all around. Williams does a nice job as a wife who is afraid to face what she has learned about her husband. Worthy of mention are Linda Cardellini, who plays a woman Ennis dates after his divorce, and Kate Mara, as Ennis’s older daughter. Director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility; Hulk) tells the story slowly, simply and subtlety. In this movie, more is said in the silences than in the dialogue. Much is left to the viewer’s imagination. The film is based on a short story by Annie Proulx, and Larry McMurtry collaborated with Diana Ossana on the screenplay. Gary thought the film was excellent, but failed to get as emotionally caught up in the story as I did. He says B+; I say A. GRADE A/B+GRADE C.

BROKEN FLOWERS: Don (Bill Murray) is a confirmed bachelor. His friends describe him as a Don Juan: His past history is studded with girlfriends. When he gets a letter from an unknown woman telling him that he has a grown son, he first thinks it must be some kind of hoax. His next-door neighbor and friend, Winston (Jeffrey Wright), who fancies himself an amateur internet detective, persuades him to visit his old girlfriends to find out if the son is real. The girlfriends are played by Sharon Stone, Francis Conroy, Jessica Lange, and Tilda Swinton, and they all acquit themselves admirably. We went to see this film with high expectations, and while we didn’t "love" it, we did like it. Murray deserves a medal for minimalist acting: he does here what he did so well in Lost In Translation. No wonder an indie director like Jim Jaramusch wanted Murray to play Don. In his review, Ebert said: Jarmusch makes films about outsiders, but they're not loners, they're soloists. Bill Murray's character here is the ultimate Jarmusch soloist, in that he lacks even an instrument. His act is to walk onto the stage and not play. Murray is very good at "not playing." The best part of the film is the understated acting and the dialogue that seems so real that you can hardly believe it’s scripted. However, that makes for some slow going at times. We see a lot of Don going to the airport, leaving the airport, and driving, driving, driving. The critics love this movie, and most Indie-film aficionados will be charmed by it, but average audiences may be less enthusiastic. GRADE B

BROTHERS: This is a powerful film about two brothers: Michael, a family man and upstanding citizen who is a Major in the Danish Military, and Jannik, the black sheep of the family. The story begins on the day Jannik gets out of prison, and Michael leaves for a second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Shortly after arriving, Michael’s helicopter crashes and Michael is reported killed in action. Michael wife, Sarah, is played by Connie Nielsen (The Gladiator) and she is very moving in her grief. Jannik is overcome by Michael’s death, and he straightens himself out, at least enough to give some help to Sarah and her two young daughters. Very early on we learn that Michael has survived the crash and is being held prisoner by the Afghanistan insurgents. We see overlapping scenes between Michael in the prison camp and his family back in Denmark. Michael is eventually rescued, but not before his captors force him to commit a horrendous act to save his life. His horror and guilt change him so much that his own daughter, thrilled when he first returned home, is so afraid of him that she wishes he had stayed dead. Ulrich Thomsen is Michael and Nikolaj Lie Kaas is Jannik. Both are impressive. We fear Hollywood might have screwed up the same story with clichés and predictable outcomes. Nothing is predictable in this Danish film and all the emotions are truly and deeply felt. It is subtitled, but many scenes have little or no dialogue. These actors are skilled enough to tell the story with their bodies and faces. It is remarkable acting and filmmaking, and we hope you all will get a chance to see the film. GRADE A-

THE BUCKET LIST: Predictably, the professional critics were harder on this film than the viewers. (C vs. B+) Two things bring the critics down hard on a film, (1) predictability, and (2) sentimentality. This film has those features. It is a feel-good movie about cancer, chemotherapy, skull surgery, and dying. Jack Nicholson’s Edward Cole is rich; Morgan Freeman’s Carter Chambers isn’t; Both have been given six months to live. Under the direction of Rob Reiner, the two leads win over the audience with wit, repartee, charm, and a trip around the world seeking the things they missed in their lives—their bucket list. Get it? Things they want to do before they kick the bucket. O.K., it is a little corny, but I think it plays better than most of the critics acknowledge. Maybe we don’t need a movie to remind us to live life to its fullest, but I have to admit that both Barbara and I enjoy Freeman and Nicholson on screen, even in a less than powerful script. That brings us to a grade of "B." GRADE B

(Barb’s two cents: Nicholson is in danger of becoming a living caricature. In some recent films, he has relied on using his well-known facial expressions in lieu of actually acting. I suspect he may resort to that when faced with a weak script. An EW reviewer made an interesting suggestion: He thought that it would have been a more surprising movie if Nicholson and Freeman had switched roles. I think he’s right.I did like Sean Hayes as Nicholson’s much put-upon assistant.)