Starring: James Stewart Directed by: Frank Capra Plot An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would had been like if he never existed. But is it any good? Only the most hard-hearted, cynical bastard could fail to be touched by Wonderful Life. While its senitmentality may be challenging in [...]
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning Directed by: Sam Mendes Plot: Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation for his daughter’s attractive friend. But is it any good? I’ve always thought the similarly-themed Ice Storm was better than American Beauty, but this [...]
Starring: Jim Carry, Kate Winslet Directed by: Michael Gondry Plot: Outlining the plot ruins the surprise, in my opinion. But is it any good? I was surprised and charmed when I discovered Being John Malcovich (which I walked into randomly in Paris one winter), and I love Charlie Kaufmann scripts (including Adaptation) so I had [...]
Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham-Carter Directed by: David Fincher Plot: An office employee and a soap salesman build a global organization to help vent male aggression. But is it any good? Oh, how I love David Fincher movies, and how I loved Fight Club in the late ’90s. The timing was perfect. There [...]
Starring: Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, Orson Welles Directed by: Carol Reed Plot Arriving in Vienna, Holly Martins learns that his friend Harry Lime, who has invited him, recently died in a car accident. But is it any good? Oh my god, yes! Shame on me for not having seen it earlier, considering I’m such an [...]
Starring: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Robert Duvall Directed by: Robert Mulligan Plot: Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge and his kids against prejudice. But is it any good? I’d read the book of To Kill a Mockingbird already, so knew what would happen, but [...]
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd Directed by: Martin Scorsese Plot: A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as nighttime taxi driver in a city whose perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge to violently lash out. But is it any good? Not that it really matters, but the first and only time [...]
Starring: Morgen Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey Directed by: David Fincher Plot: Police drama about two cops, one new and one about to retire, who hunt a serial killer using the seven deadly sins as his MO. He’s always one step a-head (ahem) of them. But is it any good? Ouch. Se7en is [...]
Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter Directed by: Joseph Mankiewicz Plot: An ingenue insinuates herself in to the company of an established but aging stage actress and her circle of theater friends. But is it any good? Yes. Actually, I think All About Eve might be the first Bette Davis film I’ve ever seen. She looks [...]
Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto Directed by: Darren Aronofsky Plot The hopes and dreams of four ambitious people are shattered when their drug addictions begin spiraling out of control. But is it any good? Watch only the first half of Requiem for a Dream and you’ll be signing up for drug addiction classes. [...]