Valkyrie

** (2 stars)

Valkyrie (2008)
Genre: History/Dama
120 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson

Brief Plot: Based on the true events of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) and a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler during the later part of World War II. Stauffenberg and other resisters attempted to use an amended order of Hitler's Operation Valkyrie to seize power and turn the government over to more stable minds.

Best Audience: World War II history buffs, Tom Cruise fans, and anyone else who is interested in Germany, Nazis, or covert operations.

My Review: Valkyrie looked good, felt good, but failed to excite me. Director Bryan Singer does a nice job capturing the period in sets, costumes, and all other aspects of production. The story is dutifully related and linear so that it is easy to understand. Apart from that, Valkyrie was competent but not thrilling. The basic storyline is limited because we all know the ending, and that makes it hard for to really become invested in the story. Cruise isn't bad as Stauffenberg, he just isn't great. I felt that throughout the movie Cruise underwent little to no character transformation. In the opening line he relates his disenchantment with Hitler and Germany and his attitude never changes throughout the film. I found Valkyrie entertaining, and more immersing than a History Channel special, but nothing that will make you leave the theater thinking "wow, that was definitely worth 8 bucks!"

Australia

*** (3 stars)

Australia (2008)
Genre: Romance/Drama
165 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, and Brandon Walters

Brief Plot: An English aristocrat (Kidman) journeys to see to the sale of her ranch property in Australia. When she befriends a young half-native aboriginal boy (Walters) she decides to save her land by driving all the cattle to Darwin to sell to the allied army and break the beef monopoly of her competitor and his chief crony (Wenham). Along the way, she falls for the rough and tumble cattle-drover (Jackman). When the Japanese bomb Australia, everything each of the characters holds dear is in danger of being lost.

Best Audience: Ladies will probably love this film, because at it's core it's a classic romance story, but it's special Australian brand of wild-west will keep some of the male audience appeased as well.

My Review: Australia was a good film delivered by well-liked director Baz Luhrmann whose other credits include Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet. Casting was superb, especially since the main actors all have natural Aussie accents to begin with. The landscapes are very beautiful showcasing the raw terrain of the Australian country. The story is multi-faceted enough to prevent too much boredom and the pacing was about as good as it could be. Jackman and Kidman were very good, and developed a convincing on-screen chemistry. David Wenham was a delightfully good villian and young actor Brandon Walters was a smashing child star in the movie. Yes, it's a little long, yes it's a little sappy, but as long as you are hoping for a feel-good romance-laced experience Australia should deliver on all cylinders.

Appaloosa

** 1/2 (2 and 1/2 stars)

Appaloosa (2008)
Genre: Western
114 minutes - R rating
Director: Ed Harris
Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Jeremy Irons, Renee Zellweger

Brief Plot: Two lawmen-for-hire (Harris and Mortensen) sheriff a small town that fears a local rancher (Irons), but their tried and true hard-knuckle methods are complicated when a piano-playing widow (Zellweger) comes to town.

Best Audience: Appaloosa helps resurrect the comeback that the western genre has seen this year and last. It's star power can appeal to those not typically interested in such a film, especially when you get a load of Viggo Mortensen's fabulous mustache.

My Review: Appaloosa was a directorial effort by actor Ed Harris, and I will say he did a pretty solid job. The locations were pleasing, the dialogue catchy, and the actors all very good (Mortensen and Irons in particular). Where Appaloosa fails is in the poorly written and performed role by Renee Zellweger and bad character transformation for Harris' character. It's a really fun movie to watch, and the end was very fitting, but it fell short a little bit when some elements of the story fell behind. Still a solid choice and a must-see for Viggo fans like myself.

Body of Lies

** 1/2 (2 and 1/2 stars)

Body of Lies (2008)
Genre: Action/Thriller
138 minutes - R rating
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong

Brief Plot: Based on Washington Post columnist David Ignatius's 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris, who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. - IMDB


Best Audience: Body of Lies is an intriguing film, but even more so if you are interested in subjects such as political science, militarism, middle-eastern culture, and religious extremism. I don't guarantee the movie is an accurate portrayal of American foreign policy, but it does give some thoughtful matter about politics and war, while also having enough action for a 2+ hour film. A thinking person's movie, it's recurring rough language and violence are tolerable, but you may have to look away during a brief scene of graphic torture.

My Review: I liked this film, I really did. It helped that the talents of Crowe and DiCaprio were strong, but the movie was very interesting and brings some sobering thoughts to the viewer. The whole movie DiCaprio seems like a pawn being played by intelligence leaders, bruised, bled and injured. At the end of the film in an emotional charge he criticizes Crowe and other 'bureaucrats' for using whatever it takes to attain their ends without care for suffering or humanity of others. Body of Lies had it's weaknesses, but mainly I think this film was much stronger than most critics are giving it credit for. It has enough of Ridley Scott's action to keep you on your toes, but it doesn't get too bogged down in it's plot lines to get boring. The three main characters are all strongly cast, and despite a love interest for DiCaprio that I found cheesy, it at least gave his character emotional depth. This film is already being compared to Syriana (2005), and I will admit there are similarities. But whereas Syriana is more about oil and government, Body of Lies focuses more on "the War on Terror". As this film grows on me, it might be good enough for 3 stars, but don't let me jump to that conclusion just yet.

The Nanny Diaries

** 1/2 (2 and 1/2 stars)

The Nanny Diaries (2007)
Genre: Drama
105 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Nicholas Art

Brief Plot: A college graduate goes to work as a nanny for a rich New York family. Ensconced in their home, she has to juggle their dysfunction, a new romance, and the spoiled brat in her charge. - IMDB

Best Audience: This light drama is a funny movie for anyone who has ever babysat kids. The characters are both colorful and more than surface-deep. Some language and a adultury innuendo garner the PG13 rating.

My Review: The Nanny Diaries takes what would seem to be a tired formula and works it into something that is unique and enjoyable. Where we are used to seeing the exasperated nanny, rowdy child, and hair-brained parents, The Nanny Diaries shows us something different enough in each of these roles to hold our interest. Johansson does a great job and in particular Laura Linney delivers a love-to-hate-her performance as the employer mom. A decent film, worth a rent for sure.

Burn After Reading

** (2 stars)

Burn After Reading (2008)
Genre: Dark Comedy
96 minutes - R rating
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring: John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton

Brief Plot: An ex-CIA agent's memoir falls into the hands of two gym employees who mistake it's contents for top-secret intelligence. The resulting plot involves them attempting to ransom the disk for money, while a womanizer and an unfaithful wife thicken the plot even further. Meanwhile, the CIA keeps watch on all the events and can't make sense of any of it.

Best Audience: If you are die-hard Coen fans this won't disappoint you. If you are expecting something at all like No Country For Old Men, you will be let down. Burn After Reading is a dark comedy with so many moments seeming random or unexpected, and it's plot direction can be as confused as the characters. Some innuendo, adulterous plot-line, and very frequent use of the f-word will keep many viewers out of their comfort zone.

My Review: Burn After Reading was best described by John Malkovich's character when he called Pitt and McDormand a "league of morons". All the characters are very fluffy and incompetent. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think Joel and Ethan Coen are a little too pleased with themselves and go even more over the top than usual in this flick. The stars are great, there is no question, especially Pitt who just steals the screen in every minute he is on, but the plot didn't reconcile with me, and the resolution seemed like a pointless waste. We'll put it this way: I wouldn't have cried if the producer had burned the script after reading.

Following

*** (3 stars) - [in accordance with the new 4 star rating system]

Following (1998)
Genre: Thriller/Crime
69 minutes - R rating
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell

Brief Plot: This odd, claustrophobic film about a seedy young Brit (Jeremy Theobald) who's obsessed with following people -- albeit harmlessly at first -- is a great neo-noir movie that gets even better as the premise unspools. After meeting a like-minded bloke (Alex Haw), the twosome graduate to breaking and entering but meet their match in a tough blonde dame (Lucy Russell). - Netflix.com

Best Audience: A must if you saw and liked Nolans "Memento". If you like mysteries or detective pieces, this might also be a good film to see. Rated R for semi-frequent use of the F-word and for some brief scenes of strong violence (which are tastefully not shown very graphically).

My Review: Following was Christopher Nolan's first big movie, and earned him enough respect to launch a brilliant and successful film career. And despite being his first feature-length movie, Following is none to shabby when compared to his other work. The film is a great neo-noir film, and shot in black and white for the duration of this quick flick (only 69 minutes long but the story feels longer). There are no real star actors in the film, which was actually very nice, and made you focus more on the story. Not to say the acting wasn't completely competent. Nolan is a brilliant director and his characters fit his story like a glove. And what a story! The non-linear narrative form of which Nolan is a master craftsman weaves like a great dettective story, and the ending gives one final twist to make you jump.

I have now viewed all of Christopher Nolans feature length films and though they are very hard to rate, I would rate them in the following order (based on how much I enjoyed each film):
1. The Dark Knight
2. The Prestige
3. Following
4. Batman Begins
5. Memento
6. Insomnia
It really is tough because these are all very good films well-worth viewing. Nolan's success with the Dark Knight should keep him around for a very long time, and I am very excited for him to continue his impressive career in film.