lucky number slevin

a poor man's "usual suspects" that is gripping in the end but a little bit too disjointed overall to really coalesce into a great movie. the mood is light and sarcastic-y, sort of like the opposite of a film noir. it's a real shame that the film is a bit too clever for its own good and rarely makes you actually laugh or enjoy the moment. much of the viewing time is spent wondering "okay, what next?" all in all, not a terrible film by any means, but also a totally forgettable one.

friends with money

a "sex and the city" for the women with husbands, children, and financial obligations, this movie was much better than i had expected it to be walking in. while it may preview like a chick flick, it most certainly is not as the humor is both dry, realistict, and usually perfectly on point. everyone understands money troubles, and even though jennifer aniston is slightly miscast, the movie centers around her low income job (and singledom) in contrast with her more financially stable (and married) gaggle of girl friends.

intrigued by director nicole holofcener's critical acclaim, i rented "lovely & amazing" before watching her most recent work. i say skip her previous movies and go straight to "friends with money." it's less gimmicky and a better realization of holofcener's observational talents.

amores perros

"love's a bitch," advance billed as a great spanish movie, is a bit unsettling. the first act was wonderful (if somewhat disturbing due to some graphic dog fighting) but at the halfway point of the movie, my mind started to wander and the impact of the movie slipped by me. still, it is an interesting portrait of life in mexico city, even if it's heavily stylized. but really, what's the difference between showing the grit and grime of mexico versus say, indianapolis?

walk the line

fiercely acted and incredibly well sung, walk the line should not have been nomiated for best picture. it's crazy disjointed and you really find out nothing about johnny cash. you just see him go from one stage of his life to another, with no explanations or backstories. i had to go read some wikipedia to have any idea of what was going on. joaquin and reese are wonderful but the movie is just a love story masquerading as a biopic.

game over

"game over: kasparov and the machine" was critically lauded as "one of the best chess movies ever," it's hard to take that positive review without a grain of salt. the greatest chess movie ever is "searching for bobby fischer." this is the best chess documentary only because so few exist. even for a die-hard chess fan like me, it was hard to sit through the amateurish "style" that the director chose to use. still, it's a chance to watch kasparov (a man i've read about for years) and bask in the glory of when chess mattered -- sort of. recommended only for chess fanatics.