Emmanuel’s Gift (review)

It sounds like something we’ve seen a million times before: Athlete overcomes hardship to triumph, inspiring those around him to achieve more than they ever thought they could before. But the story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah of Ghana is extra poignant not just because it’s true but also because of the refusal of directors Lisa … more…

Fun with Dick & Jane (review)

So you’re a poor hardworking joe who’s been run over by this lousy economy and you’re looking for something to make ya forget the gut-wrenching feeling that you’re a piece of roadkill lying on the side of the superhighway of the American dream, so you go to see that new Jim Carrey movie. He’s funny, … more…

King of the Corner (review)

We’ve seen the midlife-crisis comedy a hundred times before, but the smarts and the gentle wit of this one makes it a standout of the genre. Star Peter Riegert (Traffic) makes his feature directorial debut with this off-kilter gem, letting the humanity of his characters — even the unsurprisingly wacky ones, like his dad, played … more…

Lila Says (Lila Dit Ca) (review)

It’s sort of Romeo & Juliet, but with the same kind of urgency the story of star-crossed lovers must have had for the Bard’s first audience: Chimo (Mohammed Khouas) is a poor minority lad in Marseilles; Lila (Vahina Giocante) is an adolescent goddess, blonde and teasing; their teenage romance, alive with raw, unabashed lust, transforms … more…

Kings & Queen (review)

Ismaël (Mathieu Amalric) believes that women have no souls because they live in bubbles, and that men’s souls are a consequence of their “living to die.” One can take that as a serious commentary on the states of men’s and women’s lives — on the practicality forced upon women as they deal with such basic … more…

American Film Institute’s AFI 100 (2007 list)

1. Citizen Kane (1941) 2. The Godfather (1972) 3. Casablanca (1942) 4. Raging Bull (1980) 5. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) 6. Gone With the Wind (1939) 7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 8. Schindler’s List (1993) 9. Vertigo (1958) 10. The Wizard of Oz (1939) 11. City Lights (1931) 12. The Searchers (1956) 13. Star … more…

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These reviews have moved — sorry for the inconvenience. El Crimen Perfecto Five Mile Creek: Season One Get Rich or Die Tryin’ The Ice Harvest Jarhead Margaret Cho: Assassin Ned and Stacey: The Complete First Season Nine Lives Saw II Stay Thundercats: Season One: Volume One: Discs 1 & 2 Thunderstruck The World’s Fastest Indian

my top 100 films — movies I think about when I think about movies

What this is not: This is not my own personal assessment of the “best” or “greatest” or “most influential” movies ever made, or any categorization that pretends to objectivity. What this is: These are the movies that I think about when I think about movies. If you want to know where I’m coming from as … more…