The Mist

Rating: 7

Quite a bit better than I expected, and did a nice job of staying true to the Stephen King vibe. There are some definite holes in the script but it managed to avoid the sappiness that's common in Frank Darabont's films. Pretty creepy, actually.

Southland Tales

Rating: 6

Though there are some interesting bits of casting and surprising moments, I found Southland Tales to be overly ambitious and overly long. After Donnie Darko I guess I had my hopes up a little too high. It' s probably more enjoyable if you look at it as a surrealist piece, but I kept finding myself grasping for a storyline or a character that would carry me along. Bizarrely enough, Justin Timberlake was the closest it got.

The Great Happiness Space

Rating: 8

I don't usually include rentals here but I think this one deserves a plug. It's a documentary about male escorts in Osaka who cater to young Japanese women, who pay them tens of thousands of dollars a night just to flirt. It's completely incomprehensible from our cultural perspective, and totally fascinating. The male escorts are extremely effeminate too, which makes the whole thing even more bizarre, though the question of their sexuality is never addressed in the movie. Check it out on Netflix!!!!

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Rating: 8 1/2

Me and my gal pals, who saw this with me, were sort of stunned into silence afterward. It's a terrific movie but an extremely grim view of the world.

American Gangster

Rating: 8 1/2

The combination of Ridley Scott and Denzel Washington, both of whom have tons of style, is a real treat.

Rendition

Rating: 7

Solid.

No Country For Old Men

Rating: 9

What can I say? Coen Brothers are great, Javier Bardem is great, Tommy Lee Jones is great. Hell, even Josh Brolin is great.