Body of Lies

Rating: 8.5

Though he hasn't done a project on the scale of Blade Runner or Alien in many years, you can usually count coming away from a Ridley Scott movie feeling really satisfied. In recent years I have experienced this with movies like Matchstick Men and, in the case of American Gangster, I don't think Ridley got the credit he deserved. Body of Lies might not measure up to these but the performances are brilliant and the film moves at an unstoppable pace. Leo DiCaprio is always terrific, and Russell Crowe is impressive playing the United States of America; gluttonous, cynical and oblivious to his own hypocracy.

Changeling

Rating: 8

What I keep thinking about Changeling is this: a couple of years ago everyone had huge hard-on for Million Dollar Baby (also directed by Clint Eastwood,) and I was completely perplexed by this. It won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. I think Changeling is a much more interesting movie but all the reviews I've read so far have been lukewarm. Changeling isn't perfect - it could probably use some cutting, but it's so gorgeous with all the period detail and bizarre story details that would seem implausible if they weren't based on a real incident. It has a ton of style. Who knows why it's getting such a raw deal from the press?

Pride and Glory

Rating: 7.5

Pride and Glory is a genre cop drama where loyalties are tested, histories are reflected upon and corrupt characters attempt to be redeemed. As a fan of the TV show The Shield I feel a little jaded by these stories that put the viewer in the same ethical gray area as the characters, but still: it has excellent moments that are worth seeing.

Appaloosa

Rating: 8.5

What could be better than Viggo Mortensen with a Van Dyke beard and a huge gun? If you can ignore Renee Zellweger, Appaloosa is almost perfect.

Blindness

Rating: 4

It's some sort of allegorical thing about South American politics...maybe..? I don't really get it. And it's pretty gross.

Religulous

Rating: 8

Sure, it's gimicky and puts people on the spot, but Maher is hilarious, and it makes my head explode that questioning people about their religious beliefs should seem so subversive.

Lakeview Terrace

Rating: 5

I'm a Neil Labute fan, but since this was only directed and not written by him I felt a bit deprived. Labute's themes are always gleefully misanthropic, and I'm always left wondering what the point was, but in a fascinating way. Lakeview Terrace lacks that out-of-nowhere grumpiness in a story of black-on-white racism that's kind of bitter and cringeworthy.

Ghost Town

Rating: 7

You can't go wrong with Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear. Not super original, but sweet & funny.