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Director: Robert Luketic

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts,

All right! Finally, a way to make some money in Vegas! Let’s grab some tickets. I’ll learn to count cards during the flight, and I should be rich by dinner! Director, Robert Luketic (Monster-In-Law)takes us to Sin City in this loud, flashy heist-style true story about a group of M.I.T. students who descend on Nevada’s most profitable Oasis to use their math skills like a blunt weapon to beat the dollars out of Vegas. The story is fast paced but predictable, though it does manage a tricky, if somewhat unconvincing ending.

Jim Sturgess (Across The Universe) seems a little uncomfortable as a smooth M.I.T nerd turned Vegas high roller, as a member of a group of card counting students led by Professor Rosa (Kevin Spacey). At first, it all seems like a never-ending party with money falling from the sky, but soon some dark clouds emerge in that sky in the form of dissension on the team and a surly security specialist, played by Laurence Fishburne.

21 is long on style, but a little short on substance and viewers without an interest in the subject matter will find it repetitious and may not be drawn in by the uneven story. Those who enjoy gambling films, will find this to be an imperfect, but enjoyable distraction for a couple of hours.

Director: Kimberly Peirce

Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Victor Rasuk, Timothy Olyphant

Director, Kimberly Pierce, who has been conspicuously absent from Hollywood movie credits since her auspicious debut with Boys Don’t Cry, returns with a motion picture that gives us yet another reason to hate the war in Iraq: the back-door drafting of soldiers who have finished their tour. This controversial practice is called ‘stop loss’ and little question remains as to what side of the argument this film falls onto. The tone gets preachy from time to time, and the story never quite manages to turn the heat up to the boiling level. The acting is strong, as is the direction, but neither manages to distinguish itself beyond that, leaving the film mired in mediocrity.

Stop Loss opens win some intense war scenes, but quickly shifts gears from a war film into a drama about a group of gung ho soldiers that include Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe- that guy you’ve heard of and know from something, but have no idea what), and his best friend Steve (Channing Tatum, who you don’t know from anything). Both of these guys have put in their time and are glad to have done their duty, but are even more glad to be done. Steve is all set to marry Michelle (Abbie Cornish), and Brandon, well I can’t remember what Brandon’s plans are, but it doesn’t matter because he is informed that due to a clause in his contract, the army is allowed to keep him and send him back to Iraq. This is called Stop Loss and is exactly what they intend to do. Brandon feels betrayed and angry over this and has to decide what to do, while all of his army buddies have struggles of their own, as well.

If you are not tired of films that show us yet another problem with the whole Iraq, post 9-11, Bush situation, yet, then here is another related issue. This subject area has already been saturated by the CNN, news magazine television shows, and several Hollywood releases. It’s point is valid, but perhaps using a true story might have managed to give it the interest and impact that it lacked. Stop Loss is a good film that will vanish into obscurity as quickly as a presidential address.

Director: Marc Forster

Starring: Khalid Abdalla, Atossa Leoni, Zekeria Ebrahimi, Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada, Homayoun Marshadi, Shaun Toub

German director, Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Monster’s Ball) has done an outstanding job turning David Benioff’s screen treatment of Khalad Hosseini’s best-selling novel into one of the pre-eminent films of 2007. The story is strong, and though it does get intermittently slow, it is still engaging and moving, throughout. The acting is nothing short of flawless and enhances the film, immeasurably. The direction is stellar, particularly in the creation of settings from Kabul in the late 70s, and then the stark contrast two decades later. Subtitles are used for much of the dialog, but the added viewer effort is worth it.

The story here is that of Amir, and is split into a period when he is a child (played by Zekeria Ebrahimi) in Afghanistan just before the Soviet invasion, which forces his father (Homayoun Marshadi) to take him and leave the country. Left behind is their servant, Rahim (Shaun Toob) and his son, Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) who was Amir’s closest friend, until the shame and guilt of an unfortunate event came between them. Amir and his father end up in America, where an adult Amir (Khalid Abdalla), has put Afghanistan behind him, taken a wife and written a novel, when his past suddenly comes rushing back to him with one phone call.

The Kite Runner is an excellent drama about human relations and how they are impacted by events of the world around them. For those who are comfortable with subtitled films, this is a must see, with the same kind of appeal, and greater impact than Namesake from 2006. For those of you, who never watch subtitled motion pictures, why not?

Director: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner,

Long time TV commercial director, Craig Gillespie (Mr. Woodcock) took his first stab at directing a big screen feature with this small budget, Oscar-nominated screenplay by Nancy Oliver. The story is quirky, amusing and touching and a standout performance by Ryan Gosling really helped it to work. The movie progresses slowly and carefully, and is just a little bit dark, but never oppressing.

Ryan Gosling is Lars Lindstrom, a socially hopeless and emotionally-challenged small town man, who lives a quiet life that mostly consists of avoiding contact with other people, until he meets someone. I know what you’re thinking. That sounds like pretty standard movie stuff, so far and it would be if his new girlfriend didn’t arrive carefully packaged in a box. You see Lars new dream girl is actually a highly sophisticated doll – the kind with three life-like openings. Yup, Lars has fallen in love with a sex doll. When a doctor tells his brother and sister-in-law that the best way to handle this is to go along with it, the whole town pitches in and does the same. This may sound like a romantic version of Weekend at Bernie’s, but its not. The story is really about the way family and community combine to take care of their own.

Lars and The Real Girl is one of those off-beat, head-scratching movies that some will love, some will hate and no one will completely understand. Ok, ok, some will understand, but it is a strange one that will appeal to those who like to step off the Hollywood highway to mainstream success. This one is different. There is humor, but its not a comedy. It’s disturbing at times, but not repulsive or frightening, and there is no denying that it is interesting.

Director: Terry George

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino, Elle Fanning, Eddie Alderson

Writer/director Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) takes a stab at a smaller scale drama this time out. The acting is fine here, as would be expected from such a stellar cast. The story, based on John Burnham Schwartz novel, is heavy on melodrama and the story has too many coincidences to be ignored. The story and the character’s actions become more far-fetched and unconvincing as the motion picture draws toward an unimaginative Hollywood ending.

Ethan Learner (Joaquin Phoenix) is driving home with his family when a gas station stop leads to tragedy. Learner’s 10 year old son is killed by attorney, Dwight Arno (Mark Ruffalo), who is driving home with his son (Eddie Alderson). Frightened at the thought of involvement in the ensuing legal mess because of an uncertain situation concerning his son, Arno flees the scene. This leaves Learner obsessed with seeing his son’s killer brought to justice and the story skips between him and Arno, who is terrified about being discovered and wracked with guilt. The two men bump into each other everywhere except the living room and the whole thing gets a little tedious.

For all its attempts at pounding home the pain of losing a child, I found Reservation Road is be lacking in impact and the writing seems lazy when it falls back on coincidence after coincidence. The Life Of David Gale was another issue-oriented drama where the unlikely story and obvious attempts at emotional manipulation hurt the overall product. if you ejoyed that feature then this one may be for you.

Reservation Road – movie quotes:

“Can you hear music if you’re in Heaven?”

Movie lines from Reservation Road

Director: Jon Turtletaub

Starring: John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Forest Whitaker, Robert Duval,

Some rare motion pictures have the power to fill us with a sense of wonder and cause us to speculate on the possibilities, beyond what we think we know. Phenomenon is one of these scarce films, though not everyone seemed to see this aspect of the picture, as it made its way to becoming a favorite of many and ignored by many more. The acting is strong and the characters are appealing and authentic, but the real star here is screenwriter Gerald Di Pego’s wonderful story.

John Travolta is Gearoge Malley, a simple, small town mechanic who is trying to figure out how rabbits are eating his garden, and how to win the heart of the beautiful maker of ugly chairs named Lacey (Kyra Sedgwick). His entire life changes when he sees a bright light that knocks him from his feet, and stuns all those who know him, when people notice that he is becoming smarter, and smarter, but that’s not all that’s changed about George Malley. But how has he changed and where is it all going?

Phenomenon is a similar story to that of the 1968 feature, Charly (based on the novel, Flowers For Algernon) and is a delightful film that will make you wonder about the possibilities of human abilities. This is wrapped up in a wonderful story with characters that you will quickly grow to care about.

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Michael Caine, Jude Law,

Director Kenneth Branagh, best known for his Shakespearean projects, adapts another stage play to the screen, with this remake of a 1972 mystery feature. Branagh makes effective use of unusual camera angles, moody lighting, and colors while the top-notch performers masterfully deliver their dialog that is as clever as one would expect from a theatrical conversion. The Harold Pinter, classic-style mystery keeps the viewer wondering right to the end. The first twist comes before the film even begins, with the casting of Michael Caine, who played the younger man in the original 1972 motion picture, and accepted the role of the mature man in this 21st century edition, while Jude Law steps into Caine’s previous role.

Jude Law is Milo Tindle, who is visiting the wealthy husband of his lover, to ask him to grant her a divorce. Instead of a quick agreement, the two men verbally spar, until Wyke (Michael Caine) offers Milo a chance to make some money that will allow him to support his new, money-draining woman. A deal is struck, but that is just the beginning. The twists soon begin and just don’t stop, though they are overdone and will put off some viewers.

Fine acting aficionados, and fans of old-fashioned, not-over-until-its-over, mysteries, will appreciate this visually stylish and twist-filled actor’s workshop. It starts out stronger than it finishes, but is still enjoyable. I have never seen the original film, though I’m told that it compares poorly (when isn’t the original better?). I can’t make comparisons, myself, but I did find this rendition to be entertaining, though the first half is noticeably stronger than the second.

Director: Robin Swicord

Starring: Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Kevin Zegers, Marc Blucas

As both writer and director, Robin Swicord took Karen Joy Fowler’s novel and turned it first into a very clever screenplay and then, with the help of some very talented performers, made an entertaining movie. Watching it along with me, was an almost all female audience, most of whom looked old enough to remember when Jane Austen was on the best seller list. The dialog was strong and the characters were interesting and the film had a high energy level for a romantic drama, though the whole thing does play a little like a Penguin ad for the Jane Austen Classics Collection.

This story revolves around five women and one man who get together once a month to discuss one of Jane Austen’s books. Kathy Baker is Bernadette, a strong older woman living life by her own rules, who organizes the club to help her friend, Sylvia (Brennemen) get over a heartbreak. Sylvia’s lesbian daughter, Allegra (Maggie Grace) joins to support her mom, as does Sylvia’s friend, Jocelyn (Maria Bello), who brings along a young man she just met (Hugh Dancy), in hopes of playing matchmaker. A fragile, and strange, young married teacher played by Emily Blunt in a performance that still stands out in this very well-acted film, rounds out the group. As the group works its way through the Austen library, their own love lives parallel the classic writer’s storylines. I have only read one Austen book, but even for a literary neophyte like me, this plot device is apparent and entertaining.

No doubt about it, stamp Chick Flick on the box an send it off to off to Oxygen: The Women’s Cable Station for a bi-monthly airing. This is a chick flick, but it is also an impressive piece of light-hearted dramatic screenwriting and a forum for talented actresses (thosewhose last names begin with the letter ‘B’, it seems). Austen lovers, as well as fans of romantic drama will find this film well worth their hard earned pesos, and significantly better than this years’ earlier Austen effort, “Becoming Jane”.

Director: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg

Starring: Brian Steadle

The Devil Came On Horseback is a relentless hard-hitting documentary about the horrible conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan, as seen through the eyes of an impartial military observer, former Marine Captain, Brian Steadle, who doesn’t feel impartial for long. The result is engaging, and is almost as hypnotic as it is powerful and disturbing and kinda made me feel guilty for not doing more to help. It was a darling of the film festival circuit, but has seen little commercial promotion.

In 2004, retired but young, Marine Captain Brian Steadle accepted a six month contract as an unarmed military observer supervising the ceasefire to a two decade long civil war in The Sudan. Soon after his arrival, he realizes that government backed thugs, known as the Janjaweed are executing a campaign of rape, murder and torture, against civilian villages in the Darfur region of the country. The film starts out with some background of the area, and its issues, and then watches and listens, as Steadle uses pictures, video, and narration to describe, and illustrate his experiences during the horrifying, and frustrating period. Next, Brian returns home and tries to tell America, and the world, what is happening in The Sudan.

The Devil Came On Horseback tells a troubling tale that is uncomfortably close to the Rwandan story from all too few years ago. It packs a punch, and I hesitate to speculate on who will ‘enjoy’ it. It is similar in tone and content to such films as The Killing Fields and Hotel Rwanda, and much like last year’s documentary feature, Shake Hands With The Devil, which focused on Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire’s experiences in Rwanda. This is a powerful project that should be seen.

Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner

Starring: Cesar Ramos, Alicja Bachleda-Curus, Kevin Kline, Paulina Gaitan, Zack Ward, Marco Perez,

Little known German director Marco Kreuzpaintner made this arresting, edge-of-your-seat drama from a script by TV writer, Jose Rivera, who was inspired by a New York Times magazine cover article by Peter Landesman. The difficult subject matter of sexual slavery is balanced by a riveting story and exceptional performances by a largely unknown cast. The potent direction and apt pacing makes this a disturbing standout of a film.

Paulina Gaitan is Adriana, an innocent 13 year-old girl living in Mexico City. Her brother, Jorge (Cesar Ramos), is a street hustler and when Adriana is snatched off the street by a gang of sexual traffickers, he launches into a desperate search for her. Held along with Adriana is a beautiful and scrappy Polish girl named Weronica (Alicja Bachleda-Curus). Jorge’s search for his abducted sister, seems increasingly hopeless, but starts to look up when he finds himself teamed up with an American cop (Kevin Kline). The story here is taut and will keep you both mesmerized and uncomfortable for its entire 2 hour run time.

Trade is a disturbing, and revealing glimpse, into the seedy world of sexual slavery, as well as finely crafted film. The story is strong, but does rely a little too heavily on coincidences, but is still an engaging viewing choice. Be careful, though, as it does run the risk of jarring us from our lives of complacency and have us demanding that this horrific criminal enterprise be crushed tomorrow.