Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

Adam Sandler plays Barry Egan, a lonely, anxious man full of repressed rage, who attempts to court romance while finding himself the subject of extortion. The title is apt because this movie washes over you with colors and sounds that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, as dark and fucked up as it all is boiling beneath the surface. An absurdist romantic tale that still remains my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film and one of Sandler's best roles to date.

5 pudding cups out of 5

Hamnet (2025)

A fictionalized account of a young William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway, and what would eventually become the inspiration for Hamlet. It's a lot less dull than it sounds, as the bard himself takes a backseat to all the melodrama. Jessie Buckley (as Hathaway) easily takes best actress of the year in one of the most moving, affecting performances I've ever seen. I still don't know how to process it all correctly. So many tears, I never want to see it again.

4 soliloquies out of 5

The Legend of Ochi (2025)

The Ochi are a race of apelike creatures that are being hunted into extinction. When a baby Ochi is separated from its mother, a young girl defies her strict family (Willem Dafoe and Wolf Dickhard) in an attempt to reunite it back home.

This was a lovely little fantasy adventure, reminiscent of classic '80s Amblin vibes, The NeverEnding Story and The Dark Crystal. The creature itself brings to mind Gizmo from Gremlins (combined with the cuteness factor of Baby Yoda). Practical creature effects, old school puppetry and animatronics help bring this world to life and gives it all of its personality and charm (no CGI involved!). This is a film you could imagine Jim Henson might have had his hand in. It's a very minimal tale in all of its simplicity, but quite mesmerizing and moving. You don't often see gentle family films like this being made anymore.

3½ blue caterpillars out of 5

EVEREST [2015]

With an ensemble cast of this many well-known names, it's pretty obvious that director Baltasar Kormákur's true story survival thriller, Everest, was aiming for some serious attention come awards season.
A harrowing screen adaptation of the tragic 1996 expedition up Mount Everest that left eight dead, the film's greatest strength is the powerfully dizzying photography that begs to be seen on a proper IMAX screen for maximum effect.  It's biggest weakness is the large number of characters thinly spread throughout the narrative not leaving a whole lot of time for in depth introductions.  However the acting (particularly Clarke & Knightley) and key scenes are strong enough to let you bypass that and get back to the frightening battle of man against planet.
After the vertigos worn off, I can honestly say I have no interest in enduring such a task as experiencing this sort of torture to my mind, body and soul.

3½ flags out of 5

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING [2014]

Eddie Redmayne's mesmerizing and powerful performance as English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking is easily the main reason why I would recommend seeing director James Marsh's biographical drama The Theory Of Everything.
It follows Hawking's days at Cambridge University in the 1960's as he is diagnosed with motor neuron disease while he's falling in love with his future wife and coming up with some of his own soon-to-be revolutionary theories on time & space.  Aided by some fantastic supporting performances, particularly Felicity Jones, the film is lifted higher than it's actual writing which doesn't quite explore everything about the man it could have.  Fortunately it's acting, precise direction & photography and moving score from Jóhann Jóhannsson make it feel well worth the time invested in it.

3½ American accents out of 5

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK [2008]

Like a melding of a Proust and Kafka novel adapted into film by Fellini, writer Charlie Kaufman's  post-modern drama directorial debut Synecdoche, New York is a dizzying tale that saunters between depression, dementia, death and decay.
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a dying theatre director that becomes so consumed by his work, his grasp on the difference between fiction and reality are heavily blurred.  The film explores so many themes and motifs in it's unconventional plot, it'd be a task to list them all off but with some dedication to the film, the viewer will find all sorts of thoughtful goodies on it's many puzzling street corners.  It's a difficult film to enjoy as entertainment but an enticing one from a film-making and creative writing standpoint.

3½ ends built into the beginnings out of 5

RED DRAGON [2002]

Director Brett Ratner takes over for the third film and first prequel in the Hannibal Lecter series, Red Dragon, which ultimately serves as Sir Anthony Hopkins final round as everyone's favorite man-eating head doctor.
Unlike Ridley Scott's dismal take on the character, Ratner opts for a more serious tone and results in something nearly as grisly as the original film making for a satisfying conclusion to the Hopkins films.  It doesn't really cover any new territory but it's so well-acted and suffocates the viewer in such an effective unsettling atmosphere it can be forgiven.

3½ smashed mirrors out of 5

THE BOOK THIEF [2013]

Brian Percival directs this paint by numbers film adaptation of Markus Zusak's World War II Germany novel, The Book Thief.
Aided by some really great performances the film is easily watchable until you realize you've seen it all a million times before and it does nothing to try to stand out for itself.  There's some nice photography and John Williams' pleasant score so if you've never seen a film like this before it might strike you as better than it really is as it spoonfeeds you it's intended emotional impact.

3 x's out of 5

CORPSE BRIDE [2005]

Tim Burton & Mike Johnson co-direct Corpse Bride, a lovely little stop-motion film based on an ancient Jewish folktale entitled The Finger.

It's hard not to compare this to Burton's earlier stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas but once you get past that, it's actually quite a charming and impressive film on it's own.  Obviously the gorgeous animation and character designs are the stars here but it's carried by the noteworthy voicework as well. Whether or not this is a kid's film I find it difficult to tell.  It's not really the type of story that would interest children or at times is it suitable subject matter either but it's sure to please Burton fans nevertheless.  

3½ Peter Lorre maggots out of 5

WAR HORSE [2011]

Steven Spielberg brings Michael Morpurgo's children's novel War Horse to the big screen with mixed results.  It rapidly goes back and forth between run-of-the-mill emotionally manipulative schmaltz to moments that are actually quite engaging and effective.  Not one of Spielberg's best nor is it his worst.  

2½ barbed wire missteps out of 5

Equilibrium (2002)

Equilibrium steals its entire plot from George Orwell's 1984 and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. It has nothing original to say whatsoever.
Emotion is punishable by death. The people are policed by law enforcing warrior-priests who use drugs to suppress their own emotions, so Christian Bale’s wooden acting and inability to emote is probably what got him the job. Besides the environment, the only thing it does well is killed off in the first ten minutes.
Emily Watson brings the beautiful to an empty shell of a film.

1 the architecture is the real star out of 5

The Proposition [2005]

Director John Hillcoat reunites with screenwriter/musician Nick Cave for the poetically brutal Australian western The Proposition.
Guy Pearce leads the cast as a captured outlaw in the 1880's let loose by the law to hunt down and kill his psychotic older brother played with great intimidation by Danny Huston. It's a merciless, gritty ride that makes no apologies for it's realistic portrayal of the racism, violence and lack of proper law in early Australia. This well-paced story about morals, loyalty and revenge could have benefited emotionally with a longer back story for the brothers. No matter, it's still a great western that captivates from start to finish.

4 disappearing Queenie's out of 5