The Odyssey (1997)

Odysseus sets off with his crew to conquer Troy at the beginning of an epic fantastical adventure set in a world of gods and monsters. What I like about this adaptation is that it tells the story in chronological order (unlike Homer), which makes it easier to follow along on the trials and tribulations of its hero's journey, and also helps to hammer home how long and plodding this voyage lasts. I would argue this two-part made-for-TV movie has a bit too much fluff added to pad its 3-hour runtime, but it's probably the most faithful regarding its content. Unfortunately, you can feel the constraints of the budget which hinders its overall vision, while the cheesy special effects easily date it.

2½ Nobodies out of 5

Flightplan (2005)

A woman and her daughter board a plane. There's some drama. It all gets a bit silly at times, but I stuck it out mostly because it has Jodie Foster. I like Jodie. She can act. The director manages to elicit a great freedom of movement from the camera in what is traditionally a very tight space. He deserves credit for that. If you're lucky it'll be the in-flight movie the next time you fly.

2½ kids in the seat in front should be seen and not heard out of 5