The Bridesmaid (DVD)

The Bridesmaid (2004) starring a cast of French actors who will be unfamiliar to Americans. At his younger sister's wedding, Philippe meets Senta, a bridesmaid. Sparks of passion soon fly between the two, but Senta has some pretty dark ideas about how Philip should prove his undying love. Based on a novel by Ruth Rendell, this movie nevertheless still has a very strong French flavor. The extras on the DVD are revealing about the director's mind-set. Grade: B

Casino Royale (DVD)

Casino Royale (2006) starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green, Jeffrey Wright. Lots of action in this film adaptation of Ian Fleming's first novel about Agent 007, James Bond. It's supposed to tell Bond's back story, but it's obviously set in the present, which was a bit anachronistic to me. Can't be helped, I guess. Grade: B

The Prestige (DVD)

The Prestige (2006) starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie. Rival magicians go all out trying to outdo each other with their tricks -- on and off stage. Three separate time lines keep the action unnecessarily confusing, while Jackman and Bale look enough alike that it's easy to get them confused in some of the more rapid cutting scenes. It's all an elaborate revenge flick, and as such it lacks heart. Grade: C+

The Departed

The Departed (2006) starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin. An undercover cop (DiCaprio) curries favor with a Boston Irish mob kingpin (Nicholson), while a career criminal (Damon) rises through the police ranks. Both sides soon discover there's a mole among them, and most of the dramatic tension in the movie derives from the attempts by both to discover the "rat." Won the Oscar for Best Picture, which I don't think was deserved. The cutting back and forth makes it hard to follow, and the action is hyper-violent. Director Martin Scorsese won for Best Director. Grade: B

Hollywoodland (DVD)

Hollywoodland (2006) starring Ben Affleck, Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins. Dogged private eye Brody investigates the death of George Reeves, the actor who played Superman on TV in the '50s. Was it suicide or murder? By the end of this movie, you probably won't care any more than you do now, but the film is an interesting snapshot of Hollywood during the '40s and '50s. Grade: B

Borat (DVD)

Borat (2006) starring Sacha Baron Cohen. As Kazakhstani reporter Borat, Cohen cruises across the U.S., making fun of American institutions and making satirical points as he goes. Very funny if you're in the right frame of mind. Grade: B+

Babel (DVD)

Babel (2006) starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. An American couple (Pitt and Blanchett) vacationing in Morocco fall victim to a random act of violence. Meanwhile, a Mexican nanny takes her two young charges to a wedding south of the border, and a deaf-mute Japanese school girl struggles with her place in society. The seemingly disparate stories are all connected, and as the title implies, it's all about the necessity and the impossibility of human communication across boundaries. Grade: A-

The Heart of the Game (DVD)

The Heart of the Game (2005). Documentary telling the story of a gifted young black female basketball player who attends a predominantly white high school because her mother thinks she'll have better academic opportunities there. Shot in a suburban Seattle high school over a seven-year period, director Ward Serrill's documentary explores the relationships among gender, race and organized sports. Young Darnellia Russell, the talented young player, becomes the focus of the documentary as her life outside of school and basketball begins to get complicated. Grade: B+

Stranger than Fiction (DVD)

Stranger than Fiction (2006) starring Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah. A novelist (Thompson) struggles with how to kill off her main character, IRS auditor Harold Crick (Ferrell). Crick begins hearing her narration in his head and begins trying to avoid being knocked off.
With Will Ferrell in the lead, you expect a comedy, but this is more of an offbeat drama with comedic overtones. The bottom line for me is, I just don't like Will Ferrell. But I do like Maggie Gyllenhaal, so Grade: B

Invincible (DVD)

Invincible (2006) starring Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear. Average Joe and devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan Vince Papale (Wahlberg) manages to land a spot on his favorite NFL team in open tryouts in 1976. Papale has just lost his wife and his job as a substitute teacher, so making the team turns a terrible year into a winner. Based on a true story.
If you're a Philadelphia Eagles fan and come from Philadelphia, you might enjoy this movie. Others should save their money and their time. Grade: C

Shut Up and Sing (DVD)

Shut Up and Sing (2006). Controversy swirled around the Dixie Chicks after lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience in 2003 that she was ashamed that President Bush was from Texas -- where the Chicks are from. Country music fans vilified the band, crushed and burned their CDs, and even made death threats. This movie takes a look at the three band members during the period from '03 to '06, how they dealt with the controversy and how it affected their lives. Probably best if you're a fan of the Dixie Chicks' music. Grade: B