Serindipity

Serendipity (2001) starring John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, Molly Shannon, John Corbett, Eugene Levy. Jon (Cusack) and Sara (Beckinsale) meet and fall in love one magical night in New York, but they are both already in relationships. He wants her number so that he can find her later, but she wants to leave things up to fate. Are they meant to be together? Years later, as each is preparing to get married to someone else, they go on one last frantic search for one another. I felt that Cusack and Beckinsale had pretty good chemistry on screen, but not enough to knock your socks off. Of course the viewer knows all along that they will find each other in the final reel, so there's not much suspense. I found that I was pretty well entertained. Subtitles are offered, but the closed captions are easier to read. Grade: B

Serpico

Serpico (1973) starring Al Pacino. In a story based on a true life cop, Pacino plays Frank Serpico, the only honest police detective in New York City. Because he is a nonconformist, and because he refuses to take bribes, Serpico becomes alienated from his police colleagues. As we learn at the very beginning of the film, he ends up getting shot -- but not to death. Frank Serpico is a true American hero, and this movie does no harm in portraying his struggle. Pacino is very good in this role. The disc has English subtitles, as well as closed captions (which are easier to read). Grade: A-

Seraphim Falls

Seraphim Falls (2007) starring Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson. A few years after the Civil War, former Confederate Col. Morsman Carver (Neeson) leads a posse pursuing former Yankee soldier Gideon (Brosnan) in the mountains of the West. He's bent on revenge because of something that happened at Seraphim Falls, but what happened isn't revealed to the viewer at first. Both men kill without compunction, so it's hard to know who to root for. The movie is beautifully photographed, with lots of good character actors in secondary roles. Only in the last half-hour does the film begin to flag and lose direction. It's still quite watchable, however. Subtitles are provided, as well as closed captions. Grade: B

Source Code

Source Code (2011) starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga. Gyllenhall plays an agent sent back in time on a mission: He must find the terrorist who explodes a bomb on a train. The catch: Gyllenhaal goes back as a passenger on the train, and he has only eight minutes to find and identify the bomber. Also, the bomber is a fellow passenger, and there are hundreds of people on the train. There are other surprises in this movie's plot, but I won't give them away. Unfortunately, in the last half-hour, the film veers from speculative sci-fi into romance territory. It has a happy ending, but I wasn't satisfied with it; it seemed forced. The disc has subtitles in English, but not closed captions. Grade: B-

Life During Wartime

Life During Wartime (2009) starring Allison Janney, Shirley Henderson, Ally Sheedy. Directed by Todd Solondz. Three sisters ponder the virtues of forgiving and forgetting with the degenerate (or dead) men in their lives. Solondz seems to have a theme here that he wants to explore, but the movie seems kind of sketchy to me. The subtitles are hard to read. There are no closed captions. Grade: B

Separate Lies

Separate Lies (2005) starring Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Everett. Corporate lawyer James (Wilkinson) becomes suspicious of Bill (Everett) when there is a hit-and-run accident near his house the night of a party. Shocking revelations follow in quick succession, as he first learns that his wife Anne (Watson) was in the car the night of the accident, and then that she's been having an affair with Bill. Soon James is faced with a dilemma as he tries to cover up the crime, not for his wife's sake, but to avoid scandal. This movie is an exceptionally fine psychological drama, which continually takes surprising turns as the characters are revealed to us. Wilkinson is especially good. Subtitles are included, but the closed captions are better. Grade: B

True Grit

True Grit (1969) starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell. This version of the story hews pretty closely to the novel, though not as well as the more recent version by the Coen brothers. Wayne won an Oscar for his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn, but a big weakness is Campbell as Texas Ranger La Boeuf. Let's just say that as an actor, Campbell's a good singer. He's certainly no match for Matt Damon, who filled the role in the 2010 version. Although the ending veers away from the original novel, the filmmakers deserve credit for staying true to the spirit of the book. The disc has subtitles in English, as well as closed captions. Grade: A-

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility (1995) starring Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant. When the Dashwood family are thrown on their own by the death of a patriarch, they are forced to subsist on 500 pounds a year. They must leave their grand house and move into a "cottage" on a relative's land. In the manner of all movies based on Jane Austen novels, there is romance, though it is frequently unspoken; and there is always the consideration of property and inheritance, both of which favor men over women. The acting is fine throughout this film, and although some might call it a chick flick, I found it to be profoundly enjoyable and satisfying. The disc offers both subtitles for the hearing impaired and closed captions. Grade: A

Send Me No Flowers

Send Me No Flowers (1964) starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall. George Kimball (Hudson), a hopeless hypochondriac, becomes convinced he's going to die soon. When he starts acting strangely, his wife Judy (Day) gets the impression that he's having an affair. This movie is mostly retro silliness, and harks back to the '50s more than the '60s, but it's good, clean fun. Harmless and occasionally funny. Subtitles for the hearing impaired are included, but not closed captions. Grade: B

The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt. Rising political star David Norris (Damon) meets the girl of his dreams, Elise (Blunt) on the bus. They seem fated to be together, but strange forces start interfering in their lives, trying to drive them apart. Who or what are these strange forces? My best guess is that they are angels and the Chairman they answer to is God. They could just as well be alien beings interfering in life on Earth. The movie never really makes it clear. All I can say is that I was vaguely disappointed by the happy ending, but that it was a lot of fun getting there. The film features subtitles for the hearing impaired, but no closed captions. Grade: B+

Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids (2011) starring Ed Helms, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Root, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche. Insurance salesman Tim Lippe (Helms) travels to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for an insurance convention -- the first time in his life he's been outside his comfort zone in small-town Wisconsin. He ends up getting drunk for the first time, getting laid, and smoking crack. And that's just in the first half of the movie. In the final analysis, this is a damn likable little movie, not too complicated, that will win viewers over with its sincerity and wit. Watching it made me feel good, and a lot of the credit for that goes to Helms, who is sympathetic as the small-town lad who goes to the big city. The disc offers subtitles for the hearing-impaired, as well as closed captions. Grade: B+

Seize the Day

Seize the Day (1986) starring Robin Williams. Promising movie features Williams as middle-class schlub who's having a mid-life crisis and can't seem to find satisfaction no matter which way he turns. Only problem is this disc has no subtitles and no closed captions, so that the hard of hearing (like me) cannot follow the film. Grade: F

Rango

Rango (2011) with the voices of Johnny Depp, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Alfred Molina, Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton, Ned Beatty, Stephen Root, Bill Nighy. Domesticated lizard (Depp) gets separated from his family, ends up finding a strange adventure in the desert. He lands in the town of Dirt, whose inhabitants are all desert animals of one kind or another. By a series of improbable events, he is appointed Sheriff of Dirt. What Dirt needs is water -- the town is parched. Naming himself Rango, the lizard takes on the task of finding Dirt's lost water. Half Western, half animated fantasy, this movie is fairly entertaining to watch. Perhaps children, who are able to suspend all disbelief, will be able to enter fully into its story and will like it. I was profoundly underwhelmed. Some of the animation is beautiful, but the story leaves much to be desired. To its credit, this disc includes subtitles as well as closed captions. Grade: B

Semi-Tough

Semi-Tough (1977) starring Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh. Billy Puckett (Reynolds) and Shake Tiller (Kristofferson) are professional football players and best friends. They're both halfway in love with Barbara Jane Bookman (Clayburgh), the football team's owner's daughter. Then things start to get a little weird when Shake and Barbara Jane decide to get married. This movie is clearly an artifact of the '70s, with everyone attending a hokey find-yourself seminar called B.E.A.T. The film doesn't take it seriously, though, and it's rather fun to watch. Reynolds is at the height of his stardom. The movie has no English subtitles, but it does have closed captions. Grade: B

The Sender

The Sender (1982) starring Zeljko Ivanek, Kathryn Harrold. A young man, patient John Doe 83 (Ivanek), is admitted to a mental hospital after he tries to kill himself. John Doe turns out to be a "sender," a telepath who broadcasts his thoughts to those around him. Only trouble is, he can't control it, and it usually happens while he's dreaming, or hallucinating. Doe wreaks havoc in the psychiatric hospital when he begins sending his visions out to his fellow patients. Harrold plays Doctor Farmer, who first begins to understand his condition. Usually I'm inclined to like this sort of movie, but this one was no great shakes. It was OK. No subtitles and no Extras, but it does have closed captions. Grade: B

The Lincoln Lawyer

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo. L.A. lawyer Mick Haller (McConaughey) operates out of the back of a chauffered Lincoln Town Car. Amongst all his wheeling and dealing, he finds himself defending rich young Louis Roulet (Phillipe) on an attempted rape and assault charge; Louis swears he is innocent. But very soon the plot takes twists and turns that surprised me, even though I had read the book. Although no movie can truly do justice to a 400-page book, this one comes close. It brings the essential elements to the screen and does so in an entertaining way. McConaughey does himself proud. Subtitles in English are available, as well as closed captions. Grade: B+

Seeing Other People

Seeing Other People (2004) starring Jay Mohr, Julianne Nicholson. Alice (Nicholson) tells her fiance Ed (Mohr) that they ought to have sex with other people before they get married, because she feels light on experience. Only trouble is, she's monogamous when it comes to seeing other people. Meanwhile, Ed is sleeping with various women he meets through his position as a TV writer, but he's not enjoying it. It's all a big mess. This movie has the feel of made-for-television fare; although it has some good names in the cast, the production values are pretty low, and it looks like it was shot on a shoestring budget. It has closed captions, but not subtitles. Grade: B

The Secret of the Grain

The Secret of the Grain (2007) starring Habib Boufares, Leila D'Issernio, Hafsia Herzi, Bouraouia Marzouk. After getting laid off from his job in the shipyards, a Tunisian immigrant to France named Slimane (Boufares) decides to pursue his longtime dream of opening a couscous restaurant. Only problem is, on the night of the big opening, his children misplace the grain that is needed as the base for the couscous. Some of the scenes in this movie go on too long, as does the movie itself, but it's all rather well done -- even if the ending does seem a bit abrupt. In French, with English subtitles. Grade: B+

Seduced and Abandoned

Seduced and Abandoned (1964) starring Saro Urzi, Stefania Sandrelli, Aldo Puglisi, Lando Buzzanca. When his 15-year-old daughter Agnese (Sandrelli) is seduced by her sister's fiance Peppino (Puglisi), Don Vincenzo (Urzi) sets out to "salvage his family's honor" by having Peppino marry Agnese. When Peppino runs away, Don Vincenzo sends his moronic son Antonio (Buzzanca) to kill him. The movie cleverly makes fun of sexual traditions -- at one point Peppino says he won't marry Agnese because she's not a virgin; after all, she gave in to him. Toward the end the movie veers from comedy into madness, but underneath all the comedy and madness, this is a serious movie about social mores in Italy. I found it tremendously entertaining and even charming. It's in Italian, with English subtitles. The subtitles are hard to read. Grade: A-

Of Gods and Men

Of Gods and Men (2010) starring Lambert Wilson. After much debate about whether to stay or flee, and after much pressure from various quarters, some ordering them to leave, others begging them to stay, seven French monks in the mountains of Algeria decide to stay in their monastery during a war. Eventually, they are taken hostage by Islamic fundamentalists. This movie builds very slowly to its climax, and the climax comes in the form of a few screens worth of words. Not very satisfying, in my opinion. It's in French, with English subtitles. Grade: B-

The Secret of Roan Inish

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) starring Jeni Courtney, Eileen Colgan, Mick Lally, Richard Sheridan. Directed by John Sayles. After the death of her mother, a young girl named Fiona (Courtney) is sent to live in Ireland with her grandparents. There she is steeped in family myths, including stories about the island known as Roan Inish (Irish for "island of the seals"), where her entire family once lived. Convinced that she has seen her long lost baby brother Jamie, Fiona convinces her cousin Eamon that they should fix up the old cottages on Roan Inish and show the seals that they intend to move back there. This is a nifty little movie with a satisfying conclusion. The acting is a little flat, but otherwise it's a fine evening's entertainment. Subtitles and closed captions are both included. Grade: B

The Secret Life of Words

The Secret Life of Words (2005) starring Sarah Polley, Tim Robbins. A factory worker named Hanna (Polley), on holiday, takes an opportunity to be a nurse to a burn victim named Josef (Robbins) on an oil rig. Slowly she opens up to him, until at last, in a climactic moment, she is able to tell him the terrible secret out of her past. This is ultimately, and surprisingly, a deeply moving movie about a war that most of us have forgotten about -- but which, nevertheless, had its own Holocaust. There's not much plot here; it's more in the nature of a character study. But it is truly worth seeing. Subtitles are supplied, which is good, because there are no closed captions. Grade: B+

The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden (1993) starring Kate Maberly, Maggie Smith. Young orphan Mary Lennox (Maberly) is sent to live at her uncle's melancholy mansion in the English countryside. Both Mary's mother and her mother's twin sister have died, and Mary finds solace in a secret garden that she finds on the grounds of the mansion. Miss Medlock (Smith) is the grouchy old servant who tries to keep the children from finding what happiness they can. But Colin, Mary's cousin, is not cowed and orders her to leave them be. This movie is a rather tepid version of the Secret Garden story, but it is certainly suitable for children. The subtitles and captions are well done. Grade: B