The Darjeeling Limited (DVD)

The Darjeeling Limited (2007) starring Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody. Following the death of their father, three brothers from a dysfunctional family embark on a journey across India on a train called the Darjeeling Limited. Only trouble is, they soon get thrown off the train. I think their journey through India is meant to be picaresque, but I found it mostly irritating. And not funny. Anjelica Huston makes an appearance as the boys' mother. Grade: B-

The Valet

The Valet, (2006) starring Daniel Auteuil, Alice Taglioni, Kristin Scott Thomas, Gad Elmaleh. When a photo of a billionaire businessman (Auteuil) and his supermodel mistress (Taglioni) makes the tabloids, he must fool his wife into believing that the poor schlub (Elmaleh) who wandered into the picture is the supermodel's real lover. This French comedy with its European flair for the ridiculous makes for enjoyable viewing. Grade: B+

Becoming Jane (DVD)

Becoming Jane (2007) starring Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith. Novelist Jane Austen (Hathaway) faces the same choice as so many of her heroines -- whether to marry for love or money -- in this quasi historical drama. Although little is known of Austen's real life, the filmmakers have taken it upon themselves to posit a life for her which seems made up of fragments of her novels. They do not offer us a happy ending -- how could they? Jane Austen never married and died young. Grade: B

Margot at the Wedding (DVD)

Margot at the Wedding (2007) starring Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black. Kidman plays the acid-tongued Margot in this dysfunctional family psychodrama that never actually gets to the wedding. It's fascinating watching all of these people and the fiction among them, but it doesn't actually go anywhere. Grade: B

In the Shadow of the Moon (DVD)

In the Shadow of the Moon (2007). The story of the Apollo space program, which successfully landed 16 astronauts on the surface of the Moon, is told in the words of the astronauts themselves, along with archival footage. It's an awe-inspiring story, especially for those of us who lived through it and realize what a chancy thing it was. Although I commonly think of documentaries as dry, I found this one riveting. Grade: A-

Across the Universe (DVD)

Across the Universe (2006) starring Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess. Uninspired, and uninspiring, attempt to weave a narrative around Beatles songs performed by mostly unknowns. I love the Beatles, but these pale reproductions left me cold, and the flimsy plot didn't help. The attempt to tie the Beatles' songs to the antiwar era in the United States just doesn't work. Grade: D

Black Book (DVD)

Black Book (2006) starring Carice van Houten. Near the end of World War II, a beautiful Jewish woman named Rachel Stein (van Houten) is hiding out in Holland from the Nazis. When her plan to escape goes terribly wrong, she manages to take on a new identity and infiltrate the enemy. She hooks up with the Dutch Resistance -- but of course the Nazis refer to the Resistance as "terrorists." This movie builds tension quickly and efficiently at the beginning, with scarcely a dull moment. Directed by Paul Verhoeven ("Basic Instinct," "Total Recall"). Grade: B+

Protagonist (DVD)

Protagonist (2007) by Jessica Yu. Documentary in which Oscar-winning filmmaker Yu explores parallels between human life and the formal dramatic structure of the Greek tragedian Euripides.
If that description makes the movie sound dry or boring, it's really misleading, because this is an interesting study of the lives or four men, all of whom sought control in their life, and at some point had a revelation that showed they were not in control. The men comprise a gay man who tried to deny his gayness by going into the ministry and marrying; a man who thought he had found his path through martial arts, only to realize that his teacher was a bully; a man who became a left-wing terrorist, but repudiated the movement when he saw that those he was involved with were anti-semitic; and a man who turned from a childhood of abuse into a bank robber. There's a lot of talking-heads stuff going on, but I was interested enough to watch it to the end. Grade: B

Joshua (DVD)

Joshua (2007) starring Jacob Kogan, Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Michael McKean, Celia Weston. Psychological thriller about a nine-year-old boy's jealousy over his newborn sister. Although he is a piano prodigy, Joshua (Kogan) suddenly finds that the spotlight has shifted away from him and onto his new sibling. The movie gets a little blurry from there, because the mechanisms by which Joshua pulls off his evil stunts are not apparent. It's almost like he's supposed to have supernatural powers, though there is never any basis for this possibility established in the script. There is one particularly chilling scene near the end that works well, but overall I found this movie disappointing. Grade: B

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (DVD)

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007). This documentary takes a look at the world of competitive video gaming and the geeks who occupy it. The main players in this film are Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell. Mitchell set a record score in Donkey Kong in 1982, and Wiebe later topped it, but the story is not so simple. Even though there's no money involved, there is intense competition to achieve and maintain the top score. This film explores some of the mind games the players use to try to gain or sustain supremacy. It will probably not be interesting to anyone who wasn't ever "into" video games. Grade: B-

Shoot 'Em Up (DVD)

Shoot 'Em Up (2007) starring Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci. A mysterious loner named Mr. Smith (Owen) delivers a woman's baby during an intense shoot-out. For reasons which are too complicated to explain, or even believe, the bad guy (Giamatti) wants the baby dead. The body count is high in this tongue-in-cheek thriller, and Mr. Smith miraculously makes it almost all the way through with nary a nick. Some of the action scenes are spectacular, some are just preposterous, but it's a thrill-ride of a movie with some laughs thrown in. Grade: B

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (DVD)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint. In the fifth movie in the series, Harry returns to Hogwarts to find that his warnings about the return of Voldemort have been ignored, and are being disputed by the Ministry of Magic. He takes it into his own hands to form a group of students, dubbed Dumbledore's Army, to teach them about defense against the dark arts. Condensing a rather long and richly detailed book into a two-hour movie means you have to leave a lot out, and I felt that lack as I was watching this movie. But they've done a good job. The only real quarrel I have with it is that the scenes that take place inside the Ministry of Magic are rather dark and hard to follow on a TV screen. The special effects are very well done. Grade: B+

Sunshine (DVD)

Sunshine (2007) starring Cillian Murphy, Michelle Yeoh. It's 50 years in the future, and the sun is dying out. A group of astronauts is sent on a last-ditch effort to re-ignite the sun with something called a "stellar bomb." But they get sidetracked when they detect the distress signal of the space ship that went before them on a similar, failed mission. They decide to divert their mission to check out the other ship. Big mistake. At the very least, I hope when I view a movie that it will entertain me. This one did not, for most of its running time I was just bored. The special effects might have been more impressive in a movie theater, but on the home screen they just didn't shine. Then, about a half hour before the end, the movie takes an unnecessary and totally unbelievable turn into space-monster territory. I found it deplorable. Grade: D

The Kingdom (DVD)

The Kingdom (2007) starring Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner. When a suicide bombing kills American civilians in Saudi Arabia, a small squad of FBI agents is sent in to try and find the culprits. The agents do what they can to investigate, battling Arab sensibilities and Saudi bureaucracy. But soon the movie's focus shifts, and it is the FBI team that comes under renewed attack. From that point on it's pretty much non-stop action for half an hour, until you come to the brief coda about the futility of war. My main criticism would be that parts of the movie are so chaotic that it gets hard to follow. It might play differently in a theater, but on the small screen there seems to be too much crammed into the frame at times. Grade: B

Futurama: Bender's Big Score (The Movie) (DVD)

Futurama: Bender's Big Score (The Movie) (2007). The canceled animated TV series about doings 1,000 years in the future returns in movie form, and it's as amusing as ever. Bender the robot is infected by a computer virus which causes him to do the bidding of acquisitive aliens who use time travel to steal all of the Earth's treasures. It's all done with trademark "Futurama" humor and will amuse you if you liked (or ever saw) the show. The DVD also includes an abundance of extras, which will be of interest to nerds like me who are fans of the show. Grade: A

The Bourne Ultimatum (DVD)

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) starring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine. Essentially a two-hour chase scene as Jason Bourne (Damon) continues his quest to find out what caused his amnesia. While Bourne pursues his past, a CIA black ops unit pursues him, believing him to be a threat and willing to kill him if necessary. Among the revelations during this chase is that Bourne's real name in David Webb, and he was born in Nixa, MO. The soundtrack is insistent, the camera-work is kinetic, the cast is terrific, and it all comes together in a satisfying conclusion to the Bourne trilogy. Grade: B+

Ratatouille (DVD)

Ratatouille (2007) starring a bunch of (animated) rats, along with more human-looking characters. Remy the rat, the protagonist of the show, is voiced by Patton Oswalt. Although he is just a rat, he is gifted with a sensitive nose, and he longs to cook. Remy finds his opportunity in a scullery boy named Linguini, who wants to be a cook but has no talent for it. The two team up, and with the rat (literally) pulling the strings, they become a celebrated chef. The animation by Pixar is superb, as usual. There are some worthwhile extras included on the disc. Kids will no doubt be entertained. But as for me, I just couldn't help remembering that the characters doing the cooking were rats. Grade: B-

Waitress (DVD)

Waitress (2006) starring Keri Russell, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith. Russell plays Jenna, a waitress who also makes fabulous pies. She lives a dreary existence with her husband, Earl (Sisto), whom she dreams of escaping and spends most of the movie plotting to leave. But along the way, he gets her drunk and gets her pregnant. "Waitress" is a frank and funny look at the fears brought on by impending motherhood for this beautiful young woman imprisoned in an abusive marriage. The film that this one most reminds me of, in scale and tone, is "Mystic Pizza." It's a bittersweet movie when you know that it was written and directed by co-star Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered shortly before the film's selection for the Sundance Film Festival. Grade: B+

Eastern Promises (DVD)

Eastern Promises (2007) starring Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts. Directed by David Cronenberg. A London midwife (Watts) gets involved with a Russian gangster (Mortensen) when she delivers a baby whose mother was a prostitute. She gets further involved when she brings the mother's diary to her Russian uncle to be translated. There is some pretty graphic violence in this movie, which might repel some viewers. But the plot and characters are fascinating, as well as the extras on the DVD which go into some of the thinking behind the film. Grade: A-

Stardust (DVD)

Stardust (2007) starring Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Claire Danes, Peter O'Toole, Rupert Everett, Mark Strong, Ricky Gervais. A young man named Tristan (Cox) journeys to a magical land on the other side of The Wall to win the heart of his true love. But his "true love" (Miller) is a bit of a drip, and one is tempted to think that someone else will turn out to be his real true love. This is a fairy tale with all the requisite elements, and it definitely has its moments, but it is so cluttered with subplots that the main thrust of the film seems at times to get lost. Grade: B-

Once (DVD)

Once (2006) starring Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova. A sort of musical in which the actors play aspiring musicians, and they perform songs that they have written themselves. They meet as strangers, and you expect them to fall in love, but the film goes in a different direction. Very interesting. I wasn't that crazy about the music, however. Grade: B

Interview (DVD)

Interview (2006) starring Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller. Directed by Buscemi. Hard-nosed journalist (Buscemi) is forced by his editor to interview seemingly vapid B-movie and slasher-flick star (Miller). The two clash at first, but then by chance end up spending the evening together. They both end up revealing unplumbed depths -- or do they? The movie starts slowly, and both characters are somewhat irritating. The verbal games they play hold only passing interest. Grade: B-

Vitus (DVD)

Vitus (2007) starring Fabrizio Borsani, Teo Gheorghiu, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker. Swiss film about a young boy named Vitus who is a virtual genius and piano prodigy. His parents try to nurture his talent and push him to succeed, but he seems to have other ideas about what to do with his life. So he feigns ordinariness, and turns himself into a different sort of prodigy altogether. There are some problems with pacing, motivation and believability in the latter half of the film, but still it builds to a satisfyingly triumphant conclusion. Grade: B+

Paprika (DVD)

Paprika (2007). Japanimation -- also known as anime -- about a team of psychiatric researchers who develop a device known as a DC-Mini. The DC-Mini can record dreams, and allows people to share dreams. But when it is stolen, the thief begins intertwining the patients' nightmares with the staff's dreams. The avatar Paprika, a female psychiatrist's alter ego, takes on the task of catching the person who took the device. This movie is unintentionally amusing for the disconnect between what the characters are saying and what the subtitles say they are saying, which adds another layer of entertainment. Some of the animated sequences are terrific, but the script leaves much to be desired. Grade: B-

Miss Potter (DVD)

Miss Potter (2006) starring Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson. Charming exploration of the private life of Beatrix Potter (Zellweger), author and illustrator of the Peter Rabbit children's books. It's a gently told tale, occurring during the genteel age of the late 19th and early 20th century. There is little in the way of drama, though tragedy does strike at midpoint when Miss Potter's unexpected fiance (McGregor) dies suddenly at a young age. All in all, this movie meets with my approval, and I dare say it would be suitable for children, especially those who have been raised on Peter Rabbit. Grade: B+

The Nanny Diaries (DVD)

The Nanny Diaries (2007) starring Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti. Johansson stars as a young woman, fresh out of college, who can't decide what to do with her life. To fill the void, she takes a job as a nanny for wealthy Manhattanites. Johansson is appealing in the role as Nanny, but Linney and Giamatti are mostly just irritating as the parents of the child that Nanny is responsible for. Most telling, perhaps, is that the child actor portraying the young boy is lacking in appeal, and acting skill, and there's not much that can make us care about what happens to him. One thing for sure, this "comedy" isn't funny. Grade: C

Rescue Dawn (DVD)

Rescue Dawn (2006) starring Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies. Directed by Werner Herzog. Fighter pilot Dieter Dengler (Bale) is shot down in 1965 over Laos. Captured by the Viet Cong, he is imprisoned in a Laotian torture camp near the Ho Chi Minh Trail. From his first day as a prisoner, Dengler thinks of nothing but escape and, amazingly, his escape plan succeeds. But once outside the prison camp, he still must survive the monsoon, the jungle and the Viet Cong. Against all odds, he is rescued by an American helicopter, and it's an inspiring, uplifting event. Never boring, this movie is a great piece of story-telling. Grade: B+

The Namesake (DVD)

The Namesake (2006) starring Kal Penn, Irfan Khan, Tabu. A family of immigrants from India is torn between traditions of their homeland and the modern American lifestyle. The story is told gently and feelingly, with genuine emotions arising from modest events. The namesake of the title is the son of the family, who is named Gogol after the Russian writer. Grade: B+

Manufactured Landscapes (DVD)

Manufactured Landscapes (2007). Documentary about Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, who finds often strange beauty in large industrial vistas. More than just a photographer, Burtynsky is a student of industrialization and globalization. The film begins and ends in China, which is in the midst of an industrial revolution. Burtynsky shows and verbalizes how much each one of us is responsible for the damage being done to Mother Earth. It's all quite unsettling, if not terribly original. Similar themes have been explored in earlier films, and this is not the best. Grade: C+

Knocked Up (DVD)

Knocked Up (2007) starring Katherine Heigl, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann. In a drunken night of celebration over her job promotion, Alison (Heigl) ends up sleeping with slacker Ben (Rogen). As you can tell from the title of the movie, she gets pregnant. There's a huge subplot about Alison's sister Debbie (Mann) and her husband Pete (Rudd), which is kind of entertaining, but it elevates the running time of this movie to over two hours. Never for one minute did I believe the romance between Heigl and Rogen, and this movie did not make me laugh. Grade: C

Live Free or Die Hard (DVD)

Live Free or Die Hard (2007) starring Bruce Willis, Justin Long. Willis reprises his role as John McClane, kick-ass New York cop, this time up against a group of Internet terrorists. The bad guys are intent on taking over the United States' information infrastructure, though why isn't entirely clear. That doesn't really make a lot of difference, as there is still time for lots of gunfights, smashups and explosions. McClane even succeeds in taking out a helicopter with a car.
This disc, however, rented from Netflix, proved to be unplayable about half way in. So I have to give Neftlix an F.

Sicko (DVD)

Sicko (2007) directed by Michael Moore. Moore takes aim at the American health care system. Why is health care free in Canada, England and France, while even Americans with insurance are being denied the treatment they need? It's a fascinating question, and Moore does a great sales job for universal health care. The disc also includes several interesting extra features. Grade: A

Grindhouse: Planet Terror (DVD)

Grindhouse: Planet Terror (2007) starring Freddy Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Bruce Willis, Naveen Andrews, Michael Biehn, Marley Shelton, Josh Brolin, Michael Parks, Jeff Fahey. Directed by Robert Rodriguez. El Wray (Freddy Rodriguez), Cherry Darling (McGowan) and a ragged band of survivors battle an army of zombies infected with a biochemical weapon. Conveniently, these zombies stay dead when you kill them, mainly by shooting. And boy, do they have to kill a lot of zombies. There's lots of gore in this movie, plus lots of explosions, and it's taken to such extremes that it's a joke -- no doubt intentional. I was entertained, but not enough that I'd ever want to see this movie again. Grade: B-

In Between Days (DVD)

In Between Days (2006) starring Jiseon Kim. Newly transplanted Korean immigrant Aimie is trying to adjust to her new surroundings. Her only friend, Tran, regards her as "just a good friend." This film is a snapshot of her struggle with adolescence and assimilation. Supposedly it won a Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, but for the life of me I can't see why. I found it boring in the extreme. Grade: C+

La Vie en Rose (DVD)

La Vie en Rose (2007) starring Marion Cotillard, Gerard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory. Cotillard throws herself into the role of beloved Parisian singer Edith Piaf. Piaf's tragedy-filled life and early death are portrayed lovingly, but the songs are all in French without subtitles. Plus, the subtitles that come with the movie are uncomfortably small when viewed on a TV screen. Unless you speak French, or you have a big-screen HD-TV, you will not enjoy the full experience of seeing this movie. By the time I finished viewing it, however, I was swept up in the emotion of it. Grade: B

Paris, Je T'aime (DVD)

Paris, Je T'aime (2007). A collection of 20 five-minute films, all set in Paris. Each features a different director, with actors ranging from the famous to the obscure. It's mostly in French with English subtitles, if that kind of thing matters to you. The short films vary from romantic to funny to surreal to supernatural, and it's all very entertaining. Grade: B+

Talk to Me (DVD)

Talk to Me (2007) starring Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen, Cedric the Entertainer. Cheadle delivers a star turn as real life radio trailblazer Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who leveraged a prison disc jockey gig into a stint at a Washington, D.C., radio station, where he became a popular talk-jock. For a brief time, he even had a television show. The movie turns from comedy to tragedy as, in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated and the blacks in Washington riot. Greene goes on the radio and becomes a voice of reason which helps calm the riots. Later, his manager gets him stand-up gigs, where he succeeds, and an appearance on the "Tonight" show with Johnny Carson, where he flops. It's a vivid portrait of a cultural icon who has been all but forgotten, but who deserves to be remembered. Grade: B+

Grindhouse: Death Proof (DVD)

Death Proof (2007) starring Kurt Russell, Rose McGowan, Rosario Dawson, Jordan Land, Vanessa Ferlito. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Russell is suitably creepy as Stuntman Mike, a serial killer who uses his revved-up car to terrorize groups of women on the road. But in the second half of this faux-exploitation film, he decides to terrorize the wrong group of women.
The "Grindhouse" double feature, two movies interspersed with fake trailers, was meant to be seen as a block in a movie theater. Seeing this half of the twin bill at home instead of in a theater kind of defeats the purpose, but it's the only viable option for me. As it turns out, I ended up enjoying this movie. Grade: B

A Mighty Heart (DVD)

A Mighty Heart (2007) starring Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl (Futterman) is kidnapped while researching a story in Pakistan. His pregnant wife, Mariane (Jolie) must do what she can as she awaits news as to his fate. Since this is a true story, there is little tension over Daniel Pearl's ultimate fate. We know that he dies at the hands of the terrorists who abducted him. Is there any suspense in this story? Not much. The viewer only sees Daniel Pearl in brief flashbacks and one scene that takes place at the beginning of the movie. So how are we to learn to care about him? We cannot and we do not. This is Mariane Pearl's story, and it all has a slight whiff of melodrama which detracts from its impact. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, based on Mariane Pearl's memoir. Grade: B-

Transformers (DVD)

Transformers (2007) starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight. The Transformers are alien robots that can disguise themselves as cars, airplanes, tanks, trucks and more. Some of them are "good" (Autobots), some "bad" (Decepticons). The Decepticons attack humans, but mainly fight the Autobots. The script is of comic-book quality, but the machines are cool. Probably best if seen in a movie theater. Directed by Michael Bay. Rated PG-13. Grade: C

My Best Friend (DVD)

My Best Friend (2007) starring Daniel Auteuil, Dany Boon. French-language film tells the story of Francois, a man who is so career-driven that he has neglected to make any friends. When his business partner challenges him to produce his best friend, he finds to his surprise that he hasn't any. So he turns to a gregarious taxi driver to help him learn the meaning of friendship. There are several small surprises in this film, but the script is pretty thin and one never really quite understands why the two men end up liking one another. It has a nice ending, though. Grade: B

Crazy Love (DVD)

Crazy Love (2007) directed by Dan Klores. Documentary tells the true story of an obsessive relationship that made for sensational headlines, and is still stranger than fiction. It's the story of Burt Pugach, a married lawyer, and Linda Riss, the young woman he falls for in 1959. When she eventually rejects him, he hires thugs to throw lye in her face, blinding her. He goes to jail for the crime, but when he gets paroled he convinces her to marry him. But wait, there's more. I'm not going to tell it all here, but this rather slow-paced film turned out to be quite entertaining. Grade: B

The Hoax (DVD)

The Hoax (2006) starring Richard Gere, Julie Delpy, Marcia Gay Harden, Alfred Molina, Stanley Tucci. Gere plays Clifford Irving, who in the 1970s wrote an "authorized autobiography" of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. It's rather entertaining to watch Gere play the consummate con-man who nearly gets his fake book published. Grade: B

Leprechaun (DVD)

Leprechaun (1993) starring Warwick Davis, Jennifer Aniston. Davis plays the title character, an evil leprechaun who goes on a killing spree when his hoard of gold is stolen. Aniston's appearance is notable mostly for this being her first movie. The script is totally laughable, and not in a good way. This might make a good scary film for 12-year-olds, except that it's rated R. Grade: D

28 Weeks Later (DVD)

28 Weeks Later (2007) starring Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Catherine McCormack, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Imogen Poots, Mackintosh Muggleton. The plague from "28 Days Later," which turns humans into zombies, seems to have run its course, and people are returning to repopulate Britain. But of course the plague returns and must be snuffed out again. Meanwhile, this movie is plagued by action scenes that consist of violent shaking of the camera and much gushing of blood. The director seems fond of things that flash -- jump cuts, for one, and lights that jitter on and off repeatedly. Epileptics should avoid this film. Plus, much of the "action" takes place in darkness. The whole film was so sickening and irritating that I could not watch it all the way through, so I must give it a Grade: F.

Stranger than Paradise (DVD)

Stranger than Paradise (1984) starring John Lurie, Eszter Balint. Willie isn't exactly thrilled when Eva, his cousin from Hungary, comes to stay with him in New York. But Eva eventually earns his grudging respect, and a year later Willie and a friend invite Eva to accompany them on a trip to Florida. Their destination is Miami, but suffice it to say they get sidetracked. Oddly involving little film from writer/director Jim Jarmusch, with an unsatisfactory ending. Grade: B-

Frida (DVD)

Frida (2002) starring Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina. Hayek plays Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter, 20th century icon, communist and bisexual. Molina portrays her philandering husband, the Mexican artist Diego Rivera. Frida struggled with a life of wracking pain following a trolley accident, a miscarriage, the amputation of a leg, and finally, alcohol and pain-medication abuse that killed her at age 47. This movie is a vivid portrait of her life. Grade: B+

1408 (DVD)

1408 (2007) starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson. A writer and paranormal debunker (Cusack) checks into room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel, a room purported to be "evil." Although he does not believe in "haunted rooms," he soon finds himself in his own personal hell. It's all pretty predictable and lacking in originality. Grade: C

Chocolat (DVD)

Chocolat (2000) starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp. Binoche plays a wanderer, a free spirit who travels from town to town, and who changes people's lives with her chocolate concoctions. Along with her on her travels she takes her young daughter, who is not thrilled with all the constant moving. They move to a village in France where, surprisingly, everyone speaks English. She opens up a chocolate shop during lent and incurs the wrath of the mayor of the small town. It's all very whimsical and ultimately rewarding. Grade: A-

The TV Set (DVD)

The TV Set (2007) starring David Duchovny, Sigourney Weaver, Ioan Gruffudd, Justine Bateman, Lucy Davis. Duchovny stars as the writer who has his script picked to be made into a network TV pilot; Weaver plays the network executive who screws with his vision for the show. Based on real-life experiences of writers and producers of TV shows, "The TV Set" is more amusing in concept than in execution. It's a kind of inside joke that people outside the movie-making business cannot entirely appreciate, but can still enjoy. Grade: B

American Graffiti (DVD)

American Graffiti (1973) starring Richard Dreyfuss, "Ronny" Howard, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, Suzanne Somers. The real star of this film is the music, which acts as the soundtrack to a 1962 night when a disparate group of high school students struggle with rites of passage. Beautifully evokes a moment in time. Directed by George Lucas. Grade: A-

Away from Her (DVD)

Away from Her (2006) starring Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis. A long-married couple struggle with the wife's Alzheimer's Disease. As she slowly deteriorates, she realizes she must go into a nursing home. Some of the dialog sounds a little stilted, but this is otherwise a poignant story. Grade: B

Disturbia (DVD)

Disturbia (2007) starring Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, Aaron Yoo, David Morse, Carrie-Anne Moss. In this updated and dumbed-down version of Hitchcock's "Rear Window," LaBeouf plays a troubled teen who is stuck in his house because he is on house arrest. He starts spying on his neighbors, and soon begins to suspect that he is living next door to a serial killer. There's not much real suspense, and the movie seems aimed at a teen audience. Grade: C+

Zelig (DVD)

Zelig (1983) starring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow. It's weird to watch a charming, funny movie from Woody Allen, knowing what has happened since between him and Mia Farrow. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this mockumentary about Leonard Zelig, a man who first turned up in the 1920s and who had the chameleon-like ability to transform himself into the likeness of whomever he was hanging out with. Film trickery allows Zelig to turn up in some very surprising surroundings, and the film succeeds in being entertaining and, at times, funny. Grade: B+

Year of the Dog (DVD)

Year of the Dog (2007) starring Molly Shannon, Peter Sarsgaard, Regina King, John C. Reilly, Laura Dern. Shannon plays Peggy, an upbeat secretary whose life takes a nosedive when her beloved dog, Pencil, suddenly dies. Although it is billed as a comedy, I found this movie rather sad. Peggy tries to fill her empty life with her love of animals, especially dogs. Given the right treatment, this theme might have made a moving film; but here, it's told in vignettes that don't really fit together. Grade: C+

The Lives of Others (DVD)

The Lives of Others (2006). In 1984 in East Berlin, a secret police spy bugs the apartment of a high-profile couple. He spies on the successful playwright and his actress companion, but begins to feel himself drawn into their lives. Frankly, I didn't know quite what to make of this movie. It got excellent reviews elsewhere, but I felt that I missed something when I watched it. Grade: B

Fracture (DVD)

Fracture (2007) starring Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling. Legal thriller with Hopkins as the man who shot his unfaithful wife, Gosling as the prosecuting attorney who is trying to convict him of the crime. The twists and turns of the plot are too many to detail here, but when you think about it, it all doesn't quite hang together. Grade: B-

Sweetie (DVD)

Sweetie (1989) starring Karen Colston, Genevieve Lemon. Jane Campion's directorial debut plumbs the depths of a dysfunctional Australian family. There are no subtitles, and the Australian accents are impossible to understand. What would otherwise be just a strange movie becomes incomprehensible. Grade: D

Zodiac (DVD)

Zodiac starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Chloë Sevigny, Brian Cox, Dermot Mulroney, John Carroll Lynch. Gyllenhaal plays Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1960s and '70s who becomes obsessed with the Zodiac killer and eventually writes a book about the still-unsolved case. Unfortunately, this movie, which runs over two and a half hours, spends most of its second half showing him doing research for his book -- not exactly riveting viewing. Dates and places where action takes place are shown in fine white type which is not legible while viewing the DVD. Grade: B

Days of Glory (DVD)

Days of Glory (2006) starring a cast of unknowns. North African soldiers join the French army to help liberate France from Nazi occupation during World War II. The film dramatizes a lost chapter of history and pays tribute to the heroism of these forgotten troops. It also shows how little gratitude France showed to her Colonial soldiers. In various languages, with English subtitles. Grade: B

They All Laughed (DVD)

They All Laughed (1981) starring Ben Gazzara, John Ritter, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Stratten. A private eye team is hired to track down two women suspected of infidelity, but they can't seem to separate business from pleasure. Makes great use of Manhattan locations, and many pretty actresses are on display, but mostly falls pretty flat. Hepburn and Gazzara both look past their sell-by dates. Notable for appearance by Stratten, young actress who was killed before the film was released. Grade: C+

Hot Fuzz (DVD)

Hot Fuzz (2007) starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost. A top London cop (Pegg) is transferred to a bucolic village because he's making everyone else on the force look bad. He gets more action than he bargained for when a series of grisly "accidents" starts hitting the people of the hamlet. Brought to you by Edgar Wright, director of "Shaun of the Dead," this is part action movie, part murder mystery, but mostly just goofy fun. Grade: B-

1900 (DVD)

1900 (1977) starring Robert De Niro, Gerard Depardieu, Sterling Hayden, Donald Sutherland, Burt Lancaster. Bernardo Bertolucci directs this epic tale that follows the lives of two Italian men -- a peasant and a landowner -- both born on Jan. 1, 1900. Friends as children, the two become estranged as their differing social status pulls them apart. Their personal conflicts mirror political events in Italy, as both fascism and socialism gain footholds in the country. Sutherland, De Niro and Depardieu look remarkably young. De Niro and Depardieu both appear totally nude in one scene where they attempt to employ a young prostitute. Ultimately, though, this movie is just a five-hour-long mess. Grade: C-

The Butcher Boy (DVD)

The Butcher Boy (1997) starring Eamonn Owens, Stephen Rea. Disturbing and surreal story of Francis Brady (Owens), young bully in Irish village whose horrific home life is eventually acted out in murderous fashion. The film is imaginative in its use of unreal imagery, including space aliens, an atomic bomb attack on the village, and Sinead O'Connor appearing to Francis as the virgin Mary. But on the emotional level it somehow fails to connect, and ends up as just a string of events that, while interesting, doesn't really move us. Directed by Neil Jordan. The English subtitles really helped me, because everyone spoke in an Irish accent and I would not have been able to follow it without the subtitles. Grade: B-

Extras: Season 2 (DVD)

Extras: Season 2 (2006) starring Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Ashley Jensen. The second season of this HBO comedy series from "Office" genius Gervais is hilarious, at least judging from the first disc. Gervais, as struggling actor Andy Millman, has managed to score the starring role in a sitcom he created for the BBC. But he finds his original vision destroyed by meddling network executives. Guest stars Orlando Bloom, David Bowie and Daniel Radcliffe all add extra pizazz to the mix. The DVD also features backstage commentary by Gervais and writing partner Merchant, plus a short reel of outtakes. Grade: A

After the Wedding (DVD)

After the Wedding (2006) starring a cast of Danish actors who will not be familiar to most Americans. A man who is running an orphanage in India comes home to Denmark on a money-raising trip. The wife of the billionaire from whom he is soliciting funds turns out to be an old flame, and that is only the beginning of the surprises, secrets and lies that soon come to light. The movie takes a marginally soap-opera turn, then the ending seems rushed. But there are extras on the DVD -- a conversation with director Susanne Bier, and a slew of deleted scenes -- that may help the viewer appreciate the experience more. Grade: B

The Last Mimzy (DVD)

The Last Mimzy (2007) starring Rhiannon Leigh Wryn, Chris O'Neil, Joely Richardson, Rainn Wilson. Two children discover a magical box of toys that's been sent from the future, and soon start to develop some inexplicable, unearthly abilities. As their mother and teacher delve into the mystery, the adults as well as the children are drawn into a strange and unpredictable world, and Homeland Security even gets involved. There's a lot that's nonsensical here, but also an entertaining story and some good visuals. Grade: B+

Fast Food Nation (DVD)

Fast Food Nation (2006) starring Greg Kinnear, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Bruce Willis. A corporate executive with a national fast-food chain (Kinnear) follows beef's journey from the corrals to the slaughterhouse and ultimately to our stomachs. Early on, we learn that "there's shit in the meat," and the film slowly narrows in on the part of the butchering process where this takes place. The scenes in the slaughterhouse are progressively more harrowing. This may be a necessary film, if not one to savor. Grade: B

The Perfect Crime (DVD)

The Perfect Crime (Crimen Perfecto) (2004) starring Guillermo Toledo. Spanish-language film with English subtitles has hilarious take on Hitchcockian murder plot. Salesman accidentally kills rival, gets unexpected help covering up his crime from a homely sales girl. But she wants his love in exchange, and it's more than he's willing or able to give. Nevertheless, she blackmails him into sex, then a relationship, then to marriage. Grade: B+

The Holiday (DVD)

The Holiday (2006) starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Edward Burns, Rufus Sewell. Both seeking to escape their disastrous love lives, two young women (Diaz and Winslet) agree to swap homes for the holidays. One lives lives in England, one in L.A. Each finds that in her new surroundings, there are people worth getting to know. And all turns out well in the end. This disc, from Netflix, started skipping and freezing during the last half-hour. It was very irritating. Grade: B-

Breach (DVD)

Breach (2007) starring Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, Caroline Dhavernas. Soon after landing a plum assignment working for FBI operative Robert Hanssen (Cooper), Eric O'Neill (Phillippe) realizes he's been brought in to spy on his boss, who is suspected of selling secrets to the Soviets. Cooper is a great actor, but Phillippe seems weak cast opposite him. Even though we know how the movie will end, there are some genuinely suspenseful moments. Based on a true story, in which the worst known spy in U.S. history was finally caught. Grade: B

Shortbus (DVD)

Shortbus (2006). An unknown group of actors combines to present this unrated, rather kinky view into the fringe world of sexuality in New York City. Lots of sex and nudity, but strangely unappealing; mostly homoerotic action, not my thing. Sincere, but amateurish. Grade: C-

Bridge to Terabithia (DVD)

Bridge to Terabithia (2007) starring Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Robert Patrick, Zooey Deschanel. Two fifth-grade outcasts become friends and create the make-believe kingdom of Terabithia, where they reign supreme and plot revenge against the school bullies. But the film is not, as Disney might want us to believe, a fantasy wonderland with happy ending. Well into the story, it takes a tragic turn, and becomes a rather serious movie about loss and transcendence. Grade: B+

Maxed Out (DVD)

Maxed Out (2006). Somewhat depressing documentary about the load of debt, both personal and national, being carried by Americans. Ringing indictment of the credit card industry and the major banks. Subtitles are not available in English, so some of the dialogue is hard to understand. Grade: B

The Painted Veil (DVD)

The Painted Veil (2006) starring Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Diana Rigg. Kitty (Watts) marries Dr. Walter Fane (Norton) to escape her parents' home, and ends up traveling with him to China, where he is fighting a cholera epidemic. Although she didn't marry him for love, she finds herself admiring his dedication to the cause. This understated period drama (it takes place in the 1920s) will reward the thoughtful movie viewer. Grade: B+

Children of Men (DVD)

Children of Men (2006) starring Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Julianne Moore. Dystopian drama set in 2027, in a world in which humans have lost the ability to reproduce. When a single woman mysteriously becomes pregnant, a conflicted government bureaucrat (Owen) tries to protect her. Based on the novel by P.D. James, directed by Alfonso Cuaron. If this relentlessly downbeat movie has a point, it escaped me. Grade: C

The Italian (DVD)

The Italian (2007). Six-year-old Vanya is about to be handed every Russian orphan's dream: A loving Italian family wants to adopt him and take him away from the run-down orphanage where he lives. But he can't get the thought of his birth mother out of his mind, and runs away to find her. This film, with an apparent happy ending, seems chiefly designed to reveal the plight of orphans in Russia today. The young actor who plays Vanya is not especially good. Grade: C+

Letters from Iwo Jima

Letters from Iwo Jima (2007) starring Ken Watanabe and a large cast of Japanese actors who will be unfamiliar to American viewers. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Excellent companion piece to Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," this Oscar-nominated movie tells the story of the World War II battle for Iwo Jima from the Japanese point of view. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Japanese defenders of the island do not think of surrender, but of dying honorably -- even if this means suicide in the face of defeat. Eastwood does a good job of humanizing our former enemies, and even shows American soldiers being brutal in one memorable scene. Grade: A-

Venus (DVD)

Venus (2006) starring Peter O'Toole, Jodie Whittaker. Slightly creepy story of veteran actor, played by O'Toole, who falls for the niece of the daughter of a friend. He's in his seventies, she's in her twenties. It's rather entertaining to see how far they'll go (hint: not very); and O'Toole's character shows great insight into the female mind and heart. But even though it's handled with delicacy, the story of a March-December romance has a high "ewww" factor. Grade: B-

Apocalypto (DVD)

Apocalypto (2006) directed by Mel Gibson. In a time long ago, primitive natives live and hunt in the jungle, only to have their existence disrupted when a gang of slave-hunters from the great Mayan civilization which dominated Mexico sneaks up on their village and takes most of them captive, killing the rest. It's a fascinating and disturbing portrait of what life might have been like in the Mayan Empire before Europeans came on the scene. There's a lot of violence and bloodshed, but it's done as tastefully as can be expected. There's also a powerful twist at the end of the movie which, if you become as absorbed in the story as I did, you may not see coming. Also available on the DVD are a short on how the convincing look of Mayan civilization was created, and a commentary track by Mel Gibson and his co-producer. Grade: B+

The Good German (DVD)

The Good German (2006) starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire. Uninspiring tale of intrigue in post-World War II Berlin, not terribly well made. Army correspondent Clooney gets involved in intrigue with his prewar mistress Blanchett. Clooney gets beaten up several times and Blanchett gets her wish to escape Berlin; but her movie husband Emil Brandt, the "good German" of the title, ends up dead. Grade: B

The Dead Girl (DVD)

The Dead Girl (2006) starring Toni Collette, James Franco, Giovanni Ribisi, Mary Beth Hurt, Mary Steenburgen, Brittany Murphy. A series of vignettes shows how the body of a girl is found in a field, how those who knew her are affected, and ultimately who did the crime. Absorbing and, taken as a whole, very sad. Grade: B

Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock? (DVD)

Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock? (2006). True story of trailer park resident Teri Horton , who buys a painting at a thrift store for $5 and becomes convinced that it is a genuine Jackson Pollock. But the painting is unsigned and lacks "provenance," meaning a paper trail that shows who has owned it and can be traced back to Pollock. After 15 years, no one has been able to prove whether it is real or fake, but Horton is convinced that it is real. By the end of the movie, she is offered $9 million for the painting, but refuses it, because she believes it is worth more the $50 million. Grade: B

Army of Shadows (DVD)

Army of Shadows (1969) starring Lino Ventura, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel. Director Jean-Pierre Melville's experiences as a member of the French resistance during World War II inform this movie about a civil engineer who becomes one of the chiefs of the underground movement. Apparently, the Resistance is a controversial subject in France, but it will have little resonance for American audiences. The final half-hour of the film is rather interesting. In French, with English subtitles. Grade: B

Pan's Labyrinth (DVD)

Pan's Labyrinth (2006) in Spanish with English subtitles. In 1944 in Spain, Franco's army sets up an outpost in the effort to suppress the rebellion of the left against the Fascists. Meanwhile, a young girl stumbles on a labyrinth guarded by Pan, an ancient faun who claims to know her destiny. A deeply moving motion picture. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. The commentary track by del Toro is illuminating, and the subtitles are bright and bold, easy to read. Grade: A

The Pursuit of Happyness (DVD)

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) starring Will Smith and his real-life son, Jaden Smith. Struggling single parent goes from dead-end job to unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm. It's all about Will Smith's charm, and what a struggle life is when you're pinched for money. I loved the happy ending, but couldn't help but wonder what happened to all the other homeless who weren't so blessed. Grade: B+

Little Children (DVD)

Little Children (2006) starring Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson. Sarah (Winslet) and Brad (Wilson) meet at the playground, where they have taken their respective children. Even though he has a beautiful wife named Kathy (Connelly) at home, Brad is titillated by the idea of a fling with the rather more plain Sarah. Meanwhile, Sarah's husband Richard is entranced by Slutty Kay, an Internet porn star. And woven in and out of this narrative is the story of Ronnie McGorvey, the town pervert, who was once arrested for indecent exposure.

It's all about "grown ups" who don't know how to be parents to their kids. I found the voiceover to be a bit annoying, but Winslet looks lovely and does a passable American accent. Grade: B+

Dreamgirls (DVD)

Dreamgirls (2006) starring Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson. Hudson, an "American Idol" reject, won an Oscar in this musical about three black women who seek fame and fortune as a singing trio. Unfortunately, the songs are mostly pretty uninspired, although the performers try to make of them all they can. In a movie which should be driven by that catchy Motown sound, the music just drags it down. Grade: C

Happy Feet (DVD)

Happy Feet (2006) with the voices of Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman. Young Mumble, an animated penguin, can dance but he can't sing -- which is a problem in this movie because every penguin must have a "Heartsong" to win a mate. It's basically a penguin musical, which is, I guess, an original concept. But the movie takes a sharp left turn into weirdness in the final half hour, and what little charm it had is lost. Grade: C+

Freedom Writers (DVD)

Freedom Writers (2007) starring Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey. Idealistic young teacher (Swank) is posted to an inner-city school that is racked by gang violence. She inspires her class by getting them to read "The Diary of Anne Frank" and go to the
Holocaust Museum. The at-risk kids respond to her teaching methods, but the school administration (embodied by Staunton) doesn't. Her struggle to teach in unorthodox ways and outfox her enemies in the bureaucracy make up the meat of this movie. There's a lot of rap music involved, most of which I found hard to understand. Younger viewers might get more out of it. Grade: B

The Queen (DVD)

The Queen (2006) starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen. Mirren won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, who faces an angry public after Princess Diana's death in an auto accident. Why don't the royals respond to the public's outpouring of grief? There are a few striking images in this movie, but Sheen seems a bit off as Prime Minister Tony Blair. Grade: B

Notes on a Scandal (DVD)

Notes on a Scandal (2006) starring Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett. Dench and Blanchett are both excellent in this story in which one high-school teacher has an affair with a student, and an older teacher finds out about it. Dench, as the older teacher, must decide between turning in the offender or trying to use the information to her advantage. Grade: A-

The Last King of Scotland (DVD)

The Last King of Scotland (2006) starring Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Gillian Anderson. Whitaker won an Oscar for his portrayal of brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin; McAvoy plays a Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan, who becomes Amin's personal physician. The problem seems to be that the focus of the movie is on Dr. Garrigan, and Whitaker has too little screen time. There are some chilling scenes, though, and Whitaker earned his Oscar. Grade: B

Come Early Morning (DVD)

Come Early Morning (2006) starring Ashley Judd. Judd plays Lucy, a 30-something small-town southern girl who makes a habit of drinking too much and waking up next to strangers. Powered by alcohol and country music, this independent movie is more a slice of life than a story with a beginning, middle and end. We see Lucy make a little progress, but it's hard to tell if she's really going to be all right. Grade: C+

The Silent Partner (DVD)

The Silent Partner (1978) starring Elliot Gould, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York. Not-so-timid bank teller Gould manages to cut himself in on a robbery by Plummer, who then comes after him for the balance of the money. One scene of graphic violence is particularly jarring, but the rest of the film stands up well. Look for John Candy in an early screen appearance. Grade: B

Volver (DVD)

Volver (2006) starring Penelope Cruz. Single mom Cruz hears that her mother has come back from the dead and is haunting the village where she grew up. She goes back for a visit in this charming film, written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar. Grade: B+

Sleeping Dogs Lie (DVD)

Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006) starring Bryce Johnson, Colby French. Amy, while a college student, performed a rather shocking sex act with her dog. Now, years later, the question arises: Is she obligated to be totally honest with her fiance? This film follows a mostly predictable trajectory once you get past the premise, but amuses nonetheless. Grade: B

Candy (DVD)

Candy (2006) starring Heath Ledger, Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rush. Australian film about two junkies in love. Not a bad drama, but not top-notch. The dialog is difficult to understand because of the Australian accents, and subtitles in English are not available on this disc. Grade: B-

Charlotte's Web (DVD)

Charlotte's Web (2006). When Wilbur the pig discovers he's destined for the dinner table, kindly spider Charlotte (voiced by Julia Roberts) hatches a plan to keep him around. Dakota Fanning plays sensitive farm girl Fern in this children's tale based on the book by E.B. White. The DVD features two commentary tracks and two making-of features. While adults might find it a bit saccharine, it's a fine movie for youngsters. Grade: B+

The Good Shepherd (DVD)

The Good Shepherd (2006) starring Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie. Fictionalized account of the birth of the CIA, following one agent's (Damon) career from World War II through the Bay of Pigs debacle. Thinking about the movie after watching it is more interesting than actually watching it, partly because of slow pacing, partly because of the long running time of about two and a half hours. There are moments when the movie comes alive (a particular torture scene comes to mind), but for the most part the glacial pacing and Damon's dead-fish portrayal of super spy Edward Wilson make it a chore to watch. Grade: B