Vanilla Sky — A weird semi sci-fi that needs to be watched more than once — 8*/10

• Overall: It's the kind of movie which is better when watched the second time around, it's only then that it really gets as good as it should. Great one by director Cameron Crowe.
• Who is it for? Those who like mystery based on some science fiction, or those looking to explore a slow movie that will make you think in the end. 
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259711/
• Known actors: Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee, Kurt Russell and Timothy Spall.
• Cameos: Tilda Swinton, Noah Taylor and Michael Shannon.
• Setting: Rich American upper class. 
• Style: Dramatic mind fuck.
• Pacing: Slow, really slow, but not show much as not to capture your interest. 
• Story: It's a look at youth, late 20s early 30s, its blindness and the long-term effects it can have on us and those we relate to. 
• Ending: Philosophical. 
• Dialogs: Almost schizophrenic, very intelligent and strongly emotional. 
• Characters: Stark and solid, realistic in their own way. 
• Acting: Amazing. 
• Visuals: Solid.
• Special Effects: Good. There are very few of them, but some are getting a bit old, although it's just at the end and they're still good.
• Afterthoughts: The first time around, I was disappointed by the ending, the second time, I was ready to spend the time thinking it through and pondering the ins and outs. 

Get Over It — A light teen romantic comedy for everyone — 6*/10

• Overall: If you close your eyes and stop thinking a little bit, this is quite enjoyable.
• Who is it for? Those looking for something light.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192071/
• Known actors: Kirsten Dunst, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana, Martin Short, Swoosie Kurtz, Ed Begley Jr. and Sisqó.
• Cameos: Carmen Electra.
• Setting: Average high school, well-off families.
• Style: Your basic teen romantic comedy.
• Story: A love triangle, can't get a simpler romantic script. However, it is presented in such silly and goofy way that it gets a certain shine. Don't take it seriously.
• Characters: Simple.
• Acting: Some are pretty good, others are just adequate.
• Visuals: Getting a bit old, but not enough to stop anyone from enjoying it.

Tanguy — Pour rire d'une situation qui n'en finit plus — 8*/10

Vraiment drôle, de solides dialogues, les personnages sont très bien montés ainsi que rendus par les comédien(ne)s et les différentes options que la situation offre sont pleinement explorées. À voir si vous voulez rigoler.

Attention, le personnage principal vous apportera bien des frustrations.


Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274155/

Someone Like You... — A standard romantic comedy that's easy to watch — 6*/10

• Story: It's your basic romantic comedy with the same concepts of how love should be that most of its brethren panders to. That being said, the theory within the story as well as the diverse twists and turns do make it interesting.
• Setting: The usual: apartments in New York City that few people can afford or live in.
• Style: Funny and light
• Ending: Way too predictable.
• Characters: Simple.
• Acting: Pretty good. It's one aspect that makes this flick special.
• Known actors: Ashley Judd, Marisa Tomei, Hugh Jackman and Greg Kinnear.
• Visuals: Slick, as usual.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244970/
• Entertainment value: Nice.
• Who is it for? Those who don't mind seeing another standard romantic comedy and any Judd, Tomei or Jackman fan.

The Shipping News — A simple setting with an interesting tale — 8*/10

• Scenario: With a very humble setting this story captures our attention, but only once you get passed the shock of the pathetic initial situation. It is very entertaining with many interesting ideas and plot elements. It is much better than the synopsis can lead us to believe.
• Dialogs: Nice and realistic.
• Characters: Well built and with nice depth, except for the mother and her boyfriends.
• Actors: Great acting. Cast members include Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Pete Postlethwaite and Rhys Ifans.
• Photography: Beautiful if simple.
• Sound: Nice music and score.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120824/
• Who is it for? Those wanting a nice story with little or no laughter and don't mind such humble settings or the lack of action.

Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain - Beau, excentrique, recherché et intelligent - 9*/10

Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain nous plonge pratiquement dans un univers parallèle. Non seulement le personnage et l'histoire possèdent tous deux une saveur très particulière, mais le montage aussi reflète toute l'excentricité de ce film. Vous ne pourrez faire autrement que de sourire alors que vous découvrirez cette jolie production.

Pour ceux qui aiment ce qui sort de l'ordinaire.

9*/10

Monster's Ball - Stark and full of emotions - 8*/10

Monster's Ball is not the type of movie you watch everyday, it's too difficult to watch, the reality too dark. It's a strong movie that shouldn't be avoided as long as I did. The ending is perfect.

If you are strong enough.
8*/10

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — A disappointment for all — 5*/10

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is not what the fan of the video games where looking for the visual of the flesh.

The good. Lots of action. A sexy strong female lead.

The actors. Subpar performance at best for all the cast, including Angelina Jolie and Daniel Craig.

The bad. Almost uncountable number of logical problems in the scenario. Simplistic story with lots of clichés. Bad fight scenes. Lousy dialogs. Very shallow characters.

The ugly. The end, in all its different parts is pathetic.

The result. The entertainment value is minimal, only recommended to those who want to see the ever sexy Jolie.

5*/10

The Last Castle — Get your daily dose of violence in a nice package — 6*/10

The Last Castle is an army feel good movie set in an prison.

The good. Well planned out tactics. Solid action. A bit of suspense and intrigue. Nice acting. Well paced scenario.

The actors. Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, and Delroy Lindo give us a credible performance. Their lack of brilliance is not a reflection of their capabilities, but rather what they were given to work with.

The bad. Too much army heroic mentality. Not every soldier is like that.

The ugly. Single minded characters, lack of normal complexity.

The result. A satisfying testosterone flick. Do not expect more.

6*/10

The Business of Strangers — 24 hours with two different but equally driven women — 9*/10

The Business of Strangers is about the world of those women jockeying their lives in the phallocentric spheres of our society. It's a great movie done with very little.

The good. Simple yet very elegant mood and settings. Solid editing. Interesting, realistic, and straight forward story. Nicely put together characters who evolve before our eyes.

The actors. In this production, we can see Julia Stiles starting to spread her wings and some of her potential. However, as much as I love her, Stockard Channing is the real star here. She portrays the power business woman, her struggle and her changes of mood, with incredible clarity.

The bad. The emptiness of ordinary lives usually filled with glitz and details by Hollywood can be slightly disorienting here. I think it's perfect, but not for everyone.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Very low key character driven film. Don't expect a dazzling display, turn on your brain, and you won't be disappointed.

9*/10

Save the Last Dance — A real touching romance with interesting subjects — 8*/10

Save the Last Dance is a good romantic movie, and even though the characters are teens, the subjects treated apply as much for adults. So, it's not teen-centric. I'd say most guys will find their groove in it. There are beautiful women, hot dancing, and testosterone fueled conflicts. The romance is real, there's no Hollywood tricks, all of this could happen in real life.

The acting is excellent. Julia Stiles really got established in the eyes of a wider audience with this film, and for good reasons. Sean Patrick Thomas is solid. And Kerry Washington seems a natural as Chenille.

The story is touching and very interesting. The scenario doesn't run in a straight line, and it touches lot of subjects. The hip-hop and classical music is great. The dialogs are nice and smooth, realistic. The characters have nice emotional depth to them, some complexities, and good backgrounds.

Quite frankly, I gave only 8* because there are other movies I'd rather watch before this one, but I can't really find anything wrong with it.

If you want to see a simple touching romance that will have men interested to watch, this is for you.

8*/10

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back — Stoners going to Hollywood on a silly mission — 5*/10

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is the silliest movie Kevin Smith has made to date. He took his secondary characters, wrapped up a number of loose ends, stirred it all together, stripped all the smart dialogs from the resulting mix, and made a script out of it. You can still find a number of social commentary aimed at Hollywood in it, but the just of the flick aims at turning off your brain.

The best joke of the bunch is making the fake film into a a sort of Star Wars parody and have Mark Hamill play the villain. I will also mention that Carrie Fisher has a small role in there somewhere, just to make the whole thing even more meta. Actually, Smith makes the whole thing so meta that he has to laugh at himself by making the actors look pointedly at the camera.

This production is star studded with the likes of Wes Craven, Shannen Doherty, Jason Biggs, James Van Der Beek, Gus Van Sant, and that's just naming a few.

If you like what Kevin Smith does, and know his universe, you will appreciate it.

5*/10

The Tailor of Panama — A bad element in international espionage — 8*/10

The Tailor of Panama is, in term of international spying, the antithesis of the James Bond movies. The only similarities are the high stakes and the involvement of MI-6. Ironically the main role is played by a former Bond actor, Pierce Brosnan.

In this flick, Brosnan is in a role quite different from his usual cast. Here, he's not likable, not even a little, and he plays it well. You might say he's still a scoundrel, but this time, bearing the full negative connotation. Geoffrey Rush is very good as the deluded tailor. Jamie Lee Curtis, in the minor role of his wife, is not shining at her best, but her performance is good.

The premise of the movie is excellent, the story that supports almost as good, as is the scenario. You'll be swept in by the intrigue and the machinations, wondering how it will all end. The final unraveling is quite surprising.

I recommend it, but do not expect a feel good film. It is not for everybody. It has no action, and you'll will face the unlikable and underhanded range of human endeavors. It is all deceit.

8*/10

Sugar & Spice — High school cheerleaders in trouble with spunk, flair, and laughs — 7*/10

Sugar & Spice is almost a caricature of a teen movie. It is not, because it's not making fun of teens or teen movies, but has that slightly over the top smiley attitude that pushes you to that laughing place where you don't take things too seriously. Those who didn't like that movie didn't get that vibe. It is quite fun.

Now, it's not a perfect movie, the subject matter is treated very lightly, but the story, the dialogs, and the characters are all very entertaining. It doesn't bring anything new, per se, to the table, but it does it with flair, and laughs. The girls are beautiful, but not plastic perfect. The acting is simple, but sincere and adorable in certain cases.

One of the scene, when they announce they're getting married, is the perfect example of the quality and tone of the film. It and its followup scene in the car are hilarious.

If you want to see a good little known teen flick with an adult mask, that would to it.

7*/10

Zoolander — Making fun of the fashion industry and male models for a good laugh — 7*/10

Zoolander is not the type of movie you like instantly, it's the kind that grows on you. The more you see it, the funnier it gets. The piece is not kind on the fashion industry and least of all on male models, but it's fun as hell.

It's difficult to explain what is good about it when you can't name any single aspect as a commanding thread. The enjoyment itself derives from a number of little things. The whole walk-off scene is a good example. The editing isn't miraculous but it's right. The music isn't perfect, but it's good. The acting isn't superb, but it works well. It's the meshing of every little pieces that makes that scene and its sarcasm totally hilarious.

In the known actors, we have a long list: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor, Will Ferrell, Milla Jovovich, Jerry Stiller, David Duchovny, Jon Voight, Vince Vaughn, David Bowie, Donald Trump, Christian Slater, Tom Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tommy Hilfiger, Natalie Portman, Fabio, Lenny Kravitz, Gwen Stefani, Heidi Klum, Paris Hilton, Lil' Kim, Winona Ryder, Claudia Schiffer, Karl Lagerfeld, Donatella Versace, Victoria Beckham, Stephen Dorff, Jennifer Coolidge, James Marsden, Patton Oswalt and Billy Zane.

You want to see something offbeat, with odd humor, a silly story, and plenty of caricatures? This is probably a good movie for you.

7*/10

Monsters, inc. — A lovable animation where novel ideas keep you riveted — 10*/10

Monsters, inc. is one of the best animation film ever produced, only surpassed by The Incredibles.

The animation itself is incredible, especially if you take into consideration the work that was done on the hairs of Sulley. The world they created is without par, extremely imaginative and full of details, and that's without mentioning the mechanics it uses to get energy, as well as the energy crisis within.

Each monster is well thought, wild in design, and nicely rendered. The colors are great, vivid, and cheerful. The humor is plenty, side splitting, and almost non-stop. The jokes are great, and the dialogs complete, natural, and logical.

The only negative thing I could say is that the "evil" part of the scenario was a little unimaginative, but fortunately, it's not the main attraction. The main draw is the relationship between the two main characters and the little girl. It's adorable. That alone makes us fall in love with the movie.

A must see.

10*/10

Good Advice — A light romantic comedy about a guy hitting rock bottom and redefining himself — 7*/10

Good Advice is the sort of movie you can see over and over and over. I know I do. It's easy on the eye, charming, slightly insightful, positive, and entertaining.

Charlie Sheen's acting is a bit pinched, though, but it's still good. Most character are a bit over played, but in line with the comedic tone of the film. I love Angie Harmon's character, I find it so cute and charming, in lots of little ways, but I suspect she might be at the edge of what she can do. Still, can't help rooting for her.

The advice column itself is quite insightful, and well written. If a columnist could write with such a voice, it would be popular indeed.

See it whenever you want to be lightly entertained and see a cute relationship.

7*/10

The Lord of the Rings — An epic trilogy for all, a must for fantasy lovers — 8*/10

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is comprised of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.

At over 9h of playing time, it is not for the faint of heart. Even I, who has lived and breathed medieval fantasy for over 20 years do not listen to it in a single sitting. This Holiday Season, I even took three nights to watch it, and took breaks mid-movie, at the change of disk, to have a bite.

That being said, it is absolutely worth it. You'll get immersed in and transported to the universe of Tolkien to live a most epic of saga. The visuals are breath taking, the story gripping, and the characters well played.

Now, the special effects are aging a bit, not enough to lessen the experience, but noticeable. Some still look extremely good, like the Nazguls, the Balrog, the orcs, and the oliphants.

You might find the dialogs are a bit over sentimental at time, but they never fail to bring a tear when drama is near.

The single faceted Legolas seems to be the extent of what Orlando Bloom can play, but the tween girls love that elf. On the other hand, Vigo Mortensen's performance of the brooding scruffy Aragorn is excellent, and probably the best performance of the lot. Women of all ages fall that ranger. Close second to him, is Gollum.

My favorite chapter? The Moria. I've always been fascinated by it, and it's extremely well rendered.

All in all, it's a must see, a landmark of our time.

8*/10