Envy — A silly buddy comedy that's turned on its head — 6*/10

• Overall: Hilarious, ridiculous, over the top, completely offbeat, totally enjoyable and full of surprises.
• Who is it for? Those looking for something silly. Must tolerate ridicule. Not for everyone.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326856/
• Known actors: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Rachel Weisz, Amy Poehler and Christopher Walken.
• Style: It's like a buddy comedy, but where the envy creates a rift. So, it's like the opposite of one.
• Story: Many silly scenes that are ridiculous enough to make you squirm a little and they rarely go in the direction you think. The friendship represents everything here and really comes out. It's almost touching, uplifting. The more you watch and re-watch the film, the better it gets.
• Ending: A bit surprising.
• Epilogue: Too easy, but it's part of the ridicule.
• Dialogs: Silly and quick.
• Characters: Simple, yet very endearing in some way.
• Acting: Good.

Dodgeball — A truly silly comedy for the fans — 7*/10

• Scenario: Completely silly, goofy and off the wall. It's hilarious if you can stand the uncomfortable situation the characters get in. The story can only exist in its own little world where we completely suspend our disbelief and go with the flow. The movie doesn't take itself seriously and you shouldn't either. Just have fun.
• Known actors: Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Vince Vaughn, Rip Torn, Justin Long, Stephen Root, Alan Tudyk, Missi Pyle, Gary Cole, Jason Bateman, Hank Azaria, Lance Armstrong, Chuck Norris, William Shatner and David Hasselhoff.
• Visual & sound: Nice.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364725/
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for something really silly as well as any Stiller or Vaughn fans.

Spanglish — A very touching comedy with a little crazy — 7*/10

• Scenario: Touching, a little crazy, very funny, full of emotions with an excellent and truly courageous ending. Totally entertaining and the few tears we encounter just make it better. Sandler is the only one that doesn't totally fit in the picture. He's not really believable as a chef and his kitchen doesn't feel like a real one. However, he is the perfect doormat type husband who accepts everything.
• Known actors: Adam Sandler, Téa Leoni, Paz Vega and Cloris Leachman.
• Visual & sound: Nice.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371246/
• Who is it for? Those looking for something vaguely romantic, totally funny with a touch of crazy.

50 First Dates — A very sweet, simple and touching romantic comedy — 7*/10

• Scenario: This is not the movie of the year, much less the century, but it's special, it's sweet, sentimental, touching and totally worth the watch. It's only real negative point is the fake crying, which is horrible. Beyond that it's great funny entertainment with a nice novel setting.
• Known actors: Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler (who has a few fits of over acting, but generally does a very good job), Rob Schneider (who is not too annoying), Sean Astin (who chose a really weird character foible), Dan Aykroyd, Blake Clark and Maya Rudolph.
• Visual & sound: Nice.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343660/
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a nice romance or a sweet comedy.

Starsky & Hutch — A decent and pretty funny little movie — 6*/10

A nice parody of the TV series. Don't expect too much of it and you'll be happy.

Cast includes Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Amy Smart, Carmen Electra, Juliette Lewis, Vince Vaughn, Fred Williamson, Will Ferrell, Jason Bateman, Terry Crews and Chris Penn.

Night Watch — Fantasy lovers will be interested in this grimy Russian battle — 7*/10

• Scenario: Very interesting background story and setup, as well as a world with captivating inner workings. Good intro, intrigue and ending.
• Dialogs: Won't comment on the account of being in Russian. The subtitles have nice animation, making the dialogs easier to assimilate for the readers.
• Characters: The main one is well developed, the others are simple, but varied and non-stereotypical.
• Actors: Good work, but difficult to say when you don't speak a word of Russian.
• Photography: The choppy camera work in combat scenes serves nicely, but is probably there to simplify the edit and cover budget limitations. The grimy sets and decors are very barbaric and well used. Nice costumes.
• Sound: Nice music and score.
• Special effects: Acceptable, but mostly covered up in edit to save money, because the few ones that are there in full are not that good.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403358/
• Who is it for? Mostly for fantasy fans who want to see something different. Others should probably pass.

Dawn of the Dead — Your basic zombie epidemic — 7*/10

Dawn of the Dead is a good zombie movie and if that's what you're looking for you'll be entertained. Things happen fast, lots of action, not too gory, nice effects, and lots of thoughtful plot elements. However, it's a bit linear, predictable and it feels like there isn't much to chew on. It's nice, but only once.

For those hungry for a zombie flick.
7*/10

Christmas with the Kranks - Goofy holiday cheers for all - 7*/10

Christmas with the Kranks is just what you need when you want a good laugh during the Holidays. This piece doesn't take itself seriously and you should do the same. Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are just perfect for their role in this non stop scenario.

Relax and enjoy.
7*/10

AVP: Alien vs. Predator - Only for Alien and Predator fans - 5*/10

AVP: Alien vs. Predator is not much of a movie with all its logical flaws, poor dialog, thin story, and flat characters. However, you can see some nice Alien behaviors and Predator technology. as well as their first confrontation on the big screen.

If you're not a fan of either series, just skip it.
5*/10

Kill Bill - A long tale of violence - 8*/10

Kill Bill: Vol.1 and Vol.2 are the brainchild of Quentin Tarantino and as such are great creations. However, these are not for everybody. They are masterpieces of photography, style, the story is captivating and well told with solid dialogs and characters, but it's a lot of fighting and blood in the first one and lots of story telling in the second one.

It might be an acquired taste, but you'll never know until you try it. A must for every Tarantino fan.
8*/10

Crash — Life is made of all us mixing, meeting, crashing... — 10*/10

Crash is a tapestry of lives about all the shades of gray of our collective existence. The story is simply captivating and it won't let you go, even after it ends. Almost every member of the cast gave the performance of their lifetime and it shows.

There's something for everyone. Action. One or two laughs. Lots of drama. Gut wrenching situations. Anger. Love. Touching moments that will bring a tear or a flood. Social criticism. Everyday heroism. Crime. Corruption. Mistakes big and small. Doing wrong, doing right. Compromises. Consequences. Inequalities. Karma. Going crazy. Finding sanity.

Actors include: Ryan Phillippe, Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Tony Danza, Keith David, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Thandie Newton, and Michael Peña

A must see. A masterpiece.
10*/10

Sideways — A few laughters with serious matters worth your time — 9*/10

Sideways is truly looking at relationship sideways, and from two different point of view, a romantic one and a philandering one. The issues are not taken straight on, they are viewed from afar, judged by indirect actions and their consequences.

The good. Well built, realistic, almost down to earth, and interesting story with lots of psychological details and some laughs. Excellent camera work and editing giving you a nice emotional perspective. Characters with depth. Perfect ending. Great panoramas. Solid acting.

The actors. Paul Giamatti is in one of his best role, suits him admirably. I can't judge Thomas Haden Church, because I don't know him enough, but his performance was right on the dot. Virginia Madsen is great as the understated perfect chance. My favorite of the bunch, though, is Sandra Oh who serves us another one of her great interpretation, this time with a flair for very hot yet realistic sexiness.

The bad. The neurotic behavior and a few extreme reactions to some events can get a bit much at time.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Everyone should see this. Perfect for those who are not looking for romance, but a relationship. You'll smile, you'll frown, you'll shake you head, but you'll appreciate.

9*/10

Closer — A razor sharp look at relationships — 9*/10

Closer is about the key wrong move you can make in an intimate relationship.

The good. Nice music and score. Beautiful photography. Solid characters with great depth. Very realistic. Excellent scenario construction which tells a long story in a very short time while making us understand what really makes or breaks a relationship. It mostly follows chronology or otherwise makes it easy to understand, but never shows any time stamp. That makes the viewer's mind work and thus plunges us into the story rather quickly, a fascinating tale of change and turnabout.

The actors. Natalie Portman gives a great performance, and shows her talent with a complex yet subtle role. Clive Owen as the clever bastard definitively gave the performance of a lifetime, it's by far his best one. Jude Law as the neurotic romantic indecisive love lorn control freak certainly gave us one of his best. Julia Roberts gave a nice performance, but it just not on par with the others.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Not for everyone, but should be watched by everyone.

9*/10

Ocean's Twelve — The interest lies mainly in continuing the story — 6*/10

Ocean's Twelve is the sequel to Ocean's Eleven, but doesn't stand up to its predecessor in terms of quality.

The good. Interesting story and capers. Nice action and dialogs.

The actors. Pretty much the same performance as the first installment except that the script didn't give them parts that were as solid. Simply add Catherine Zeta-Jones to the party with a well played part, and a cameo by Bruce Willis.

The bad. Not telling the story doesn't make an intrigue. An intrigue is built by revealing the facts but not the connections. Plus, there's a number of logical flaws in the scenario.

The ugly. The whole Roberts and Willis encounter is totally ridiculous and occupies way too much time.

The result. Basic entertainment that would interest mainly those who liked the original and wanted to know what happens next.

6*/10

Collateral — Slow, moody, and tense, it's a great watch — 9*/10

Collateral is a crime movie like few others, by Michael Mann.

The good. Great score. Excellent music. Solid and logical scenario. Captivating story. Nicely built characters with good depth, except for Felix and the FBI agents. Good camera work, if with some odd choices at time. The mood is impeccably set. It's smoothly done, slowly built up, and it's kept throughout the flick.

The actors. Tom Cruise makes his first appearance as a criminal, and he gives us a great performance. Jamie Foxx is not doing his "thing", and by doing that, he perfectly complements Cruise. His character is the opposite of what he usually does, showing his true capabilities. It's a turning point for both actors.

The bad. Nothing

The ugly. She keeps running with her high heels. Seriously?

The result. A great film with action, mood, intrigue, and even some romance. Easily something a lady could watch.

9*/10

The Notebook — Turn back the clock and listen to what romance was — 9*/10

The Notebook is the pinnacle of romance without getting sickly sweet. It's an early to mid 20th century mentality with a bit of modernism.

The good. Very captivating and emotional story. Great acting. Excellent period setting, sets, and costumes. Well paced scenario. Nice slow music. Superb photography.

The actors. Ryan Gosling is quite charming, in a very affirmative and slightly obsessive way. Rachel McAdams is sweet, intelligent, and fiery. James Marsden plays the beau to perfection. Joan Allen is just detestable as the controlling southern mother.

The bad. The CG geese in the intro are so fake they're blinding. And the "now" part of the flick is just not as well put together, not as slick, as the past.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A flick highly recommended for the hopelessly romantic.

9*/10

Troy — Beautiful Greeks in incredible battle and fights — 7*/10

Troy is an action movie trying to extract all the influence of the gods from the Illiad in an attempt to rationalize the story as an historical event.

The action is grandiose, the story interesting, the scenario has a good pace, and the special effects are still acceptable by today's standard.

Brad Pitt, as Achilles, is at his sexiest and his most arrogant. Is rendition is probably close to what a invincible demigod would be like. Eric Bana is probably at his best in the role of a good hearted Hector. Brian Cox, as the power hungry Agamemnon, makes us hate his character like only he can do. Diane Kruger seems to struggle in her role lacking some fluidity. Orlando Bloom, as lacking talent as he does, probably did his best performance as the romantic, clueless, charming and cowardly Paris. Sean Bean is perfect as the valiant and cunning Odysseus. And finally, Saffron Burrows moves us with her lovingly tragic rendition of Andromache, Hector's wife.

Now, for a few bad things. The fighting, either man to man or on large scale, is not realistic, and neither are the armors, although they mostly respect the style of the time. Also, the rowing wouldn't be functional as depicted. However, most of that is just nitpicking, and the really annoying bit is that the dialogs, while not being dull, are weak for the most part.

If you want plenty of action in the time of the Greeks with beautiful people as actors, this should satisfy your needs. If you're a Brad Pitt or Orlando Bloom fan, it's made for you.

7*/10

The Bourne Supremacy — Get back in the saddle for an other great ride — 9*/10

The Bourne Supremacy takes place two years after the its very successful predecessor The Bourne Identity. It's the same concept and it picks up where the other left. So, however you felt about the first installment, you'll feel the same about this one.

This time, the action is much more global, moving around the world. The stakes are a bit higher. The CIA team is much bigger. The action roller coaster ride is more intense. The romance is out of the picture. The story is less dark and a tiny fraction less serious.

Matt Damon is just as good as in the previous episode. I wish we'd seen more of Franka Potente, because I like her and her character. Joan Allen plays her bitchy role pretty well. Brian Cox's character is the one you want to slap around this time. And Julia Stiles is perfect in the reprise of her small role. I love her in that movie, and she has the best line of the whole ensemble.

What I didn't like. Those dream sequences, a bit lame and badly put together. There's also that FSB agent that is just too one-dimensional.

An other great action flick.

9*/10

Shaun of the Dead — A silly, yet realistic zombie epidemic — 9*/10

Shaun of the Dead is a silly zombie flick with strong undertone of seriousness. There's is no doubt that it is meant to make us laugh, but at the same time, it has a number of dramatic scenes. The couple story is the running thread, but it's not the meat on the bone.

Most scene are a comic setup never failing to have the audience roll back their eyes in incredulity. Toward the ends come the more dramatic ones, and those are the one who make you think.

The dialogs very real and flow at a good pace. The editing is done in a quick efficient manner. The story is very interesting. The zombie threat and its working are imaginative. The acting is good, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Kate Ashfield giving us the best performances.

Overall, it's a very solid entertainment in brain dead way.

It's a must, if you don't mind zombies and a bit of gore.

9*/10

Garden State — A young man's emotionless life being challenged in the face of change — 9*/10

Garden State is a low key movie about the importance of emotions and living your life.

Nice score with excellent editing and photography make for a great ambience. It's simple, yet effective. You get quickly plunged in the world of the main character and see with his eyes. Life is messed up, but you have to start making sense of yours at some point. The story is a short and important journey in his life, and the details are at times funny, but always interesting.

As a writer-director playing the main role of this flick, Zach Braff did an incredible job. I like him as an actor, but I didn't know he had the talent for the rest. Playing opposite him is the talented Natalie Portman, and Peter Sarsgaard, who both deliver a very good performance. I'm not sure about the quality of Ian Holm work's here, it's difficult to say, but at least on par with the rest of the cast who did a good job.

The only negative thing I could say is that the very final moment is off from the rest of the movie.

If you want to see something different that will make you think and have a few laughs with a touch of romance, this is it.

9*/10