When a murder occurs on the train on which he's traveling, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot is recruited to solve the case.
An Agatha Christie adaptation and a remake complete with a contemporary star cast simply adds production value and pace to the familiar plot, but not much more; still, it's entertaining, and has a nice touch casting Johnny Depp as the behated victim.
Two cowboys have their friendship tested when they fall for the same girl.
Revisionist Western is beautifully made, especially concerning cinematography and score and the male lead performances, and the depiction of the buddy friendship works, but the romances don't convince at all.
Halliwell*: "Elegiac, overlong movie of the decline of Western
traditions that occasionally hints at more complex matters, of men
trapped by their own situation, before settling for nostalgia."
Maltin**1/2:
"A paean to the cowboy way of life and the joys of true friendship,
this film has so much going for it (including Harrelson's terrific
performance and Oliver Stapleton's cinematography) that it's a shame it doesn't hit the bull's-eye...and Arquette is so dull."
A blind writer reaches this moment in time when he has to
heal his wounds from 14 years back, when he was then still known by his real
name, Mateo Blanco, and directing his last movie.
Although the story is complex, offered in multiple time leaps and film-in-film sequences, it is less original, but more a homage to the director's love of cinema; as usual with Pedro Almodóvar the movie thrills with its exuberant visual quality and the ensemble's interplay.
Maltin***1/2: "Sinuous, mesmerizing story plays out in two time frames; along the way Pedro Almodóvar pays homage to Audrey Hepburn, Roberto Rossellini, and film noir. He also fashioned another perfect vehicle for Cruz's talent and beauty."
A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.
Fascinating left-field (and downbeat) thriller plays out its plot like an ancient tragedy about guilt and fate; excellently directed with a stellar cast of characters.
Maltin*1/2: "Grimly fascinating train wreck of a movie. Novelist Cormac McCarthy, in his first screenplay, provides an all-star cast with dialogue so dense it's indecipherable...Opens with a sexy sequence under the bed-sheets with him [Michael Fassbender] and Cruz, but it's downhill from there. Fetishists might check out the scene where cold-blooded Diaz makes love to a Ferrari, but there's nothing else to recommend here, despite a formidable lineup of actors."
[N.B.: I usually force myself to write my 'review' in a single sentence only, but in this case I might need to add some thoughrts. Before watching this movie I was aware that it had got quite a few negative reviews and it was rumored that the plot was impossible to follow. However, I found no problem following the story; maybe I was in advanatge, since I've read all of McCarthy's novels and knew what to expect of him. The script is indeed unusual as it is elliptical, but it is construed to enable you to connect the dots. Similarly, you needn't know the full background of the characters' motivations, since it is based on the one central motive: greed. That said I find this to be an amazing and excellent movie, but slightly inferior to No Country For Old Men, which you can comapre it with.]
After her death, a mother returns to her home town in order to fix the situations she couldn't resolve during her life.
A sometimes humorous, sometimes quite dark exploration of women's lives
in Spain; the female ensemble is excellent, and Almodóvar manages to
tell a complex tale in a very light tone without losing any depth.
On renewed viewing: I still agree with my initial opinion.
Maltin***1/2: "Lively, colorful Almodóvar mixture of comedy, drama, emotion, and mysticism clicks with its opening shot and never lets up. It also gives Cruz an extraordinary screen showcase."
Three young lovers must make choices as they find themselves surrounded by increasing political unrest in late-1930s.
The
movie has all the ingredients to make this a sweeping historical
melodrama, but somehow it doesn't have the sparkle to evoke great
emotions.
Maltin**: "Duigan's screenplay bites off
more than it can chew, spanning 20 years, the evolution of two
relationships, and a character's ploitical awakening. WW2 section rings
hollow; artificial backdrops don't help. Theron and Cruz are quite good,
and very sexy."
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