Synecdoche, New York (2008)

 

A theatre director struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he creates a life-size replica of New York City inside a warehouse as part of his new play. 

Fascinating, assuredly made, but over-ambitious drama is multi-layered and delves into serious issues on life, death and creativity (and monomania) however, not just so deep; nonetheless, a remarkable debut and a great vehicle for Philip Seymour Hoffman's genius.

Maltin**: "Screenwriter Kaufman (in his directorial debut) incorporates many of his darkly comic, non-sequitur trademarks at first, then grows melancholy and downbeat as his hero confronts the futility of his quest to understand what his life is all about. Clever and original but wearying, not unlike its main character. The cast is uniformly fine."

The Big Lebowski (1998)

 

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.

Easy-going (like its titular character), serendipitous drama, full of black humor and numerous memorable sequences and with a colorful ensemble of eccentric characters is thoroughly entertaining; an instant cult classic.

Halliwell**: "A meandering thriller that provides a great deal of incidental pleasures on a journey to nowhere in particular."

Maltin**1/2: "One big shaggy-dog joke, courtesy of the Coen brothers...Mostly an excuse for off-the-wall character vignettes, some of which are amusing, some of which are just...strange. Minor Coen concoction with a most agreeable cast. Turturro is a standout as Jesus the bowler, but Bridges' Dave the Dude has become a pop culture icon." 

The Savages (2007)

The Ides of March (2011)

An idealistic staffer for a new presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.

A biting, but not very original look at US election politics is mainly watchable for its first-rate cast and good direction.

Maltin**: "Purported inside look at backroom politics covers awfully familiar ground and offers no real surprises; with a cast of this caliber it's easy to take but still doesn't add up to much."

Mary and Max (2009)

A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.

Quirky and heartfelt tale about true friendship also has some sparks of black humor, but in the end it is quite endearing.

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught in the international war on terror.

Chilly adaptation of a  John le Carré spy thriller emphasizes the political implications, competently made with a top-notch cast.

The Boat That Rocked (2009)

A band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that wanted classical music, and nothing else, on the airwaves.

Likeable dramedy with not much of a story, but with its lively, offbeat cast and the music does make it a feelgood watch.

Maltin**: "It's staffed by a colorful bunch of oddballs...Unfortunately, once the film sets its premise it goes nowhere. Good cast and a soundtrack full of oldies can only help so much."