While it isn’t a perfect film, V for Vendetta certainly is one very entertaining and extremely timely piece of cinema. While it isn’t the “next Matrix” as many fans of the filmmakers had hoped for, it will stand on its own as a near masterpiece. With more character development then is common for most films of its genre it presents a rich, albeit needlessly complex, plot, amazingly created characters and exceptionally stylish visuals. It commands a viewing if only for the purpose of conversation of its socio-political message alone.

While there are a few moments where the viewer may be able to figure out the certain key plot elements, the filmmakers do an excellent job of constantly changing the story around to keep things interesting. Astute viewers may catch a few minor plot holes and inconsistencies, but somehow given the overall quality of the film the slip by wayside. Perhaps one of the greatest heist films of recent memory, Inside Man is simply put, a great film.

I, too, loved Inside Man. Gave it the same grade.

I loved the score.

There are just too many problems with the film to single out one single area as being the worst. The best that can be said about the film is that it manages to illicit a few laughs from time to time. Most of the time, however, it manages to illicit at best a chuckle. The rest of the time it is too stupid and too unfunny to result in anything more then a groan for its overused plot material. Its 83 minute runtime even feels too long, and viewers are left just waiting for the credits to roll. Spoofs can be funny sometimes, Scary Movie 4 is an example of a time when a spoof just isn’t.

In the end, The Sentinel is really nothing more then a run of the mill film. It does nothing to stand out from the other entries in its genre and is at once only partially entertaining and completely forgettable. It isn’t the worst entry in the genre but it is certainly nowhere near the best nor even close to an average entry. It is entertaining from time to time, but simply put it will be quickly forgotten, and rightfully so, as it does nothing to stand out from the rest.

Overall, Mission: Impossible III is a decent and entertaining film. It is more character driven then previous entries in its genre, but it also falls prey to many of the traps of fellow spy films. The effects are grandiose, the action is well done, but in the end it just doesn’t make a great film. If not for the investment in well-rounded characters the film would have been much less enjoyable. As it stands, it’s a fun, mindless and rather forgettable but overall enjoyable entry into the action and spy genres.

It would be unfair to say the film is perfect, as every film has its intrinsic flaws, some greater then others mind you, but the flaws in Little Miss Sunshine are small enough that they generally escape without so much as a second though. In short, the film is nothing shy of a masterpiece of its subgenre. It is a film that stands out among its peers and among the memorable entries of not only independent film, but also of the wider dysfunctional family grouping. It is one of the rare films that is able to both critique, inspire and entertain all at once, and it manages to do all that while delivering a hearty amount of well-intentioned humor as well.

For whatever reason though, Snakes on a Plane is simply entertaining from start to finish, and it is perhaps one of the most fun films to be released in recent memory. It isn’t too cheesy, nor is it too serious, instead achieves a certain balance that makes it all the more enjoyable. While not perfect, as very few films ever achieve that level, Snakes on a Plane is about as perfect of a genre entry as can be achieved.

Overall, while Feast is not exactly a film that will earn any awards based on its low budget production and the fact that it really isn’t something that hasn’t been done before. What makes it a great film is that it recognizes it is just a silly creature feature, and plays off the clichés of the genre quite well, ending up as a fun and very entertaining film. Sure, it isn’t the best film out there, but fans of old style monster movies will appreciate it as one of the best modern films of its type.

...So, in the end there is little resolution and viewers are left wondering what exactly they just watched. Then again, perhaps that is part of the beauty of the film, by not resolving all the questions, Gondry sparks a way for viewers to converse about the film. At the end of the day that is what The Science of Sleep does, it sparks conversation and it leaves one with a mostly satisfying though confusing viewing experience.

While lacking in some of the polished visuals and humorous dialogues of the greater documenters of the last few years, the film does what it sets out to do. It exposes a point, backs up the evidence and in the end it allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions. This is what the better documentaries should do, and sadly many lack the sort of even-handed approach that is managed in Jesus Camp. While certainly the film is not great and there are some parts of it that could have been improved or a bit more polished, it is an admirable work and an informative viewing experience.

[align=center]Jesus Camp[/align]



Grade: B

http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Schade ... 009003.php

I've decided I don't like your taste, Jeff. You didn't love Mala, and now I see that grade for V? Eh.

And the phone call took a decidedly hard right onto Awkward Street once you brought up Jesus Camp.

And in the end, La Mala educación succeeds in spite of itself. Despite being a bit on the confusing side and having some plot points that feel so out of place it is ultimately effective film noir. Disappointing that in the hands of such a master of film as Pedro Almodóvar the film ends up as so decidedly average. Not average in the sense that it has been done before, as drag queen femme fatales aren’t exactly average in cinema these days. Rather, it is average in the sense that it feels like it could have been quite a bit better, but it just isn’t.

I've decided I don't like your taste, Jeff. You didn't love Mala, and now I see that grade for V? Eh.

Overall, while the film does run a bit longer and is quite a bit darker then its predecessors, it is nonetheless a very welcome change in style for the three-decade old James Bond franchise. Harkening back to the early years of the franchise the film is well-made, and quite spectacularly entertaining. It will likely be remembered as one of the better entries into the series, and certainly lead to many, many more successful entries into the franchise.

In the end, 300 is little more than a unnecessarily excessive fantasy epic that, while visually exciting, fails to illicit much of an emotional impact, and is as forgettable as they come. It is unfortunate that this is the case, as the potential was certainly there for a much more interesting and satisfying film. At least, for those who do go to see it, it is, at times, entertaining. For those who like a little common-sense and perhaps historical accuracy with their epic films, 300 is definitely not the place to look, for those who can accept a great deal of inaccuracies, odd casting choices and boring political diatribes, then 300 will be a real treat. For most people, it will be yet another forgettable entry into the sword-and-sandal genre.