The Science of Sleep

A film’s visual design is usually developed in accordance with what the story demands. It is a concept that director Michel Gondry clearly enjoys reversing. A veteran of the music video world, Gondry is always focused on the visual scheme of his projects, and his stories are structured in such a way as to accommodate this scheme. This would not be a problem if the screenplay were exceptionally well written, as was the case with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which Gondry directed from Charlie Kaufman’s script). However, The Science of Sleep does not possess such a screenplay. The story concerns a shy calendar artist named Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal), who has a curious knack for controlling his own dreams. As he sleeps, he has no trouble breaking them down in a rather pragmatic fashion. The problem is that when he awakens, he has a hard time returning back to reality. How much of his dream world has spilled over into his real world, and vice versa? A woman named Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg) has recently moved in next door and Stephane shows no initial interest in her; however, when he finds that he is falling for her within his dreams, he naturally follows suit in real life. It’s a nice premise, and the actors are certainly charming enough to hold your interest. The problem is that the film forces the viewer to journey throughout its many random scenes, most of which are void of any cohesion. No doubt this is meant as an attempt to project a dreamlike quality, but all it really does is add to the emptiness of the picture. The style might work for a dream, but it renders a movie somewhat dissatisfying. The acting and the visuals still make it worth watching, but in the end, the best compliment to give this film would be to call it “interesting.”

Directed by Michel Gondry.
Written by Michel Gondry.
Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alain Chabat, Miou-Miou and Emma de Caunes.

Rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity. 105 min.

*** so says The Fish

Marie Antoinette

Sofia Coppola’s third feature is filled with the same fleeting imagery and wistful attitude that characterized her two previous films (those being The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation). It is a wonderfully breezy style that beautifully suits the material. Marie Antoinette, a young Austrian royal, is wedded to Louis XVI of France as a means of allying their two nations. The problem is that the new couple knows next to nothing about ruling a nation, nor due they show any interest to do so. Kirsten Dunst is marvelously ditzy as the title character, and Jason Schwartzman plays her socially awkward husband to perfection. They are not actors that immediately scream “Period Piece;” in fact, Dunst seems more like a Generation X valley girl in possession of her parents’ credit card than she does an actual historical figure. The parallel that Coppola is making is fairly obvious, especially considering that she has permeated the film with various modern pop songs. When all is said and done, the legendary French Queen is not much different from your typically spoiled prom queen. The film is stitched together by a thin thread of superficiality, and never amounts to anything resembling much depth, but this, after all, is the whole point. Marie Antoinette was so engrossed in the material privileges at her fingertips that she completely forgot there was an entire world out there. Unfortunately, this film probably paints a truer portrait of Royal life than we would like to admit. An exceptionally original take on a well-known story.

Directed by Sofia Coppola.
Written by Sofia Coppola.
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Rose Byrne, Molly Shannon, Asia Argento, Danny Huston and Steve Coogan.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, partial nudity and innuendo. 123 min.

****½ so says The Fish

Flags of Our Fathers

“A picture speaks a thousand words.” This expression sums up the central theme of Flags of Our Fathers, director Clint Eastwood’s take on the battle of Iwo Jima and its effect on three of its participants. John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and Ira Hayes (Adam Beach) were forever immortalized by the legendary photograph showing the flag raising on Suribachi Hill. The film is less about the actual battle than it is about this photograph and the cross country tour made by the three surviving soldiers who appeared in it (there were originally six). Touted by the media as “war heroes,” the three men encouraged citizens to buy war bonds and tried to improve morale on the home front; however, this government sponsored publicity stunt has a very different effect on each of them. Gagnon, who did very little in the actual battle, seizes the opportunity and enjoys his new found celebrity status to the fullest. Hayes, a Native American, believes the whole thing is a farce and drowns his sorrows in alcohol. Bradley is the moral center of the film, and it is his son who is piecing the story together through interviews with other Iwo Jima survivors. The film is well done in many respects. It has a wonderfully subdued look, the non-linear editing works very effectively, and the acting (particularly by Phillippe and Beach) is superb. Unfortunately, it lags tremendously in the final half-hour, becoming overly sentimental and spending too much time telling us what happens to each of the characters. A few lines of text before the end credits would have sufficed. Nonetheless, Eastwood appears to be on a roll, and this movie certainly wets the appetite for his next film Letters from Iwo Jima—due out in February—which details the same battle, only from the Japanese perspective.

Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Written by William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis.
Starring Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, John Benjamin Hickey, John Slattery, Barry Pepper, Jaime Bell and Paul Walker.

Rated R for sequences of graphic war violence and carnage, and for language. 137 min.

***½ so says The Fish

The Prestige

“Are you watching closely?” The Prestige opens with these words, and the viewer would be wise to pay them heed. Director Christopher Nolan, using much of the cast and crew of his previous film Batman Begins, reverts back to the jigsaw-puzzle narrative structure that made his first feature Memento such a success. And it’s a whopper of a puzzle! Unlike The Illusionist (that other 19th century magician film that was released earlier this year), which had a relatively straightforward romantic storyline, The Prestige is a film that actually exercises your brain cells. The plot centers on two magicians—Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale)—who start out as friendly rivals. This friendship is buried in the aftermath of a tragic accident, immediately turning the men against each other. Before long, they are immersed in a prolonged duel of which neither can see the end, and of which the consequences are terrible. The acting is superb all across the board. Jackman, playing the more obsessive magician, gives his best performance to date, and Bale is top-notch as always. Of course, it’s hard to say much more without ruining the plot, but I will point out that the lucky few who happen to solve the puzzle early on will enjoy the film a great deal more. If the ending takes you by surprise, then the overall film would undoubtedly be very confusing. Such a circumstance requires that you watch it a second time—only more closely—to be satisfied.

Directed by Christopher Nolan.
Written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan.
Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, David Bowie and Andy Serkis.

Rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing images. 135 min.

****½ so says The Fish

Little Children

Director Todd Field, who received much deserved acclaim for his first feature In the Bedroom in 2001, once again proves his talent with this dark suburban tale based on Tom Perrotta’s novel. Kate Winslet stars as Sarah, a disenchanted wife and mother who has settled comfortably into the emptiness of her life, until she meets Brad (Patrick Wilson), a handsome stay-at-home father whose life eerily mirrors her own. Although Brad is married to the beautiful Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), he finds his life to be less than engaging and seeks solace in the company of Sarah. This all coincides with a recently released pedophile (Jackie Earle Haley) moving into the neighbourhood, and despite his desire to be left alone, the local residents won’t let that happen. Fans of American Beauty will find much to enjoy in this similarly themed film, but that’s not necessarily a compliment. Although it is beautifully shot and edited—and includes one of the best voiceover narrations in recent film memory—it is ultimately a lesser achievement than Field’s In the Bedroom. We want these people to find redemption in the end, knowing full well that it isn’t possible. This angle can be emotionally effective in some cases, but Little Children, as a narrative, seems very detached from its characters. As such, the viewer remains indifferent to the fact that they are all digging their own graves. That said, the film does feature several masterful performances, particularly from Winslet and Connelly, and makes one very eager to see what Mr. Field has up his sleeve next.

Directed by Todd Field.
Written by Todd Field and Tom Perrotta.
Starring Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson, Noah Emmerich, Jackie Earle Haley and Phyllis Somerville.

Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, language and some disturbing content. 130 min.

***½ so says The Fish

The Queen

This impressive character study from director Stephen Frears shows us how the relationship between HM Queen Elizabeth II and newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair first began, and how both individuals were tested in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death. As the nation mourns its loss, the citizens criticize the Royal Family for their lack of compassion and apparent indifference to the tragedy. Blair, who disapproves of how the Queen is handling the situation, finds his popularity beginning to soar. His modern approach befuddles the Queen, who tries as hard as she can to adhere to her traditional ways. In the title role, Helen Mirren is absolutely sensational. Although she is made to look uncannily like the real Queen Elizabeth II, her performance transcends a merely well-done imitation. She breathes poignancy into the role and conveys great depths of emotion through even the smallest hand gestures. Also excellent is Michael Sheen, who gives Tony Blair a rather endearing quality, despite his failure to understand why the Queen will not be more open in her grief for the sake of the public. The film illustrates how such a brief period in history was akin to a bridge, linking the England of yesterday with the one we know today. A handsome production all around.

Directed by Stephen Frears.
Written by Peter Morgan.
Starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Alex Jennings, Helen McCrory and Roger Allam.

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. 97 min.

****½ so says The Fish

The Last King of Scotland

Inspired by true events, The Last King of Scotland paints a vivid and horrifying portrait of former Ugandan president Idi Amin, as seen through the eyes of his personal physician. James McAvoy stars as Nicholas Garrigan, a recently graduated Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda with the intention of making a difference for the rural population. He is not there long before he encounters Amin, a commanding military figure who has recently acquired control of the nation. Seduced by Amin’s charms, Garrigan agrees to move to the capital where he quickly gains the president’s confidence. Only later does he begin to realize the incredible mistake he has made, and that he is drastically in over his head. As Amin, Forrest Whittaker is a revelation, giving what is unquestionably the best performance of his career. Playing each scene with a ferocious intensity, he evolves the character from a charming leader, full of smiles, to an utterly terrifying psychopath by the film’s end. His eyes have a riveting quality of keeping you perched on the edge of your seat, giving no indication of whether he is about to kill someone or simply bear his teeth into a grin. Documentary veteran Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September, Touching the Void) makes a spectacular narrative debut with this brutal picture; however, it is Whittaker that will linger in your mind long after the credits role.

Directed by Kevin Macdonald.
Written by Jeremy Brock, Peter Morgan and Joe Penhall.
Starring Forrest Whittaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington and Gillian Anderson.

Rated R for some strong violence and gruesome images, sexual content and language. 123 min.

****½ so says The Fish

The Departed

Director Martin Scorsese, absent from the crime genre for more than a decade, makes a glorious return with this gritty, urban thriller about two undercover moles. Leonardo DiCaprio is the young cop who has infiltrated an Irish mob organization, and Matt Damon is his criminal counterpart who gradually climbs the career ladder of the Boston police department. As they struggle to maintain their cover, the two men frantically race to reveal each other’s true identity. The complicated premise is lifted from the 2002 Hong Kong sensation Infernal Affairs and, in many ways, follows the pattern of a modern day Shakespearean tragedy. The cast is absolutely superb. DiCaprio quickly gains your sympathies, despite a frenzied and violent performance; Damon is appropriately cold and uncompromising; Jack Nicholson, as the crime lord who hovers above everyone, is wonderfully over-the-top and unpredictable; and Mark Wahlberg steals every single scene in which he appears. After the disappointing Gangs of New York and the moderately successful The Aviator, it’s great to see Scorsese knock another one clean outside of the park. The Departed ranks high in the crime genre, and will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.

Directed by Martin Scorsese.
Written by William Monahan.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Ray Winstone and Alec Baldwin.

Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some strong sexual content and drug material. 149 min.

***** so says The Fish

Crank

This kinetically charged, ultra-violent, adrenaline rush of a picture begins with a rapid intensity and doesn’t let up until the final frame has passed. It boasts yet another cool-as-nails performance from Jason Statham, a veteran of Guy Ritchie movies and a proven action star from the Transporter films. Statham plays Chev Chelios, a hitman who awakens in his own home only to discover that he has been injected with a rare poison that will kill him in an hour’s time. Chelios learns from his doctor that as long as his heart doesn’t slow down, he might be able to delay his death long enough to get revenge on the idiots responsible. Thus begins an unrelenting chase in which our hero does every ridiculous thing possible in order to keep his energy moving at lightening speed. Granted, the premise was probably concocted by the filmmakers as a way to cram as much action into 90 minutes as is humanly possible—and the hyper pace certainly never gives the audience time to realize that the movie doesn’t really have much of a plot and acts more as a gimmick—but kudos to everyone involved for playing this baby for laughs. The film never holds back and it is for this reason, its embracement of utter absurdity, which prevents it from being a complete waste of time.

Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.
Written by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.
Starring Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo and Dwight Yoakam.

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexuality, nudity and drug use. 87 min.

**½ so says The Fish

All the King's Men

The second film to be based on Robert Penn Warren’s political novel—the first won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1949—is a complete mess from start to finish. Considering the talent involved with this production, it’s amazing how inconsistent the quality is in almost every department, from the acting to the writing. Director Steven Zaillian, who won an Oscar for penning Schindler’s List and is himself a competent filmmaker (A Civil Action, Searching for Bobby Fischer), seems to be completely bored with the story. His lack of passion for the material certainly shows on screen and it’s a shame in view of the stellar cast that he has assembled. To be fair, there are several moments that work quite well, even beautifully in a few cases. But they are lost amidst an ocean of scenes that are strung together in the shoddiest manner, dispelling any semblance of cohesion or focus. Midway through the film, one cannot help but ask, “What is going on, and do I really care?” The acting vacillates from good (Hopkins, Ruffalo and Penn in some instances) to downright laughable (Gandolfini, Winslet and Penn in other instances). Most of the film relies on the typically reliable Jude Law who, like Zaillian, seems to have decided to sleepwalk through this one.

Directed by Steven Zaillian.
Written by Steven Zaillian.
Starring Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson and Anthony Hopkins.

Rated PG-13 for an intense sequence of violence, sexual content and partial nudity. 141 min.

** so says The Fish

Little Miss Sunshine

This quirky comedy from first-time film directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris is one of the most welcome surprises of the year. The story is nothing new: a dysfunctional family take a road trip where they start off all hating each other, but by the end learn to become better people. The destination in this case is the “Little Miss Sunshine Pageant,” and the Hoover family has precious little time to rush daughter Olive to Redondo Beach, CA so that she can compete. What sets this film apart from other road trip comedies is the intelligence of Michael Arndt’s script and the pitch perfect performances from all of the actors involved. On page, the dialogue and actions of these characters may have seemed almost implausibly bizarre, but the actors inhabit their roles with such earnestness that it’s hard not to get swept up in their wacky journey without rooting for them every step of the way. It’s been a while since a film has made me laugh out loud as much as this one has.

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.
Written by Michael Arndt.
Starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin.

Rated R for language, some sex and drug content. 101 min.

**** so says The Fish

Jet Li's Fearless

This movie is being promoted as Jet Li’s final martial arts picture, and while it’s certainly not as good as the actor’s more famous films—such as Hero, Fist of Legend, or Once Upon a Time in China—it is definitely a worthy film with which to cap out the genre. Li stars as Huo Yuanjia, a wushu master that has excelled in combat for so many years that he has nobody left to defeat. Arrogant and filled with emotion, he soon develops a following of disciples from around the city. A mistake by one of them leads our hero to commit an act of violence that has dire consequences. Stripped of everything he holds dear, he wanders out into the country and spends the next several years trying to slow down his life. This is where Fearless departs from many of Jet Li’s other films. It has lengthy moments of silence and calm, during which our hero attempts to reorient himself. Needless to say, he returns home a changed man, and perhaps even stronger than before. The themes that the film deals with are very simple, but they’re the right themes. This, coupled with the amazing fight sequences, is enough to recommend it.

Directed by Ronny Yu.
Written by Chris Chow.
Starring Jet Li, Shido Nakamura, Sun Li and Collin Chou.

Rated PG-13 for violence and martial arts action throughout. 103 min.

***½ so says The Fish

World Trade Center

The second film this year to chronicle events that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center is really a tribute to the firemen and police officers who risked their lives by running into those towers to help the people still inside. Port Authority officers John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno were trapped under the rubble for days after the collapse and were two of the last people to be pulled out. As they waited helplessly for any sign of a rescue party, their wives waited fearfully for word on whether or not they were still alive. Earlier this year, Paul Greengrass’ United 93 followed many characters during the attack—both on the ground and in the air—and employed the energetic use of hand-held cameras. With World Trade Center, director Oliver Stone does just the opposite. Like a classic Hollywood filmmaker, he uses broad strokes on a big canvas; however, the story he is telling is intimate. Ultimately, it’s about two men trying to stay alive so that they might see their families again. Whereas United 93 realistically placed us back into the chaos of that day, World Trade Center seems more like a reminder of the heroism that those horrific events brought out. It's not nearly as engaging or interesting, but it's still a decent enough picture.

Directed by Oliver Stone.
Written by Andrea Berloff.
Starring Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, Stephen Dorff and Jay Hernandez.

Rated PG-13 for intense and emotional content, some disturbing images and language. 129 min.

*** so says The Fish

Half Nelson

A teacher can possess a vast amount of knowledge and can even inspire students to shape their lives into something meaningful. That, at least, is what Dan Dunne tries to do when he is not drugged up and lying on the bathroom floor. Ryan Gosling, in an emotionally raw and shattering performance, plays Dunne as a man thoroughly conscious of how the world operates and has nothing but the greatest hopes for those around him. Unfortunately, his good intentions are offset by his utter disregard for his personal life. Shareeka Epps is wonderful as the understanding student who befriends Dunne when he is at his lowest state. Shot almost entirely hand-held, first-time director Ryan Fleck shows amazing control with the camera, and is also able to bring out some incredibly real performances from his actors. At times, it’s very easy to forget that this is all a movie.

Directed by Ryan Fleck.
Written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.
Starring Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps and Anthony Mackie.

Rated R for drug content throughout, language and some sexuality. 106 min.

**** so says The Fish

Hollywoodland

Struggling actor George Reeves found nationwide fame after accepting the role of TV’s Superman on what he assumed would be a seldom-watched children’s serial. It turned out to be a role he would live in the shadow of for the rest of his shortly lived life. Adrien Brody stars as private eye Louis Simo, hired by Reeves’ mother to find out the truth about the actor’s death, which occurs under mysterious circumstances. His story is paralleled alongside Reeves’ own story, in which the actor is played in flashbacks by Ben Affleck. Initially it seems like first-time movie director Allen Coulter has interlocked two completely different films together, as the Reeves and Simo storylines never actually meet, but this turns out to work quite well. Brody is very good and Affleck is excellent, but for some reason the investigative half of the picture is never as interesting as Reeves’s own rise and fall within the industry. The choice to include Brody’s character is curious as Simo doesn’t really achieve anything for all his efforts. Nevertheless, it is an interesting angle with which to approach the subject, and ultimately a well made movie in every respect.

Directed by Allen Coulter.
Written by Paul Bernbaum.
Starring Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck, Robin Tunney and Bob Hoskins.

Rated R for language, some violence and sexual content. 126 min.

***½ so says The Fish

The Black Dahlia

Based on James Ellroy’s darkest and most famous crime novel, which was itself based in part on the real-life murder of would-be actress Elizabeth Short, The Black Dahlia seems like grade-A source material for a modern film noir, and those who have read the book will undoubtedly leave the theatre with one thought on their minds: “How did they mess that up?” Brian De Palma, a director who has been consistently hit or miss in the past, misses enormously with this tonally erratic and perplexing adaptation that succeeds in nothing but confounding the viewer. Josh Hartnett is miscast as the uncompromising Det. Bucky Bleichert, and Aaron Eckhart is almost one-dimensional as his tough-as-nails partner Lee Blanchard. These two men, who enjoyed a friendly pugilistic rivalry during their early days on the force, soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery that drags them from the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles to the elite social hierarchy of Hollywood. There are several moments along the way that work quite well, but the muddled final act is almost laughable.

Directed by Brian De Palma.
Written by Josh Friedman.
Starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hillary Swank and Mia Kirshner.

Rated R for strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and language. 121 min.

** so says The Fish

The Illusionist

Strong acting and a superb production design help out this somewhat confusing tale of a magician who becomes a sensation in 19^th century Vienna. The always reliable Edward Norton plays Eisenheim the Illusionist, a seemingly authentic man of magic who captures the attention of the masses, in addition to the law—in the form of a bearded Paul Giamatti—and certain members of the Royal Family, namely one Prince Leopold (played with wicked relish by the underrated Rufus Sewell). Jessica Biel gives a surprisingly good performance as the long, lost love of Eisenheim’s past, now thrust suddenly back into his life as the soon-to-be bride of the nefarious Prince. Director Neil Burger does good job of reeling in the viewer’s attention, particularly when it comes to the entrancing scenes of magic; however, there is too much that is left unexplained by the end of the movie and this causes more than a moment’s frustration.

Directed by Neil Burger.
Written by Neil Burger.
Starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel and Rufus Sewell.

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and violence. 110 min.

*** so says The Fish

The Wicker Man

Robin Hardy’s cult-classic horror film, considered a masterpiece of the genre in many circles, gets a poor update in this thriller from director Neil LaBute. A rather gaunt Nicolas Cage plays Edward Malus, a policeman who is called to the mysterious island of Summersisle by his former fiancé to locate the woman’s missing daughter. Of course, things turn creepy fairly quickly, and Malus soon discovers that the island’s inhabitants have established themselves as a matriarchal society of pagans who routinely hold ritual sacrifices. Where the film fails is in its direction, and LaBute proves that he knows little about making a horror film and should probably stick with character dramas. Audiences might find themselves yelling at the screen at various points—not because of any sudden danger that might be descending upon Malus, but rather because of the utterly ridiculous situations in which he finds himself. Even if the brilliant original did not exist for us to make a comparison, this film would still have little to offer. Unfortunately for LaBute, we can make the comparison.

Directed by Neil LaBute.
Written by Neil LaBute.
Starring Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Kate Beahan, Frances Conroy, Molly Parker and Leelee Sobieski.

Rated PG-13 for disturbing images and violence, language and thematic issues. 102 min.

** so says The Fish

The Da Vinci Code

The worldwide phenomenon that is Dan Brown’s bestselling novel makes its inevitable journey to the big screen and the result is, sadly, disappointing. Director Ron Howard has the right eye for the material, but Akiva Goldsman’s screenplay tries too hard to cram in every cryptographic element and unnecessary twist that made the book so engrossing and it really ends up hampering the movie. Absolutely no time or space is given for the actors to breathe, let alone establish their characters. Tom Hanks, who does give a fine performance, is still grossly miscast as Robert Langdon, the Jack Ryan of cryptology; Paul Bettany’s villainous albino is way over-the-top; and Audrey Tautou’s heroine—so crucial in Brown’s book—is here unfairly whittled down to someone who has no other purpose than to ask “What is this?” or “How is that possible?” Ian McKellan succeeds the most in holding our attention, but in the end, it’s not enough to save what should have been a much better film.

Directed by Ron Howard.
Written by Akiva Goldsman.
Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellan, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina and Jean Reno.

Rated PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content. 149 min.

**½ so says The Fish

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Johnny Depp returns to his Oscar nominated role of Captain Jack Sparrow, the most amusing buccaneer to have ever sailed the high seas. To be honest, director Gore Verbinski and writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio have changed very little of the formula that made their first outing such a success, but who cares? It worked then, and it works now. Granted, there are a few flaws: the film is soaked with so many effects shots that it seems like these kids were given a little too much of a budget with which to play; Bill Nighy’s Davy Jones, while visually engaging, lacks the humor and charisma of Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Barbossa; and like the first Pirates, this one runs about half an hour too long. But in the end, all it really means is that it may be too much of a good thing, so why complain?

Directed by Gore Verbinski.
Written by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio.
Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard, Jack Davenport and Bill Nighy.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of adventure violence, including frightening images. 150 min.

***½ so says The Fish

Superman Returns

The Man of Steel is finally back after a 20 year hiatus through the efforts of former X-Men helmer Bryan Singer. The result is good, but not as good as such a long wait warrants. While the visuals Singer’s team have come up with are top-notch, the storyline is less-than-riveting, which is odd considering the film was edited in a manner of months, yet languished in script development for over 10 years. One would think all the kinks had been ironed out. In addition, Kevin Spacey seems more like Gene Hackman’s meaner cousin than the diabolical Lex Luthor fans have been anticipating. In the end however, the film rests on the shoulders of its star, and thankfully newcomer Brandon Routh is perfect in the dual role of Supes and Clark Kent. Any shortcomings the film might have are almost all but forgotten due to him. Almost.

Directed by Bryan Singer.
Written by Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris.
Starring Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Parker Posey and Kevin Spacey.

Rated PG-13 for some intense action violence. 154 min.

*** so says The Fish