Melinda and Melinda

Two divergent and competing story lines feature smug, pretentious, rich New Yorkers vs....smug, pretentious, rich New Yorkers. Perhaps that wasn't the wisest choice. But this one has problems from the ground up. The movie presents a concept story, one that may have merit in its own right, but all concepts take place within a context, here that context really works against the tale(s). The Architectural Digest interiors, the profoundly elite lives and professions of the cast, the insular feel of the presented milieu--all are distracting and work to hamper the viewer's appreciation of the philosophical puzzle being put on display. Worse still, the stories have their own share of weaknesses: the dramatic events seems shallow and unimportant, the comedic turn comes across as bland, unfunny and lacking in true wit. Both threads suffer from weak, stilted writing, and feel artificial, flat, and too "inside" to appeal to most viewers. Top it all off with the violently unfunny Will Ferrell pretending to be Woody Allen--a tired act we've seen before, and done better by better actors--and the movie comes up short in every facet. This film would have been an inferior effort from a first timer; from writer/director Allen, it's a disaster.

Syriana

Everybody's guilty. Including you. So seems to be the message of this work. It would be nice if there was story to go along with that sentiment. Remember, kids: a viewpoint does not a narrative make--and you know how I feel about narrative. As it stands, the food for thought goes hand in hand with the muddle of disparate plot threads. They do all weave together eventually, but from a film-making standpoint, clear expression of a central idea is lost (or at least suffers). Overall, a tough call--I know these are issues we should all be interested in, but you need to bring some keen interest and wide-ranging knowledge to play at this table. If you think you've got the intellectual grit for it, dive in. Otherwise, just go with a light comedy.

Something's Gotta Give

The positive review comes largely on the strength of Diane Keaton's energetic performance. She injects such life into her character that it becomes difficult not to be interested in this otherwise slight and predictable story. The biggest quibble: when the happy ending finally comes, you can't help feeling that she wound up with the wrong man. It's a credit to Keaton that you actually care about that.

Identity

Well, that was a trip. A good one, for this type of movie, which is not really my thing. You could argue about certain implausibilities, but then again, the whole thing is implausible; why quibble about the talking bird when the whole sky is filled with pink elephants? The ending is a little weak, but the writing is sharp, the performances are excellent, and it's not too long (a common problem with movies of this ilk). All in all, a good time at the movies.