The Ice Storm

A film with a measured pace, to say the least. Makes you want to scream at the screen, "Somebody please do something!" And really, who gives a shit about suburban angst in the '70's anyway?

Life of Pi

That PURR is slightly more tenuous than I would have suspected, given this movie’s source material and the high esteem granted to both the book and this film itself by many readers and viewers. The storytelling is not a problem here; in fact, the actual storytelling part of the film, personified by the performance of Irrfan Khan, is one of the best parts of the movie. But the weaknesses of the source story are magnified in this version, and much of what comes across as interesting, even arresting, in the book can seem a little silly when viewed on a big screen. I guess this film is worth seeing for the technical marvels that were achieved, and the actual story is not so much a dumpster fire as it is a near miss--or, perhaps, it is more like a circus trick that almost succeeds.

Brokeback Mountain

This movie is totally gay! There, I said it. Of course, it's got lots of gorgeous scenery, beautifully filmed, and you even get to see Anne Hathaway's tits, so what's not to love? Oh, right--the ass pounding. Well, setting aside orientation questions, the film itself has a solid story at its kernel, but feels a little stretched out, possibly an attempt to be "epic." That, plus the slowed down pace, can make this one tough to stay with, though the fine performances of the leads (Ledger and Gyllenhaal) as the conflicted cowboys are themselves worth watching. Probably worth your time, unless you really don't like gay cowboy movies.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Some of the "flying" action almost ruins it--it comes across as a little too stylized--but the story is good enough to redeem that flaw. And the scene where the girl busts up the tea house is worth the price of admission alone.