Mr. Holmes

Ian McKellen makes a pretty good old Sherlock, so much do that this film makes one wonder what he might have done with the role in his younger days. I doubt he could have unseated the legendary Jeremy Brett, but he could have been at least an adequate substitute. Here he plays the consulting detective in his last days, approaching death and loaded with regrets, and the whole package delivers both the keenness we’ve come to expect from the famous man and a vulnerability that reminds us that even the greatest of humankind are not without their flaws (even if the representation is of a fictional character). Laura Linney as the old Holmes’s housekeeper and Milo Parker as the housekeeper's son and the detective's unlikely compatriot provide quality supporting work. The story delivers the kind of logical flourishes one expects from a tale of Sherlock solving—or in this instance, trying to remember—a long ago case, though given the circumstances of Holmes being in his deep twilight, the plot simply could not include the level of action and danger that were hallmarks of the canon. No matter—you just have to be satisfied with a movie that entertains and intrigues on a quieter, subtler level than the usual. There’s reason enough to stay on the trail of this flick. 

Sully

Reliving one of the most extraordinary events of recent times -- the water landing of US Airways flight 1549 on the Hudson River -- certainly makes for an interesting time at the movies. But that's not all that's going on here; the investigation of the incident, which forms the bulk of the movie's plot, raises the interesting philosophical question about just how much we should rely upon analysis by our computer tools -- especially in light of the fact that, like Captain Sullenberger's skill piloting an aircraft, a computer's knowledge is only as extensive as the human experience of the person who programs it. Perhaps AI will change that equation, but, as this film emphatically makes clear, we're not there yet, and sometimes it's human intuition that must rule the day for everything to work out OK. Tom Hanks gives a solid yet restrained performance in the title role, while Aaron Eckhart gets in most of the good lines as his co-pilot Jeff Skiles; and excellent supporting work is done by everyone portraying the first responders who got out to that plane and drew the dramatic story to its happy ending. Good stuff, important stuff, and worth thinking about long after the film's relatively short running time comes to a close.

The House of Mirth

To call the pace of this movie languid would put an undue strain on the concept of languidity. It really has some trouble holding the attention. And there are too many actors in here--Gillian Anderson, Eric Stoltz, Dan Ackroyd, Anthony LaPaglia--who are too modern in their usual on-screen personae to seem in the proper context in a period piece like this. (They're not bad, in terms of performances; just out of place.) And finally, the gist of the story--obnoxious rich bitch gets her comeuppance--is hardly designed to spark much empathy in today's audience.

The Laramie Project

Gut-wrenching, but, I think, necessary. If for no other reason than to ask once again--in the wake of the Matthew Shepard murder--the question, why does this country (or all of humanity, for that matter) have to be like this? Maybe watching movies like this could help some people find some meaningful answers.

The Mothman Prophecies

It tries a little too hard to engage the viewer. The movie's a bit creepy, but nothing you can't handle. See it if you have the time. Posted .

You Can Count On Me

It has its moments, but most of it is fairly obvious. Laura Linney (Oscar-nominated) is good, but Mark Ruffalo is better. A "not quite" movie.