Pollock

I'm not big on drunks. Nor have I found much appeal in Pollock's paintings (or any Abstract Expressionism, for that matter). And I really don't like ponderous, clumsy screenplays. And I especially don't like assholes. In addition to being "Jack the Dripper," Pollock was, apparently, a mean drinker and a world-class orifice. I think you see where I'm going with this. Ed Harris's heart was in the right place here, but the presentation of Pollock's life is too choppy (one minute in the harrowing depths of boozing, the next up and taking the art world by storm), and the man has limited appeal due to his mountain of personal faults. A noble but failed experiment.

Mystic River

Taken solely for its content--a smart and well-drawn yet ultimately standard story--this movie would not be particularly special. But the cast is so talented, and their performances so professional and dead on, that their work raises this film to a higher level. Watch it and wish that you could do your job so well.

Space Cowboys

I guess it's OK if the geezers get to go for a ride once in a while. It's all very predictable, but Eastwood, Jones, Garner, and Sutherland deliver performances you expect from seasoned professionals. If you've got nothing else to do, you could sit down and watch this one and not feel like the time's been wasted.

Meet Joe Black

Unlike everyone else, apparently, I did not hate this movie. It's not wonderful, and it's a little too long, but it has appealing actors and a decent story. You could do worse (and many have).