RED

An enjoyable romp through mayhem with old people. The film is hardly perfect—a-few of the confrontations feature notably absurd actions on the part of the characters involved, which supplements an amount of general, all-purpose absurdity throughout--but the action is well done and makes a certain amount of warped sense in its own context. It is also worth noting that the story deftly plays both sides of the matter of "black ops," celebrating the concept and its enactors while holding a rather jaundiced view of the thing at the same time. If you’re fairly indulgent of flaws, and are OK with not thinking too much, this flick is worth a couple of your idle, mindless entertainment hours.

The Spanish Prisoner

I watched this movie last night. I'm still waiting for it to make its point. Well, that's a little harsh, and it is a David Mamet film, so you know it has its moments, but it takes too long to get going, and it never really clicks. Besides, the clever machinations come across as a little too clever; the plot twists, given a sober view, would require something like prescience to play out. It crosses too far over the belief border.

Heist (2001)

This would probably get a worse rating but for writer-director David Mamet's touch. There's some typically clever Mamet dialogue here, in high enough quantities to crack just enough wise smiles throughout the proceedings. That pushes it over the hump.

State and Main

David Mamet leaves the big city for small town New England but, thankfully, he takes the rapier wit with him. Good, funny work from the ensemble cast, and the script provides just the right mix of cynicism and idealism.

The Winslow Boy

Surprisingly entertaining story about a now obscure case of a young boy's trouble in WWI England, and his family's quest for justice. An interesting look at, among other things, an early example of a mass media-driven public sensation.