Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal is really good in this movie. In fact, he's so good that his performance almost undermines the premise of the plot; if his Louis Bloom were as sharp and focused as he is made out to be as he descends into the TV news underworld, he never would have been the loser whose desperation drives him to his success in the first place. Leaving aside that plot Escher knot, this is an absorbing piece of filmmaking, with just enough mixture of action and social commentary to give the viewer a lot to think about and feel at the same time. Definitely worth a look.

Thor: The Dark World

Total bubble-gum fluff entertainment. So this is a negative review? Absolutely not. I’m simply acknowledging that this movie aims to be nothing more than a crowd-pleasing diversion, without pretensions of being anything important or significant. And it succeeds. The viewer doesn’t need to think any big thoughts, can let the hokum just pass by without comment, and can enjoy the entertaining visuals and the work by a cast of actors who are clearly having a very good time. More films should be so self-aware; sometimes, mere fun itself can be a lofty goal--and that’s what you get here. Enjoy.

The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle

So-so update on the classic, "Best Of All" television series. The puns are groaners--naturally--and Robert De Niro is a hoot as the original Fearless Leader. The rest of the cast is just OK, and the story and animation are nothing special.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

A good time is had by most. Pierce Brosnan practically ODs on suavity, Rene Russo gets a little too wild, and Denis Leary provides the stable base. It's not particularly meaningful, but it's well done and entertaining.