Wimbledon

Two and one half stars
Kirsten Dunst, Sam Neil

Tennis never seemed this fun while I was playing it. Of course, I didn't know any Kirsten Dunst's either. The best part of Wimbledon is that it knows what it wants to be and does it well. It is first a Tennis movie, and more so a movie about the grandest of the grand slam's. The romance is secondary and the writers and producers hold true to this formula. Becasue of this, the romance is true and chemistry is good and moreover it doesn't feel contrived because the characters are true. I was almost ready to go for three stars, but Dunst is still learning to work the kinks out of her performace and there are a couple scenes that don't follow the flow or let effects distract from that flow so I withheld a half star.

Mona Lisa Smile

Two Stars
Julia Roberts

I'm not a big fan of the women that star in this movie and I'm not a big fan of the "Prep school professor" genre. This movie however had a little something extra that made it enjoyable. There was a poingiant whit that gave an edge to a story we've seen before, but not through these eyes. It wasn't wonderful, but suprisingly, I enjoyed Mona Lisa Smile.

Out of Time

One Star
Denzel Washington

This movie was more predictable than my daughters cartoons. It had more forced and contrived false suspense than any movie I've seen. It was filled with more inplauseablities than the Michale Jackson trial. This was NOT a good movie. Poor Denzel, he's such a great actor, I guess he needs a new agent.

Ray

2 and one half stars
Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx rightly deserved an Oscar for this portrayal of this music mogul. The movie was fascinating and engaging but not enjoyable. There was no redeaming value to this film. I was rivited to the screen and enthralled with the music but there was no feeling at the conclusion that made me feel like I was glad I watched this movie. I do not advocate a buble gum happy ending - becasue surely this is not a part of Ray Charles later years. I really don't think the movie could have been made any other way but I also can't draw any other outlook on the film I watched. It is what it is and I recomend it.

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

One Star

Oh man, we've got the Three "C's" going on here. Corney, Contrived, Crappy. The first movie wasn't great but it was quaint and it had Julie Andrews. This movie has lots of everything that was bad about the first film and only one thing going for it: Julie Andrews. Even a bad movie gets a star just for having her on the set.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Two Stars

Even for a fun Ben Stiller comedy this movie was lackluster. The story is repetitive to say the least: Stiller plays a wacky, over-the-top character. He has an enemy who is an average joe and comedy ensues. It wasn't enough to keep this story going. There were plenty of great sight gag's, and no one can deny it's funny to watch someone take a hit to the head, but that's really all this movie has going for it. Don't expect much from Dodgeball. Oh, and Thank You, Chuck Norris.

Collateral

Four Stars
Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx

Wow! This movie was more than I expected. It drew me in and wouldn't let go. The resolution was fascinating the execution was smooth and flawless and I loved the charecters at the heart of this movie. I loved that we focus in on Foxx and Cruise and let the chemistry the create move the show along. Both give outstanding performances and I think Foxx deserved to win an Oscar for his rendering of that charater.

The music was haunting, the story was eye opening and the mind bending morality debate was truly inspiring. There were a couple times the cop's side of this movie threatened to runaway but the writers and producers remain true to the heat of the story. Crusie seems to be selecting scripts in a certain vein lately and appreciate his tastes.