Guru

Summary: An ambitious school master's son Gurukant Desai 30(Abhishek Bachchan) ignores his father's advice and leaves his village to find success in Turkey and then a business empire. He marries Sujata Desi (Aishwarya Rai) 33 and forges and empire as he clashes with another fatherly figure in Manik (Mithun Chakraborty) despite being close to his granddaughter, Meenu (Vidya Balan). The price of financial success and the battle for continued success forces Guru to fight.

Review: The movie really did captivate me and Bachchan was very charismatic along with the beauty of his real life wife as well, Aishwarya Rai. The two obviously had chemistry and I thought he was a real serious actor as he did gain a significant amount of weight to play the businessman. The relationships between all the members in the movie seemed very genuine. As always, I'm a sucker for the musical scenes in the movie and love the way the dances were choreographed as it seems so playful. The music was soothing even though I have no idea what they're saying. The movie did shorten itself in many ways and the plot was a bit convoluted at times as they cut out key scenes and had a lot of unresolved stories and deus ex machina. The film itself was shot very well and I thought the makeup to show the age of the acting cast was decent.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: What is friendship? How much can sheer will and determination drive a man to accomplish? What is the price of monetary success? Why do people like to run away from their village into the world so much as evidenced by both Guru and his wife who tried to elope at first instead of staying in the village.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 In many ways, this movie reminded me of Raajneeti. It was entertaining and said to have been based on a business tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani whose sons Muskesh and Anil have inherited the Reliance empire. The film was a solid watch, but I'm a sucker for Bollywood films.

Favorite Quotes: Sujatha: [Sujata suddenly insists on coming with Gurukant just before his train leaves]
Gurukant Desai: But you don't have any luggage!
Sujatha: [indignant] Can't you buy me a few saris?

K R Menon I.A.S: What was your name again?
Gurukant Desai: Not was. Is. And will always remain. Gurukant Desai.

Gurukant Desai: There is a saying in our village: "If people say bad things about you, you must be doing something good."

Gurukant Desai: If you don't dream, you will be stuck to your village all your life.

Gurukant Desai: What's wrong with dreaming big?

father-in-law: "What does your father say?"
Gurukant Desai: "That I will be ruined."
father-in-law: "Then you know you will succeed."

Gurukant Desai: "Just because you failed, doesn't mean I can pass."

Happy Endings

Summary: The randomness of life and love is seen as a gay couple's friendship with another gay couple could be threatened with paternity of a son, a father and his son are seeing the same woman, and a woman who works at an abortion clinic as a counselor has to come to grips with giving her own son up for adoption 18 years ago.

Review: The movie had a very interesting way of telling the story with narration popping up on half the screen many times. Lisa Kudrow gives one of the better performances I've seen her give in a movie. The storyline surprisingly converged and was a quality plot in the end.The music in the movie was of great quality.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: How do adopted kids feel about their biological parents? Nature vs nurture is prominent as several characters are gay and several others are also adopted.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 It was surprisingly a great watch. I had no idea what to expect from the film and it was novel enough with how it was filmed. It was a solid movie that made use of the talents of the cast rather than any special effects, but the music was fantastic.

Barney's Version

Summary: Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) is a Jewish Canadian tv producer who flashes back in time to his three marriages. In each marriage it's shown how one man has the time of his life with friends while finding the woman who will have his children. The key moment in the film was probably a single card from a wedding that a friend kindly sniped to give Panofsky the best gift of his life, but he had to earn it.

Review: This movie was a great watch and it was a well made film in all aspects. The music was nice with jazz thrown in too. Paul Giamatti is a great actor and finally gets another chance to be the main leading man. I once had a professor comment how he's Hollywood's best supporting actor, but his talent really shown as the numero uno honcho in this movie. It was a touching movie as it details a man's life, but I have to wonder how serious were all the romances. They all seemed so magical in the moment and Panofsky wasn't portrayed as a "hunk." It had plenty of humor especially with the father, Izzy, played by Dustin Hoffman. The wives, Clara Charnofsky, 2nd Mrs. Panofsky, and Miriam Grant were played by Rachelle Lefevre, Minnie Driver, and Rosamund Pike to perfection by each of the traits of the specific wife. Rosamund Pike looks excellent, but it's surprising that she's only 32, but in this movie and The Surrogates, she plays a role that has her appear very aged.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Can a normal man find love without the wealth of Barney Panofsky? Time really does await no man and it hurts even more when the memories fade from within. When is it considered a betrayal of friendship? Sex vs. Love

Power Rating (Out of 5): 5 This was a movie that really fit the comedy-drama label as it was hilarious in its lighter moments, and a tear inducing drama in its more serious moments. It was one of the better movies I've seen in this genre, even though when this genre is good, the films tend to be excellent. It was well executed and left me satisfied yet sad that it was such a box office failure.

Favorite Quotes: "Did you wash it with soap?"

Barney Panofsky: So you fucked her?
Boogie: It was the only thing that would shut her up.

Barney Panofsky: Should I sleep on the sofa?
Miriam: Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You're not sleeping on the sofa, we don't sleep apart. Good night.

Miriam: We can be friends now, can't we?
Barney Panofsky: No. We can't.
Miriam: I'm here for you if you'll let me. We had a beautiful marriage, but it's over. I want you to be at peace with that.
Barney Panofsky: Have I ever given up when it comes to you?
Miriam: Never.
Barney Panofsky: So what makes you think I would start now?

Limitless

Summary: Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is having problems with his life: girlfriend, career, and sense of direction in life. He is wandering when he bumps into his ex-wife's brother who is a drug dealer. The brother offers him a pill and knowing that Morra was an ex-addict who had his life destroyed. The mysterious pill eventually gets taken by Morra and he discovers its benefits. The brother is murdered when Morra tries to get more and a journey to achieving past his former limits begin as his intellectual powers, motivation and accomplishments are increased vastly. He soon meets with a business tycoon, Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) and the stakes are raised. The price is soon realized though as the drug's effect progresses.

Review: The movie was a science fiction film, but somehow it seemed a little too light to offer any lessons for the future. That in itself isn't a bad thing as the movie was a very enjoyable watch after the initial 15 minutes. It was a bit cliche with the stock trading after gaining super-abilities though. Bradley Cooper did impress me in his role in this movie as he is usually just the heartthrob eye candy for the females, but he really shined in this role. De Niro is getting old, and I was a bit disappointed in his performance as I felt it was lacking the passion his other roles usually have. I enjoyed the shots of New York and the music.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is it every okay to take a drug to enhance your abilities like steroids? Do we underachieve and really not reach our potential? What motivates me to keep driving? How do drugs affect change in people?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 The movie was well made and the plot was a decent watch. It seemed serious, but the mood was pretty light thanks to Cooper's personality. The plot was a bit tacky at times and the ending was too happily ever after for me. The movie did leave several issues unresolved and in general some of the premise was just too absurd and in-congruent.

Middle Men

Summary: Jack Harris (Luke Wilson) is a negotiator who happens to be in the right position to broker a deal with two idiot pals (Gabriel Macht and Giovanni Ribisi) as the duo are in over their heads despite a fantastic idea in processing internet transactions like porn. Things soon change as the lifestyle consumes the former family man Jack Harris and his actions have consequences.

Review: Luke Wilson just isn't quite as strong as a leading man as some other actors when it comes to a drama. He lacks the charisma of his older brother Owen and seems best for comedy roles and an older version of Michael Cera. James Caan and Rade Serbedzija played the shady figures very well. Giovanni Ribisi played half the erratic duo and was the only great acting job in the film. Gabriel Macht, who played the other half was decent, but Ribisi was movie's bright spot. Jacinda Barrett plays a lovely wife well and Laura Ramsey was attractive, but her role as a seducer is questioned as it's said in words, but not shown with actions. The storyline was an intriguing one and seems to be based on Christopher Mallick and epassporte fraud. The filming wasn't terrible, and there were plenty of lighter moments in the film, but Luke Wilson's leading ability has to be questioned as this movie fails to captivate. It did have an interesting narrative style though with a lot of breaking of the fourth wall by Wilson.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Do we get corrupted by external influences eventually? Be careful who you surround yourself with. Does this story resemble some of the things that went on with online poker companies and their transactions?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2 I can definitely see how this movie bombed at the box office pulling in 750k while having a budget of 20 million dollars. Maybe there was a financial engineering in those numbers, but the movie should have had great potential. The plot was decent, but it was executed so poorly that I had moments where I didn't want to finish the movie. I don't know how they turned such a story into such a boring and mundane product.

The Motorcycle Diaries

Summary: This movie is based on the 1952 trek that is recorded in memoirs by a young Che Guevara undertaken with his friend Alberto Granado. They eventually start from Argentina, travel through Chile, Peru, Columbia and separate as Granado stays behind in Venezuela and Che continues his journey. It provides insights into the development of a young Guevara and the different paths of two young men in a very romantic light.

Review: The movie was well filmed, had a captivating storyline, and had tons of big ideas. I also am very fond of the Latina women they encounter such as Mia Maestro. The movie had a nice mix of lighter moments of courting various women while the seriousness of encountering actual migrant workers in mines who couldn't understand why they traveled. Gael Garcia Bernal as Che and Rodrigo de la Serna as Alberto Granado had great chemistry and played the role of friends who disagreed at times, but were brothers very well. I really enjoyed it and it just proves my previous post's point of polarized views when it comes to foreign films. I was rationalizing as I suspected in the previous post because I knew next to nothing about Che besides the fact he was a Communist revolutionary who the CIA hated and young American youths today idealize for perhaps the wrong reasons.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: Travel/young men getting a goal/equality/ideals
It's very interesting to note that Alberto Granado went on to do many great things in becoming a professor of biochemistry and in the development of Cuba's competent doctors while Che died at age 39. Granado recently passed in March and it's a curious thing did it all really matter in the end? Another footnote should be that the Anaconda Copper Mining Company that they encounter in Chile merged with Alantic Richfield Company (ARCO) in 1977. Then in 2000, BP finalizes a deal to buy out ARCO for 30 billion dollars.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 5 I couldn't really find any faults with the movie and enjoyed the themes greatly. The cast seemed fit and the specific scenes at places such as a debate at Machu Pichu or the symbolic swimming across a river that divided the leper colony were beautifully shot. It was well made and inspiring enough to make me question my own young life's choices.

Favorite Quotes:
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: How is it possible that i feel nostalgia for a world I never knew. How do you explain that a civilization capable of building this is wiped out to build...

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: What do we leave behind when we cross each frontier? Each moment seems split in two; melancholy for what was left behind and the excitement of entering a new land.

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: This isn't a tale of heroic feats. It's about two lives running parallel for a while, with common aspirations and similar dreams.

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: Wandering around our America has changed me more than I thought. I am not me any more. At least I'm not the same me I was.

Miner's Wife: Are you two looking for work?
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: No, we aren't looking for work.
Miner's Wife: No?... Then why are you traveling?
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: We travel just to travel.
Miner's Wife: Bless you... Blessed be your travels.

Leper from San Pablo: Why did you want to be a doctor?
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: I wanted to be useful, somehow.
Leper from San Pablo: You're wasting your time.
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: Why?
Leper from San Pablo: Life is pain.

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: The Incas had a high knowledge of astronomy, medicine,math, among others.
But the Spanish invaders had powder
How would America be today if things had been different?

Alberto Granado: Fuser, look what i think. I should marry with an Inca descendantand found an indigenous party, We encourage everyone to vote Reactivate Tupac Amaru's revolution,the indoamerican revolution, Fuser, What do you think?
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna: A revolution without gunshots?You are crazy Mial.

Of Gods and Men

Summary: A French monastery in Algeria is threatened with the escalating problems with Fundamentalists of Islam and are divided as a group to leave or stay. It is based on a true story. It was a good tale of devotion to religion and how it affects people differently.

Review: The cinematography was shot beautifully and the music was really soothing. The actors who played the monks were exceptional. Lambert Wilson plays a determined leader and Michael Lonsdale was very believable as a wise monk. The storyline is an interesting one as it's based on real life events, but it never really captivated my interest. There was drama throughout the film, but it just didn't really excite me as I barely knew what was going on. This movie was also in either French or Arabic and I really couldn't tell which was which at times. I am starting to think with foreign films, they are either way hit or way miss with me.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: What was the political atmosphere of Algeria in 1996 like? What is monastery life and do they get closer to God?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2 Despite a compelling story and a beautifully made film, I just couldn't get into the film. The movie was too slow for me even though it had a deep plot and bigger themes to reflect upon. I think a lot of this might have been that I knew absolutely nothing about the situation in Algeria besides the fact it was once a French colony. It still shouldn't have prevented me from gaining appreciation for the storyline of fundamentalists against a state or civilians even though it did. This film seems like a tale that is replayed over and over again even with missionaries in Afghanistan today and it has inspired me to learn more about the events this movie was based on. It was also inspiring to see the sacrifices that the monks made, but I can't help but think of religion as a tool for the conquering and oppressing of any "native peoples" throughout history.

Favorite Quote:
Should it ever befall me, and it could happen today, to be a victim of the terrorism swallowing up all foreigners here, I would like my community, my church, my family, to remember that my life was given to God and to his country. That the Unique Master of all life was no stranger to this brutal departure. And that my death is the same as so many other violent ones, consigned to the apathy of oblivion. I've lived enough to know, I am complicit in the evil that, alas, prevails over the world and the evil that will smite me blindly. I could never desire such a death. I could never feel gladdened that these people I love be accused randomly of my murder. I know the contempt felt for the people here, indiscriminately. And I know how Islam is distorted by a certain Islamism. This country, and Islam, for me are something different. They're a body and a soul. My death, of course, will quickly vindicate those who call me naïve or idealistic, but they must know that I will be freed of a burning curiosity and, God willing, will immerse my gaze in the Father's and contemplate with him his children of Islam as he sees them. This thank you which encompasses my entire life includes you, of course, friends of yesterday and today, and you too, friend of last minute, who knew not what you were doing. Yes, to you as well I address this thank you and this farewell which you envisaged. May we meet again, happy thieves in Paradise, if it pleases God the Father of us both. Amen. Insha'Allah.

The Brothers Grimm

Summary: The brothers Will and Jake Grimm (Matt Damon and Heath Ledger) are con artists, but must solve a supernatural case in a village where young girls keep disappearing. The brothers have to battle the external forces while trying to keep their own relationship civil. Lena Headey plays Angelika, a huntress who knows the lay of the land and Monica Bellucci plays the main villain.

Review: In the talents in the duo Damon and Ledger, I'm very disappointed in this film. The acting was superb, but the storyline was so convoluted and just seemed to maximize the special effects. The special effects were spectacular, but the story just didn't mesh. Lena Headey was solid and played a strong independent woman well. Monica Bellucci plays a Queen who is after eternal youth, except in real life Bellucci really does seem to have discovered the fountain of youth.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: How are fairy tales formed?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2 This has been the worst movie I've seen Damon in, but it really wasn't his fault. The plot seemed to have been disorganized and couldn't captivate my attention. I think the director could have fixed that as the story did have elements that piqued my interest in its fairy tale theme. It also seemed like it had a lot of potential with the beauty of Bellucci and Headey, and the special effects, but it just never materialized. I blame the director.

Man Push Cart

Summary: A former Pakistani singer has to push a cart and sell bagels and coffee daily in NYC. The story of his life are slowly revealed as he tries to find the meaning in his absurd struggle of pushing a cart every day and watching life pass by.

Review: The filming made the film as it seemed so realistic and could really bring me into the life of the character. The mystery of the main character was never really unraveled and I guess the film just left it up to the viewer to interpret the events of the film. The main character was cast very well into this role despite it being his first film. The director really deserves accolades in this movie. Ramin Bahrani also directed Chop Shop. The ending is really up to interpretation to the viewer, but I do think it leaves a lot of thought to the viewer.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: What is friendship? Are we all bound by Sisyphus tasks in life? How is there so much inequality in life? Why did Ahmad leave the comforts of Lahore to be a cart pusher in NYC?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It was a decently made film, but the plot didn't seem too captivating. It was a nice portrayal of a man's struggle and the culture of push carts though. There is a very human element to the movie, but I don't think the film was well explained.

A Woman in Berlin

Summary: The story of a photojournalist (Nina Hoss) deals with the occupation of Berlin by the Red Army in WWII. She tries to live through the terror while her husband is away at war. She soon finds the atrocities of war and the savage natures of men and must do what is necessary to survive. It's based on a true story of an anonymous German woman's diary although she has been named after death by historians.

Review: I think some of the movie was lost in translation to me as I did have some minor difficulties in following (maybe I shouldn't multi-task as much). It was still an enjoyable watch, but I thought it would have been more graphic to emphasize the drama in the scene. The music wasn't poor, but I felt the melancholic mood of the movie should have been contrasted more with fleeting moments of life and the anger on both sides. I did think Nina Hoss did a decent job of portraying the character, but I think there could have been a better actress for the part. I don't think it was lost in translation because acting shouldn't require me to understand the language and the body movements should transcend culture.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: Why did the Germans suppress this story after the war? Was it really rape or more of a quid pro quo deal? How atrocious were the German crimes in other places? Should "revenge" ever be condoned?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 I thought it was a decent watch and enjoyed the foreign languages even though I couldn't tell when they were speaking Russian or German. I thought the film could have been a lot better because it's such a dramatic tale, and I wonder how much did it deviate from the book. I also think the connection between the woman and the Russian commander was made too much for a movie when in real life it was just rape by a man that wasn't as "forced."

Jaffa

Summary: A Jewish girl, Mali Wolf (Dana Ivgy) is in love with an Arab boy that works for her father's mechanic garage. Their courtship is a secret and there is clear tension between her brother Meir and the boy Toufik and Meir and her parents. The mother (Ronit Elkabetz) and father (Moni Moshonov) have differing views on Arabs in general and the movie is how a family copes or divides as life happens.

Review: Dana Ivgy plays a very solid role as a young girl in distress to a divided woman. The acting was great and it was kind of amazing to see how the characters changed throughout the movie. Elkabetz really showcased some of her talents as a strong woman with strong opinions despite all the beauty. The division of a family can also be analogous to bigger events in the world. The music and cinematography were excellent. The plot seemed mundane enough, but developed richly. The film does leave a lot unresolved, but it leaves enough subtle hints to where the viewer should be able to decide what will happen next for themselves. There were also few light moments in the film despite being a love tale, but it was a tragic love story.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: How do most Israeli citizens live as the main character seems to skate by life without detailing her family's finances? Can there ever be forgiveness or redemption? Aren't we all slaves to the fickleness that destiny or fate always seems to have "happen" to us.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 5 I was debating giving either a 4 or 5 because it was just such a compelling watch. The human elements involved in the movie made it too good to fault for a premise that I would consider mundane, but that is what made the movie beautiful. It was well made, well acted, and it managed to turn a mundane story into a very well executed film. Films like this on the Palestinian and Israeli question make me appreciate the simplicity of my life when the fact is that question's complications should also be very simple. The film reminds me of her tragic life is, but it is what we think of it at the end of the day. It can always be worse, and some fleeting moments in life make it all seem worth it.

Running Scared

Summary: Joey Gazelle (Paul Walker) has to uncover a gun that was used to shoot a cop and failure to retrieve the gun could mean death. His son's friend who lives next door took the gun in an attempt to kill his abusive step-father. The step-father also happens to be the nephew of a Russian mob boss. Teresa (Vera Farmiga) has to deal with her husband's actions while trying to be supportive.

Review: Paul WWalker was actually a decent actor in this film. Vera Farmiga was excellent in this film as I've never seen with so much passion. Ivana Milicevic looked sexy as a mom who was involved with the Russian underworld. Elizabeth Mitchell also makes an appearance as true "evil." The kid, Cameron Bright played a stoic and withdrawn child well. The scenes were shot well and the suspense was there despite a shallow plot.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: How does one thing beget another?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 I loved the shooting scenes and the mixtures of scenes that flashed back or forward as an animation. Its plot was a bit shallow, but it fit together well in the end. It was much more of a thrilling action than a thinking film, but accomplishes the action scenes with enough thought.

Dinner for Schmucks

Summary: Tim Conrad (Paul Rudd) is determined to move up from the 6th floor to the 7th floor and strives to go the extra step in his career. He has an important dinner that he has to go to with his boss that includes having a guest "idiot." He meets Barry (Steve Carell) and his world begins to turn upside down through the actions of Barry.

Review: Paul Rudd plays the same character he does in almost every one of his movies, but Carell really makes this film go. Galifiankis had a small role too, but Carell powers the film. I enjoyed the mice in the sets, maybe I can share this hobby with Barry.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: What is an idiot? What is a friend?

Rating (Out of 5): 3 The plot was a bit strange, but I was entertained by the comedy by Carell. It was a darkly humored film and at many moments in the film I was actually repulsed by the general plot. It was mean, but it definitely had some moments of great comedy.

The International

Summary: Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and NY Assistant DA Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) try to expose the world's biggest financial institution for its money laundering, arms dealing and other illegal activities. They travel all over the world to unravel the conspiracy and bring it to justice.

Review: The movie's plot was a bit absurd, but it was well made. The dialogue was decent and Clive Owens is excellent. I never seem to recall a smiling Clive Owen and I guess that's just his natural character. Naomi Watts looked good in this movie. The shooting scene at the Guggenheim was one of the best action scenes I can recall watching. It had a lot of intrigue, but I was lost at times in the plot. The plot tried too hard at times to be "sophisticated" and I just thought it was too absurd to be this "sophisticated." The supporting cast was decent too and I loved the character Wexler (Armin Mueller-Stahl) and Jnoas Skarssen (Ulrich Thomsen) as amoral villains.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Are banks really this immoral: trying to make all nations slaves to debt or money launder for the drug cartels? There is evidence for banks wanting students to be indebted forever and money laundering for drug cartels by Wachovia now Wells Fargo that is documented, but arms dealing would take it to a new level. What is justice? Do we all have choices in the decisions we make?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 I thought the movie was well made and enjoyable, but the plot had me lost at times because of its over-complexities. Maybe I was guilty of multi-tasking, but the movie just didn't capture my attention in the beginning. It tried to show things, but it was hard to follow in the beginning because it was a mystery, but it didn't exactly thrill me. The movie was better made than the premise of the plot. It reminded me a lot of Michael Clayton, but that plot was much more enthralling and captivating.

Favorite Quotes:
Wilhelm Wexler: Sometimes a man can meet his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.

Wilhelm Wexler: We cannot control the things life does to us. They are done before you know it, and once they are done, they make you do other things. Until at last everything comes between you and the man you wanted to be.

Umberto Calvini: [In explaining the "true" nature of banking in the world] The IBBC is a bank. Their objective isn't to control the conflict, it's to control the debt that the conflict produces. You see, the real value of a conflict, the true value, is in the debt that it creates. You control the debt, you control everything. You find this upsetting, yes? But this is the very essence of the banking industry, to make us all, whether we be nations or individuals, slaves to debt.

Louis Salinger: Based on everything I've read about you, you seem like the kind of man who aspired to die for something more than this.
Wilhelm Wexler: Well, this is the difference between truth and fiction. Fiction has to make sense.

Wilhelm Wexler: Character is easier kept than recovered.

Cassian Skarssen: When there's no way out, you find a deeper way in.

Jonas Skarssen: [to his son regarding a board game] This is a game that rewards patience and balance. You must think like a man of action and act like a man of thought.

Last Night

Summary: A married couple Joanna (Keira Knightley) and Michael (Sam Worthington) have a moment apart when Michael makes a business trip with a co-worker, Laura (Eva Mendes), he's attracted to and by "chance" Joanna bumps into an old flame, Alex (Guillaume Canet). It then details their night apart and the feelings they both have and they both struggle with fidelity.

Review: The cinematography was decent and I loved the somber mood the music set throughout the movie. Knightley was definitely very attractive in her elegance this film and Canet was charming. I just never quite got into the plot and couldn't really relate to enjoy it despite Knightley's presence. The diaglouge and the subtle queues in the movie were appreciated though.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: What is considered cheating? What is considered unfaithful? Is monogamy unrealistic?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2 The movie was well made, but I just didn't quite enjoy it at all.

Summary: Willie (Tom Sturridge) has a lot of love with a girl, Emma (Rachel Bilson) from her childhood and decides to reveal his feelings for her by traveling back home. Things are complicated by the seemingly delusional ways of Will and Emma's dying father and cheating boyfriend. Will is also a bit off including his love for Emma who has no idea he has been following her.

Review: Sturridge had some talents in this movie and makes an appeal as a broken yet kind man. Bilson was satisfactory. The movie had some humor and I only wish the beginning of the movie was a bit stronger. The movie was a bit darker, but it did have a sappy ending though.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is unrequited love the worst? How does a mind become broken? Can a wanderer with few possessions really be a right way to live?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2, I'm glad I trudged through the movie. It was a slow watch in the beginning and didn't start to make sense until the end. It had some decent acting by Sturridge, but the beginning of the movie was very slow. It took a while to develop as things didn't make taht much sense until all the pieces were put together throughout the movie.

The Dilemma

Summary: Ronny (Vince Vaughn) and his best friend Nick (Kevin James) try to sell a business of combining electric engines to muscle cars for a Detroit company. Nick and his wife Geneva (Wionona Ryder) try to pressure Ronny into proposing to his long time girlfriend Beth. In a chance encounter, Ronny catches Geneva with another man. His qualms about telling his friend who is in a high pressure situation quickly leads his life to a downward spiral as he discovers relationships aren't as perfect as he thought they were and struggles how strong is his relationship with Beth.

Review: I think the movie was a little too serious, but Vaughn makes the movie. The plot was interesting, but for some reason everything just didn't mesh together. Kevin James seems to be a bit overrated to me for all his accolades for movies. I thought he was excellent on the television show King of Queens though. Connelly seemed decent even though I just don't think she fit the part too much. She seems very somber and is a good enough actress to warrant a better role. Wionna Ryder did an excellent job in portraying her character of a manipulative girl though. I liked the flashbacks during some of Ronny's stories though whether they were fiction or truth.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Are we not meant to be monogamous? What is the loyalty code to a friend? How long do you have to know someone to know them? Are secrets okay? Friendship

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It had too deep a plot for a comedy and it wasn't as hilarious as it should have been. Vaughn still makes the movie though with his rambling. He always has those famous rants and in this movie the best one is against the 2nd cousin in the anniversary toast. I thought there have been plenty of better Vaughn movies and Connelly is too serious for a comedy.

Favorite Quotes:
Ronny: "Great moments are born from great opportunities. That's what you have here tonight, Nick. That's what you've earned here tonight. One shot. You take it 10 times you might miss nine. But not this shot, not tonight."

Source Code

Summary: An Army pilot wakes up in another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. It's a "source code" or an alternative reality where Sean (Jake Gyllenhaal) has to find information about the train's bomber because a 2nd impending attack with a dirty bomb is suspected. He develops a connection with a passenger, Christina Warren (Michelle Mongahan) while trying to understand what's happening as he receives orders from Captain Goodwin (Vera Farmiga).

Review: Gyllenhaal was decent, Monaghan played a woman wit the smile you could fall in love with, and Farmiga played her role as a divided Captain well. The graphics were brilliant and the storyline was intriguing. The movie did bring into question of the greater society vs. the individual.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: What happens after death? Is there really a fate that we are all bound to? What are regrets? Can we really change the future sometimes? Majority vs. minority, soldier's death, does tapping into an alternate reality really create a whole new reality, what is identity, how does memory work, the little things, fate

Power Rating (Out of 5): 5 It was well made and definitely not just a tacky thriller. It had some nice themes going for it as well and had the layers of complexion in them.

Favorite Quotes:
Goodwin: The program wasn't designed to alter the past, but affect the future.

Colter Stevens: Beautiful day.

Colter Stevens: What would you do if you knew you only had one minute to live?
Christina Warren: I'd make those seconds count.
Colter Stevens: I'd kiss you again.
Christina Warren: Again?

Christina Warren: Look at me. Everything's going to be okay.
[suddenly the train explodes]

Colter Stevens: It's the same train, but it's different.
Christina Warren: Deep, I hope it's different. I feel the same way.

Colter Stevens: Do you believe in fate?
Christina Warren: Not really, I'm more of a dumb luck kind of gal.

Colter Stevens: This feels like exactly where we're suppose to be, doesn't it?

Black Swan

Summary: The movie starts with the crowning of a new Queen Swan, Nina, (Natalie Portman) and another ballerina Lilly (Mila Kunis). The former Queen Swan committed an act of getting into an accident because of her emotional state of being replaced as surmised by the director. It's a psychological thriller on how one deals with the pressure of being a ballerina and Nina worries about Lilly, her competition.

Review: The cinematography was great. The movie really was a thriller and had me pretty anxious at what was to come at times. The mood created was perfectly fit for the movie, but I think I just cringe at the sight of ligaments being outstretched to the point of snapping. Natalie Portman really shows her versatility as an actress and was fantastic in her role as a meek girl with suppressed emotions. Mila Kunis also does a great job exuding the sexuality she does in every role. The self mutilation by the Queen Swan was distressing. I did love the classical music though.

Further Questions/Philosophy/Theme: Does love inspire art as suggested by the director when he tries to release Natalie Portman sexually? Does it really take some kind of psychological damage or craziness to be "great" at something? Is there a greater theme to masochism? There was a nice theme of control and how discipline clash. The power struggles throughout the film were nice. The question of delusion with reality and identity are in play. Do we all have a black swan and white swan?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 It was a really made movie and I can see how it won all the awards it had, but I just didn't like it from a personal point of view. The emotions it touched upon were too personal for me and I guess I'm just not mature enough. I also found it hard to relate to ballerina, but I give the movie credit for captivating me for the entire time. I have to say it was a "good" movie though.

Favorite Quotes:
Thomas Leroy: Are you okay?
Nina: I'm fine.
Thomas Leroy: Nina.
Nina: What?
Thomas Leroy: I've already asked Lily.
Nina: Have you announced it?
[pauses]
Nina: After Beth do you really need another controversy? I'm here, Thomas. I'm doing it.
Thomas Leroy: The only person standing in your way is you. It's time to let her go. Lose yourself.

Nina: It's about a girl who gets turned into a swan and she needs love to break the spell, but her prince falls for the wrong girl so she kills herself.

Erica: It's the role, isn't it? It's all this pressure? I knew it would be too much. I knew it!

Nina: What happened?
Thomas Leroy: She walked into the street and got hit by a car. And you know what? I'm almost sure she did it on purpose.
Nina: How do you know?
Thomas Leroy: Because everything Beth does comes from within. From some dark impulse. I guess that's what makes her so thrilling to watch. So dangerous. Even perfect at times, but also so damn destructive.

Thomas Leroy: You could be brilliant, but you're a coward.
Nina: I'm sorry.
Thomas Leroy: [yelling] Now stop saying that! That's exactly what I'm talking about. Stop being so fucking weak!

Nina: I felt it. Perfect. I was perfect.

Killing Me Softly

Summary: Alice (Heather Graham) catches the eyes of a stranger, Adam (Joseph Fiennes) and a love blossoms even though she is engaged. Soon, she comes to find that he isn't who he is and there are clues that he is dangerous. His sister is played by Nathascha McEllone.

Review: The only positive about the movie was how hot Heather Graham was and the few bare breast shots. Heather Graham should really stick to just being a face and this movie really proves she has no acting skill at all for a drama or thriller. She seems decent in comedies and lighter television shows (Scrubs) though. The cinematography did seem decent at times, but there wasn't much substance.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Do women just fall in love with the alluring and dangers of a mysterious man? Are passionate love affairs really just born out of a chance encounter of the eyes locking? It seemed like Alice really enjoyed giving up control to such a dominating man as evidenced by her "I loved it," sex scene with him controlling when she got to breathe.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 1 It wasn't a movie I particularly enjoyed and was bored throughout. I thought it had a chance to be a thriller, but it was just thrillingly boring. Despite all the sex scenes, it just felt like soft-core porn.

Impostor

Summary: Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise) is a top military scientist who has his world turned upside down when the government think he's a replicator and sent to assasinate the chancellor. Spencer Olham is determined to prove that he's not an impostor and is exactly who he thinks he is. He needs the help of his loving wife, Maya Olham (Madeline Stowe) for that. The replicator is supposedly sent by aliens on Alpha Centauri. This is another film based on the work of Phillip K. Dick.

Review: The movie was filmed well and Gary Sinese was decent in the role. Vincent D'Onofrio plays a decent agent who is tracking Olham.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: What makes a person themselves? Does a human have a soul and that's the difference between a replicator and a human even if it has the exact biological build and memories. The soul seems to be the same though as what makes us are our memories, soul, and biological form.

Power Rating (Out of 5) 4 The movie was much better than the reviews and was a thrilling chase while having the philosophical questions of what is identity and reality. It was a twisting story with many surprises. It's interesting to note that I would say this movie was comparable to the Minority Report which was released in the same year, but Tom Cruise made that one a hit. The budget was twice as large in Minority Report and its special effects were a bit better. Still, I didn't think it warranted that much more success while Impostor tanked.

Just Friends

Summary: Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) couldn't seal the deal with his best friend and crush Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart) and is given another chance ten years later after he becomes a LA music hot shot agent. He attempts to seal the deal, but reverts back to his awkward High School ways. Ana Farris plays a crazy musician that Reynolds is suppose to sign.

Review: The movie plot wasn't terrible and it was hilarious at times. The brother plays a nice supporting character to show how brothers are. The characters didn't seem to have a connection despite the film having its humorous movies. It was a film that was decently filmed and better than most romantic comedies.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Can a guy and girl be platonic friends?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It was a decent movie, but it suffers from the cliches of the theme. Ryan Reynolds seems to play the same character in every movie and he doesn't seem to have many different facial expressions.

The Adjustment Bureau

Summary: David Norris (Matt Damon) is a young-gun politician who has his run marred by one bad decision and coincidentally meets an intriguing young woman in Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). The connection that is sparked is genuine, but mysterious forces attempt to be keeping them apart because it was not written. Norris attempts to fight against these forces by chance and his will. The story is based off of a short classic by Phillip K. Dick.

Review: Matt Damon gives a fantastic performance as does Emily Blunt. Emily Blunt was excellent in her role as a dancer and her accent was sexy while her attitude possessed elegance. Anthony Mackie plays one of the "good" agents, John Slattery was proper in his role, and Terrance Stamp did play the menacing "hammer" agent. The cinematography was exceptional and the scenes were shot very well. The rain in some scenes also brought out the the theme of water being able to hide certain things as the rest of the themes were fantastic to the story.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is there fate that is written and our free will is really just an illusion. Can chance really fight against the forces of destiny? The only thing that can defeat well measured forces is simply playing the probability as evidenced by Norris's run into a restaurant to ask where the dance class was held because well written plans in books can only be rewritten so much.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 5 I really enjoyed the movie and it was a romantic thriller. It had its lighter moments, superb acting, and a plot that represented something bigger. It has a message that asks how far can free will go even if it's against love. The dialogue was also superb and its length was concise enough that it leaves this viewer wanting more.

Favorite Quotes:
Elise Sellas: Were you just looking at my legs while I slept?
David Norris: I was helpless against the dress.
Elise Sellas: It's a skirt.
David Norris: It's a belt!

Elise Sellas: I'm not some hopeless romantic. I would never allow myself to be that way, but once I've felt, even for a moment, what I felt with you.
Elise Sellas: You ruined me. I didn't want to settle for less.
David Norris: I know the feeling.
Elise Sellas: It scares the shit out of me.
David Norris: I'm not going to hurt you.
Elise Sellas: You don't need to say that.
David Norris: I'm not going to hurt you.

David Norris: All I have are the choices I make, and I choose her, come what may.

Richardson: Now, there's something I need you to understand if I'm going to let you go?
David Norris: Okay.
Richardson: Very few humans have seen what you've seen today. And we're determined to keep it that way. So, if you ever reveal our existence, we'll erase your brain. The intervention team will reset you. You're emotions, you're memories, your entire personality will be expunged. You're friends and family will think you've gone crazy. You? You won't think anything.
[David just looks at him]
Richardson: You understand? Not one word about us.
[David nods his head in agreement]
Richardson: Okay. Oh, one more thing. You uh...you bumped into a woman this morning on the bus, Elise?
David Norris: What...what has that do with anything?
Richardson: Well, you were never supposed to see her again.
David Norris: What is...what does that matter?
Richardson: Because it matters.
[to his men who grab hold of David]
Richardson: It's in his wallet.
[the men search for his wallet]
David Norris: Hey! Hey! Ahhh! God! Hey! What's with you guys? Jesus!
[McCrady grabs his wallet and takes out the card with Elise's number on it]
David Norris: Oh, com on! No! No!
[Richardson hold the card and lights a lighter underneath it and it starts to burn]
David Norris: What the hell! Really? What the hell!
Richardson: Okay.
David Norris: Okay.
[to his men]
Richardson: Take him back.
[to David]
Richardson: Enjoy the rest of you day.

Harry Mitchell: You won't find her. They'll make sure of it. Even if they weren't tryin' to stop you, they're nine million people in this city. You'll never find her. Forget about her. Move on with your life.

David Norris:Yeah, I...rode the M6 to work everyday for three years, hoping that I'd bump into you. Oh, uh...listen, is there a place where we could go and um...and talk?
Elise Sellas: Don't you have to get to work or something?
David Norris:I just got sick.

David Norris: Okay, if you were married, then it would bother me.
Elise Sellas: But now you're just saying what you think I wanna hear. I'm single. Now, let's see you bullshit excuse for not calling me.
David Norris: I didn't have your number.
Elise Sellas: I gave it to you on the bus. I handed it to you.
David Norris: I was mugged. It was taken from me.
Elise Sellas: No, come on!
David Norris: No I...it...I...my wallet was taken, they took it.
Elise Sellas: Come on!
David Norris: Look, why else would I fawn all over you on the bus three years ago and then never call you?
Elise Sellas: Cause I don't know. You have a girlfriend, you felt terrible and...
David Norris: Okay, listen I swear to you that I did not have a girlfriend.
Elise Sellas: All right.
David Norris: Okay, listen. No...I...on my parents graves.
Elise Sellas: That's heavy.
David Norris: That's too heavy, I know. But it's true. I...I didn't have...I didn't your number. And I didn't even have a last name to go by. You know, if you Google just Elise you get seven hundred and...
Elise Sellas: You did not!
David Norris: ...fifty seven thousand hits. And none of 'em were you.

McCrady: We have a problem.
Richardson: What?
[he puts down a notebook showing map on Richardson's desk]
McCrady: David Norris is off plan.
Richardson: Son of a bitch! How did he find her?
McCrady: Chance. Just spotted her on the street.
Richardson: We never should have let him meet her in the first place.
McCrady: We followed protocol to the letter.
Richardson: The guy rides the same bus everyday for three years. Who does that?

Richardson: It's whole world of women out there. Thought we established this one was off limits?
David Norris: It's been a while, I must have forgotten.
Richardson: Doesn't change the fact.
David Norris: You put us together three times.
Richardson: That wasn't us. That was just chance.
David Norris: Why do you want to keep us apart?
Richardson: Because the plan says so.
David Norris: Well, then you misread the plan.
Richardson: No. There's no misreading the plan when it comes to you and Elise.
David Norris: The plan's wrong!
Richardson: You know who wrote it?
David Norris: I don't care.
Richardson: You should really show a little respect.

David Norris: If I'm not supposed to be with her, how come I feel like this?
Richardson: It doesn't matter how you feel. What matters is what's in black and white.
David Norris: What, you don't know why I'm not supposed to be with her do you? That's why you can't tell me. You don't know.
[he walks away from them]
Richardson: Who is this guy?

Thompson: Frustrating, isn't it? My name is Thompson.
David Norris: Whatever happened to free will?
Thompson: We actually tried free will before. After taking you from hunting and gathering to the height of the Roman empire, we stepped back to see how you'd do on your own. You gave us the dark ages for five centuries until finally we decided we should come back in. The Chairman thought that maybe we just needed to do a better job with teaching you how to ride a bike before taking the training wheels off again. So we gave you raised hopes, enlightment, scientific revolution. For six hundred years we taught you to control your impulses with reason. Then in nineteen ten, we stepped back. Within fifty years you'd brought us world war one, the depression, fascism, the holocaust and capped it off by bringing the entire planet to the brink of destruction in the Cuba missile crisis. At that point the decision was taken to step back in again before you did something that even we couldn't fix.

Thompson: You don't have free will, David. You have the appearance of free will.
David Norris: You expect me to believe that. I make decisions everyday.
Thompson: You have free will over which tooth past you use, or which beverage to order at lunch. But humanity just isn't mature enough to control the important things.
David Norris: So you handle the important things? Well, the last time I checked the world's a pretty screwed up place.
Thompson: It's still here. If we'd left things in your hands it wouldn't be.

Thompson: Why do you refuse to accept what should be completely obvious by now? You've seen what we can do. You can't doubt we are who we say we are.
David Norris: Look, it's not about who you are. It's...it's about who I am.
Thompson: Can't outrun your fate, David.
David Norris: I'm...just disagree with you about what my fate is. I know what I feel for her and it's not gonna change. All I have are the choices that I make, and I choose her. Come what may.
Thompson: In six twenty, if you leave now you can make Elise's show.

Harry Mitchell:[voice over] Most people live life on the path we set for them. Too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while people like you come along and knock down all the obstacles we put in your way. People who realize free will is a gift, you'll never know how to use until you fight for it. I think that's The Chairman's real plan. And maybe, one day, we won't write the plan. You will.

No Strings Attached

Summary: Adam (Ashton Kutcher) lands in an open relationship with a girl, Emma (Natalie Portman) and her fears of intimacy are challenged when Adam wants more than just a hook-up.

Review: The movie had its moments of awkwardness, but I think the cliches were too much at times. It was pretty funny though and was an enjoyable watch at times. Ludacris had some hilarious scenes as Adam's friend and the father was a decent character as well. The movie did dwell deeper into other relationships of the two main characters, but it was a classic romantic comedy.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Does intimacy develop after a physical connection?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It was painful to watch at times because of all the cliches in the movie, but it was surprisingly well made for a romantic comedy. It had its hilarious moments and the dialogue was decent.

Hall Pass

Summary: Two grown men, Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) receive a hall pass from marriage to their wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate). Rick's baby-sitter, Paige (Alexandra Daddario) and a barista, Leigh (Nicky Wheelan) provide temptation and it details how the men struggle to get laid.

Review: The movie was light as with any Owen Wilson movies and his character plays thrives in those awkward moments. The movie did flow and the supporting cast was great in their role.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Are hall passes good for marriages because people aren't made to be monogamous?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It had some laughs and a decent plot, but I thought it could have been made a little better. The entourage of the guys were funny, and cut off too short in my opinion.

Across the Line:The Exodus of Charlie Wright

Summary: Charlie Wright (Aidan Quin), a banker, is on the run and is being pursued by mercenaries hired by Russian mobsters, a Mexican underworld figure (Andy Garcia), and the FBI. For some mysterious reason, Wright chooses to go to Tijuana, Mexico despite pulling a Ponzi Scheme that likely has netted him a large amount of money into the billion dollar range that is hidden. Gina Gershon also has a role in playing the wife of Andy Garcia.

Review: The movie held much promise, but it didn't pan out. It had a few scenes that were decent action scenes, but the majority of the movie was a bore. The somber mood that was created gave the movie an elusive mood, but it never produced the result I thought it should have. It was also a plot that didn't seem well thought out and didn't expound on decisions and redemption. It left a lot of gaps in between, but I thought it could have lengthened the movie if it produced more of a story. There were plenty of ironies and twist in the end of the story, but I just wasn't emotionally attached to appreciate any of it.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: There are some fleeting moments in life that decide everything that happens. Redemption

Power Rating (Out of 5):2 It drew me initially because of the seduction of the themes of a banker on the run with elements of the underworld, but the movie didn't turn out to have a cohesive plot at all.

Favorite Quotes:
Wright: "My dear Isabel, When a man finds himself at the end of his days He has to take an account of his life He has to be able to live with what he has done If he can find the goodness somewhere If there is a chance to find some kind of redemption Before we leave this earth Then life's moments will have mattered This is the story of failure Of my failure For all of the failures of this life Of my life Fade to nothing Just fleeting moments And as I find my way My exodus from this place I can know that this life was not so bad And like the cleansing sun and the beautiful sounds that lie just beneath the words All that is good in me lives on in you."

Wright: "They say that in the end life all comes down to a few fleeting moments. And when we draw our last breath, only a few things will have really mattered."

Leap Year

Summary: Anna (Amy Adams) makes plans for her entire life and has decided to go to Ireland to propose to her longtime boyfriend while he's at a medical conference. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, she is forced to go to Dublin where her boyfriend is at by traveling with Declan (Matthew Goode). On their adventures, she slowly becomes captivated by him.

Review: Amy Adams makes the role with her personality, but the film was a bit stale overall. It didn't have many refreshing moments and was an overplayed cliche many times. The few moments that it did have were brief, and it was only touching at times despite being a "love story." It was hilarious in that it gets a bunch of cheap laughs though.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: Can someone just fall in love just like that? It seemed that Declan had all the tools that PUA's talk about: the no appeasement policy, the pre-selection with a photo of a former woman, and many other tiny details. Do we make too many plans in life? Is traditionalism leaving slowly and marriage is as important as the older generation thinks?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 I thought it was a decent film because I'm a sucker for romcoms that aren't a complete bore. This one might be borderline, but it redeems itself for me by having a foreign setting such as Ireland.

Favorite Quotes: Bride: May you never steal, lie, or cheat, but if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows, and if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life, and if you must cheat, then please cheat death because I couldn't live a day without you. Cheers!

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Summary: Jake Moore (Shia LaBeof) is a young gun who is rising in the world of Wall Street. He is also in a lovely relationship with Winnie (Carey Mulligan) whose father is the infamous Gordon Gecko (Michael Douglas). Gecko has been released from prison and is writing a book while trying to come to terms that he is no longer who he once was. Jake has his world thrown into a crisis when his firm gets hammered and is on the edge of collapse.

Review: Shia LaBeouf is the next superstar actor in America. Michael Douglas reprises his role as Gordon Gecko well. Josh Brolin plays a banker well despite his limited screen times. The lessons of the movie extend to well beyond just its financial depictions of America today again. Those lessons are accurate however with the bailouts and the bankers that profited while shorting the same cdo's and insurance they sold to their clients. Jake's firm is reminiscent of Bear Stern's while the winner of Bretton James' (Josh Brolin) firm is obviously Goldman Sach. It also does a fantastic job of hammering in the concept of moral hazard being the simple definition of people taking excessive risks when it isn't their money.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Are bubbles not only a cycle in the financial markets, but of life in general? When will the excesses of Wall Street stop? Why has America become a country of socializing risk and privatizing profits or has it always been this way? The human elements in the movie were also touching as it shows one man's redemption while realizing the importance of the important things of life.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 This was a fantastic movie and did well in tying in the current financial crisis on Wall Street. The first one was appropriate for the times, and the second one even more appropriate for the current times. There is an important lesson to be learned from this movie about the human nature and sometimes it might even feel good to be a realist.

Favorite Quotes: Jacob Moore: If it weren't for people who took risks, where would we be in this world?

Gordon Gekko: It's not about the money. It's about the game between people.

Gordon Gekko: Payback. Except I'm not in that business anymore - because the one thing I learned in jail is that money is not the prime asset in life. Time is.

Gordon Gekko: Stop telling lies about me and I'll stop telling the truth about you.

Bud Fox: So, does Blue Horseshoe still love Anacott Steel?

Gordon Gekko: "Someone reminded me I once said, 'Greed is good' Now it seems that it's legal because everyone is drinking the same Kool-Aid."

Jacob Moore: "Bubbles are evolutionary. They kill excess, lean out the heard, but they are never completely destroyed. They just come back in different forms and when they burst they give light to a new day, always creating change."

Gordon Gekko: "I've been considered a pretty smart guy and maybe I was in prison too long. But sometimes it's the only place to stay sane and look out through those bars and say, 'Is everybody out there nuts?!"

Gordon Gekko [Speaking to an audience of college students]: "You are part of the NINJA generation. No Income. No jobs. No assets."

Gordon Gekko: "A fisherman always sees another fisherman from afar...I think you ougtha start calling me,Gordon"

Wall Street

Summary: In this timeless classic, a riveting tale about Gordon Gekko(Michael Douglas) and how he shows his apprentice Bud(Charlie Sheen) the ropes of the Wall St. game. The center of the game lies in corporate battles and what is moral or not about capitalism.

Review: The setting of this classic is great and its acting was superb by Douglas and Charlie Sheen. It is a good tale that inspires questions about the morality of certain actions in life with materialism. I thought the supporting actresses were a bit weak with Daryl Hannah as a materialistic girlfriend.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is greed good? Is Wall Street as how the film makes it? Do people change because of money?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 The movie was a classic, and it had great lines by Gordon Gekko.

Favorite Quotes: Bud Fox: How much is enough?
Gordon Gekko: It's not a question of enough, pal. It's a zero sum game, somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn't lost or made, it's simply transferred from one perception to another.

Gordon Gekko: The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth, five trillion dollars. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation. It's bullshit. You got ninety percent of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own. We make the rules, pal. The news, war, peace, famine, upheaval, the price per paper clip. We pick that rabbit out of the hat while everybody sits out there wondering how the hell we did it. Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy? It's the free market. And you're a part of it. You've got that killer instinct. Stick around pal, I've still got a lot to teach you.

Gordon Gekko: You and I are the same, Darien. We are smart enough not to buy in to the oldest myth running; love. Diction created by people to keep them from jumping out of windows.
[laughs]
Darien Taylor: You know sometimes I miss you Gordon...You're really twisted.

Gordon Gekko: That's the one thing you have to remember about WASPs: they love animals and hate people.

Gordon Gekko: The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good.

Gordon Gekko: Don't get emotional about a stock.

Gordon Gekko: If you need a friend, get a dog.

Bud Fox: Life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them.

Lou: Just remember something. Man looks in the abyss, there is nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character, and that is what keeps him out of the abyss.

Gordon Gekko: Lunch is for wimps.

Gordon Gekko: You gonna tell me the difference between this guy and that guy is luck?
[points at a bum and businessman]

Public Enemies

Summary: In this historically accurate film based on the exploits of John Dillinger (Johnny Deep) is pitted against FBI agent (Christian Bale) and his run away from the authorities while romancing "Billie" (Cotton Cotillard). It shows an accurate portrayal of Dillinger's escapes from prison and runs on the banks.

Review: It had a nice mood about it with the setting. I loved the suits and mannerisms of the time, but I wasn't captivated by the movie. I thought it was well made, but I just didn't like how it told the story. It had some fantastic dialogue and acting though. Johnny Deep did well in his portrayal of Dillinger, but it never went into the character. The trailers seemed to romanticize the idea of being a bank robber, but the movie did little of that as it was a bore.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Why was Dillinger declared a public enemy? Did Dillinger just draw upon people because of his natural charisma? Was it the poverty at the time that made it America's "golden age of crime age?"

Power Rating (Out of 5) 2 The movie seemed like a "good" movie, but it never really developed the characters. Its setting was the Great Depression, but I would have never guessed that because it never showed how the common folks were minus one scene where Dillinger tells a man to put his money away during a bank robbery. I also had a problem identifying or even recognizing the characters. I thought it tried to use too much action to tell the story rather than actually develop a portrayal of the story that happened. It should have been a lot more colorful with the topic.

Favorite Quotes: Dillinger: "I like baseball, movies, nice clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you. What else you need to know?"

Casino Jack

Summary: Kevin Spacey plays political lobbyist Jack Abramoff as he uses his connections and his former "friendships" in this American tale of politics. It's based on real life events and the scandals that had occurred. There were real charges and many politicians were brought down by this. Karl Rove once commented that the Republicans were losing their seats because of Ambramoff, but sadly his name seems to have faded. He has been released into home detention already after doing four years.

Review: Kevin Spacey is a tremendous actor and Barry Pepper was excellent in a supporting role. The film was surprisingly light-mooded despite the topic. It was well made and Spacey proves how versatile he is. The politics behind the movie were also simplified by a lot and it brought a lot of the cases involving Ambramoff into relevancy.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: I'm curious to learn more about the Native American casino industry because of the film. Is a lobbyist the price of democracy? Is it really democracy? Can the end ever justify the means as I think Abramoff might have had some grand plans for the Jewish and American communities. It has been reported that Fiddler on the Roof really inspired Ambramoff and changed his life to becoming an Orthodox Jew. The reasons behind his actions may have even been more complex, and is religion an answer?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 It was an enjoyable watch and educated me on Jack Ambramoff, but I think more questions will always remain. It's tragic not many will ever know the stories behind Ambramoff and question how it occurred or if it's still going on today.

Favorite Quotes: "Why? Because my name is Jack Abramoff and I work out every day."

Fair Game

Summary: The movie is a docu-mockery of the Valerie Plame Affair: the outing of an American CIA agent because of politics. I say it's a docu-mockery because I highly doubt some of the scenes were real and if they are, they should be classified. It is an good introduction to the story that most will probably never have heard of or will forget in time.

Review: I think it was filmed well and had some great moments with intriguing foreigners, but I wasn't fully sold on the movie as a great film that would win multiple awards.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Patriotism, life's pyramid; Are there any good reasons to fight a war?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It didn't capture my mind as much, but Sean Penn and Naomi Watts did give a good performance. I didn't think the film was as dramatic as I thought it would have been, but I didn't know the story as well. I don't think the full story will ever be known, and I think a bunch of scenes from the movie were complete fiction.

Due Date

Summary: An architect, Peter (Robert Downey Jr.), needs to get home before the birth of his first child. He has a mishap when he meets a Glaucoma sufferer, Ethan (Zach Galifianakis) and they're both forced to travel to "Hollywood" because of an airplane incident.

Review: Robert Down Jr. is an extremely versatile actor, and his deadpan humor actually shines through in this character. He doesn't seem that different than Iron Man, so maybe it's his actual character in real life. He's sarcastic and cavalier in the way he attacks others with his wit. Galifianakis cements his status as one of the funniest people in Hollywood right now. His eccentric characters are played to perfection and leaves plenty of wtf? moments.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Does a cross-country road-trip create a deep bond like the one with Peter and Ethan.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 It was quite the comedy. I couldn't stop laughing at many times. It was very enjoyable and the laughs don't stop. It wasn't overly deep, and it is a movie that's made by the great characters played by Downey Jr. and Galifianakis.

Favorite Quotes:

Ethan Tremblay: My father always had a saying "When a day starts like this it's all uphill from here.
Peter Highman: Uphill? No, it's all downhill from here.
Ethan Tremblay: But nobody wants to be down, everybody wants to be up. It's all uphill from here.
Peter Highman: But it's easier to go downhill. So your dad had no idea what the fuck he was talking about.

The Company Men

Summary: A MBA educated corporate employee, Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) is let go due to a downsizing and forced to change his life. He works for his brother-in-law, Jack Dolan (Kevin Costner) as a construction laborer while losing his house, car, and golf membership. The same firm also downsizes two older employees in Phil Woodward (Chris Cooper) and Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones). McClary makes out better because he was an executive and had options. The film looks at the impact of the downsizing culture and what happens to the men who lose their jobs.

Review: The movie had an all-star cast. It was very well made and it had a nice story to tell. The acting was superb with the older cast playing their age. The movie didn't tell the entire story, but had multiple scenes that made you get what happened without wasting the film time to do it.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is corporate culture really as pervasive as the movie paints it to be. Are the employees always afraid to lose their jobs? How does the world even make sense? While the main protagonists and cast were middle management and above, I'm sure the thousands of "serfs" that lost their jobs had it much worse.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 My only problem with the movie is that it was on a good topic, but the truth is the world is a lot tougher than the one portrayed. I'm suppose to feel bad for employees who were clearing six figures with incentives throughout the film. I'm suppose to believe that construction is an available job nowadays in America if you lose your white collar job. It could have went deeper into some things in the movie, but I guess its brevity was a plus.

Favorite Quotes: Phil Woodward: "You know the worst part. The world didn't stop. The newspaper still came every morning. The automatic sprinklers shut off at six. Jeff, next door, still washes his car every Sunday. My life ended. Nobody noticed."

Jack Dolan: "Said he made 700 times what the average GTX worker made last year. What do you think? Salinger working 700 times harder than the welder pounding hot wheeler into the tanker all day?"

Love and Other Drugs

Summary: Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhall) is a ladies man who uses his charm for his job as a pharmaceutical representative. By chance, he happens to meet a woman, Maggie Murdoch (Anne Hathaway), who is suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's. Their romance is unconventional and a strange relationship develops while Jamie tries to become a top performer at his job.

Review: The movie had plenty of laughs and the plot was decent. Its acting was solid with Jake Gyllenhall and Anne Hathaway. Accolades must be given to Anne Hathaway for portraying a Parkinson's victim so realistically with the tremors and attitudes. The supporting cast wasn't bad with Judy Greer, Josh Gad, and Hank Azaria.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is love more than the simple lust for sex? That theme is further explored with the theme of Viagra and how it can leap over intimacy with the physical nature. The nature of the drug industry is also satirized in this movie, but the darker sides aren't brought out to full light.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 It was a solid watch, but it didn't have the epicness that I usually like to see to hand out the 5. It had humor and it had a compelling plot.

Favorite Quotes:

Maggie Murdock: "Oh right, right, right. I'm supposed to act like I don't know if it's right. So then you tell me that there is no right or wrong. It's just the moment. And then I tell you that I can't while actually signalling to you that I can, which you don't need because you're not really listening. Because this isn't about connection for you. This isn't even about sex for you. This is about finding an hour or two of relief from the pain of being you. And that's fine with me, see, because all I want is the exact same thing."

Jamie: Hey Lisa!

Jackson: Her name is not Lisa.

Jamie: I know, I know but if everytime I say hey Lisa then eventually she'll come up to me and she'll be like, you know, my name is not Lisa it's Jennifer whatever, and I´ll do a big apology, and I say I thought you were the Lisa who is mad at me for not calling, and from then on Jennifer or whatever her name is will think that I dated a girl who looked just like her who I rejected, she´ll develop this unconscious need to win my approval, and from then on it's a cake.

Jackson: Damn!

Blue Valentine

Summary: Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) are going through a loveless marriage and there are flashbacks to their courtship. Dean is a sycophant, but Cindy views him as immature and struggles with her fidelity. Cindy doesn't want to end up like her parents' marriage, and she has a kid by an ex-boyfriend from before Dean.

Review: The acting by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams was great and the cinematography was excellent as well. The mood was somber and even when they were in the middle of the courtship, the somber mood was still there, but the lighter moments contrasted very nicely. The problem is just a storyline that this author fails to comprehend.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is Cindy representative of the majority of American women today? What is the magic that Ryan Gosling had in the beginning, and how did it just disappear? Do women enjoy the abuse because that seems to be what Cindy wanted Dean to do "act like a man" and "hit" her.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 The acting was superb, but I was a bit confused by the hard to follow storyline of parallel times. Maybe I just don't understand yet.

Favorite Quotes:

Dean: In my experience, the prettier a girl is, the more nuts she is, which makes you insane.
Cindy: I like how you can compliment and insult somebody at the same time, in equal

Dean: I didn't want to be somebody's husband and I didn't want to be somebody's dad, that wasn't my goal in life. But somehow it was. I work so I can do that.

Dean: Do you think I could sit down because all these other seats are taken?

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Summary: A special force soldier and his partner get a chance to join an elite company that is on the borderline of fiction. In his quest to stop the evil forces that want to destroy the world to sell more arms, the past of all the characters are revealed in flashbacks and their motivations set forth.

Review: I thought the sound effects were amazing, but the storyline fit as well. It wasn't a fantastic film, but it sure did take my mind off of the real world and entertained for its duration. It was a fantasy film, and you'll enjoy it if you don't think too deeply about it. Channing Tatum was decent in his role. Dennis Quaid played a supporting general well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt really didn't have much of a role other than a villian hiding behind a mask and deep voice. Lee Byung-hun played an evil ninja well. Sienna Miller and Rachel Nichols were nice eye candy to the film. The acting overall wasn't superb, but I thought this was definitely one of those movies more about action.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: I'm not going to try to think too much about this and over-analyze it..

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 I enjoyed the effects of the theme and didn't rate it as badly as some other critics. It was an action film and the sound effects were great. I read that it butchered the original from the comics, but I've never read the comics, therefore the story was refreshing to me.

Goya's Ghost

Summary: Goya's life is depicted in this historical drama. He is commissioned to paint the prominent citizens of the day and two of his projects Ines (Portman), a rich merchant's daughter, and a man of cloth in Lorenzo (Bardem) collide and the movie revolves around that. The timelines of the Inquisition and national politics of Europe of the time are also interwoven in this tale.

Review: I liked the setting and attire for the day. Natalie Portman is a great actor and her elegance constantly shown. Javier Bardem is an underrated actor in America, but he is Spanish.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: There was a theme of karma and ironies of life that happens in the movie. It also features the "Question," as the Inquisition itself was. Why do certain works of literature, art and culture threaten the Church?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 I enjoyed it, but the plot wasn't as captivating as it could have been. It was a nice film, but just didn't inspire as much emotion as some other drama films tend to do.

Nice Guy Johnny

Summary: Johnny, played by Matt Bush, is engaged and by chance he spends the weekend with his womanizing uncle, but ends up meeting a girl played by Kerry Bishe, named Brooke. They develop a connection, and Johnny questions his engagement and his life choices.

Review: The movie did tie together very well, and Uncle Terry was quite a womanizing character. Kerry Bishe gives a performance that almost makes me forget how awkward of a character she is from the last season of Scrubs. The movie definitely had its humorous moments and you can't help, but root for the connection of Johnny and Brooke to blossom.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is there something as being too nice? Does one have to choose between family and career?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 The movie was a short delight. Its plot did tie together very well. For such a low budget film, it accomplished a lot and it made use of the scenery and had decent character developments despite its brevity.

The Fighter

Summary: Mark Wahlberg plays a journey-man boxer, Mickey Ward, as he struggles to balance his fading career and his hectic family. Mickey Ward's mother manages his career while his brother, whose claim to fame was knocking down, or just a slip by Sugar Ray Leonard, is his trainer. His brother is unreliable and a crack-addict played by Christian Bale. Can Mickey Ward fight his way to the top while carrying the deadweight of his family is the tagline.

Review: Christian Bale was the true star of this movie overshadowing Mark Walhberg. The performance of Wahlberg was satisfactory, but he didn't really shine. He seems to be best as a silent type with no emotions whatsoever. Amy Adams played a great supporting actress. The cinematography was solid and the rest of the cast was decent.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: There was a small theme of redemption in the movie, but it wasn't brought out to the affront as it should have been. The redemption theme could have been brought on more with Mickey's career and his brother's recovery from crack addiction.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It was a decent film, but wasn't anywhere as great as it was hyped up to be: "boxing/sports film of the year." I thought Bale made the movie, but the movie was lacking in executing even though it had a compelling storyline.

Hereafter

Summary: Matt Damon plays a former psychic named George who is a factory worker because he views his gift of communicating with the dead as a curse rather than a gift. He struggles through his life because of it and his brother wants him to use this gift. At the same time, there are two parallel stories with a twin brother who recently lost his twin and a French reporter who survives a tsunami after being dead.

Review: The movie was slow as to be expected and lacked many moments of drama considering it should have been pretty emotional with the topic. The one thing it does achieve though is the mood and music, but it just couldn't mesh together an intriguing enough of a story that I coudln't find the humanity in each of the characters.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is there a hereafter or does the plug just get unplugged. Are some things better left unsaid?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2 Matt Damon played a silent man well and there were moments in the movie that were touching, but the entire plot just seemed too forced. The supporting characters didn't get enough face time to where I felt like I understood how they affected the main characters. It was a movie that I was hyped to watch, but the film left me feeling like it lacked.

Kick-Ass

Summary: An awkward, nerdy and with nothing going-going-for-him teen named Dave gets the crazy idea of being a superhero. He buys a costume and ends up calling himself Kick-Ass. The course of action he takes leads him into contact with two characters that actually have a plan and can execute with superhero like powers against the villains of the city.

Review: The only decent part of the movie was the acting. Despite my dislike for the plot as it was silly and absurd, the acting by Nicholas Cage as a deranged superhero was pretty awesome, Chloe Moretz seems very apt at playing precocious girls, Mark Strong at playing a megalomaniac, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as another awkward youth and lastly Aaron Johnson made the role work. I didn't enjoy the plot and thought the violence was over the top for it being a fun loving comic.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Can one individual make a difference? At times, the monologue that Dave goes through does seem pretty profound. From the moments in the beginning to why he was choosing to be a superhero to the moments when he realizes what he would be missing from life if he chose to sacrifice in order to be a superhero.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2 The acting was well done, but I just couldn't get into the plot even with Lyndsey Fonseca. It had its moments of humor, but maybe the genre just didn't appeal to me.

Elephant White

Summary: A mysterious mercenary is paid to complete a job in Thailand by a father who claims to have lost his daughter to the "thug human traffickers." All is not how it appears in the movie and Church, played by Hounsou, has to soon become more immerse in a new culture as he tries to redeem himself. The white elephant is a symbol of fortune and prosperity as the mother of Buddha had a dream of a white elephant presenting her with a lotus flower before the birth of Siddartha.

Review: Kevin Bacon plays an eccentric, seemingly amoral gun dealer well. Dijimon Hounsou actually plays the leading role surprisingly well given that he has never excelled past a supporting role. The plot started out shallow, but grew as the scenes went on. The violent scenes were well shot, but how can you possibly mess up sniper scenes.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: The movie was deeper than simply a gang war and had layers to it. It brought in buddhist monks and spirits without being too overly weird in the end. It also brought up the theme of redemption and the problems of prostitution in Thailand that extends beyond that. It's the children trafficking, drug addictions and poverty that add beyond the act of sex.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4, It was deeper than I thought it would be and a very short delight. It had just the right amount of violence and a plot that managed to redeem itself. The things it didn't explain with more scenes are the more powerful things in the movie.

9th Company

Summary: The film is based on a historical battle in Hill 3234 in 1988 when the Soviet Union was occupying Afghanistan. The film follows one company through the buzzing of their hair to the finality where every member is wiped out, but one. They face an intense drill sergeant who is suffering from PSTD and comradeship as they face the hardest assignment as evidenced by an Officer reprimanding an airport worker for scolding these men when they were flying to basic.

Review: The movie told a great story about humans. One individual was a great artist and he wanted to go to war because of his curiosities with how it would affect his art. Sexuality is also a big theme as one soldier gets a lot of trash from his comrades for never consummating his relationship with his beautiful girlfriend. The soldiers also joke about Jodies at home and how one soldier didn't consummate with his wife so he'll know if she cheats while he's away. There is also a nurse's daughter, Snow White, that they worship in training before they are shipped to the Stan. The filming of the movie was realistic and well done. The lighting and angles were superb from the start of the movie until the end.

Further Question/Theme/Philosophy: Is a war in Afghanistan ever winnable? How brutal are the realities of war?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 The movie is on the intense theme of human emotion during war. The film brings out a lot of realities of war from the time the men were taken to train, the training itself, and finally the realities of war. It is a great tale on the individuals who go to war and how every war boils down to a few common human themes.

My Name is Khan

Summary: Shahrukh Khan plays a kind, autistic man named Rizwan who struggles to overcome his lack of connection with other individuals because of it. It follows his journey from a youth to a man who falls in love with a single mother named Haseena despite his handicaps. The movie goes into the prejudices and the effects of 9/11 on the Muslim community in the US.

Review: Shahrukh Khan is a great actor and this role was a hard one and the autistic tendencies of Rizwan are shown well through the acting of Shahrukh. Kajol plays a great female lead and her role transitioned very well from a friendly stranger, loving mother, and an angry individual. The movie sends a powerful message of human compassion and how we can all become lost in it.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: It's interesting to note that if it wasn't a publicity stunt taht Shahrukh Khan was harrassed at the airport in the US due to his name despite his movie superstar status in India. Are connections as easily made to certain individuals as the one by Khan and Haseena.

Power Rating (Out of 5) 5 This was an epic movie and the only movie that I can think of that's similar to its style would be Forest Gump. Instead of "Run Forest Run," the line this movie would have is "My name is Khan, and I'm not a terrorist." It had everything that I would look in a movie: drama, comedy, and a sense of a message. The movie was superbly made and truly one of the best movies I've ever seen.

Harsh Times

Summary: Jim, played by Christian Bale, is an ex-Ranger who promises his Mexican girlfriend, Marta, played by Tammy Trull, that they'll be getting married as soon as he gets a job in the US to sponsor her. Jim is also struggling with his demons as his previous job has really changed him as a person as evidenced by his actions, but his best friend, Mike doesn't see the full extent. Mike is married to Sylvia who is played by Eva Longoria disapproves of Jim and sees him for who he is. Mike is also trying to get a job to appease Eva Longoria, but he is running into the trouble that Jim is.

Review: This movie was a surprise as I wasn't expecting such a well made movie. Its plot did mesh together very well and Bale was excellent. The movie was very reminiscent of Training Day, both movies shared the same producers, but this movie was simply more over the top. It wasn't very realistic at times, but it was still worth the watch.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Can we truly run away from the past being who we are. Sylvia has a tattoo with Mike's name on it.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4, it was a great movie, but it was just too absurd at times. I really liked the setting and the plot, but it went too far in some of the coincidences. Maybe life is just strange like that.

50 Dead Men Walking

Summary: The movie is based on the true story of a man whose "snitching" of the IRA saved fifty men. Martin McGartland is still hiding from the IRA today and was compromised by his handler. The film follows how the British chose and forced him to infiltrate and spy on the IRA. The character of McGartland is shown throughout the movie with his loyalties to a friend, but his questioning of what he's doing for his "homeland."

Review: The story was confusing at times, but the cinematography fit the theme. It was hard for me to understand because everyone had such a thick Irish accent. It had a few lighter moments, but they were definitely overshadowed by the realities of death and occupation by a foreign force.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: The themes of how loyal one can be is taken into question. Revenge and survival are also two important themes.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It was a thriller, but it was confusing in the beginning to those not initiated with the ordeals of the IRA in the 1990's of The Troubles.