Checking Out (2005)

Based on a play, feels like a play. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned, but that means it moves slowly and there's far more sitting around and talking than exciting car chases (although, come to think of it, there's a kind of car chase too). A few of the characters are a little too self-consciously onstagelike, and the production quality is slightly amateurish. However, the script is intelligent, funny, and hits all the right notes without being either too morbid or too sappy. Peter Falk was fantastic, creating his own unique character. The ending veered dangerously close to being trite, but managed to avoid that. All in all, a very satisfying little movie you've probably never seen. 4 stars.

Deja Vu (2006)

Quite a fun film. There's nothing earth-shatteringly different about this movie - pretty straightforward dramatic premise. At first I was skeptical, but it's smarter about how it unfolds than a lot of movies, and this is what makes it interesting to watch. Denzel Washington turns in a solid performance, as always. 3 stars.

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

This movie should have enthralled me so much more than it did. It's just exactly the kind of movie I like - melancholy, atmospheric, moves slowly. But none of it ever came together to form a great story for me. It all just kind of fell apart without any real resolution, either happy or tragic. However, the atmosphere *is* lovely and the music is gorgeous. It is long, but that doesn't damage it, as it is an epic tale and deserves to be treated and filmed as such. 3 stars.

Dreamgirls (2006)

The movie as a whole is only 3 stars, but a few spectacular musical moments punch it up another half a star. This story is nothing particularly interesting, and most of the music isn't either. That's the show's fault, though, not necessarily the movie. Jennifer Hudson's renditions of "I Am Changing" and "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" really stand out, as does Beyonce's song "Listen" (written for the movie). Not nearly as good as the equally well-received Chicago. 3.5 stars.

Copying Beethoven (2006)

This movie desperately wants to be Amadeus... but it's not. It could have been a really good movie, if the writing hadn't been stupid. And if the acting was better. Ed Harris does the best he can with this bizarre script, but everyone else seems like they stepped right out of a soap opera. In fact, this entire thing feels like a soap opera... melodramatic and silly to the extreme. 1.5 stars.

The Queen (2006)

This was a very well-done movie. Helen Mirren fully deserved her Oscar for this role, bringing a deeply complex character to the screen. Sometimes movies about real-life people get so caught up in making that person's life meaningful and significant that they forget to make the movie interesting, but this held my attention the whole way while still making its point. I don't think it's made a lasting impression on me, but it was definitely worth watching once. Quality movie. Possibly worth 4 stars, but I'm giving it 3.5 for now.

Manhattan (1979)

Annie Hall blew me away. This one... not so much. It felt a bit bleaker. Annie Hall had a sort of delightful reveling in how messed up life and relationships were, and this... not so much. That being said, however, it was still a very, very well-done movie. I absolutely loved the use of Gershwin as background music. Wonderful contrast between the sort of traditional, beautiful feel to the city and the bleak, straightforward look at life as it is. It seriously made me want to go back to New York. I miss my city! Anyway. If you have vowed to only ever see one Woody Allen movie in your entire life, see Annie Hall... but if you have made no such vow, I recommend this. 4 stars.