Historical epic Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson's small, character-driven films feel like epics, so there's no surprise that he'd eventually try the real thing. Or that he'd get it right. Based on a Upton Sinclair novel called Oil! (the name change makes no sense), There Will be Blood is big, … Continue reading There Will be Blood

Can one call a 95-minute, low-budget, animated film an epic? I think this one qualifies. It may also qualify as a masterpiece. It’s certainly an excellent and an important movie. Iranian/French cartoonist Marjane Satrapi based Persepolis on her own autobiographical graphic novels (Vincent Paronnaud shares screenwriting and directing credits). Through the eyes of young Marjane … Continue reading Persepolis

Political drama Written and directed by Francisco Vargas The Violin opens with a brutal scene of torture and rape conducted by soldiers against their helpless, bound victims. Don’t let the title deceive you; this is not a musical. Although Francisco Vargas’ film of repression and rebellion feels immediate and contemporary, I can’t say exactly when … Continue reading The Violin

Sci-fi horror thriller Written by Mark Protosevich & Akiva Goldsman Based on the novel by Richard Matheson Directed by Francis Lawrence I wonder if the Warner Brothers executives who greenlit this movie knew what they were getting into. You okay a big budget end-of-the-human-race scifi adventure starring Will Smith (seems a safe bet), and you … Continue reading I Am Legend

Family action movie Written by The Wibberleys Jon Turteltaub Since I don’t review films professionally, I don’t have an editor forcing me to go to movies I have no desire to see. That’s my kids’ job. And so, on opening night, I took my 12-year-old and one of her friends to see National Treasure: Book … Continue reading National Treasure: Book of Secrets