The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Long title and long movie. It probably falls into the category of a “love it or hate it” kind of film and the long running time is partly responsible for this. While there are a few of the great action sequences that you'd expect for a movie about Jesse James, this is more of a study on character and relationships.

Casey Affleck (as “Robert Ford”) gives an outstanding performance but there are many other great actors at work here (notably Brad Pitt as “Jesse James”).

This movie will not be for everyone. It is slow, deliberate and beautifully shot. These are not necessarily attributes that appeal to the modern movie-going audience. There is little action but plenty to consider in this film if you are willing to enjoy the slow and scenic ride.

The Proposition (2005)

When I first read about an Australian “western” written by Nick Cave I have to admit I wasn't particularly interested. I've never been a big fan of his music so I didn't rush to see this film. After reading some positive reviews I eventually checked it out. I'm glad I did as it had since become one of my favorite films from the last few years.

This is a violent and rugged movie that reflects the stark Australian outback and the period that it was set in. It's a great looking film with a genuinely interesting story.

The movie features an excellent cast with a mix of top Australian actors (Guy Pearce, Noah Taylor, David Wenham) and well-known British talent (Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Emily Watson).

The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

Despite having Richard Gere as the lead, or probably because of it, this movie didn't really attract great interest when it was released in 2002. It did a little business at the box office initially but it attracted very mixed reviews and never received significant support.

The story was a bit difficult for people to pigeonhole as it was partly a supernatural thriller and partly based on a true story. It was directed by Mark Pellington (“Arlington Road”) and featured some great visual moments and good pacing. The ever-consistent Laura Linney puts in another solid performance here and works well with Gere in their scenes together.

The Mothman Prophecies is an interesting thriller with a story that is not too predictable and that builds nicely to it's inevitable climactic moment. People looking for a well-made and genuine thriller should enjoy this.

25th Hour (2002)

This is a Spike Lee movie that seems to have gradually built a solid reputation over the years despite little fanfare early on. It features a great lead performance from Edward Norton and some excellent performances from a strong supporting cast that included Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin and Barry Pepper.

25th Hour isn't your typical Hollywood story and this is definitely meant as a compliment. It's about a man who has one day of freedom remaining before he has to begin a seven-year jail term for drug dealing. The realization of his situation makes him reassess the relationships he has with his girlfriend, his father and his closest friends. He also forced to face his own demons and consider how he got into his current situation and how he'll cope with what lies ahead of him.

This film asks plenty of questions and succeeds because it doesn't try to answer them all.

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Gone Baby Gone received very positive reviews, several award nominations (especially for Amy Ryan as supporting actress), but only had limited success at the box office. The fact that it was directed by Ben Affleck, and starred his brother Casey in the leading role, probably turned some people off seeing this movie at the theater. It's a shame really as the Affleck brothers combined to create an excellent movie that starts as an abduction thriller but later turns into an interesting moral dilemma.

The movie is set in the suburbs of Boston and the performances, most notably from Amy Ryan, give it a genuine feel which helps to engage the viewer with the story. If you haven't seen it, I think you'll be surprised.

Running time: 2hr 2 mins.

Release Date: June 8, 2007

Also Staring:

• Ellen Barken
• Andy Garcia
• Don Cheadle
• Bernie Mac
• Eddie Jemison
• Shaobo Qin
• Casey Affleck
• Scott Caan
• Eddie Izzard

Go see “Ocean's 13” on matinee

This is an entertaining movie that won't waste your time or money. That being said, there is a ton of talent here and we could expect greater things from them. This movie falls victim to its own huge cast of great stars. They had to leave the women out of this film and keep Rubin (Gould's character) in bed for the whole film. Danny Ocean (Clooney) and Rusty Ryan (Pitt) are duplicates, not of each other, but they fill the same role in the film.

In order to have something to do they manufactured these little scenes that are supposed to be cute, like the crying at Opra thing, that really don't add much to the movie. Virgil and Turk Malloy are also duplicates but at least they have a couple funny scenes.

Carl Riener is still as solid as ever and though nothing really big hinges on his role he stands out amongst the others. Other noteworthy performances were by Ellen Barkin, Michael Mantell, (super) Dave Osborne and Ray Xifo-all small roles which the actors made stand out. My hat's off to them for shining amongst all the bright stars.

Enough about the Acting: What about the Plot?

Like the acting, the plot is good. Not amazing, just good. There isn't anything wrong with this film it just isn't fantastic. Seriously, go see it. You'll have fun.

What about the “PG-13” Rating?

There is nothing to worry about in this film. At its core, it's a movie about people who rip off a casino in Vegas. I don't think you could give it a G rating. Nothing really bad though.

The Larger Story:

It's touching that these guys pull together to defend a senior member of there group. They have always deferred to the two most senior members of their crew. As the baby boomers reach retirement and don't always retire I'm glad people are making movies like this.

The larger story issue is that of aging gracefully. What happens when Rocky gets old? What about the seniors that can't make it on their fixed income? What about industries like nursing where the median age of their workers is 55? What about the high rate of men who die within 2 years of retiring? Moving from the king of your ranch style tract home to sage of the Florida retirement village isn't an easy transition or even what God intends for us.

Aging is at the heart the Ocean movies. Ocean and Ryan are aging out of the role of King and into a Sage role. Linus is trying to earn his parents respect in a field they have excelled in.

In a sequel perhaps the best issue to deal with is this, “What do you do after you've won?” What does it look like to live happily ever after? These are issues close to home for many of us and this movie can stimulate some interesting conversations along these lines.