business that's personal

the wrestler--
i can't imagine a more appropriate star vehicle for mickey rourke at this stage of his career. and i can't imagine anyone else doing this role justice; he is sheer perfection. darren aronofsky's brutally intimate character study is a heartbreaker. gruesome hard knocks of modern-day gladiator's fading spotlight mirror the crumbling of his identity and deterioration of his very existence. marisa tomei's Stunning soulful stripper represents hope in more ways than one.
heartbreaker: 4 stars

revolutionary road--
not the first utterly depressing breakdown of 50's suburban culture. heralded reunion of kate winslet & leonardo dicaprio is all about tone. this time, rather than discover couple's freeing connection, we witness their suffocating dissolution. Busy(!) cinematographer roger deakins (also framed the reader and doubt) and composer thomas newton command while stars shout at each other. michael shannon, in juicy loony supporting role, justifiably calls into question sanity of everyone & everything Settled around him.
tone: 3 stars

* still life (BONUS dvd review)--
winner, best foreign language film, l.a. film critics. tricky title proves doubly telling. story explores parallel estranged relationships alongside china's yangtze river, where in spots entire villages were displaced by three gorges dam. quiet camera and subdued performances harmonize to reveal emotional core. pic unfolds gracefully into portrait of patience and resilience of human spirit.
patience: 3 stars

respect must be paid

cadillac records--
first off, i consider jeffrey wright one of the great actors of this generation. here he's joined by a stellar ensemble, including adrien brody, mos def, eamonn walker (hbo's oz), and rising stud columbus short (stomp the yard). international mega-star beyonce knowles brings cache of another sort as well, introducing to a wide-reaching crop of entertainment biz fans everywhere these vital chapters of music history. writer/director darnell martin deserves praise for tackling such an ambitious tribute. script clicks with energy, thanks primarily to rockin' soundtrack, overflowing with early rhythm & blues classics.
tribute: 3 stars

the reader--
indisputably packaged, positioned, and presented as Important oscar pic. felt more like three separate films to me, however, the latter two draining life from bold, fun, sensual central flashback storyline. crafty conceit thus bogged down in its own earnestness. kate winslet delivers as expected (no more, no less), ralph fiennes is sufficiently dour, while newcomer david kross truly leads. core strength in Look: legendary cinematographer roger deakins reveals luminous beauty; costume designer ann roth does wonders.
expected: 3 stars