Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)

Miranda July writes, directs, and stars in this virtuosic ISA-nominated character study that follows the lives of an exceptionally deep group of stangers. The writing is astonishing and the acting performances first rate. This woefully overlooked picture has lots of very interesting surprises and impossibly likable, perfectly-flawed people. Grade: A+. IMDB: Me and You and […]

Thelonious Monk – Monk (1953)

Thelonious Monk’s beautiful 1953 set features stars and underrated players, like Sonny Rollins, Ray Copeland, Frank Foster, Art Blakey, and a surprise French horn player, Julius Watkins. The musicianship is extraordinary and Monk’s dissidence against convention makes this record great. While not his most famous work, it’s still excellent stuff. Grade: B+. AllMusic: Monk.

Swayzak – Dirty Dancing (2002)

A refreshingly different electro group, Swayzak puts together a spacy set of tracks that ranges from minimal techno to downtempo to broken beats. The production is clean, almost antiseptic, and the vocal performances are solid, although the lyrics to a few tracks seemed gratingly disjointed, immature, and out of place. Grade: C+. AllMusic: Dirty Dancing.

The Perfect Storm (2000)

George Clooney leads an all-star cast in a script based on a true story, the story of the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat lost at sea during a historically powerful collision of storms. A poignant story, superbly realistic effects, and brilliant performances add palpable tension to an thrilling film. Grade: A-. IMDB: The Perfect Storm.

World Trade Center (2006)

This Oliver Stone picture surrounding the World Trade Center attacks respectfully documents the events of that tremendous historic day, following the attempt of a small group of PAPD officers to evacuate the towers. Beautifully scripted and terrifically acted, this exceptional picture brings the audience to Ground Zero with unheralded realism. Grade: A. IMDB: World Trade […]

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

Al Gore presents his keynote address on the science behind global warming and its causes in this documentary that serves to debunk the myth that scientists are in disagreement about this topic. Never preachy, this film spotlights the coming global catastrophe in stark terms and offers hope for the future. Grade: B+. IMDB: An Inconvenient […]

The American President (1995)

President Andrew Shepard is a widower in the Oval Office who meets a sassy lobbyist, with whom he starts a relationship and draws the attacks of a conservative Republican challenger. This political romance features an excellent cast, a beautiful set, and cheesy romantic intrigue against the chaotically busy West Wing. Grade: B. IMDB: The American […]

Afro-Mystik – Morphology (2003)

A few standout tracks make this CD worthwhile. The deep tribal house sound of Afro-Mystik is well-represented, but the lyrical work, the instrumental solos, and some of the songwriting seems unfocused and lacking direction. Still, the set evokes African and Latin rhythms and brings plenty of funk along. Grade: C+. AllMusic: Morphology.

Flatliners (1990)

An exceptional cast star in this drama about a group of medical students exploring life after death. The tension levels in this picture are very high and the plot is surprisingly inventive, twisting in unexpected ways. Believable acting performances and beautiful thematic use of color make this a memorable experience. Grade: A-. IMDB: Flatliners.

The Boxer (1997)

Daniel Day-Lewis stars in this tumultuous story about a boxer and his war-torn neighborhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The chemistry between the romantic leads is palpable and believably natural. A talented cast and a haunting soundtrack lend this story a stark and violent realism beyond the subject matter. Grade: B. IMDB: The Boxer.

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