Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

Sep 23, 2011 by Mr. Nau As aliens invade and destroy Los Angeles, Marine staff sergeant Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) is assigned to help lead a motley group to rescue civilians. This clunky action film is full of gunfights, explosions, and ruthless evil aliens. The lack of realism makes the film fall drastically short of its […]

Inside Job (2010)

Sep 21, 2011 by Mr. Nau This powerful Oscar-winning documentary examines the 2008 financial crisis, how a small cadre of Wall Street investment bankers pillaged the global economy, and the way a few people nearly destroyed the world’s financial system just for personal gain. This well-researched piece indicts numerous culprits, leaving the audience furious. Grade: […]

The Flats (2002)

Sep 14, 2011 by Mr. Nau This low-budget independent character study brings us into the lives of a group of friends at the end of a summer in a small rural town. Harper, the tortured hell-raiser of the group, has to report to jail soon and starts a relationship with his best friend’s girlfriend. Grade: […]

The Exploding Girl (2009)

Sep 14, 2011 by Mr. Nau Zoe Kazan stars as Ivy, a twenty-something college student spending the summer at home in New York City, in this quiet, contemplative coming-of-age picture. Her best friend, Al, moves in with her temporarily, while she tries to maintain a new relationship and keep her epilepsy at bay. Grade: B. […]

How I Got Lost (2002)

Sep 14, 2011 by Mr. Nau You’ve seen it before — a small, independent buddy drama about two friends having a quarter-life crisis, one straight-laced failed writer, one rebellious Wall Street type, who take a road trip across the country to escape their troubles. While earnest, this trudging picture doesn’t make us care about them. […]

Our Brand Is Crisis (2005)

Sep 12, 2011 by Mr. Nau Bolivia’s former president, Gonzalo Sénchez de Lozada, hires an American political consulting firm to help him win the election against contentious two rivals. Here, we get an insider’s view of the political marketing machine and how fluently it can influence an entire nation. The picture is eye-opening and educational. […]

Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008)

Sep 08, 2011 by Mr. Nau In this historical drama based on wars during the Three Kingdoms Period in Ancient China, we follow the exploits of Zhao Zilong, a legendary general who fights into old age for his king. The battle sequences here are epic in scale and the spectacular duels are brutal and superbly […]

Outsourced (2006)

Sep 06, 2011 by Mr. Nau When his company offshores its call center to India, Todd is sent over to train his replacement and get the rudimentary operations and facility up to speed. This hilarious comedy tells the story of a clueless American completely lost in an ancient culture and the locals trying to understand […]

All the Days Before Tomorrow (2007)

Sep 02, 2011 by Mr. Nau Alison and Wes are two platonic friends whose relationship might, in other circumstances, have been more. In this picturesque friendship romance, they rekindle their close bond on the evening before she moves to Japan for her boyfriend. This beautiful well-written character study takes place against a gorgeous desert backdrop. […]

The Puffy Chair (2005)

Aug 31, 2011 by Mr. Nau In this low budget independent road trip drama, Josh and Emily go to fetch a recliner for his father’s birthday, stopping to invite Rhett, his little brother, along for the adventure. With a raw style, this quirky drama features solid acting, a decent script, and plenty of crazy unexpected […]

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