The Shipping News (2001)

The Shipping News (2001)

[6] Kevin Spacey stars in this Lasse Hallström film based on the Annie Proulx novel about a widower who moves with his young daughter to his ancestral home in Newfoundland to start a new life. Judi Dench plays Spacey's aunt who encourages the…
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

[7] John Malkovich stars as renowned German film director F.W. Murnau during the making of the seminal 1922 horror movie, Nosferatu. Willem Dafoe co-stars as enigmatic, creepy-as-shit Max Schreck, who played the vampire in Murnau's classic. But that's just the springboard for…
Surrender, Dorothy (2006)

Surrender, Dorothy (2006)

[6] After her daughter dies in a car accident, a mother spends a month with the deceased woman's friends to try and learn more about her in this talkative made-for-TV drama. Diane Keaton stars as the mother, whose abrasive presence isn't at…
Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)

Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)

[7] Drew Barrymore stars as a teen in the '60s whose dreams of going to college and getting published are squashed by unexpected motherhood. Riding in Cars with Boys is a comedy/drama based on a true story that spans a few decades, seeing…
The Clearing (2004)

The Clearing (2004)

[6] Robert Redford gets kidnapped, leaving his wife Helen Mirren home with their adult children to try and figure out what the hell is going on. The Clearing divides its time pretty equally between Redford's and Mirren's storylines. Redford's kidnapper is played…
The Box (2009)

The Box (2009)

[7] The Box is weird, anachronistic, and indulgent, but I'd be lying to say I didn't dig it. This is the third film from writer/director Richard Kelly, who created a cult phenomenon with Donnie Darko, but then flopped big time with the…
Terminator: Salvation (2009)

Terminator: Salvation (2009)

[6] Terminator: Salvation is passable summer entertainment held together by a sliver of thematic sci-fi integrity and a strong supporting performance by Sam Worthington (Avatar). Why Christian Bale opted into this movie is beyond me -- it's a thankless role. He's easily…
The Quiet American (2002)

The Quiet American (2002)

[6] Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser vie for the affection of a beautiful Vietnamese woman against the backdrop of the French-Indochina War. Philip Noyce (Dead Calm, Patriot Games) is the second director to bring Graham Greene's novel to the screen (after Joseph…
Pineapple Express (2008)

Pineapple Express (2008)

[8] Pineapple Express is Quentin Tarantino meets Cheech and Chong, a hyperviolent action flick crashed into a buddy comedy. The mish-mash may be an acquired taste, but it's a winning combination for me. Seth Rogen and James Franco carry this movie to…
Paper Heart (2009)

Paper Heart (2009)

[4] A maudlin pseudo-documentary about a socially awkward girl's quest for true love. Um, gag? Charlyne Yi, adorable in her weird Knocked Up cameo, is tediously boring here. The concept for this movie is confounding -- part of it is Yi interviewing…