CarpenterKen

Wondering why director Tom McCarthy would not credit Academy Award nominee Richard Jenkins, who "appears" as a telephone voice. (McCarthy directed Jenkins to his Oscar nod in "The Visitor.")

Jenkins voices real-life psychotherapist Richard Sipe in several phone conversations, and his character adds very important information to the investigation at the heart of the film.

"Spotlight" joins a long list of excellent films about working journalists. Be sure to watch these, too:

• "All The President's Men" — The granddaddy of them all. (10 stars out of 10.)

• "Shattered Glass" (9 stars)

• "Absence of Malice" (9 stars)

• "Veronica Guerin" (10 stars)

• "State of Play" (8 stars ... starring Rachel McAdams, also in "Spotlight")

• "The Hunting Party" (8 stars)

• "The Paper" (8 stars ... starring Michael Keaton, also in "Spotlight")

• "The Bang-Bang Club" (9 stars)

• "The Insider" (9 stars)

— 30 —

What a horrible movie ... where did they find this James Franco guy? He is a walking stiff.

And anybody who goes to the film to see the Top Gun jets and an aircraft carrier -- prominently featured in the television commercials -- will be disappointed. There are no ships at sea or planes in the air. Just terrible acting and a predictable plot.

The only character worth a darn in the whole thing is the boxing coach, and he's on screen for all of 2 minutes. All the other stereotypical characters are astonishingly boring!

Save your cash!!

Wow, how bad was that movie experience? Slow, boring, complicated,nearly impossible to follow story lines, lumbering acting, overly long ... I had high hopes for "Syrianna," but it was just a couple notches above truly awful. If this was supposed to be the second-coming of "Traffic," it got lost on the highway somewhere! Anyone who praises this film is a pretentious blow hard. It's crap, basically. Stephen Gaghan may have written "Traffic," but he shows very little talent as a director in this effort. He'll be relegated to screenplays from now on. And George Clooney needed a shower and a shave throughout the whole thing. I felt grimy when I walked out.

This film was a huge disappointment. I've long been a fan of Ron Howard's movies, but this one is borderline horrible.

First, it's an hour too long.

Second, the Indian "voodoo" sequence is amateurish and completely out of place.

Third, I'm now convinced Tommy Lee Jones is a third-rate actor, at best. (If you disagree, go back and watch "Double Jeopardy" and "The Hunted" again. After "The Missing," he'll be relegated to supporting cameos.)

Cate Blanchette, who I love, is sub-par here. Her accent wanders all over the place, and there are several scenes where her acting is, well, laughable.

Even Val Kilmer shows up for a very weak -- and, thankfully, short -- appearance.

Only Jenna Boyd, as the young daughter, gave a noteworthy performance.

And for Eric Schweig's sake, I hope that was makeup, because he is one UGLY dude. Some bad guys are supposed to be menacing, but this one is grotesque to the point of being unwatchable.

I gave the film 4 out of 10, mainly for it's first half hour and outstanding

cinematography.

By giving "Master and Commander" a rating of 8 out of 10, I'm not suggesting that Peter Weir's latest work isn't Oscar worthy, but I don't think it has that certain "something" that takes a well-crafted, fine film to the "great" level.

I'm also not suggesting that Russell Crowe wasn't terrific -- I don't think any working actor would be more suitable in the role of Capt. Jack Aubrey. But will he win another statuette? I don't think it is a lock.

The movie is solid in every way, and true to the spirit of Patrick O'Brian's novels, but I don't think it has enough "mass market" appeal to be considered a classic over time.

I'll compare "Master and Commander" to "Chariots of Fire," which won Best Picture without being a true Hollywood blockbuster.

What is the film lacking? There is no love interest, let alone sex, even though Aubrey has a clandestine on-land relationship with the wife of a superior officer in O'Brian's first novel. Now that would have spiced things up!

And there is no real development of the friendship between Aubrey and Dr. Maturin -- in the book, Aubrey "discovers" Maturin and their friendship grows. In the film, you don't get a sense of how these polar-opposite men find their relationship.

I'm not trying to be critical -- I had very high hopes for this film -- but I didn't walk out of the theater amazed, just satisfied.

I went to see this film for 2 reasons -- Jane Campion directed, and Meg Ryan gets naked in it.

Well, Meg does get naked, but if Jane considers this drivel "directing," then she better consider retirement.

What a mess of attempts at style, what a ridiculous plot (term used loosely), what an utter waste of more than two hours.

And, I'm sorry, I've given Mark Ruffalo every chance, but he is simply terrible. He plays the same, irritating, annoying piece of scum in every film, so I'm being to think he's typecast.

So score this one a 2 out of 10 -- 1 for each nude scene for Meg (but she better get back to something perky fast, if she wants to salvage anything of her career). There is NOTHING else redeeming about this film.

(Don't take my word for it -- talk to the 2 women, then a 3rd woman, and then a man who got up and walked out of today's matinee showing, leaving 5 people in the theater to endure the torture.)

I went to see this film for 2 reasons -- Jane Campion directed, and Meg Ryan gets naked in it.

Well, Meg does get naked, but if Jane considers this drivel "directing," then she better consider retirement.

What a mess of attempts at style, what a ridiculous plot (term used loosely), what an utter waste of more than two hours.

And, I'm sorry, I've given Mark Ruffalo every chance, but he is simply terrible. He plays the same, irritating, annoying piece of scum in every film, so I'm being to think he's typecast.

So score this one a 2 out of 10 -- 1 for each nude scene for Meg (but she better get back to something perky fast, if she wants to salvage anything of her career). There is NOTHING else redeeming about this film.

(Don't take my word for it -- talk to the 2 women, then a 3rd woman, and then a man who got up and walked out of today's matinee showing, leaving 5 people in the theater to endure the torture.)

The mood is dark, somber. The acting is dull, lifeless. The story is complex, convoluted. The ending is, quite simply, preposterous.

I don't understand the heaps of praise being bestowed on this ordinary film.

Outside of an understated performance by Kevin Bacon, and some real acting by Marcia Gay Harden, there's nothing special delivered from a usually talented cast. (Laurence Fishburne is particularly grating as a detective in caricature -- especially the name "Whitey" and the ever-changing accent.)

For those of you giving this mishmash a 10, stop and think about the ending -- is it in any way plausible? No, not at all.

I've thought long and hard about this . . . and it's official: "Cold Creek Manor" is the worst movie I've ever sat through. (I walked out of the only other ones worse.)

Pathetic acting -- Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone looked like they flew in for a weekend shoot and got out of Dodge. And the two children are the worst actors ever in a big- budget film. Remember their names -- Kristen Stewart and Ryan Wilson -- because you'll never hear from them again.

Juliette Lewis -- Now relegated to playing nothing but skanks, because she is a skank.

No plot -- What, exactly, is going on here?

Totally implausible -- Yeah, like you'd invite a home invader to stay for dinner, then find out he's been to prison so you offer him a job! And, there are snakes in the house, so run up to the roof!

The only frightening thing about this movie is that, at the time of this writing, 42 of 469 voters on imdb.com gave it a 10! Find those 42 people and keep them out of the theater!

"Open Range" is an enjoyable, classic American western that really adds nothing to the genre. Aside from consistently stunning cinematography (of the plains of Alberta, not the western United States), there's nothing about this film that would make it "great."

Good story, good acting, good direction, good action, good ending. Just a good, solid movie. (I scored it 7 out of 10, only because 7.5 is not available.)

Given all of the truly amazing -- and true -- story lines that intertwine in "Seabiscuit," it would have been harder to make a bad movie than a good one.

But maybe it is Gary Ross' inexperience at the helm -- this being his second directorial effort -- that turned an epic-caliber story and a potentially great film into just a very good movie.

Character development took a little too long, and the horse didn't even show up until well into the first hour. (The big race sequence is good, but doesn't "match" the heart- stopping dash made by Kelly Reno aboard The Black in "The Black Stallion (1979).")

I'm of the opinion that there has never been a bad movie made about a horse, but "Seabiscuit" is not the best of breed. A far better film -- and also a true story -- is 1983's "Phar Lap," about a New Zealand horse that became a champion in Australia and then traveled to North America. Simon Wincer directed, and Tom Burlinson stars.

Another great horse-racing movie is "Casey's Shadow (1978)," directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau.

Sometimes you go to the movies for a serious experience; sometimes you go just for fun.

Tonight we had fun seeing "The Italian Job."

I have no idea how it compares to the 1969 original, but this one has suspense, intrigue, humor, action and just enough technology to make it cutting edge.

From the opening credits -- an interesting montage sequence with riveting sound and music -- to several fantastic chase scenes, F. Gary Gray shows his versatility as a filmmaker. (I've not seen "A Man Apart," but now I will.)

Without giving anything away, the chase scenes are really exciting. If you liked the chase in "The Bourne Identity," you'll like these. I just hope Jason Statham -- "The Transporter" -- doesn't get typecast as a getaway driver!

I scored it an 8 on IMDb, sandwiched between the too-serious "Heist" (7) and the brilliant "Ocean's Eleven" (9).

And Charlize Theron is her usual mesmerizing self.

I wondered why I had never heard of this film before stumbling onto it in a video store. I mean, with Denis Leary, Elizabeth Hurley, Steve Buscemi and Luis Guzman in it, it sounded like a can't miss.

Sorry. It missed. Badly. Incredibly badly.

Not funny. Stupid plot. Horrid acting.

If not for a couple of make-out scenes between Leary and Hurley (during which she flashes a little . . . . ), this film would not even warrant the 4 that I gave it.

If you have not seen the documentary film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" you must drop what you're doing, right now, and go rent the DVD.

I swear to God, I wept during Joan Osborne's rendition of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?" Actual tears flowed!

It is the climax of a film filled with amazing musical performances by a group of studio musicians, The Funk Brothers, who played on more No. 1 hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and The Beatles -- COMBINED!

A well made film with lots of the same ol' grifter-movie themes.

Dustin Hoffman and Andy Garcia have little more than extended cameos -- Garcia never even changes clothes; Hoffman wears two shirts. A couple days' work -- tops -- for each, and it shows.

A special mention for fine character actor Paul Giamatti (son of the late baseball commissioner) -- the best lines and best performance are his.

Edward Burns looks more and more like Ben Affleck's twin brother every outing.

Speaking of grifter movies, I liked "The Prime Gig" (7) slightly better than "Confidence" (6).

What starts out as a potentially interesting thriller turns into a ridiculous mishmash of plot holes that left this viewer wondering, "Huh?"

SPOILER ALERT (if the film isn't already spoiled enough!)

The whole plot is based on some lingering mystery, a secret scandal from the main characters' past. At one point Lyle (Jeff Bridges) says that he offered "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to Vinnie (Nick Nolte) for the photographs that are key to the mystery. When the secret is revealed, it's not worth 2 cents.

Catherine Keener's character was interesting, and luminous in the final scene.

ESPN needs to stick with sports and forget about its "ESPN Original

Entertainment (EOE)" experiment. "The Junction Boys" couldn't have been a

worse movie if somebody tried to butcher a real, interesting story.

Made in Australia in order to save money, the film has some of the most god- awful accent mixing in the history of cinema. Not a single actor, not even Tom Berenger, sounded authentic. And a few of the Aussie/Texan combinations

were truly laughable.

ESPN spent a couple weeks promoting this piece of garbage, and suckered me

into watching it. I gave it a 3 solely on the quality of the story -- the execution of the filmmaking deserves a ZERO.

Don't believe the reviews . . .

If you're expecting to see Rebecca Romijn-Stamos naked, you'll be disappointed.

If you're expecting to see Rebecca Romijn-Stamos in a hot, explicit lesbian sex scene, you'll be really disappointed.

If you're expecting a film that in any way approaches Brian DePalma's best work ("The Untouchables," "Carlito's Way"), save your money and go rent one of those films.

Horrible acting, a stupid plot . . . only one scene of Mrs. Romijn-Stamos' world-class hindquarters kept me from scoring it lower than a 4.

In a head-to-head comparison of the new "Red Dragon" with the fabulous "Manhunter," I have to give a slight edge to Michael Mann's 1986 classic.

Both films are sufficiently scary; both are true to the Thomas Harris novel (including some verbatim dialogue); both offer fine performances from all involved . . . but I think "Manhunter" better portrayed the turmoil inside both FBI agent Will Graham and "Tooth Fairy" killer Francis Dolarhyde.

The original players -- William Petersen as Graham, and Tom Noonan as Dolarhyde -- are better than Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes. Norton never portrays the fear Graham must feel, and Noonan is simply more frightening than the too-good-looking Fiennes.

We're four paragraphs in, so I guess I have to mention Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Sir Anthony Hopkins has created the franchise role, but Brian Cox was calmly sinister in the first film. Edge to Hopkins, but just barely.

Both supporting actresses -- Joan Allen in "Manhunter" and Emily Watson in "Dragon" -- are brilliant, but Watson offers a wider range of emotion. She's happier, sexier, funnier . . . and more terrified.

The tiebreaker might be Dennis Farina's in-charge Jack Crawford from "Manhunter," although Harvey Keitel wasn't bad. And the FBI investigation elements in "Manhunter" are more interesting and convincing.

I thought the new opening in "Red Dragon" was OK (I don't remember any of it from the book), and its ending was different, but not necessarily better. Kudos to director Brett Ratner for including a crucial museum scene in "Dragon," but it does not have the impact of the truly chilling sequence in the novel.

I gave "Manhunter" a 10 years ago; "Red Dragon" gets a 9, only because 9.5 wasn't available. The book, on the other hand, gets an 11, or 12.

This is a pedestrian thriller with a few too many laughs thrown in. Mel Gibson has never been stiffer. So many improbable actions by the four family members took away from what could have been a really interesting couple hours. People in the preview audience tonight were yelling things at the screen, which is a "sign" of a decent, but not great, scary movie.

"Signs" does not approach Night Shyamalan's efforts with "The Sixth Sense"

and "Unbreakable." I gave it a 6 out of 10.

I enjoyed this film; Hugh Grant fans (as I am) will appreciate this

turn as an everyman character (somewhere between the good guy

of "Knotting Hill" and the bad guy of "Bridget Jones' Diary").

Toni Collette is one of the best actresses working today, and here

turns chameleon again as an odd-ball character.

I never really warmed up to the little kid (Nicholas Hoult), but I

guess that's part of the point.

I did not hold out much hope for this film, given the production and

release delays and my general dislike of Matt Damon, but I was

very pleasantly surprised.

Just a good, solid movie!

By far Damon's best performance, and Franka Potente was subtly

sexy throughout.

Believability, action, suspense, a little romance and one of the

best car-chase scenes in recent memory made for a fun evening.

Certainly better than recent viewings of "Insomnia" and "Bad

Company."

Word is director Doug Liman went back to Paris to shoot

additional scenes and reshoot some others. I'd say he got it right.

(Can anyone explain, however, what Julia Stiles was doing in this

film? Talk about underutilizing someone!)

I liked the pairing of Hopkins and Rock, although ol' Sir Tony

appeared out of breath through the whole film, despite some very

obvious stunt doubles doing the heavy lifting.

Chris Rock was the movie's lone bright spot, and his performance

and great one-liners were worth the price of admission. I gave it a

6 for the laughs and the great scenes in Prague.

I was amazed, however, by the HORRENDOUS acting by some in

the supporting cast. I can't a remember another big-budget film

with so many stiffs getting so much screen time. (All of Hopkins'

CIA colleagues were flat-out awful!)

A film with a pretty good premise, but very poorly executed.

(And does anyone other than me wonder why the separated-at- birth twins both ended up as expert chess players? I thought this

would eventually be used in the story, but it was never even

mentioned. Oh well.)

Wow ... SO disappointing!

It's now official -- Al Pacino is washed up. And Robin Williams looked as if he took the role just for a free trip to Alaska. Hilary Swank's performance was the lone bright spot -- too bad the screenwriter didn't give her anything to do. This film is a sure cure for insomnia!

While the plot and acting leave quite a bit to be desired, this film is well worth the sit-through for the fabulous scenery -- particularly newcomer Tracy Smith and the ultraluminous Shannon Tweed. Ms. Tweed, a Playboy Playmate of the Year, makes full use of her physical talents to steal every scene in which she participates.

David Naughton gets top billing, but we all know his career peaked as the Dr Pepper spokesperson.