Great Movies (4 & half stars)

A great start to the movie year.

A film of epic proportions with some of the most incredible visuals ever put on the silver screen.

Like the epic fables and historic myths it follows in the over the top descriptions of the enemy. From the start it is story told by another Spartan soldier meant to inspire the troops before the upcoming battle, a tale of adversity in the face of insurmountable odds. It isn't about realism it is about ideals and bravery. It is about having hereos to set an example to live upto.

Fincher excels again.

A bank heist led by Dalton Russell (Owen) seems to be going out of control as they take hostages. Detective Frazier (Washington), a cop under investigation, is brought in as negotiator. As there cat and mouse game unfolds a woman (Foster) with a hidden agenda forces herself into the mix.

Avoiding most of the trappings that are usually associated with 'a Spike Lee joint' this taut heist thriller comes across as Lee most mainstream movie to date and also one of his best. Sure that is a biting social commentary at the heart of the film but it is more subtle than his past efforts, the only out of place moment throughout it when Clive Owen sits down and talks to a child hostage about his violent and stereotyped video game.

Everything about this film oozes quality. Lee's tight and intelligent script shows New York in all its ethnic diversity from Albanians to Seikhs. The performances are all top notch, again Washingston fails to disappoint and is strong in the lead escpecially in the moments when he is matching wits with Clive Owen. Owen himself is great and agains proves himself as one of the finest actors working today. Plummer is superb as the bank owner with something to hide and Foster aquites herself well as the bitch in a predominately male cast.

Overall: Right up there with Heat and Dog Day Afternoon as one of the best and smartest heist movies of all time.

Smart and clever contempary film noir.

It's like Raymond Chandler wrote his pulp noir about high schools. Gordon-Levitt is brilliant as the Marlow-esque detective investigating the death of a friend.

As enchanting and gripping as the magic it potrays.

Christopher Nolan once again proves himself to be consumate filmmaker. He teases you with the truth and has you second guess yourself all the way up to the big reveal, The Prestige.

Noteworthy performance from the ever excellent Bale and even Jackman surprised me.

Julian Noble (Brosnan) is a lonely hitman on the brink of burning out when he runs into Danny Wright (Kinnear), a downtrodden businessman, in Mexico City bar. Julian reaches out to Danny in the vain hopes of forming a friendship, something that he has never had.

One standout scene in the movie takes place at a bullfight, Danny at first scoffs at Julian when he tells him his occupation and asks him to prove it. Julian proceeds to show him the setup for a hit. This becomes the moment at which Brosnan really becomes the character and makes you forget that for a while he was 007.

Unlike past hitman-drama-comdies like Grosse Pointe Blank this one doesn't waste time on action or tension. In fact besides from the opening hit you don't see anyone getting killed. This leaves room for the real story, which is of friendship and having people in your life who care about you no matter what you do or who you kill.

Sometimes when you get a film that you weren't expecting it can be a let down but in The Matador's case you can make an exception. What you get is an original, clever, witty well-written tale with great performances from all the cast and an espcially memorable Brosnan.

Del Toro heads back to his roots and brings his best yet.

A gorguous, violent, scary and touching movie.