Lima

I swear on the holy relics of David Hasselhoff that if more work had been done on the script, i.e. if a lot of those promising scenes had been more wittily resolved, I would have thrown in the fourth star. It wasn't far from it, mainly thanks to a few biting glimpses of the cult of the body that rules the States, a couple of funny cameos (Lance Armstrong rulez!), and the quintessential douchebag Ben Stiller. I just don't understand what others find so interesting about Vince Vaughn's lackluster acting.

It's not satisfying as a classic crime drama, but it is as a psychological drama. The film flows at the slow pace of a lazy river, there are no camera exhibitions, Clint directs artfully, giving a lot of space to actors who can show a lot of their range, and that's how I like it. Tim Robbins in particular dominates the performances, and here the Oscar is in the right hands. On the other hand, I would question the second award-winning actor, because Sean Penn, in truth, overacts in places. The intelligently written story manages to draw you in and not let go, although there are a few distracting elements, namely, the wife's strange silent phone calls to Detective Devin (played convincingly by Kevin Bacon), which have no connection to the plot and take it nowhere, and the poor symbolism in Robbins' character's reasoning – I didn't get the "vampires" (= pedophiles?) thing. Nevertheless, great satisfaction, also thanks to the unconventionally closed story. They don’t make many films like this in Hollywood today.

A stunning cinematic work by a true artist, both in image and acting. I wasn't bored even for a minute, the runtime was okay, I actually wouldn't have minded a bit more. And the emotional impact on me was all the greater because I have dealt with obsessive compulsive disorder in my life, so I know exactly what Scorsese was talking about, and that he didn't miss the mark is evidenced by the feelings of one of my friends, also OCD, who was shocked to find himself in the character of Howard Hughes. So, thank you Sir.

The pussy-whipped Guy Ritchie isn't exactly having a good time (his current film, Revolver, has perhaps even worse reviews in British media than his previous mega-flop starring Madonna), so another "Ritchie-flick" from a talented young filmmaker comes in handy. For a debut, this is a smartly directed, well-conceived gangster film about a drug dealer and his peripatetic quest to obtain a large shipment of ecstasy, all with the help of rival drug gangs. What separates this film from a fourth star is the fact that there is not a single scene that is indelibly etched in my memory, and that I liked the genre-similar Snatch a bit more, thanks to its more engaging story. Layer Cake simply gets old fast. Daniel Craig is okay, though, he has charisma, he can act too, but that doesn't mean I can't imagine a different type of actor in the role of James Bond.

Rockwell proves that he can play not only eccentrics and villains, but he is also convincing in more serious roles. Despite his convincing performance and Clooney's surprisingly inventive direction, the film gives a somewhat confused impression, although in Kaufman's case we can talk about a relatively "normal" script. It's a pity that the story didn't appeal to me either plot-wise or emotionally enough to make me want to watch it again; once is enough. But very remarkable for a debut, George.

Weitz brothers, the hopeless American Pie is definitely forgiven. Actually, that was after their previous effort, About a Boy, and now they've proven once again that perhaps they have a patent on smart, witty entertainment that comes so handy in today's comedic deluge of toilet humour and teen stupidity. This film has a lot in common with the excellent About a Boy, a smart script devoid of any clichés, a nice decent soundtrack and great performances by all involved (the little known Topher Grace was a pleasant surprise). And on top of that, an unusual conclusion by Hollywood standards. Very nice entertainment.

A bit like a shabby first Rambo. The rawness and Friedkin's adept coaching of the action scenes is brought down by a clichéd story, a bunch of implausibilities (the whole opening scene from "Bosnia") and a load of outright plot bullshit. Or would you choose to quietly sheathe your knife as you fled, chased by hundreds of pursuers?

There is none of the rawness and camera games typical of Greengrass, on the contrary, this is a surprisingly intimate work where it’s hard to find his signature. An enjoyable story, but surprisingly bland direction and, for me at least, an unconvincing performance by Bonham Carter.

Yeah, it’s awful bollocks. But can I honestly be mad at a film that openly admits its awfulness in every scene, doesn't take itself seriously at all, and is filmed at a killer pace that doesn't let you get bored? Sometimes, with a certain amount of detachment, you can actually enjoy this kind of bullshit. Which is not to say that I seek out this type of entertainment.

Colin Farrell, I have a soft spot for this Irish lad. Overacting is an unfamiliar concept for him, he’s completely natural and believable, as if moving in front of the camera was a piece of cake. His performance raised the quality of Schumacher's film a lot, but the film itself has other merits. Above all, it's a quality story about a misfit rebel who doesn't need the fucking army and the fucking war, and who knows all sorts of loopholes in the regulations and the law that, when used properly, allow you to fuck with the war. I would have liked it if the screenwriter hadn't turned Farrell into a full-blown Mirek Dušín at one crucial moment in the end, which would have made him an even more vital character, but otherwise no objections. The whole film is mainly conversational with well-written dialogues, those who expect combat scenes will be disappointed. The raw, sometimes documentary-like concept, supported by an interestingly shaky camera, is also a merit, and hand in hand with the visual austerity is the well-known fact that low budgets suit Schumacher very well. By the way, just for the record, Tigerland ran in only five theaters in the U.S. and grossed $139,000 in three months.