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Doubt

by Eric Melin on December 26, 2008

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John Patrick Shanley has adapted his own play, giving stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Moffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis a chance to show off their chops.

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Frost/Nixon

by Eric Melin on December 26, 2008

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Ron Howard’s adaptation of the award-winning play is a well-constructed curiosity starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen in the title roles.

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The Reader

by Eric Melin on December 25, 2008

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Kate Winslet leads this complicated Stephen Daldry-directed drama about the German national conscience following World War II.

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Valkyrie

by Eric Melin on December 25, 2008

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Moral ambiguities are merely the backdrop for an suspense plot that’s lacking in Bryan Singer’s Nazi assasination thriller starring Tom Cruise.

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David Fincher’s latest is an overly long, nostalgic look at one man’s curious life as he ages backwards and watches history unfold.

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The Spirit

by Eric Melin on December 24, 2008

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Frank Miller’s bizarrely hilarious adaptation of the classic Will Eisner comic veers wildly between high camp and seriousness with all the subtlety of a jackhammer and no grasp of plotting.

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Yes Man

by Eric Melin on December 22, 2008

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Jim Carrey is getting a bit old for this routine but if you want to see some geriatric oral sex, this is the movie for you.

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The Wrestler

by Eric Melin on December 17, 2008

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Mickey Rourke (in the performance of the year) dominates this gritty, lyrical new movie from director Darren Aronofsky, which chronicles the life of a fading wrestling star.

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Slumdog Millionaire

by Eric Melin on December 15, 2008

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Danny Boyle’s exhilarating yet hellish fairy tale is a must-see movie experience.

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Milk

by Eric Melin on December 12, 2008

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Gus Van Sant’s buoyant film about slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk features affecting performances from Sean Penn and its entire supporting cast.

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Keanu Reeves stars in this brainless remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic that can’t make up its mind about anything.

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Australia

by Eric Melin on November 26, 2008

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Baz Luhrmann’s epic romance starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman is a failure on all fronts, lacking any of the director’s  convention-busting trademarks.

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Synecdoche, New York

by Eric Melin on November 23, 2008

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Charlie Kaufman’s remarkable directorial debut is a neurotic, bleak, and sometimes funny journey down the crooked river of the latter half of one man’s life.

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Twilight

by Eric Melin on November 21, 2008

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There’s enough teen angst and confusion for three movies, and that’s also what makes it work. A lack of distinct visual style and a low-budget flair to its limited special effects, but the movie takes its time developing every alienated inch of its characters’ lives.

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Quantum of Solace

by Eric Melin on November 14, 2008

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Daniel Craig’s second Bond movie is a worthy successor to the series reboot “Casino Royale.” Director Marc Forster explores issues of loyalty while Bond works through his shattered romance and a lot of jittery action scenes.

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