obiwancohen

Epic? Yes. Entertaining? Absolutely. Perfect? Nope, but nitpicking is for ex-girlfriends and IRS agents.

This is the first entry into the 2000 summer block-buster slate for Hollywood. And as such, GLADIATOR delivers on many levels as a satisfying cinematic experience. Russell Crowe is a big-time star. He is the film's center, no doubt. His enthusiam as the film's hero, Maximus, creates a powerful character for the audience to embrace. He is honorable, strong and practically fearless in battle. Alongside his strangth comes a particlarly touching human side, a vulnerability that will make women swoon and men wonder lies within their own hearts as well.

GLADIATOR, like its star, is brutal, menacing, thoughtful and complex. Go see it and cheer.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a classic action film. It has heroic characters, a nasty villain and a sweeping adventure that is both engaging and entertaining. This is top-notch filmmaking, which just happens to be told via Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi world of Star Trek.

Acting: Shatner and the Enterprise crew are all in top form. It just so happens that this is the best material they have ever been given to perform and they execute it with class and style (a quality later incarnations of Star Trek lack). Also, Ricardo Montablan is the ultimate Star Trek villain as Khan Noonian Singh.

The special FX are also well-done. In this age of CGI it is refreshing to see the ingenuity and creativity of old-style model effects being used so effectively. And just to make this statement even more clear: ST II has THE BEST space battle sequences in film history. That's right, the best. It's not about the scope of a battle that makes it fun to watch, it's all about the pacing! This film exhibits the best cat and mouse battle in my mind and its well worth your time.

Go see this movie.

I had low expectations going into this movie, but after about ten minutes I was hooked. The cinematography is lush, the music is warm and hearty and the script is fresh and furious. At times, the film is slow, and it is during these moments that you realize the depth and emotion injected into these characters via Mamet's crystal-clear and poignant dialogue. It touches on primal fears (territory, survival, fear, shame, love and jealousy) and it delivers moral commentary on all of the above. Did I also mention that this movie is a thriller too? Hopkins is at his best as the calm and thoughtful Charles Morse, billionaire and bored with his ivory tower lifestyle. His counterpart, Mr. Baldwin is a slimy and petty fashion photographer, Bob Green. The interaction between the two shows a middle-ground that is brilliant in contrast. Hopkins is a father figure to Baldwin's brash young frenzied Bob. The competition between the two to survive, and ultimately return to civilization (and Charles' wife), sets the stage for a complex and thoughful character drama. Bart the Bear is a star indeed, and while this movie is marketed for having "Jaws with Claws," there is SO much more depth and detail to this movie. This is easily in my top 10 films of all time. It connected with me and I hope you enjoy it too. 10 out of 10!

Best Line: CHARLES: "I have always wanted to do something that was... that was unequivocal"