clevernamehere

Despite an intrusive score and a screenplay that stalls a bit under the weight of its own ambition, "The Hours" develops into quite a fine film, thanks to the deft direction of Stephen Daldry and uncommonly strong performances from a talented ensemble cast.

Yes, Meryl Streep is good. Ed Harris, too. My favorites from "The Hours", though, are Toni Collette, Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane, and, especially, Nicole Kidman.

Moore's part of the film is written too vaguely, so it's up to the actor to make her housewife's sense of suffocation corporeal. I think she is outstanding.

Stephen Dillane, portraying Leonard Woolf, is perhaps overshadowed by the film's stars. His performance is exceptionally strong, I thought, and his scene with Nicole Kidman, as Virginia Woolf, at the train station is, in my opinion, one of the film's very, very best.

The movie works best when Daldry gets up close: lets the actors bring the script and story to life with their marvelous talents. The score is distracting, but probably jammed in by the producers to give the film that an Oscar "feel". I would have preferred the producers follow Daldry's instincts. Looking at how masterfully he filmed the scenes between Streep and Harris, in which thier complicated rapport was practically palpable, it's hard to believe this is only Mr. Daldry's second feature.

I could not disagree more with what a previous individual wrote..."Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" fires on EVERY cylinder. Clooney's stylized direction has obviously taken some cue from Steven Soderberg, but the film does not suffer from the mentorship. In fact, the care Clooney takes in framing pivotal shots, including the opening sequence, is evidence of his affinity to creative and evocative filmmaking.

Sam Rockwell is excellent as Chuck Barris. Drew Barrymoore is also very, very good. She does have some excellent material, including her scene with Rockwell as a naked Barris in the kitchen (screenwriter Charlie Kauffman at his absolute wackiest). She handles the heavier material, when she confronts his philandering and when she appeals to Chuck to return to CA with her, equally well. If I were a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, I'd nominate both for Oscars. Solid stuff from both actors, working with a fairly difficult script, I might add.

That's not said to mean the screenplay is bad. I actually liked "Confessions" more than I liked "Adaptation," Kauffman's other, more ballyhooed writing effort of 2002. There is humor, there is intrigue, there is compelling human drama, and none of it seems forced or out of place.

I could say much, much more, but I really just wanted to add my overall opinion that "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is a very good film, one that is likely to engross you as in entertains.

"Adaptation" is an off-the-wall film with a startling second half. Overall, the film is darkly comic, but viewers get an unexpected dose of movie action and violence before everything is said and done.

It's fair to say that there is a fair amount of violence in the film, and even when you know it's coming, you're still caught off guard. Spike Jonze is merciless in this regard. Some of the scenes are incredibly graphic, in fact.

There is a certain adolescent male tone to the film (the violence + sexual fantasy + masturbation). This is partially due to characterization and partially due to the director's own aesthetic and perspective. It's not a bad thing, necessarily, either. It just feels as if an unassuming (white male) kid who grew up thinking a lot about girls and watching movies where stuff blowed up made this film... See it and you'll know what I'm saying.

The script is crazy. Absolutely zany. Akin to "Being John Malkovich" really. Fortunately, this well gives opportunity for Nic Cage, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper to really be free with their art.

Cage has a difficult role, portraying two very different identical twin brothers. Cage is at the emotional core of the film. If his performance doesn't resonate, the film doesn't work. I thought Cage was excellent. And that the script really gives him some wonderful, challenging material to work with. His first scene with Tilda Swinton (looking gorgeous!) is excellent.

Meryl Streep...well, what can be said. She's fantastic. She exudes a tiredness and connectedness and hopelessness and sadness, evolving the character brilliantly over the course of the film.

Similarly, Chris Cooper brings a humanity to the role of the Orchad Thief, really grounding the narrative and making it all believable. Again, he's given a brilliant opening scene and he works wonders with it. Throughout, he is believably arrogant, lonely, vulnerable, and just plain real. Cooper's performance is as rich as any other I've seen this year; truly, truly sublime.

"Adaptation" is certainly not for everyone. If you're looking for something starkly different and simmering with originality, give this film a try, though. Amidst some cloying self-referential clap-trap, there are actually some really freshing film moments.