Tony-Kiss-Castillo Reviews

Baby Reindeer (2024– )

A UNIQUE MINI SERIES. TRULY IN A CATEGORY ALL ITS OWN!

[10/10 · 23 April 2024]

Before sitting down to compose a Review... I usually treat myself to a second viewing... This BABY most definitely will NOT get a repeat viewing... At least not in the near future! REINDEER was most certainly excruciating enough the first time around! I have submitted 200 IMDb reviews... This mini-series is the best I have ever seen!

The acting from both GADD and GUNNING... SUPERB! OSCAR Caliber! REINDEER... time and again managed to blindside me! Simply LOVE when that happens... which sadly enough... is relatively rare! How delicious it is when a production presents You with totally despicable human being... but yet manages to find a way to get both Your sympathy and Your empathy... Can You see where I am going with this???

In the 7 episodes which comprise REINDEER... Before the END CREDITS... You feel as though You have known the lead characters all Your life! Since watching its closing minutes some 7 or 8 Hours ago... Scenes just keep richocheting around in my brain! If ever there were a mini-series enticing You to BINGE WATCH... BABY REINDEER is it!!!

Wracking my brain... trying to come up with at least a couple negative aspects of this film.... Well... as I pointed out earlier... BEST mini-series I have ever seen! But still... I must admit that BABY REINDEER is a difficult and consequently a tedious movie that will make You squirm and fidget... But for ALL the RIGHT reasons!

ENJOY!!!! ...If You get my DRIFT!!!

The Soloist (2009)

I CERTAINLY ENJOYED THIS IMMENSELY! YOU WILL TOO!

[9/10 · 30 March 2024]

The SOLOIST is anything but typical. It tells an extremely interesting and unusual story which refuses to conform to the formulaic conventions to which we have, unfortunately, become so complacently accustomed.

There are three factors which contribute to creating false expectations for SOLOIST. First, the title itself is somewhat misleading. Watch the movie, and you'll see for yourself!

Second, the trailer or previews is edited so as to create expectations geared to coincide more with the genre's formulaic audience comfort zone. The very thing the movie so painstakingly avoids! 😊😊

And third, the very same set of entrenched genre conventions we have already mentioned, that many people bring with them when viewing!

Putting all of this aside, SOLOIST derives its tremendous energy and appeal from the undeniable on-screen chemistry of Robert Downey, Jr. And Jamie Foxx. Their interaction is a joy to watch. The story does provide the standard genre buzz-words... Uplifting, inspirational and motivational...but for reasons that would be virtually impossible to predict before experiencing the film itself!

Oh, and the music is absolutely sublime! Lover's of classical music are in for a veritable treat! There are elements of SOLOIST that will make some viewers squirm. Third world neighborhoods, right here, in downtown Los Angeles, for example!

Scenes from SOLOIST have been ricocheting around my brain since viewing it yesterday!

9.5*** STARS ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

The Axe of Wandsbek (1950)

IF UNDISCOVERED CINEMA GEMS ARE YOUR THING...AXE IS THE REAL DEAL !!!

[10/10 · 4 March 2024]

Upon seeing the Poster on the left for the first time, I was vilely repulsed. My God! It looks like a recruitment poster for an SS Death Squad! Whose idea of a sick joke was this, anyway? But the image kept ricocheting around in my brain non-stop.

Hmmm...1951, after the war. It's got to be ANTI-Nazi, for sure, I thought. Many of us spend time searching for "hidden gems". "The Axe of Wandsbek" is, unequivocally, my best find to date, bar none! It is a truly misunderstood masterpiece, of great cinematic, social and historic import.

Director Falk Harnak was a member of the German resistance during the war, as was his brother and most of his extended family. Harnak's brother and most of his relatives were German Gentiles who died in Nazi death camps. Harnak himself narrowly escaped death at Dachau. After the war, the ("We Love Freedom") Americans REFUSED to grant him permission to make this film. He was forced to ask the Russians, in control of East Germany, and they gave him the green light. AXE played to packed houses in the East until the Russians, after 3 weeks, pulled the plug on its continued presentation and kept it out of East German release for over 30 years! (They had their own agenda, of course, and claimed AXE painted an unrealistically sympathetic portrait of the Nazis!)

Harnak's film speaks a truth that has been yearning to be told for decades! "For ye shall know the TRUTH...and the TRUTH shall set you FREE!" Before viewing, it is indispensable that you watch University of Massachusetts Historian Dr. Allen's explanation of the great social and historical significance of AXE. At 30 minutes it's a bit long, but worth it! Dr. Allen adds that in 1951 Germans seemed anathema to any forum in search of collective catharsis. All background info mentioned here comes from her interview. BTW, AXE is exquisitely made! 10*********, but recommended only for History, Sociolgy, Poly-Sci or classic foreign cinema enthusiasts!

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The UNIVERSALITY OF SHAWSHANK: ANDY DESFRENE AS "EVERYMAN"

[10/10 · 29 February 2024]

WHAT is the highest rated movie in the history of CINEMA??? Just in case You DIDN'T know... it is SHAWSHANK!

If you have never seen SHAWSHANK, this review is aimed, primarily, at you. I suppose there must be a few of you out there!?!? ...What is quite difficult to fathom is that anyone with any REAL interest in Cinema could have managed to avoid seeing it for the 30 years since its release!

In a Perfect World, SHAWSHANK is the movie of choice. What a serendipitous confluence of diverse and inspired elements! It is the exception that proves the Murphy's Law rule. Just look at the IMDb breakdown analysis of the vote...In every area of human activity, there is always that "2%"! SHAWSHANK is no exception. Precisely 2% of voters rated SHAWSHANK 1 Star! I invite you to check!

In our culture there is a recurring undercurrent nightmare scenario of long-term wrongful imprisonment. Make that a Universal scenario, perhaps, in ALL cultures. Not a SPOILER here, because this point is clearly established in the opening 5 minutes. SHAWSHANK is the ultimate Black/White "BRO-mance"...Yet, uniquely, Morgan Freeman's character, "Red", is anything but the pre-destined to an untimely end sidekick...The entire film is literally narrated from Red's perspective. Thusly...If anything, Red's "Main-Man" prison status gives him a bit of a dominant role in their relationship. But the interaction of their characters is clearly that of 2 equals, gradually morphing into one of lifelong best BUDS!

I can't help but wonder if, while cast and crew were in the midst of making SHAWSHANK, any of them imagined the magnitude of the cinematic milestone they were involved in! Box Office results are rather jaw-dropping, but in a negative sense: Opening Weekend-A starkly paltry Position #144 among 1994 releases of just $750K U. S.! Overall 1994 Box Office, did not even make the Top 50! SHAWSHANK occupied a lackluster Spot #51, to be exact, with just over $28 Million taken in!

A theater trailer piqued my interest, but I had to go by myself...My wife, who is a rather avid movie goer herself, said..."H-m-m-m-m, a prison drama?....What's the Title?" After hearing it, she responded, "The SHAW-What? No...I PASS!" Well, needless to say, after a first viewing, my was awe complete and unmitigated, so I insisted on dragging her along just days later, for my second viewing. My wife became an instant SHAWSHANK believer. We both categorize this film in our lifetime top 5 favorites! Perhaps SHAWSHANK got off to such an inauspicious Box Office start for the same reasons that almost resulted in my wife NOT going to see it in 1994!

I could literally write volumes on this movie, but, of course cannot here! A few more highlights: Interestingly, 7 Oscar Nominations, but ZER0 wins! Had the amazingly bad luck of having to compete with the mighty feel-good classic, FORREST GUMP, which steamrolled that year with 6 Oscars and #1 at the Box Office with $330 Million, about 12X SHAWSHANK's $$$! Wonder what the Academy's members take on this would be today? Just look at the 7 categories where it was nominated...Each one is exquisitely superb! Not a single Golden Statuette...WOW!

As far as Suspension of Disbelief is concerned, in the self-contained and totally insulated prison environment, it isn't much of a stretch to imagine an Old-Testament thumping Warden anointing himself with almost god-like powers! Stranger things have happened, yes? In one odd twist, when one thinks of Illegal Immigration, MEXICO, or Central America, to the USA invariably is the route that comes to mind...not the opposite, right!?!?!?

Despite having seen SHAWSHANK at least 15 times, it never ceases to mesmerize me. My only real critique: I think Andy would have to have been a magician to do what he did at the end, at least, so seamlessly...Can't go into any more detail without treading into SPOILER territory, so you'll just have to figure it out for yourself! SHAWSHANK is truly a film for the ages!

....ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

Shopgirl (2005)

ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE BAIT AND SWITCH TRAILERs... CREATING FALSE EXPECTATIONS!

[4/10 · 28 February 2024]

SHOPGIRL, sadly, turned out to be quite a disappointment to me. Steve Martin is one of its three protagonists; here he is also credited with the screenplay, making an adaptation from his own novel of the same name. I have always been quite a fan of Steve Martin and his films. However, SHOPGIRL left me rather perplexed.

In its storyline development, it is meticulous and detailed and, as a consequence, is rather plodding and, for lack of a better word, "slow".

SHOPGIRL imparts the viewer with the constant sensation that something transcendent is just about to happen. A kind of "perpetual-motion expectation", which, when it finally does take place, ends up being utterly anti-climactic. In all fairness to SHOPGIRL, at least in one sense or another, this is, more often than not, precisely what we experience in real life!

But the painful inconvenient truth here is that there already have been too many movies that have shared this "secret" of life with us. Quite frankly, one more appears to be just one too many! Unless you are a world-class Claire Danes and/or Steve Martin fan, you'll be much better off if you don't let yourself get involved with SHOPGIRL.

Just 4**** ...ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA?!?!?!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

LolliLove (2004)

AS AN L.A. EX-PAT, THE OBSESSIVELY SELF-ABSORBED NARCISSISTS PORTRAYED HERE BRING BACK FOND MEMORIES

[9/10 · 27 February 2024]

Reading aother Review, I felt motivated to watch and review this film. LOLLILOVE got a firm hold of me 10 minutes in...and never let go! Here's a MOCKUMENTARY, set in the L. A. area (Where else, right?), that focuses on the foibles of charity volunteers who do what they do not out of any blind, selfless "Mother Teresa" style commitment to others, but basically because of how it makes THEM feel!!!

With LOLLILOVE, the term "LOW Budget" really doesn't apply...It's more like: "NO Budget"! Apparently, the female lead, Jennifer Fischer(Jenna) also directs, co-wrote the screenplay, provided the storyline and is credited as Illustrator! But if you want a real example of wearing many hats, her husband, Peter Alton, serves as Narrator, Screenplay Co-writer, Composer of Original Music, Film Editor, Cinematographer, Sound Recordist and Graphic Artist! WOW...Talk about a One-Man-Band!

Invariably, these tiny, totally unpretentious film projects are much more successful at making me laugh than your typical, 100-Million-Dollar-Overblown-Formulaic-Hollywood "Comedy"! LOLLILOVE is no exception.

As a Los Angeles area ex-patriot, the obsessively self-absorbed narcissists portrayed here bring back fond memories! Like those self-mesmerized Hollywood publicists, who gradually convince themselves of the veracity of the B. S. press releases they spin for their clients, the would-be-do-gooders in LolliLove seem to have brainwashed themselves into the firm belief that handing a homeless person a designer lollipop with an artsy Pollyanna-style feel-good message on the wrapper will be a life-changing event that will instantly put them on the fast-track to 12-Step Rehabilitation and unbridled success!

Oh, yes...And all this for only a measly $250,000 in charitable, tax-deductible contributions...Why can't they seem to find any contributors?!?! It's inspired, all-in-good-fun, biting satire at its best.

9*********.... ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

Ladrón que roba a ladrón (2007)

LADRON QUE ROBA A LADRON-AN INTERNATIONAL HISPANIC MOVIE

[7/10 · 27 February 2024]

LADRON was released in August 2007, just before the U. S. economy hit a gigantic speed bump in 2008... If you're over 25, I'm sure you remember what the next couple years were like, right?

Well, I remember watching promos for the film some years back and how people involved with the film said, "It was produced in Miami...The Capital of Latin America!" Strange...Since the big recession, really haven't heard that phrase tossed about anymore! To counter that, however, as an L. A. ex-pat, it sure looks as though a lot of the filming was done in the Hollywood Hills...But IMDb said there was no INFO on filming locations, so I can't really be sure!

If you look at the actors and the people involved in making LADRON, it is a sort of an International Hispanic "Who's Who!" In the Director's chair, we have Joe Menendez, born in NYC, Cuban-American; His life-partner, Roni Eguia Menendez is credited as #1 Producer, there is no background on his specific ethnicity, but Eguia seems to be of Basque origin.

The principal leads are: Fernando Colunga, born in Mexico City; Miguel Varoni, although born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was raised in Colombia and most people consider him as such; Saul Lisazo is from Argentina, but has lived in Spain and now in Mexico City; Gabriel Soto, from Mexico City; Julie Gonzalo was born in Buenos Aires, but has lived in Miami since she was 8; Sonya Smith, of Telenovela Fame, born in Philly, she is Venezuelan-American. Most of the rest of the cast seem to be of Hispanic origin, but born in the USA!

LADRON is done in a style that is quite tongue in cheek. I'd say almost a BIT too much so at times, making for a rather Cavalier experience for cast and crew, who seem to be having a lot of fun making the film!

Does this insider merriment translate into viewer enjoyment? In general, yes, but not always. In any case, I think the vast majority of people will find it breezy, fun and enjoyable! Just under $7 Million Gross for most movies released in the U. S. would be considered dismal...Yet, LADRON is the highest grossing film produced and released in Spanish EVER in the U. S.! Well, at least until 2008...I can't really be sure about after that.

Yes, the film is in Spanish...Well, at least about 98% of the dialogue is in Spanish. Would a non-Spanish speaker enjoy the movie as much??? The answer to that has to be NO, of course, but that doesn't mean that it isn't worth seeing just because you don't speak Spanish. In fact, if you are interested in the dynamics of cultural differences, you might find the interaction of Hispanics from many different countries within the U. S. to be rather interesting and amusing.

How well done are the subtitles in English? Since I never pay much attention to them, I'm not really sure...But I did notice there did not SEEM to be much in the way of gaps where there were no onscreen subtitles! Sorry, but that's about the only help I can provide in that area!

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

In Her Shoes (2005)

Cameron Diaz Walks in Someone Else's (Sisters of the Traveling) Shoes!

[7/10 · 27 February 2024]

Cameron Diaz amazes in this delightful little film. ALERT! For all men! "In Her Shoes" is the perfect movie to see with all the important women in your life: Wife or girlfriend(s), daughters, sisters, mother, mother- n-law, aunts, cousins, friends and grandmothers! You've got my 100% guarantee that all of them will love it! So you can please them all and treat yourself to some eye candy, too, because scenes abound with Cameron Diaz romping around in a scant bikini in this rather amusing and interesting story which interweaves a patchwork of unusual family ties.

Diaz plays Maggie, the very attractive inveterate party-girl. Rose (Toni Collette), the successful workaholic lawyer, plays counterpoint to her sister, Maggie. When an industrial size faux pas, committed by Maggie, drives a Grand Canyon size wedge between these polar opposite siblings, Maggie tempestuously decides to cut ties with Rose and relocate to Miami in order to seek out her estranged grandmother (Shirley Maclaine) whom she has not seen since she was a little girl. The sisters take advantage of this forced hiatus in their relationship to achieve personal growth and self-improvement.

😊😊Fate, as it so often does in real life, plays an important role both in the development of the story and in the lives of its characters.

The nuanced on-screen chemistry between the three leading characters is exquisite! "SHOES" shows some rather original and interesting elements. Observing the artistic growth of Cameron Diaz over the years, I now consider her an exceptional actor. Here, Diaz fleshes out her character; converting each action and reaction into world-class natural! In one close-up, her face fills the entire screen,at a moment when Maggie is feeling extremely tired and stressed. She clearly projects a frail, aging fatigue at the precise real-time twilight of her youth! Not many Divas would lend themselves to such a scenario to improve a scene!

8.5*....... ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!!!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

Hoodwinked! (2005)

NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT!!!

[7/10 · 26 February 2024]

HOODWINKED easily could have been an excellent film. Who hasn't heard of Little Red Riding Hood? It unfolds as an ongoing investigation into the facts, where each character, one by one, recounts events from their own perspective. Sound interesting? Well, it seems HOODWINKED was truly well conceived, but experienced several setbacks during its execution.

What began in the mid-nineties with Toy Story, soon followed by SHREK and Finding Nemo, the C G I Category (Computer Generated Images) continues to establish itself as a more dominant genre with each passing year! But ALL CGI movies can't be a TOY STORY, a SHREK or a FINDING NEMO (Shame, that!)

First off, the animation in HOODWINKED, by Weinstein Studios(??) just didn't manage to convince me! In their intent to mimic the "CLAYMATION" of Wallace and Grommit, they placed a limitation on themselves which impeded them from realizing the full potential of the CGI process. In addition, they were incapable of making a film like SHREK, for example, which encountered great acceptance from both adults and from children alike! Nevertheless, since there are really so few good comedies nowadays, HOODWINKED Is quite acceptable! 6.75******* SEP/07.

This Is It (2009)

EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT A FAN... YOU WILL LOVE THIS!

[9/10 · 18 February 2024]

YES! THIS MOST CERTAINLY IS!!!!!!

What a fitting tribute/epitaph for one of the most talented and troubled personalities of the past 30+ years. Those of you who are fans will undoubtedly love THIS IS IT. (Although it most certainly will bring you some tearful moments) Those of you who aren't, will probably enjoy it a lot, despite any negative feelings or concepts you may harbor about Michael Jackson's personal life. To tell the truth, I was lukewarm about going to see it. Thanks to my wife Carmen's insistence, this outstanding work moved and inspired both of us.

Ever the consummate perfectionist, Jackson seemed poised to embark on a grueling 50 performance tour that, undoubtedly, would have served as the comeback/swan song? To end all comebacks/swan songs?!!

This miraculously edited work (From over 1,000 hours of footage), apparently the brainchild of director Kenny Ortega, provides us with a direct window into the elaborate creative process of a true performing genius. I couldn't agree more with reviewer Secret Agent Gal's opening line: "What a show it would have been!"

Jackson was putting together a tour experience that elevated itself to near art form and near perfection. Such a profound shame it was never to be. A stunningly awesome international ensemble of world-class dancers, singers, musicians, performers, and technicians were assembled by the M. J. Tour juggernaut, ALL of them seemingly worshipping the ground Michael walked on.

Was there any foreshadowing of the looming ominous event that caught all of us by surprise? Perhaps a few chips in M. J.'s armor. Frequently, he apologized to all present for "Holding back" or "Not giving 100% to conserve energy" or "Saving his voice for the Tour"...But then again, most of the other performers were half his age! One thing is for certain: There will be no more Michael Jackson Tours, nor new Michael Jackson hits to add to his long and impressive list! They are his legacy to all of us and have forever become part of our cultural landscape. I recommend you experience THIS IS IT in a good HOME Theater for MAX impact.

....ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

WHAT MAKES THIS FILM DIFFERENT:

[8/10 · 17 February 2024]

HERE...I am going to serve up a rather Long LIST of Details,,,,

BUT. FIRST... Let us FOCUS on the Title´s Content and Context:

For dyed in the wool fans of European cinema, The Squid and the Whale, an independent production, Grand Prize winner at the "Sundance" Film Festival, has much more in common with films from the old continent than with those huge budget Hollywood productions. IMDb lists its budget as 1.5 Million, most certainly paltry, especially when compared to the 100 to 200 million dollar behemoths that abound in LA-LA-LAND! So if the European style is to your liking, we guarantee that "SQUID" will truly enchant you!

To justify my initial assertion, let's just analyze SQUID for a moment:

A) No CGI effects, No car chases or crashes, and no 100 Decibel Explosions!

B) SQUID is highly character-driven

C) SQUID is very heavy on intense, highly focused dialog

D) SQUID's characters have almost no physical contact, but engage in relentless psychological arm-wrestling!

E) SQUID resorts to NO cinematic gimmicks of any kind, whatsoever!

F) Considering that both Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney appear in SQUID, with its miniscule budget, it cannot be anything other than a TRUE labor of love!

If the above list hits some of your cinematic hot buttons... You really MUST SEE Squid! ....8 STARS!

If you are unphased...DON'T...Simple as that!

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

The Perfect Sleep (2009)

THE PERFECT TITLE???????

[4/10 · 16 February 2024]

"The PERFECT SLEEP".... could be The Perfect Title, if it refers to the reaction it elicits from viewers! One can only apply powers of divination as to director Jeremy Alter's intent. Location Manager on a number of high-profile films, long before and since, "Sleep" seems to be 1 of only 2 obviously ill-fated forays into film direction. (How about: "Location Managers Gone Wild"?)

Seems ro me that, in its conceptualization at least, "Sleep" was destined to become a larger-than-life, neo-classic, film noir, somnambulant visionary dreamlike masterpiece!!!!! Sorry, Jeremy, only in your "Perfect Sleep" dreams! From beginning to end, the central character delivers an incessantly droning voice-over monotone narration. Was this intended to lull the viewer to sleep or some semi-hypnotic state? Desired or not, that is the effect it had on me!

Looking at the finished product, the execution didn't achieve 10% of what was envisioned. There were a few moments when it seemed "Sleep" was, at last, awakening, but they were fleeting moments, indeed. The movie locations were the only 10* element IMO. Mr. Alter does have a good eye, I'd rate all other visual aspects 6 to 8*. Every other non-visual aspect, and I've run though a dozens in my mind, rates 1 to 2 Stars. Overall: 4**** "The Perfect Sleep"

ENJOY!!! / DISFRUTELA!!! .... If You CAN!!!!!!

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1968)

CAN LOOK YOU RIGHT IN YOUR EYES AND SAY.... "PURE GENIUS!"

[10/10 · 16 February 2024]

I AM IN SHOCK!!!

After my first viewing, I was in shock! After some reflection, I really didn't feel one viewing was enough to write a review, so I watched the Special Features segment on William Greaves (At one hour, almost as long as the feature itself!) and then I watched the entire movie again...Here is the comment I was going to use after just my first viewing: "Is it an extremely original concept in film-making? Yes, undoubtedly! Is it enjoyable and watchable? For me, at least, the answer to that question is 'Not so much!'

8*******" Boy, just how stupid am I, anyway? (Rhetorical question, of course!) Here I am, at 76.2 years of age, and it wasn't until yesterday that I became aware of the name William Greaves! I really can't remember the last time I could look anyone and everyone in the eye and say the words, with soulful and unabashed conviction..."GENIUS!... Pure, Unadulterated GENIUS!"

Sitting here at my computer, focusing on authoring this review, the SYMBIO-experience has inspired me to an extent unparalleled by any other film in recent years. My job now: Articulate this in a way that, in turn, will inspire you to Queue, watch and perhaps produce a review of your own. Here, perhaps the most challenging aspect of review-writing is to avoid anything resembling a spoiler. Don't read the NF Blurbs. One definitely contains a spoiler, which could easily deprive you of the joy of "Getting It" all on your own! The 2 things which stand out most in retrospect? First, the sheer simplicity of the applied concept itself is truly inspirational, in and of itself. Second, that it took a quarter of a century, after the fact, for Mr. Greaves to get a decent screening and begin to get some of the recognition he so sorely deserved for this cinematic milestone.

Couldn't help but notice that "SYMBIO" was shot in August 1968, just 3 months after the release of Stanley Kubrick's 2001. What do the 2 films have in common? Well, thematically, not much, really. It's hard to imagine a person like Greaves not having seen it, so...Who knows? We could always ask him! REVISED RATING... 10**********

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Sin Nombre (2009)

SIN NOMBRE.... NAMELESS!!!... INDEED!!!

[10/10 · 16 February 2024]

REVIEW DEDICATED TO THE MILLIONS WHO HAVE BEEN "DISAPPEARED"!

FIRST... Let us FOCUS on the Title´s content and context:

(NAMELESS in English) SIN NOMBRE is a movie about people you know. They cook your food, bus your table, and wash your dishes every time you eat at a restaurant. When you go on vacation; they make your bed, change your sheets and clean up your mess!!!

They probably cut your grass and tend your garden, too...and Lord knows what else! Oh, Yes, these are ALL people you know, but don't see. They were invisible, NAMELESS...until SIN NOMBRE!

One of the most powerful, enlightening, depressing, and yet, strangely uplifting films I've seen in recent years!

As NAMELESS ended, I was anxious to see who the executive producers were. I now have newfound respect and admiration for both Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal (Worked together in "Y Tu Mama Tambien" and "Rudo y Cursi"). They were the movers and shakers of SIN NOMBRE. They bank-rolled it and made it happen. And it was about time! This is a story that was crying out to be told!

....Well, two stories, actually. Mara Salvatrucha is a gang/criminal organization with 100K members throughout the U. S. and Central America (Wikipedia). Human smuggling and trafficking is one of their primary sources of income. Here, we get a chilling, first-hand look into this international gangland organization and how they corrupt, destroy and exploit children and youth.

NAMELESS presents this twisted reality and lets the facts speak for themselves! You get to draw your own conclusions. Mine: Aren't we lucky we don't have to go through any of this B. S. to live here, in the Good OLE USA?

10********** ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Sleep Dealer (2008)

TREMENDOUS CINEMATIC POWER COURSES THROUGH THIS "DREAM DEALER's" VEINS!!

[9/10 · 11 February 2024]

REDEFINES OFFBEAT CULTURE CLASH! ....But before diving in...

FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context:

This Mexican Surprise is a real "SLEEPER" in every sense of the word! 9*********, right up front, no ambivalence about this little gem! Lends a totally unexpected new dimension to the phrase "Hook Me Up"!!!

Before I commence enumerating the list of great things DEALER has going for it, a word about the title: How many of you know some Spanish? Mine is almost on a par with my English: "Sleep Dealer".... Weird translation! That would be "Traficante de SUENO"(Singular--BTW, can't render an "enyeh" here, sorry!) "Traficante de SUENOS" (Plural) should be "DREAM Dealer". That even sounds a lot better, doesn't it? I'm clueless as to why the misfire on the title, but that's about DEALER's only misstep!

A Tremendous cinematic power courses through this DEALER's veins! During its 85 minutes of on-screen life! First, it's a genre bender. An interesting fusion of not-too-distant-future Sci-Fi, Suspense, Drama, Political Thriller and Still-Third-World-and-Definitely-NOT-Hollywood Foreign/Mexican!

The storyline delivers some very convincing/interesting 3rd World perspectives on globalization and exploitation, yet completely devoid of soapbox style preaching! It simply presents events and lets them speak for themselves, in a "You draw your own conclusions" fashion.

One truly surprising element was the AUDIO of DEALER. The quality of the sound and sound mixing was right up there with the very BEST U. S. films. ALL audio elements complimented the film perfectly, adding a very subtle, sophisticated level of highlighting of mood, texture and ambiance enhancement.

DEALER also spins language like no other foreign film. Reminiscent of Aldous Huxley's NEW-SPEAK in Brave New World, which influenced A CLOCKWORK ORANGE some 30 plus years later, the dialog is brimming with the likes of COYOTEC; from Coyote, those who organize illegal border-crossings; and LIVE NODE GIRLS, for that ultimate "Hook Me Up" experience!

9*********.....ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!!!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

Sin City (2005)

SIN CITY....IT WOULD BE A SIN NOT TO EXPERIENCE THIS NEW CINEMATIC LANGUAGE!!

[10/10 · 9 February 2024]

If You LOVE Cinematic "ONIONS"......SIN CITY is Your Movie!

But Before diving in... FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context...

Perhaps the biggest dream of many moviegoers would be to go a movie with an expectation so astronomically high that it would be nothing short of a miracle to reach it....and then, low and behold, surpass it! Thank God for SIN CITY.... A round-trip ticket to cinematic HELL!!!

Without a doubt, Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids I, 2 & 3) along with authors Frank Miller and Quentin Tarantino have created the highest impact visual experience in Cinema since The (Original) MATRIX! Part Video Game, Part Comic Strip, Part Cinematic Nightmare, (and unlike MATRIX, which really only had a handful of scenes introducing its Revolutionary 360 Degree characteristic "Bullet-Time" panoramic shots in slow motion) SIN CITY, from its opening credits to its last on screen seconds, speaks a new, intensely original cinematic language, which will keep you profoundly hypnotized for every second of its two hour duration!

Bruce Willis, Benecio Del Toro (The Usual Suspects, Traffic, 21 Grams), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Rosario Dawson (Men In Black II, Alexander), Jessica Alba (Never Been Kissed, Dark Angel), Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile, The Scorpion King), Brittany Murphy (8 Mile, Little Black Book), Mickey Rourke (Man on Fire, Once Upon a Time In Mexico), Nick Stahl (In The Bedroom, Terminator 3) Clive Owen (King Arthur, Closer, The Bourne Identity) and Josh Hartnett (Pearl Harbor, Blackhawk Down, Wicker Park), among many others, seem to present us with "The MOTHER of All CASTS!"

With such an awesomely impressive cast, I imagine that many of the actors involved agreed beforehand to receive, instead of a lump sum payment before filming...a small percentage of the box office after release and distribution. If this is true, they will make out like bandits, because SIN CITY shows up as one of the 15 or 20 highest grossing films of 2005! And if you saw a lot of Latin/Hispanic names in the above list, you are quite right.... Latinos abound in SIN CITY!

Now, back to focusing on another chilling aspect of this amazing film... The TOTAL Metamorphosis of a good part of its cast. It is as if they had been transformed by a some sort of digital spell and assimilated whole onto the screen, and thusly, surpassing and supplanting the real for the surreal! So much so that I stayed a few extra minutes, at the end of the film, to analyze carefully the credits, because, and there is absolutely NO exaggeration in this comment, several actors were simply TOTALLY UNRECOGNIZABLE!

But as nothing is perfect in this life, SIN CITY does have its very dark side. Generally, I hate violent movies. Unfortunately, SIN CITY sins, and SINS BIG in this area! Even, it is a relentless orgy of gruesomely violent scenes. I feel quite upset with myself for having enjoyed SIN so much!!! The only excuse I can think of to say is that perhaps precisely for its video game-like feel and quality, its resemblance to a digital cartoon, that it provided me the reaction it did! (Seemingly, it had the same effect on 90% of the audience) Anyway, the above is still a little unsettling. It left a bit of a bizarre after-taste!!

Also, I must confess that perhaps, at least in the case of SIN CITY, my fervor and passion for Everything Original certainly exceeded my aversion to violence in cinema!

One final note: SIN CITY, of course, is absolutely no place for kids!!!

10************ ENJOY! / DISFURTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

The Revenant (I) (2015)

REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD....and COMPLICATED! (The Operative Word Here!)

[10/10 · 7 February 2024]

If You LOVE Cinematic "ONIONS".... REVENANT is Your Movie!

But Before diving in... FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context...

This Review is dedicated to my student and dear friend, Luisa Bacca, who has played a key role in focusing International Attention on the rights of Indigenous peoples in Colombia, especially here in Nariño, as a mediator in the ongoing Peace Process between the U. N. High Commission on Human Rights and the Colombian Government!

Leonardo DiCaprio, upon his acceptance of his Golden Globe, used the occasion to express his concern for indigenous peoples and their portrayal in movies. At the time, this seemed a bit difficult to put into context, but now that I have seen the film, it is crystal!

And I sincerely feel there are basically 2 ways to react to REVENANT... A straight up, Grizzly (No Pun Intended!) true-story Man vs. Nature Action/Adventure, take it exactly as it is reaction, or, an infinitely nuanced "This Movie is a Metaphor" approach...Need it be said that I am most certainly an Option B person!?!?!?

That having been said, REVENANT is such an astoundingly overwhelming experience, it is a tad difficult to decide on a starting point!

Director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu shows himself to be the perfectionist he is via the numbing, jaw-dropping beauty of the filming locations that provide the numerous impressive visual backdrops seen throughout. The list of locations includes Tierra del Fuego, Mexico, and various U. S. and Canadian ones! As to the veracity of the "True Story" aspect of this harrowing tale, who knows???

Wikipedia mentions that Frontiersman Hugh Glass' (Definite Oscar-worthy performance by Leonardo DiCaprio) life and accomplishments were often prone to embellishments, and Punke's 2002 Novel apparently plays fast and loose with the truth. Aside from just what IS true and what isn't, Gonzalez Iñárritu has permeated every frame with a level of reality that is truly chilling, both literally and figuratively!

In the early 19th Century...The U. S. was most certainly a very young, expanding nation that had doubled its territory just 20 years earlier through the Louisiana Purchase. REVENANT unfolds clearly accentuating the uncertainties of life in the Missouri Territory, where the only existing technological implement in your daily existence was your firearm...Oh, and probably, in Captain Henry's case, a pocket watch, one would imagine! Their fur gathering/trading expedition comes under surprise attack (Was there any other kind back then?) by considerable numbers of Arikara Indians, who consider their actions as justified, since, in their opinion, it is the trading expedition that is trespassing on Arikara territory.

After both suffering and inflicting heavy losses, the expedition's survivors manage to raft away to safety. After cautiously biding their time on the river, they finally return to terra firma. Soon after, Hall has his ill-fated encounter with a grizzly bear, who, instinctively, simply was protecting her cubs. This scene is, quite honestly, spoiler-proof! No written words could "ruin" it for you! It is a bone-chilling vision that you really must experience for yourself! Most certainly, you will be scratching your head, as I and most others were, wondering "Just how in the HELL did they do that!?!?!?" Apparently, A Man In the Wilderness (1971) was also inspired by Hugh Glass and his ordeal...But I never saw it! There is a 1972 film, which came to mind a few times while viewing REVENANT...JEREMIAH JOHNSON, A Sydney Pollack Classic with Robert Redford in the title role!

Some of you might be wondering, about now, if there will be any reference to elements mentioned in this review's title. Not to worry! My Review title should be "CRYSTAL", too, if you take the dualistic viewing approach mentioned early on here. To avoid crossing the Spoiler threshold, let it suffice to say that taking REVERANT in its entirety, it seems to speak to putting our treatment of indigenous peoples in the U. S. into some kind of more rational perspective. Personally, I found the ending to be rather spiritual and uplifting.....or Maybe it's just me!

10********** ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA! A TRUE CINEMA CLASSIC!

Lord of War (2005)

LORD OF WAR...A WINDOW INTO HUMANITY's DARK SIDE!

[9/10 · 4 February 2024]

If You LOVE Cinematic "ONIONS".... LORD is Your Movie!

But Before diving in... FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context...

Here is a film that presents a portrait of some of our least favorable attributes. Things that, in some dark recess of our consciousness, we know very well exist, but somehow make us feel uneasy to contemplate the light of day. Also, I think Lord of War appeals to fans of films that require the use of gray matter and applied consciousness.

Lord of War is based on a true story.... Clearly, a striking example that reality is often far stranger than fiction. Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) is a Ukrainian-American who walks aimlessly through life. When he witnesses a failed kidnapping attempt at a Ukrainian restaurant in Little Odessa resulting in the death of the two murderers, Orlov has a kind of demonic epiphany: People simply cannot live without weapons to kill their neighbors!!

Andrew Niccol (The Terminal, The Truman Show, Gattaca) that in addition to his role of director, has written and produced "LORD" ... quite a versatile man, most definitely! Like his compatriot, Peter Jackson, Niccol is an example of the growing influence of New-Zealanders in Hollywood. And here, he shows us a film that is in no way easy to catalog! Protagonist Orlov is a man whose entire life is a lie, and like many who lead a double life, Yuri Orlov ends up believing totally the myth in which he has enveloped himself!!!

So as to reveal no more than necessary, suffice to say that in its last half hour, there are some interesting surprises. Nicolas Cage deserves special recognition, not only for his excellent work here, but for the maturity he has shown lately in his choice of subject matter and tone! After several years of appearing predominately in action-flavored movies, it seems Cage has opted to change course a little. With LORD of WAR, he has made a very wise choice.

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!!

Any comments, questions or observations, in ENGLISH ....o en ESPAÑOL, are most welcome!

The Ring Finger (2005)

FILM-MAKING 101 TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE OF THE TOTAL BEING LESS THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS!!

[3/10 · 3 February 2024]

SO..... WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE???

Haunting musical score, disturbingly unsettling erotic scenes, perturbing voyeuristic encounters, Olga Kurylenko as eye candy, preserve-and-cherish-those-best-moments-of-your-life metaphors, artistic and interesting visuals...

Put all these diverse elements into a cinematic blender and what do you get? A Film-Making 101 textbook example of the total being LESS than the sum of its parts! I've been asking myself the "What the H*LL is this?" question incessantly for hours since spending 90 minutes as a "voyeur" of this experiment. And...As yet, there just doesn't seem to be an answer!

The director, Diane Bertrand, seems to be assiduously and blatantly giving us the title (sans "Ring") for the duration! The film revolves around a mysterious "clinic" where people go to have important life-relics "preserved"...In theory, at least. In practice, these supposedly priceless articles are soon forgotten about. It's difficult to empathize with any of the characters in the film because they're all so creepy, to one extent or another. Even Kurylenko's character is more off-putting than not.

The supposedly "erotic" scenes are reminiscent of watching someone getting violated by their orthodontist during a root canal procedure. A rather self-indulgent piece of film-making, it's not hard to imagine dozens of Director Bertrand's friends gathered at her home for a private screening shouting "C'est Magnifique!" and "Incroyable!" afterward! As if this weren't enough, many segments are painfully languidly paced.

"FINGER" might have faired a little better after a second viewing, but I'm not motivated in the least to see it again.

3***........ ENJOY! / DISFUTELA!??!?...(If You Can Manage!)

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

Living Proof (2008 TV Movie)

FIGHTING CANCER IS NOT IS NOT AT ALL EASY!

[9/10 · 3 February 2024]

FILE THIS ONE UNDER.... "TRUTH IS OFTEN STRANGER THEN FICTION"!

BUT BEFORE DIVING IN: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content & Context:

It's usually best to try to be somewhat objective when writing a review. This simply wasn't possible in the case of "Living Proof". It's hard to be objective about death. My mother-in-law succumbed to Lung Cancer on February 24, almost 6 months ago to the day of posting this review. "MUST SEE" is a phrase you won't find in ANY of my 50 reviews...until today.

For those of us who have had someone dear struck down by cancer, this is one film you owe it to yourself to see. As is frequently the case with true stories, the old "Truth IS Stranger than Fiction" adage inescapably comes to mind after viewing. With health care a hot-button issue that has figured prominently in the news, almost on a daily basis, in recent months, "Living Proof" should appeal to anyone and everyone who has an interest in this pivotal issue. The central thread of the story focuses on Dr. Dennis Slamon's heroic and arduous 12 year marathon research campaign to acquire FDA approval for his tumor-shrinking drug, Hercepton. Dr. Slamon, almost single-handedly, eventually triumphs over a seemingly endless and insurmountable array of bureaucratic and administrative hurdles. Both Living Proof's true story itself and the ensemble acting merit 10*!

Considering it's made for TV origin, it is rather unusual to see three name actresses appear in the same film. Regina King, Swoosie Kurtz and Bernadette Peters all turn in Emmy nomination caliber performances. Harry Connick Jr., who portrays Dr. Slamon, does a commendable job, albeit not quite at the level of the 3 aforementioned actors.

The following is an unresearched comment: Owing to the subject matter of this movie, I don't think it's much of a leap to assume that for many of the actors and crew involved, Living Proof was a labor of love. Of course, it is difficult to watch at times, because watching people who are inconsolable, begging for medication that is their only viable hope for staying alive, isn't easy. It brought me to tears several times. The maudlin music was unoriginal and too prominent at times, for example.

9********* STARS.

The Family Stone (2005)

DESPITE BAIT AND SWITCH TRAILER....STONE COLD GOOD CINEMA

[8/10 · 1 February 2024]

This is from someone who has seen FAMILY STONE THREE times!

But BEFORE diving in.....FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context:

The Previews of The Family Stone seemed to hold out the promise of a genuinely light and thoroughly amusing comedy, perhaps a bit over-the-top, but focused on the cultural differences between a very liberal family, (giving the impression that the parents were, perhaps, "Hippies" back in the 60's) and a super-conservative and tightly wound woman, engaged to one of their sons.

The problem is that the film showcased in the theatrical trailer plus the marketing campaign launched to promote it, vs. The actual movie you see in the theater have absolutely nothing in common! Unfortunately, previews sole raison d'etre apparently is to get people into the theater. It doesn't seem to matter in the least to these people if the expectation generated by the short is totally out of sync with the experience given by the film.

Thusly, it is easy to understand the plethora of reviewers who were livid with these bait and switch tactics! At its core, Family Stone is much more of a serious film that attempts to underscore the importance of cohesive family life, and how family unity can overcome obstacles that initially seem insurmountable, such as sharing and then getting over the pain of the loss of one of their own.

The cast is remarkable. Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Craig T. Nelson. Almost all of them renowned actors, who conform a superb ensemble cast. If you enjoy family dramas with a healthy dose of comic relief, Family Stone is far and away better than most films of its kind...

8******** STARS.... ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

The Hit (1984)

MOSTLY AN OVERLOOKED CLASSIC!

[8/10 · 1 February 2024]

Before Diving into this film... And I honestly feel it deserves a DEEP DIVE....

But FIRST: Let Us FOCUS on this TITLE´s CONTENT & CONTEXT:

Sometimes things don't work out as expected. Sometimes a little reflection helps put things in perspective. The review you're reading now is vastly different from the one I sat down to write last night. The Hit seemed to have betrayed itself and short-changed the viewer by radically violating the principals set down throughout the course of the film. But that was last night. Today, at lunch, I "got it"! Last night you were getting the 2.75* Review. Luckily, patience and a little reflection, seem to have paid off: Today you're getting the 4.25* Deluxe Version! Willie Parker (Terence Stamp) is a former criminal who has had years to reflect on his life and on life, and death, in general. He has taken up reading books on philosophy, books on history, poetry, psychology and pretty much anything he can lay his hands on. Being a man in his 40's, he strikes one as a little young to be retired. Well, He isn't! Willie is living in rural Spain in the European Union's version of the Witness Protection Program; seeing as how he ratted out his buddies back in England 10 years earlier. Surprisingly, they didn't seem to buy Willie's explanation that "He had seen the light & it felt like the right thing to do". Willie's day of reckoning comes when his ex-blokes have him kidnapped and brought to justice, E. U. Mafia style. Throughout his entire ordeal, Willie looks more like someone going on a picnic than a guy who's about to decorate the wall with his brains. His captors, an icy jaded pro (John Hurt) and his hapless, hot-tempered apprentice (Tim Roth, in a breakthrough role) stand incredulous before Willie's apparent calm & indifference to his plight. Remember how SNL's Rosanna Rosanadana used to say..."It's always SOMETHING!" Well, in the course of transporting their victim to the slaughter, it's one constant "Something" after another. When The Hit is over (assuming you "get it") you'll have a slight smile on your face and a twinkle in your eye...just like the icy hit man's!

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

A MOVIE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE REACTION IT PROVOKES!

[10/10 · 31 January 2024]

Numbing shock...on a cellular level...motivated me to return to the theater a week later, to experience it again. I was not in the least disappointed. Indulged myself by acquiring the DVD soon after its release and reliving the experience on numerous occasions!

In RYAN, Spielberg succeeds in getting inside the viewer's head by immersing us in his ingeniously structured cascading time-lapse glacier of chaos, resulting in a 2½ hour free-fall rush into overwhelming impotence! RYAN seers the hell of war into every pore of your psyche, like no other war movie before or since. Watching it is a delightful exercise in masochistic pleasure.

Certainly, anything but war friendly, Spielberg's 1998 classic, the highest rated war themed film in the history of cinema (#24-IMDb Top 250 today), only makes oblique reference to the diabolical nature of the Nazi juggernaut. RYAN tenaciously and consistently drives home the only "shades of gray" nature of the nuts and bolts, day-to-day, moment to moment decision options available in the heat of battle! I offer, as an example of this, various moments of onscreen interaction with German prisoner of war, nicknamed "Steamboat Willie"...Just watch, eventually you will understand!

Also, I think a special note of recognition is due to Denise Chamian...If the name doesn't ring a bell, don't feel bad...she did not register with me either! Her name appears for The CASTING Credit of RYAN. Superb job, Ms. Chamian! (Minority Report/Big Fish) She has been nominated on multiple occasions by the Casting Society of America...but RYAN seems to be her only win! (An extremely well deserved one, in my opinion)

The Ensemble cast also received a Screen Actors Guild Nomination in that category. After having seen RYAN at least 10 times, I stand firmly by this accolade: One of the BEST Ensemble performances ever!

To anyone out there who hasn't seen RYAN, maybe because of its War or Action genre label...This is one hell of a humanistic Greek tragedy that you simply must see! To those of you who have seen it once or twice, but who haven't in years.... Please give it another look...You won't be disappointed in the least...RYAN only gets better with each viewing!

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

Katyn (2007)

"...AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YE FREE!"

[8/10 · 25 January 2024]

FILE THIS ONE UNDER.... "TRUTH IS OFTEN STRANGER THEN FICTION"!

BUT BEFORE DIVING IN: Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content & Context!

KATYN makes it painfully clear that the truth was a very scarce commodity throughout decades of Soviet domination.

Considering Katyn was released nearly 20 years after the end of the Communist/Soviet era in Poland. It seems, to me at least, somewhat baffling that it took Polish film-makers so long to share these tragic and poignant true events with the world. In historical retrospect, Nazi atrocities perpetrated against Poland and its people have been well circulated and repeated tirelessly over past decades.

On the other hand, there has been a virtual dearth of information regarding Soviet atrocities. "WWII was triggered by the German blitzkrieg invasion of Poland in September, 1939." is what we Americans have been told ad nauseam for decades. What is rarely ever mentioned is the simultaneous eastern invasion of Poland by Soviet forces! While Nazi aberrations such as Auschwitz and the Warsaw ghetto have been chronicled in numerous well-known films, this marks the first time, in my recollection at least, that Soviet war crimes have been dealt with openly and clearly in a movie.

KATYN relates this true war time story through the interwoven lives of a dozen or so family members and friends. Within minutes of viewing, I was totally gripped by the story, and even though the eventual outcome is a historical fact we are all keenly aware of, the story unfolded in such a way as to never lose my interest.

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Nothing But the Truth (I) (2008)

TRUTH IS... IT'S PRETTY D*MN GOOD!!!

[9/10 · 19 January 2024]

FIRST... Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context!

From the very onset, via a blink of an eye assassination attempt on the U. S. President, TRUTH gets a headlock on your psyche and doesn't let go. It manages to be both extremely entertaining and thought-provoking, tackling perhaps one of the most important issues facing Americans in the 21st century: Balancing the First Amendment Right of journalists to protect the confidentiality of their sources against the government's right to guarantee Ntional Security during wartime!!! And it manages to do so in a very unpretentious way, without any of the In-Your-Face preaching so often found in films dealing with this topic.

KUDOS to Rod Luries taut and low-key direction coaxing a remarkable ensemble performance from a truly stellar cast!

Kate Becksinsale shines as an unshakeable journalist who refuses to buckle under constantly mounting Federal pressure to coerce her into revealing her source. Vera Farmiga (who never caught my attention before) delivers a solid performance as the outted CIA agent at the center of a firestorm. For Matt Dillon fans, an interesting note: His performance as the Special Prosecutor hand-picked by the President to find the Traitor Tout Suite is a laudable departure from his usual tough-guy/low-life roles!.

Rounding out this genuinely outstanding cast are, Angela Basset, Alan Alda, Edie Falco and David Schwimmer. There is one final element to mention that adds a potent punch to TRUTH, but any details would be a SP**LER, so....when you see it, you WILL know!!!

(9********* Stars) ENJOY! / DISFURTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!