No Country for Old Men (2007)

Jan 18, 2009 by Mr. Nau The Coen Brothers direct this exceptional crime thriller set in rural West Texas. The acting performances by the principal cast, especially by Javier Bardem, who delivers an unforgettable performance as one of the most interesting and menacing villains in recent memory, are absolutely perfect. The cinematography and script are […]

To Live (1994)

Jan 17, 2009 by Mr. Nau A compulsive gambler in China squanders his property and has to learn to hustle a living with his puppet shows. Against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution, this beautiful story of tragedy and redemption is directed by Yimou Zhang, better known in the West for his action-oriented wuxia films. […]

The Visit (2000)

Jan 11, 2009 by Mr. Nau Convicted rapist Alex Waters, played by Hill Harper, is dying in prison of AIDS. His father, played by Billy Dee Williams, is a stern authoritarian father, who is finally convinced to visit Alex. This redemption story tells of a family’s coming to terms with the crimes of a family […]

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)

Jan 09, 2009 by Mr. Nau In this Oscar Wilde adaptation, two friends use an identical pseudonym to engage various activities, mostly romantic pursuits of unsuitable or unattainable interests. This period picture features quite a stable of astonishing British acting talent, including multiple Oscar winners, and the acting is everything you’d expect from such a […]

Helvetica (2007)

Jan 07, 2009 by Mr. Nau This documentary chronicles the development of the Helvetica typeface, how it came about, how it spread everywhere, and the elements that make up good typography and modern visual design. A number of nterviews with designers who embrace Helvetica and those who oppose it for various reasons are interesting and […]

Dirty Harry (1971)

Jan 04, 2009 by Mr. Nau Clint Eastwood is Inspector Harry Callahan in this iconic and exciting crime thriller that launched an entire genre of hard-nosed cop films. Callahan is investigating homicides in San Francisco and hunting down the psychopathic serial killer. Eastwood’s acting is perfect for this role and his quarry is amazingly creepy. […]

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

Jan 03, 2009 by Mr. Nau In this suspenseful French fable, a legendary hunter and his partner are called in to save villages in rural 18th century France from a murderous beast that terrorizes the people. Tight scripting, magnificent cinematography, astonishing action sequences, and first-rate acting performances work together to tell a highly entertaining story. […]

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Jan 02, 2009 by Mr. Nau Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Nick Nolte, and Robert Downey, Jr. star in this hilarious parody movie about a group of actors trying to shoot a movie about the Vietnam war. When the absurdly dumb artists get tangled up with a drug gang, unlikely events erupt in a highly entertaining […]

Throw Momma from the Train (1987)

Dec 25, 2008 by Mr. Nau Danny Devito and Billy Crystal star in this weird caper comedy about a pair of guys who each want to get rid of someone in their lives they can’t stand. Devito plays the homicidal mama’s boy to believable perfection and Crystal’s, as a neurotic whiny writing professor, balances him […]

Burn After Reading (2008)

Dec 25, 2008 by Mr. Nau The Coen brothers team up with an ensemble cast of astonishing talent, including John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Tilda Swinton, in this very original comedy. The script is first rate, the acting is wonderful, the dialogue is often hilarious, and the characters are quirky and […]

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