Apocalypse Now (1979)

Feb 23, 2008 by Mr. Nau Francis Ford Coppola wrote and directed this unforgettable Vietnam War epic, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Marlon Brando, and a supporting cast full of future stars. The acting performances are wonderful and nuanced. The story is thought-provoking, fraught with danger, and full of plenty of unpredictable twists and turns. […]

This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Feb 21, 2008 by Mr. Nau A documentary filmmaker decides to find out how the MPAA‘s “voluntary” film rating system works and who the members of the secret Film Rating Board are. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes infuriating, this eye-opening documentary delivers a scathing indictment to a group that allows culture to be censored by so few. […]

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Feb 15, 2008 by Mr. Nau An all-star cast brings Ridley Scott’s vision of the Battle of Mogadishu to the screen with gritty realism and mind-blowing realism. The acting performances are phenomenal and the screenplay shows how soldiers far away from home rely on each other, reluctant heroes all, when the bullets are flying. Grade: […]

Fun (1994)

Jan 24, 2008 by Mr. Nau Alicia Witt and Renée Humphrey star in this teen angst picture about a pair of girls who get in legal trouble. The budget is extremely low and part of the chaos of the story is the grainy cinematography. The relationship between the girls runs the border between love and […]

Betty Blue (1986)

Jan 06, 2008 by Mr. Nau This French relationship drama about a guy and his increasingly crazy girlfriend features an amazing amount of casual nudity by really attractive people. However, with an eternal three hour running time, the story meanders aimlessly and never quite seems to end. To grasp the ebb and flow requires extra […]

The Dead Girl (2006)

Jan 05, 2008 by Mr. Nau This engaging set of intertwined vignettes revolves around the death of a young woman and tells of her murder from the point of view of five women—the one who finds her, a girl missing a sister, the wife of her murderer, her estranged mother, and the murder victim herself. […]

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

Jan 05, 2008 by Mr. Nau John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back in this over-the-top thrill ride that treats us to two hours of chases, explosions, and stupefying special effects. The computer parts were silly, despite the presence of the “Mac guy“, but this film never pretends to be anything but an action ride. Grade: […]

Zodiac (2007)

Jan 02, 2008 by Mr. Nau Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey, Jr., lead an extraordinary cast in this fantastic crime thriller, based on the actual case files from various law enforcement agencies investigating the infamous Zodiac Killer. This fascinating procedural is always completely riveting. The bulletproof screenwriting and meticulous detail make this mystery […]

The Lives of Others (2006)

Dec 30, 2007 by Mr. Nau This masterful Oscar-winning German film was an unexpectedly brilliant piece of work, full of vivid characters, menacing efficiency, and a full range of emotional experience. A captain in the Stasi puts a famous writer under surveillance and finds himself trying clandestinely to protect the writer from his corrupt superiors. […]

Gladiator (2000)

Dec 29, 2007 by Mr. Nau Ridley Scott directs and Russell Crowe stars in this vast blockbuster epic about a victorious Roman general who is sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator after a new emperor ascends the throne. The action sequences are astonishing, the backdrop of ancient Rome is breathtaking, and the story is […]

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