Keanu Reeves, Wynona Ryder, Robert Downey, Jr., and Woody Harrelson star in this Richard Linklater rotoscoped featured, based on the Philip K. Dick novel. While the animation is sometimes distracting, strong acting performances leave the audience feeling as crazy as the characters, thanks to a solid script and good directing.

Grade: B+.

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Jessica Lange nails her role as country music superstar, Patsy Cline, in this extraordinary biopic about one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. Ed Harris costars as her husband, Charlie, a hard drinker trying to deal with her success. As musical biographies go, this gem is wonderful.

Grade: A-.

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Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney lead a stellar cast in this miniseries about the life of John Adams, the second President of the United States. Based on the Pulitzer-winning biography by David McCullough, this masterpiece is the magnificent union of acting brilliance, obsessive attention to detail, and screenplay perfection.

Grade: A+.

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This film adaptation of a Broadway musical about the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence is ambitiously written, lavishly costumed, and wincingly silly most of the time. There’s even a scene where John Adams and Benjamin Franklin dance while Thomas Jefferson beds his wife upstairs.

Grade: C.

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Dudley Moore plays George Webber, a dissatisfied songwriter, who crashes the wedding of a woman, played by Bo Derek, he saw in a passing car. Somehow, this creepy stalker comedy garnered two Oscar nominations, but it does feature a healthy amount of nudity — the only real reason to rent this.

Grade: C-.

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In 1941, after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the entire West Coast mobilized defenses for the inevitable invasion. In this slapstick comedy, directed by Steven Spielberg, an inept group of soldiers, a drunken pilot, a feisty dancer, a lost Japanese submarine, and a crazed tree farmer collaborate to destroy Hollywood hilariously.

Grade: C+.

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In the greatest of the Batman pictures to date, Christian Bale’s Caped Crusader perfectly balances the surprisingly creepy and very believable Joker, portrayed by the late Heath Ledger. With a star-studded supporting cast, an amazing script, eye-popping visual effects, and thrilling fight sequences, this blockbuster is a masterpiece.

Grade: A+.

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Vin Diesel leads a surprisingly star-filled cast in this science fiction action flick. Diesel is a mercenary hired to smuggle a young woman into America, accompanied by her guardian, played by Michelle Yeoh. With huge scope and amazing action and effects sequences, this is most entertaining with suspended disbelief.

Grade: B.

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Ellen Muth returns to Dead Like Me in this straight-to-DVD movie, featuring most of the cast of the cancelled TV show. This picture is a fun diversion—an extended length episode that gives the series closure. Fans of the show will love this, but it might lose newcomers.

Grade: A-.

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See Also:

• Dead Like Me, Season 1 (2003)
• Dead Like Me, Season 2 (2004)

Christian Bale stars as a troubled former Army Ranger in this crime thriller about a guy who can’t avoid getting into all kinds of trouble in South Central Los Angeles. With a decent supporting cast, including Freddy Rodriguez and Eva Longoria, this frequently uncomfortable buddy picture is very well-written.

Grade: B+.

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