Spike Lee’s (25th Hour, She Hate Me) latest joint is a caper flick starring the always charismatic Denzel Washington (Out of Time), Clive Owen (most recently of Derailed), and Jodie Foster (Flightplan). This movie was a pleasure, obviously. It’s a no-brainer, a recipe for a hit: add Academy Award winners Washington and Foster, pour in a little Spike Lee, and stir. Voila.

The movie opens with Owen’s character explaining the bank heist that has presumably landed him in jail. We know that he executed the robbery, and we know where it took place. The story attempts to explain how and ultimately why it happened. The obvious motive is money, but the film takes an interesting turn when it appears that the events taking place inside the bank may not have anything to do with theft at all.

Regarding the performances, Washington can do no wrong, and neither can Foster, so you won’t find any criticism of them here. As long as they have a decent script to work with, they can act circles around almost anyone. Neither of them will be adding another Oscar to their mantle with this movie, but that’s not the point. Inside Man is clever and entertaining throughout, and Spike gets the most out of everyone. It was particularly nice to see Foster on screen in a departure from her recent pattern of freaked-out hero mom roles (Flightplan and Panic Room).

I’m also glad that Spike Lee, in my opinion, cannot be pigeon-holed as a director. Yes, he is THE premier black filmmaker of our era, and has been a pioneer in portraying the black experience—but Lee has demonstrated that he can tell ANY story, not just those involving African-American themes. He first showed the ability to branch out with Summer of Sam, which featured an entirely white cast, and also with 2002’s 25th Hour, one of my absolute favorites. In sum, Inside Man does not take the caper flick to a whole new level, but it’s a nice addition to the genre and well worth seeing.

Brilliant. This was a fantastic movie. I was somewhat reluctant to see it…it looked a little Zorro-ish or whatever, but boy was I wrong. Vendetta stars Natalie Portman (Golden State, Closer) and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix) as the masked vigilante/freedom-fighter “V.” It was written by The Wachowski Brothers, the ingenious duo responsible for The Matrix trilogy.

V for Vendetta weaves a complicated Orwellian tale, borrowing intermittently from the overall themes and concepts of 1984. Set in the near future in England, the movie paints a frightening picture of a country controlled by a fascist chancellor. Art and music are not permitted. Citizens are monitored and speech is controlled. The government was empowered after a series of deadly plagues killed thousands of citizens and the powers-that-be produced a cure, at a cost. The cost is freedom. It is against this bleak backdrop that our hero V emerges, determined to awaken the people from their slumber. Natalie Portman stars as Evey, a young woman with a revolutionary spirit who is inadvertently sucked into V’s world. Portman is a truly wonderful actress, and is nothing short of excellent, as usual. Weaving is similarly great, which is no small feat considering we never see his face.

Vendetta is not the first film to address conspiracy theories and police states, and I imagine that it won’t be the last. What makes Vendetta provocative is the realism that is conveyed, thanks to an intricate script and stunning visual effects. It examines unbridled thirst for power, apathy, courage, and the driving forces behind human nature and complacency. A “thinking man’s” popcorn flick, Vendetta is not for everyone; however, if you have an open mind I think you’ll enjoy.

Bruce Willis (most recently of Sin City) and Mos Def (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) star in this action thriller about a cop who must transport a witness 16 blocks to the courthouse so that he may testify against corrupt NYC police officers. The only problem is that New York’s finest are determined to make sure Eddie (Mos Def) never reaches his destination.

I believe the premise of this movie is an exciting one, and I also enjoy Willis and Mos as talented actors. However, I don’t think this movie is great. We as viewers know pretty early on what this movie is going to be about. The problem for me was that despite a good plot, I don’t think the movie did an effective job of sustaining suspense and maintaing a tense, edge-of-your-seat feeling. A good example of a movie that pulled this off successfully was Speed. I know I reached back a little bit with that one, but Speed managed to do what 16 Blocks could not: introduce a great dilemma in the beginning but keep the audience entrenched in the movie the whole time. It just didn’t deliver for me: overall a fairly decent movie but nothing spectacular. Mos Def is a charming and appealing renaissance man, and I am a fan of his acting and music; HOWEVER, he had the most annoying voice in this movie!! Oh my God, it was so irksome. I didn’t like it at all and it took me a while to ignore it. There were also some plot holes that I don’t feel like getting into, chalk it up to poor writing. All of Bruce Willis’ Die Hard movies put this one to shame, and Mos Def’s charm couldn’t save his performance. Not a bad movie, but by no means is this a “must see.”

Dave Chapelle brings us documentary footage from his summer 2004 block party in Brooklyn, New York. There isn’t much to analyze about this movie, because it is what it is: Dave’s favorite artists assembled together in the name of good old-fashioned REAL music. I think it’s cool that Dave documented the concert/party because it shows that the music he appreciates is a reflection of what he believes in: an expression of truth at all costs. We know Dave is a straight shooter and that he pulls no punches, and this is mirrored by the musical company he keeps: Dead Prez, Common, Jill Scott, Badu, etc. We also see how Chapelle is a man of the people, both black and white. The concert was a soulful celebration of real music and black culture and quite simply just a dope-ass show. I love watching us do our thing, I wish I could’ve been at the show, it looks like it was epic for the Fugees alone. Even though Chapelle has a huge following on Comedy Central, I don’t expect this movie to be a commercial success because it’s not Dave doing comedy, it’s about the music and Dave giving back to the people. Everybody can’t get with that. If you liked Jay-Z’s Fade to Black, you definitely should show Chapelle some love because Block Party is much better.

I LOVED this movie, I don’t care what anyone has to say about it. Much like last year’s Domino– which I also really liked despite its horrible reviews – Running Scared is a hectic and harrowing tale, spilling out on the screen like a stream of consciousness. With frenetic pacing and an erratic storyline, I hated to leave for the bathroom for fear I would miss something critical. Blasted apple martinis.

Paul Walker stars as Joey Gazelle, a low-level mob guy who has the task of disposing of dirty guns. When one such piece gets away from him before he has the chance to dump it, Joey has to track it down before his bosses and/or the cops find it. Who has the gun? It was last in the hands of Oleg (Cameron Bright of Birth), the next door neighbor and best friend of his young son Nicky. Running Scared lives up to its title as Walker frantically combs the city for the burner. It passes hands from one low-life to another, and Joey always seems to be one step behind. The story takes an interesting turn when his wife goes on a chase of her own to retrieve Oleg, who is on the run for reasons I won’t reveal so I don’t spoil it for you. What makes this flick interesting is the atmosphere, cinematography, and the performances. The director makes use of slow-mo shots, reverse techniques and interesting camera angles. The film is visually appealing, starkly colored with lots of washed-out imagery. Now, for the performances: Paul Walker might be my new obsession. His Jersey accent was great and I was surprised he was able to ditch his natural surfer-boy intonation. He showed some grit, which I believe is a departure from his more recent roles. Plus I aint gonna lie…he is hella sexy. He’s hot! I tried to save that for the end so it won’t seem like that’s the real reason why I liked this movie, but I have to put it out there. Paul, I aint mad at ‘cha. Now as for this kid actor Cameron Bright, he is kinda deep. I’ve only seen him in one other movie, 2004’s Birth, and he was good in that one also, although it was a bit disturbing. This kid takes on some heavy roles and I give him credit for it. He’s no Haley Joel Osment or Dakota Fanning but hey, he’s good. If you liked Domino or you dig Tarantino, I think you’ll like Running Scared. One thing’s for certain: you won’t be bored.

You can always count on Samuel L. Jackson for some hilarious profanity-laden quotes. He doesn’t disappoint in Freedomland, but the movie is otherwise unmemorable. Guess what profane gem Sam Jack drops on us this time? He actually calls a guy “brotherfucker!” Get it? Instead of mother…ok, enough.

Freedomland begins on a night in the summer of 1999 in inner-city New Jersey. Brenda Martin, played by Julianne Moore (Hannibal, The Forgotten) has been carjacked by the omnipresent criminally-inclined young black male, with her 4 year old son still in the backseat. The largely white police department of the neighboring suburb of Gannon begin their shakedown of the neighborhood project where Brenda works as a teacher. Sam Jack plays Lorenzo Council, a badass (big surprise) cop who knows the projects and its residents intimately. The first half hour of the movie is great: the pacing is taut and the racial tension is palpable. Jackson is commanding in the role and his character is tough but tender. However, the project atmosphere is quickly exhausted and goes from tense to tiring.

Moore is a talented actress, but I personally found her character to become more annoying and less sympathetic as the story unfolded. She is essentially a bird-brained basketcase for the entire movie. When she goes to the hospital after the jacking she doesn’t even say immediately that her son was still in the backseat of the car. I guess she’s supposed to be in shock, but that just doesn’t fly with me. Also, she has this gross lip-licking thing that she does. Ugh.

This movie had the potential to be really good, but ends up being tiring and unremarkable. There are solid performances from Jackson and Edie Falco (The Sopranos) as a missing children’s crusader — but Freedomland ultimately fizzles.

I can’t believe this is the #1 movie in America right now. Wow. I can save you a trip to the theater. Have you seen the commercial? Ok, good. You’ve seen the movie. That’s it, there’s nothing more. I’m not exaggerating. I will admit that the director did a good job of building and sustaining tension in a confined space, but after a while it just became boring. I can’t find one other remotely redeeming thing to say about this movie. There were no twists. There was no big payoff. You have the obligatory, “what the hell are you doing you stupid ass??” moment, followed by your “don’t go in there!” scene. Complete teeny-bopper drivel.

What a sweet and charming little movie. I guess this one can be classified as a “chick flick,” but I hate that term. Think of it as a warm and fuzzy Jungle Fever in reverse. Actually that was a pretty bad analogy, but you get the picture — this time it’s a black woman stepping outside of her comfort zone by dating a white man.

First time director Sanaa Hamri gives us the story of Kenya, a successful, uptight and disappointedly single accountant played by the always lovely Sanaa Lathan (Out of Time). Like many educated black women, Kenya is seeking a man to compliment her ambitious lifestyle, but finds the pickins’ to be quite slim. Enter Brian, (played by Simon Baker, most recently of Land of the Dead) a handsome landscaper who “takes hard earth and makes things bloom.” Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. There aren’t many surprises here, but this one is a winner because it realistically deals with the issues that face an interracial couple without becoming a one-trick pony (like last year’s Guess Who). Lathan is dead-on in her portrayal of a sista who “doesn’t do dogs, spiders, or hiking.” Particularly authentic (in my uninformed opinion) is a scene where Kenya vents about a hard day at work dealing with “the man.” Brian asks for one night without a discussion of race and Kenya tells him you don’t “get a night off from being black.” I thought this was a great scene, because it seems like a real concern that would face a black woman in a relationship with a white man. Kenya has an image of what she considers her “IBM” (ideal black man), but she learns that what you think you want is not always the best thing for you. Sometimes the real gift is not in the package we expected.

Another thing I really liked about the movie is that Kenya is a real sista, she’s not a black Barbie wannabe. Brian is comfortable in his own skin as well, he’s not some white boy trying to “act black” or fulfill a black girl Jezebel fantasy. These are just two people who have made a connection in a world where true love can be rare. Although Brian is a prize (he paints her toenails for cryin’ out loud!), director Hamri does not tout the virtues of white men at the expense of black men. There is no bashing of black men, which I’m sure we can all appreciate. If you’re looking for a sweet and refreshing take on the old “boy meets girl” premise, check this one out. Check it out anyway because we need to support a departure from the same old black date flicks that recycle some combination of Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnutt and Taye Diggs. A white dude providing the diversity and spice, who woulda thunk it??

Well, I had low expectations for this movie, and I wasn’t disappointed. Or I guess you could say I WAS disappointed, because this one was USA Movie of the Week quality. I went for the eye candy (James Franco and Tyrese Gibson), but they weren’t quite worth the price of admission.

Franco (Spiderman) stars as Jake Huard, a young man who dreamt of joining the U.S. Naval Academy as a boy. He aspires to surpass the blue collar lifestyle of his father and friends, who build naval ships for the Academy. The only things standing in his way are self-doubt and the character of Lt. Cole, played by Tyrese (Four Brothers). Cole is supposed to be the antagonist, but as a viewer I found myself disliking him because I knew I was supposed to, rather than because he was the bad guy everyone made him out to be. Writer David Collard (Out of Time) simply did a poor job of constructing a compelling story. Everything about the script was corny and underdeveloped, from Huard’s silly interactions with love interest Jordana Brewster (The Fast and the Furious) to his relationships with boyhood friends. The only mildly endearing character was “Twins,” an overweight but sweet cadet whom Huard befriends at the Academy. Riddled with clichés, Annapolis is one to skip. Skip it at the theater. Skip it at Blockbuster. Skip it on cable. I think my work here is done.

Well well. This one has certainly been hyped. For the most part, King Kong lives up to its buzz. Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) directs this blockbuster starring Jack Black (School of Rock, Shallow Hal), Naomi Watts (The Ring, 21 Grams) and Adrien Brody (most recently of The Jacket). All three do a fine job, though it’s hard for me to look at Jack Black without laughing.

Set in the Depression era, Kong begins with a (presumably) realistic slice of Americana seen through the eyes of filmmaker Carl Denham (Black) and aspiring actress Ann Darrow (Watts). Both need a hit movie: Denham to save his fledgling career and Darrow to simply eat and survive. In search of a fresh face for his latest picture, Denham meets Darrow by chance and she agrees to do the movie. The only catch is that filming will take place in a remote location, accessible only by boat. The cast and crew, including Brody as screenwriter Jack Driscoll, find the island only to discover it inhabitaed by hostile and violent natives. They abduct Darrow and set the stage for the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the introduction of Kong. The only word to describe the beast is amazing. His expressions are nuanced and human-like, giving a strange quality of depth to the portrayal. Props to the folks at CGI, or whoever made this thing, because it looks real. The interaction between Watts and the beast is really very good, especially given that Watts was probably in front of a green screen during filming. She looks as if she’s staring right at the gorilla and into his soul. Their interaction is a strange mix of love, fear, bewilderment and wonder. Kong seems genuinely in love with Ann Darrow, and she appears to have the beauty and gentility required to tame the savage beast.

The special effects are incredible, and there is a particularly long action sequence that lasts 10-15 minutes. No dialouge is necessary because Jackson has the audience riveted with what’s taking place on screen. Suffice to say that Kong is one bad MF. One drawback, in my opinion, was that the first part of the movie prior to them arriving on the island was a tad boring. I had a few long blinks. At 3 hours and 7 minutes this movie is long as hell — and you feel it in the beginning. Bring out the ape already. Overall King Kong was thoroughly entertaining, though I don’t think it’s good enough to surpass Titanic as the highest grossing movie of all time, as some are suggesting. King Kong: hot monkey love disaster flick with a heart.