The Great Debaters

M: Denzel Washington stars in this movie about an all black debate team from a small college in Texas in the early 1930's. This is a touching movie about standing up for what you stand for and breaking barriers of racial intolerance. The acting is good, especially by Denzel. Having said that, the movie feels a little long and tends to drag in parts. Also, the message, though good, felt a bit heavy and pushy to me at times. Worth seeing, but don't expect an action packed movie, or a movie you can laugh along with. 3 Stars

V: I guess I liked this a little better than M. I thought it was well done. It isn't lighthearted, as it shouldn't be. It is worth seeing. Denzel does a nice job acting in and directing this movie. All in all, it is uplifting and interesting as it is based on true events. 3 1/2 stars.

Iron Man

V: I've been a long time fan of Robert Downey Jr. - even annoyed my college roommates by posting an ode to him on our shared refrigerator. He did a really great job in this, and I'm glad things are good for him right now. So, Iron Man . . . First of all, it says a lot when we see a movie in the theater - and not even the dollar theater. This happens 3 or 4 times a year, at most. (Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for watching our kids!) It means we expect big, big things, and Iron Man didn't disappoint. The pace of the movie was great, always kept you into the action, moving forward, not too much or too little, and never boring. Downey, as Tony Stark, was funny and cool. These movies easily find themselves in cheesy, bad-lines territory, but this one never did. The bad guys were bad. The gizmos were awesome. The love interest was well-handled. It was exciting! You may find yourself searching for something to hold on to. (Sorry M). I really enjoyed it. The end really surprised me. Not good or bad, but I just wonder what they're going to do with it. One small critique and that is that I thought Pepper (Paltrow) was moving pretty slowly when being pursued by a big, bad robot monster thing. But she did have on some really tall heels. And maybe she didn't know he meant her as much ill will as he did. But anyway, even with that I give it 4 stars. (And don't forget to stay all the way through the end of the credits. It's important to know who the Additional Second Assistant Director is.)

M: It took me a while to suspend my belief in this one. I suppose I should have been prepared upon entering the theater to accept without question what I saw, after all, the movie is based on a comic strip about an iron man. But still, there I was saying, how did this guy build this contraption in a cave in the desert in a few days . . . no way . . . couldn't happen. Well, once I allowed myself to get into the show, I thought it was really good. Downey did a terrific job, as did Paltrow. The effects were sweet and the show, fairly unpredictable. Go see this show. 3 1/2 stars.

The Sea Inside

It was foreign film night at our house last night. We thought, hey, let's watch a film in Spanish since it's Cinco de Mayo. But this film is actually from Spain, not Mexico. Anyway . . . This film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film 2005, and stars Javier Bardem (Best Supp. Actor in No Country for Old Men) And just an interesting note, I kept seeing the same name pop up in the credits: Alejandro Amenabar. This guy is a true auteur -- co-writing, directing, producing and even writing the music for this film. (Incidentally, he also directed "The Others", our favorite scary flick.) This film is about euthanasia, and Ramon, who wants to die. (This same year the Best Picture Oscar went to Million Dollar Baby. Hmmm. Whoever said Hollywood isn't political?) Rated PG-13.

V: This is a beautiful film. (You gotta call foreign movies "films" y'know, because you feel kind of cool and important watching them in the first place.) The filming, acting and music is really great. There are particularly moving sequences when the main character imagines himself out of his confining position and the camera takes you away with him, in impressive single shots that are minutes long, travelling over land and sea. Bardem does a fabulous job. His character is touching, sympathetic and frustrating. The film is a little long (125 min), but I felt, worth it, as you really feel compelled to stay with the characters. It is thought-provoking, poignant and not simplified. Euthanasia is one of those tricky subjects, and though the movie does eventually take a stance, it is not overwhelming in that they give you plenty of reasons to be persuaded both ways. But mostly, it's a moving personal story about Ramon. 3 1/2 stars

M: V is right that this is a very moving film. However, for me, it was frustrating to see this man, who was capable of having such a positive impact on the lives of those around him, want so desperately to end his own life. Nevertheless, Bardem gave a stirring performance and the movie is a show that is worth seeing. A bit thick on the political persuasion. 3 stars