The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd (2006)

Matt Damon and Robert De Niro (who also directs) star in this partially fact-based drama that examines the early history of the CIA as seen through the eyes of a dedicated agent. An upstanding, sharp-minded Yale student, Edward Wilson (Damon) is recruited to work for the fledgling CIA during World War II. Though loyal to his country, Wilson begins to feel the job eroding his ideals, filling him with distrust and destroying his personal life.

My Two Cents: Its intricately woven web of deceit and deception is as compelling as it is long; Damon turns in yet another stellar performance under Deniro's Scorsese-esque direction.

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It
IMDB Rank: 8/10

Further thoughts:

Aside from its running time, I can't fathom why this film earned a 56% rotten rating. Maybe it helps to know a little bit about the life and downward spiral of James Jesus Angleton, on whom Damon's character was based. I definitely recommend reading up on him for further insight into the film's events.

Shepherd plays out along converging timelines, which help to accentuate the ambiguous nature of foreign intelligence. We see the end result -- successes and failures -- before we see how they transpired. Damon's character alternates between patriotism, paranoia, skpeticism and regret, and he does so convincingly (award-worthy, even).

What we end up with is a thorough depiction of one fascinating historical era.

Accepted

Accepted (2006)

After receiving rejection letters from eight colleges, Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long) and his slacker friends fool their parents into thinking they've been accepted at the South Harmon Institute of Technology, a university of their own invention. The only problem is, the boys have somehow managed to attract a freshman class of rejects just like them. Can the South Harmon coeds compete in a battle of wits with students from a neighboring college?

My Two Cents: Eh... Long delivers enough wit to salvage a pretty borderline comedy.

NetFlix Rank: Liked It
IMDB Rank: 6/10

Mission: Impossible III

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Helmed by J.J. Abrams, the third entry in the explosive espionage series finds semiretired superspy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) forced back into action to save his protégé, Lindsey Ferris (Keri Russell). To checkmate her investigation, badass arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) abducts Lindsey, sending Ethan and his crack field team to Berlin on a rescue mission. Meanwhile, Ethan's agency superiors may be double-dealing their operatives.

My Two Cents: Hoffman plays a pretty good bad guy.

NetFlix Rank: Liked It
IMDB Rank: 7/10

Rocky Balboa

Rocky Balboa (2006)

Though long retired from boxing, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) returns to the ring for one last hurrah in this drama featuring the iconic action star. Now widowed, Rocky's settled into middle age running a deli. But the former champ misses the sparring life, and he's drawn back into the ring after suffering a personal tragedy. When he's offered a shot at the title, he'll have to go all out to prove he's still got what it takes.

My Two Cents: For all that can be said about Rocky Balboa, perhaps the best is that it provides the kind of fitting closure to the series that Rocky V did not.

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It
IMDB Rank: 7/10

Further thoughts:

First off, that synopsis is off-base. He runs a restaurant, not a deli. And it's an exhibition, not a title fight.

Anyway... what struck me most about this movie is that it draws its inspiration from its predecessors. And it's not a movie about boxing; it's a movie about family and fulfillment, self-respect and self-determination.

It's probably the most complete Rocky film since the original. And at the very least it wipes away the embarrasment that was Rocky V. We see the former champion ride into the proverbial sunset with a finale that accentuates all that we loved about the diminuitive-yet-courageous hero.

Beerfest

Beerfest (2006)

Two German-American brothers vow to defend their family's beer-guzzling honor in this outrageous comedy. During a trip to Germany to scatter their grandfather's ashes, Wolfhouse siblings Todd (Erik Stolhanske) and Jan (Paul Soter) discover Beerfest, the secret Olympics of downing stout, and want to enter the contest. When their Old Country cousins sneer at the Yanks' chances, they return to America to prepare for a showdown the following year.

Meine Zwei Pfennig: Inebriated jingoism run amok... No, it's not good... but it's funny as hell... and if nothing else it'll make you want to drink. I recommend a nice Hefeweizen. Alles klar! Or somesuch...

Alternate Two Cents: Frau Spurlin would be disappointed that the little I can remember from her two years of instruction is being used to describe a juvenile movie about beer.

Alternate Homer Simpson Two Cents: mmmmmmmm... Beer...

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It
IMDB Rank: 7/10

The Polar Express

The Polar Express (2004)

Chris Van Allsburg's inspiring children's book is brought to life in this warm-hearted animated tale directed by Robert Zemeckis. A young boy (voiced by both Daryl Sabara and co-executive producer Tom Hanks, who also lends his talents to the role of the conductor) with shaky faith finds it strengthened after he makes his way by train to the North Pole, where he finds reason to believe not only in others, but most importantly in himself.

My Two Cents: Falls somewhere between, and slightly below, 'heartwarming' and/or 'delightful.' Still, it means well. I feel that I missed out on the real experience by not seeing its IMAX presentation.

NetFlix Rank: Liked It
IMDB Rank: 6/10

Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Two sheepherders -- Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar (Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger) -- meet and fall in love while working together near Wyoming's Brokeback Mountain in 1963. Over the next 20 years, their lives take different courses: Jack becomes a rodeo cowboy while Ennis remains a ranch hand. Anne Hathaway, Randy Quaid and Michelle Williams co-star. Ang Lee directs screenwriter Larry McMurtry's adaptation of a short story by E. Annie Proulx.

My Two Cents: Why the hype? This poorly constructed B-movie dances between pastoral epic and gritty art film, while everyone but Ledger dials up the campy over-acting to beyond Lucas-esque levels.

NetFlix Rank: Didn't Like It
IMDB Rank: 6/10

Further thoughts:

I'll say this, and only this, about the controversial nature of this film: if its intent was to make some sort of social commentary about alternative lifestyles, then why did it choose to spotlight a couple of dishonorable, adultering cowboys?

Ledger earns points for his understated, brooding performance, but the rest is over-marketed mediocrity. In what alternate universe does a boring, unimaginative love story about characters as one-dimensional as these warrant Oscar buzz? It's a "Me Tarzan, you John" relationship that goes nowhere over the course of two-plus hours, which honestly feel closer to the two decades of elapsed time.

Give me a break.

The Puffy Chair

The Puffy Chair

When Josh (Mark Duplass, whose brother Jay directs) finds the
perfect birthday present for his father, he decides to deliver it in person. But
with his high-maintenance girlfriend Emily (Kathryn Aselton) and granola brother
Rhett (Rhett Wilkins) along for the ride, Josh's simple road trip turns into a
much bigger journey than anyone anticipated. This indie romantic dramedy was an
audience favorite at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

My Two Cents: The audience at Sundance apparently had frostbite of the brain. Proof positive that "indie" does not always equal "better than mainstream."

NetFlix Rank: Hated It
IMDB Rank: 2/10

The Nativity Story

The Nativity Story (2006)

Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and Joseph (Oscar Isaac) make the hard journey to Bethlehem for a blessed event in this retelling of the Nativity story. From director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen), this meticulously researched and visually lush adaptation of the biblical tale follows the pair on their arduous path to their arrival in a small village, where they find shelter in a quiet manger and Jesus is born. Shohreh Aghdashloo co-stars.

My Two Cents: There's not a whole lot here not to like; it's a traditional, and at times beautiful, re-telling of a story we all know. (Extra points awared for its score's subtle incorporation of Christmas Carols.)

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It
IMDB Rank: 8/10

Further Thoughts

With all of the hoopla that emerges this time of year about Christmas -- rampant commercialism, the secular "war on Christmas," the glee some people take in trying to dis-prove the widely held beliefs about the first Christmas -- it's refreshing to watch a film that at its heart simply celebrates a wonderful moment.

No matter how it transpired, the ultimate point of this story is that it transpired at all. Did it actually happen on December 25th? Were three wise men present to witness the delivery? Did they really bring gold, frankincense and myhrr?

Who cares?

The Nativity Story doesn't bog itself down in the minutiae of what's accurate and what's legend. It instead focuses on the elements of the story that matter -- namely that Jesus was born of a virgin womb to fulfill God's prophecy of a Messiah. It does that, and it does that very well.