Invictus

Did Morgan Freeman do an outstanding job as Nelson Mandela? No doubt. Could a real South African have done just as good a job? Probably, but it may not have sold as many tickets in the US. Sad huh? Could the captain of the South African Rugby team have been played as well by someone other than Matt Damon? Maybe someone actually from South Africa?

Okay this seems to be my quest for the summer - actors actually from the countries the movies are about.

Dear Hollywood Suits, please watch more foreign movies. There is plenty of talent out there NOT from the US. Maybe you will sell fewer tickets in the US but how much will you save in salaries? Okay I have no idea, but you get my point.

Back to the movie? Inspiring and funny don't usually come in the same package. This time it does. As a former resident of the apartheid state I can see the struggle for change. This story tells us more behind the scenes in the early 90s than most of us Yanks are aware of. A little history is a good thing.

This movie is a very good thing. Watch it with someone who knows nothing about rugby.

Shutter Island

This movie is not nearly as scary and the previews would lead you to believe. But it is much weirder than you might expect. Without giving too much away, this is another one of those stories where you think you know who the good guys and bad guys are until the end of the movie when you are surprised by who really is whom.

Leonardo DiCaprio does another great job playing a Boston-based cop. The range of emotions on display here are wonderful. Mark Ruffalo plays a very cool opposite to DiCaprio's overwrought character. Nice pairing of contrasts.

The supporting cast is very impressive and deserves much of the credit for the thrill in this crime thriller. Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow are the biggest but by no means the best. I loved Ted Levine in the one scene he had with lines. Powerful stuff. Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, John Carol Lynch, Elias Koteas, and Jackie Earle Haley all had pivotal roles played well.

The r-rating is for disturbing violent scenes although you never actually see much violence. What is implied however is very disturbing. Director Martin Scorsese does an amazing job of letting the audience's mind think it's knows whats going on. His continuity team really let him down however. The list of goofs is long and does not appear to include my favorite. A female patient who is given a glass of water to drink while being interviewed, raises an obviously empty right hand to drink and sets an empty glass down on the table with her left. What?

Watch this movie with someone who enjoys a good psycho-thriller with more psychos than thrillers.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

It's a little bit Aladdin, and a little bit Conan the Barbarian. A little bit Kingdom of Heaven, and little bit Indiana Jones. It is also a little bit Tea Party. It's UK and American actors portraying Persians. Were there no good Persian actors to be found? No middle eastern talent? I find that hard to believe.

That said, it was a fun movie to watch. And yes, I saw it in a theater. Another rare trip for me, but this one had none of the usual downfalls. Theater owners have found a who new way to keep me away. Commercials. Before the movie starts, there are what feels like 30 minutes of commercials, only a few of which would be traditional previews.

Jake Gyllenhaal, and LA native, plays the title role with just the hint of an accent. All other cast members with a significant role are from the UK. Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley along with Alfred Molina for comic relief, are all wonderful.

Watch this movie with someone who can remember why we like movies in the first place - to suspend belief and escape our own realities.

Doctor Zhivago

I don't intend to say anything new about this movie. If you have never seen it, I strongly suggest you give it a thorough viewing. If you have not seen this movie in a while, please share it again with someone who has not.

What can you get from Zhivago? A little history. A little drama. A lot of romance, and a 45-year-old lesson is how to make great movies. Best Art Direction. Best Cinematography. Best Costumes. Best Writing. Best Music. Not enough? You also get to see young Alec Guiness before he became Obi-Wan. You will also see Rod Steiger as a rotten bureaucrat. Both have passed now, and the film world is a lesser place as a result.

Omar Sharif plays the title role - brilliantly. Julie Christie and Geraldine Chaplin play his love interests which take him across Russia at a time when doing so was dangerous and difficult. These talents are all still with us and still working. Amazing.

Watch this with someone who loves poetry - in words, in notes, and in pictures.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Disney goes out on a limb with this one, but it works for me. Tim Burton dances with the devil again and comes up smelling roses - again. Dark tellings of classic stories ring truer with me than the the more gentle versions. Reading the original tales one finds some very dark themes and scenes. So, I like to see these fresh spins on old stories.

Relative newcomer Mia Wasikowska does a wonderful job of playing big and small Alice. Helena Bonham Carter (6th Burton film), next door neighbor and mother of Burton's children, plays the CG-altered Red Queen of Hearts - brilliant! Johnny Depp (7th Burton film) plays the totally Mad Hatter, and although his accent changes from scene to scene, it fits well with his character. At one point when someone threatens to "off his head" his replies, "too late". Very funny.

This movie is okay for the younger viewers as well. Some of the scenes may be a little scary for the less-than-PG crowd, but otherwise there is plenty of humor on all levels to keep everyone amused.

Watch this movie with someone who will get all the subtle nods to chess and card games.

Arlen Faber (The Answer Man)

So maybe if your movie does not sell a lot of tickets all you have to do is change the name and put it out on DVD? Originally released as Arlen Faber in 2009, it made the rounds of several film festivals gleaning only one nomination. Then it went to VOD, TV, and some limited theaters. Now it's out on DVD as The Answer Man.

Arlen Faber, the title character is played by Jeff Daniels. This is an unusual character for Daniels and I can see the appeal. Grumpy and reclusive on the outside, he is funny and vulnerable on the inside. Not a really new story, but the twist is interesting. It seems that Faber wrote a book once upon a time that captured the world's imagination. He had answers from God.

Whether he did talk to God or not is not really the issue. The story is about how he deals with the fame and back-splash from his claims. The story begins on the 20th anniversary of the publishing of the book.

Faber finds himself in need of the help of people outside his normal circle and he is changed by them. Lauren Graham plays the chiropractor the gets Faber back on his feet - figuratively and literally.

Watch this with someone who dreams of writing a bestseller.