The Ghost Writer

There are certainly enough big names in the cast to make it worth the watch. More than that however is a twisty plot with plenty of unanswered questions. Smart directors let us come to our own conclusions and don't try to tell us everything. The much-in-the-news-recently Roman Polanski is a genius.

Wait, you say? How did Polanski direct this movie in Cape Cod and England when he could not leave Switzerland? Simple. German locations. Post production from a Swiss prison. How else?

The story itself is a delight for conspiracy theorists. More questions than answers, and very smart story telling. Ewan McGregor plays an unnamed ghost writer hired to complete the memoirs of and very Tony-Blair-like Pierce Brosnan. In fact, the many comparisons between the story and reality are very thinly veiled.

Olivia Williams plays the dutiful wife and Kim Cattrall plays the dutiful secretary. Of course sparks fly.

Fun cameos by James Belushi, Timothy Hutton, and Eli Wallach make this a very fun watch. The story is crisp and the pace is brisk. Pay attention.

Watch this with someone who will try and connect all the somewhat related dots.

Angels & Demons

Zealotry redefined. Ron Howard delivers another fun, exciting, nail-biter. Not exactly a sequel to DaVinci Code, but not totally unrelated either. Tom Hanks returns as Dr. Langdon, the professor who defies labeling.

Ayelet Zurer plays the female lead who stops short at becoming a love interest of the good doctor. Ewan McGregor plays the youngest of Vatican leadership. Stellan Skarsgård, one of the best-known Swedes in Hollywood (Bootstrap Bill) plays the head of the Vatican's Swiss Guard. Armin Mueller-Stahl plays a senior cardinal and the stage is set.

Who killed the Pope and hired an assassin, played well by Nikolaj Lie Kaas, to kill the favorites to replace him? Who are the Illuminati and where are they hiding?

With a little help from Galileo and a lady bio-physicist, Dr. Langdon comes to the rescue again, this time at the request of the Vatican.

This great international cast give the movie a very authentic feel. There are so many wonderful accents and looks and voices. The soundtrack adds big-time to the feel of the movie.

Watch this with someone who believes in both science and religion.