#24 - 3:10 To Yuma

Directed by James Mangold
2007 Western
Rated R

*** 1/2

Typically great performances from Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, and Ben Foster elevate this otherwise run-of-the-mill western about a poor farmer (Bale) trying to deliver a notorious outlaw (Crowe) to justice...for the ransom. Also features a great score and some very authentic sets.

#23 - 4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile

Directed by Cristian Mungiu
2007 Drama
Rated R

*****

An unflinchingly realistic look at a college student (Anamaria Marinca) attempting to procure an abortion for her pregnant friend in Romania circa 1987, during the height of their communist dictatorship. Marinca gives a brilliant performance, and director Mungiu, a relative newcomer to the movie business, shows incredible adeptness in his direction. Not for the squeamish, but this is a near-perfect look at what lengths people will go to get an abortion in a society where they are illegal.

#22 - Superbad*

Directed by Greg Mottola
2007 Comedy
Rated R

****

#21 - Sang sattawat

Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2007 Drama
Rated PG-13

**** 1/2

A film where pretty much nothing happens, yet I found myself riveted throughout nearly all of it. For art house fanatics only.

#20 - Shoot 'Em Up

Directed by Michael Davis
2007 Action/Comedy/Thriller
Rated R

***

Bloody. Violent. Senseless. Gruesome. Graphic. Over-the-top. What else? Oh yeah, hilarious and entertaining as hell.

#19 - Who Needs Sleep?

Directed by Haskell Wexler
2006 Documentary
Not Rated

*** 1/2

This documentary, directed by legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, In the Heat of the Night, Bound for Glory, etc.) attempts to expose the sweat-shop like conditions the majority of the film industry works under. And he's not talking about the actors; he's talking about the cameramen, the electricians, the grips. All the people who, during a movie shoot, are working an average of 15-hour days, seven days a week. A documentary should always be as impartial as possible, and this clearly isn't, but Wexler is so honest and up-front about what he believes in, and it's such a good cause, that it's easy to overlook that. The only real flaws of the film are that at times it feels a lot like one of those videos you watched on a slow day in high school; i.e. there are times it feels very cheaply made (which it was) and cheesy (which it often is). But other than that, this is a very intriguing look into the horrible conditions much of the film industry has to work under, as well as a call to arms to change it.