February 2003

• Talk to Her (2/1[?], YSC [2002])--Well, perhaps The Hours isn't the best film of the year after all. Absolutely amazing--Pedro seems to have matured. He has always liked to make us confront taboo subjects, of course, but never with the complexity of sympathy that we have to deal with here. And damn, it was good to see Geraldine Chaplin, whose presence on the posters I hadn't noticed.
• Narc (2/2[?], NoHa [2002])--The trailer did this film a real disservice, making it seem like just another unhinged-Ray Liotta-cop film. Instead, it's a gritty, generally cliché-free gut-grabber, and if the surprise ending isn't really all that big a surprise, it's nonetheless a genuine payoff.
• The Quiet American (2/8[?], YSC [2002])--Not sure Caine deserved an Oscar nomination for this, but it is another of the fine, quiet performances that have characterized his work through the years, and Fraser is well-cast as the titular naif.
• Daredevil (2/16, Cine)--Spiderman minus the engaging protagonist, minus the breathtaking webslinging special effects, plus a feminist element (albeit a lame and obvious one), plus a more interesting villain (Colin Farrell). Best in joke: Matt's father's final boxing opponent is John Romita.