What you should be watching

So it is the tail end of the spring season of films. What that usually means is that it is the time when the studios release garbage not worth shelling out $10 plus dollars to see in the theater. There have been a few movies released that are worth checking out and there are many that have recently come out on DVD that, if you missed them, should be seen. With summer starting in a few weeks with the release of SPIDER-MAN 3, here is a short list of “should see” films…

In the theaters:
HOT FUZZ
“From the guys who saw every action movie ever made and created SHAUN OF THE DEAD…” That was enough for me and having seen HOT FUZZ twice let me say that it is the most fun movie to come out this year by far. Much like SHAUN OF THE DEAD, they manage to take a genre, make a successful film that is not only effective in that genre, but also pokes fun at it in the process. The actors are great, the script is witty and sharp and the direction is seamless. If you like to laugh and like to have a good time, then please run out to the theater and check out HOT FUZZ. (There are also some funny cameos if you can spot them)

THE HOAX
Whenever a Lasse Hallstrom film is released it is usually in the fall and touted as “Oscar bait”, so when I read that his drama starring Richard Gere had been pushed to the Spring I was a little skeptical. Then I saw it and you know what? It is a pretty damn good film. This is a really solid script (by William Wheeler) about novelist Clifford Irving who sells his bogus biography to a high level publishing company in the 1970’s. Gere shines in this role and is able to utilize his charm, charisma, and fast-talking to walk this tightrope. This is one of his best performances and is given a chance to really dig into a deep and complex character. In addition to his performance, this movie is just a good time, watching the lie evolve and the characters slip deeper and deeper into in.

On DVD:
A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS
SEE THIS MOVIE!!! This is one of the best movies of last year and one that no one really got a chance to see in the theater. It is a phenomenal cast, a powerful directorial debut, and a compelling story. Most people missed this one in the theater. Please don’t make the same mistake now that it is available on DVD.

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
If you didn’t get a chance to see this on in the theater, please check it out now if just for one reason… Forrest Whitaker’s powerhouse performance. THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND is a good film that will shock you in its realism and brutality, but it is amazing to watch Whitaker in the performance of a lifetime.

CHILDREN OF MEN
CHILDREN OF MEN has some of the best shots I have ever seen in a movie. It is a masterfully made compelling film that should have gotten much more attention than it did when it was released. It did not make my top 20 of the year, but after having the chance to see it a few more times, it should have. This is a really good film and if you are looking for something to make you think, make you feel, and spark a conversation, then don’t miss this one.

THE SHIELD
Season 5 of THE SHIELD was just released on DVD and if you have not been watching this show, you don’t know what you are missing. Not only has the show maintained the quality from the first spectacular season, it has gotten even better. Forrest Whittaker co-stars in season 5 and delivers one of the best performances I have ever seen on television. There is all this talk about THE SOPRANOS, and while I am a huge fan of that show, THE SHIELD is the best and most consistent show of the last ten years. If you have never seen an episode, all five seasons are available. Rent them. Watch them. You will not be disappointed.