"J"   All Films Watched 2000-2010
All films are rated on a scale of **** (A+), *** 3/4 (A), *** 1/2 (A-), *** 1/4 (B+), *** (B), ** 3/4 (B-), ** 1/2 (C+), ** 1/4 ( C), ** (C-) , * 3/4 (D+), * 1/2 (D), * 1/4 (D-), * (F)
Links are to longer reviews on site.  A film defined as 70 min.+  visual event.
The year included with the film is the year I watched each film.
(V) =  TV, Video or DVD    ( +) = repeat viewing      (W/O)= walked out
JACK GOES BOATING (2010, d.  Philip Seymour Hoffman) Unlikable, unattractive people trying to cope. I couldn't get interested or involved.  **
JACK SMITH & THE DESTRUCTION OF ATLANTIS  (2006, d. Mary Jordan) ** 1/4
JACK THE DOG   (2001, d. Bobby Roth)  ***
JACK  (2004, d. Lee Rose)V. Beautifully written coming of age story of 15 year old boy coming to terms with his father's gayness in 1982. Anton Yelchin is perfect.  *** 1/4
JACKET, THE  (2005, d. John Maybury) Stylish timebending thriller which overcomes its unlikely premise with some fine acting.  Brody is wonderful. ***
JACKPOT   (2001, d. Michael Polish)    1/2*
JAGGED HARMONIES  (2004, d. Dominique de Rivaz) Nicely done historical drama: J.S. Bach meets Frederick II.  ***
JAIL BREAKERS  (2003, S. Korea d.  Kim Sang-jin)  Well made slapstick comedy about two jailbreakers who have to break back into prison.  ***
JALLA! JALLA!   (2001, d. Josef Fares)  *** 1/4
JAMES DEAN  (2008, d. Mark Rydell)V. + Superior 2001 TV movie biopic with spectacular perf. by James Franco. *** 3/4
JAMES DEAN: FOREVER YOUNG  (2005, d. Michael Sheridan) V. ** 1/2
JAMILA & THE PRESIDENT (2009,  d. Ratria Sarumpaet; Indonesia)  **
JANE AUSTIN BOOK CLUB, THE  (2007, d. Robin Swicord) ** 3/4
JANI GAL  (2008, d. Jamil Rostami; Iraq) **
JANIS  (2006, d. Howard Ilk) V. + Filled with great footage of Janis Joplin, otherwise ordinary docu bio.  ** 3/4
JAPANESE STORY  (2003, d. Sue Brooks) Road movie which shifts from romance to some other place in the blink of an eye. Enjoyed ; but not much happens. ** 3/4
JAR CITY (Mýrin) (2007, d. Baltasar Kormákur) *** 1/4
JARHEAD  (2005, d. Sam Mendes) *** 1/2
JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK  (2003, d. Kevin Smith) (V) Why? I knew it was crap; but I've seen everything else on tv tonight.  1/2*
JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK   (2001, d. Kevin Smith)    * 1/4
JE PRÉFÈRE Q'ON RESTE AMIS  (2005, d. Tolidano & Nakache) Painful to watch buddy comedy about a shy guy & a heel looking for love in today's Paris.  ** 1/4
JEALOUSY IS MY MIDDLE NAME  (2003, Korea  d.  Park Chan-Ok) Weird relationship drama about older man and younger man involved with the same women. ** 1/2
JELLYFISH  (2007, d. Etgar Keret, Shira Gefen) ** 3/4
JERICHOW (2009,  d. Christian Petzold) A German riff on The Postman Always Rings Twice, with a different twist.  Good atmosphere & acting.  ***
JERSEY GIRL  (2004, d. Kevin Smith) So kill me, I loved this film.  Sure it's sappy & Affleck is supposed to be washed up.  But it worked for me.  ***
JERUSALEMA (2009,  d. Ralph Ziman; South Africa) *** 1/4
JESUS CAMP  (2006, d. Ewing & Grady) V. Viscerally disturbing docu of kids that religious right are indoctrinating with Jesus. *** 1/4
JESUS'S SON   (2000, d. Alison Maclean)    *** 1/2
JET LAG  (2003, France  d. Daniele Thompson) Overblown romantic comedy about two people meeting frenetically at a closed De Gaulle airport.  **
JIMMY NEUTRON BOY GENIUS   (2001, d. John A. Davis)    **
JIMMY OF THE HILL  (2008, d. Enrico Pau) ** 1/2
JINDABYNE  (2007, d. Ray Lawrence) Intolerance Aussie style. Well directed & acted (esp. Laura Linney per usual).  *** 1/4
JOAN RIVERS:  A PIECE OF WORK  (2010, d. Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg)  *** 1/4
JOE LOUIS: AMERICA'S HERO BETRAYED  (2008, d. Joe Lavine) Excellent & moving docu with a point of view. *** 1/2
JOE STRUMMER: THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN  (2007, d. Julian Temple) Fabu music docu. I had no idea.  *** 1/2
JOHNNY BE GOOD  (2003, d. Bud Smith) V. Horrendous '88 teener Anthony Hall football movie. Watched to see early Robert Downey Jr. & Uma Thurman. Ugh.  1/2*
JOINT SECURITY AREA  (2001, d. Park Chan-wook) *** 1/2
JOLENE  (2008, d. Dan Ireland) ***
JONESTOWN: THE LIFE & DEATH OF THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE  (2006, d. Stanley Nelson) V. Horrendous footage; but I didn't end up with more understanding.  ** 3/4
JOSHUA  (2007, d. George Ratliff) *** 1/2
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS   (2001, d. Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont)    ***
JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM  (2004, d. Ivan Nichev) Bulgaria AFF. Strong narrative about a gypsy troupe which adopts 2 Jewish refugee kids in 1940. ** 3/4
JOURNEY, THE (Yatra)  (2006, d. Goutam Ghosh) * 3/4
JOY RIDE  (2001, d. John Dahl)    **
JOYEUX NOËL  (2005, d. Christian Carion;  France)  ***
JUDY BERLIN   (2000, d. Eric Mendelsohn)    *** 1/2
JULIA  (2010, d.  Erick Zonca) V. Tilda Swinton is amazingly blowzy in this unlikely, unpleasant, if strangely affecting kidnapping story.  ***
JULIE & JULIA (2009,  d. Nora Ephron)  A delectible dish of a movie. Streep is marvelous, Amy Adams almost keeps up. Clever & funny, Ephron is back!  *** 1/2
JULIE WALKING HOME  (2003, Canada/Germany/Poland  d. Agnieszka Holland) Riviting & involving film about a housewife & a Russian faith healer.  *** 14
JUMPER  (2008, d. Doug Liman) Curiously inert and truncated action thriller.  Only Jamie Bell has any life.  **
JUNEBUG   (2005, d. Phil Morrison) Idiosyncratic No. Carolina family & the new in-law wife that visits. Suprisingly good script & great acting.  *** 1/4
JUNO  (2007, d. Jason Reitman) ** 1/4
JUST A FATHER (Solo un padre) (2009,  d. Luca Lucini) *** 1/4
JUST A KISS    (2002, d. Fisher Stevens)    **
JUST A QUESTION OF LOVE  (2005, d. Christian Fauré) V. ***
JUST BURIED  (2007, d. Chaz Thorne) ** 3/4
JUST LIKE HEAVEN  (2005, d. Mark Waters)  ** 3/4
JUST LIKE HOME (Hjemve)  (2007, d. Lone Scherfig) ** 1/2
JUST MARRIED (Oggi sposi)  (2010, d. Luca Lucini) ***
JUST MARRIED  (2004, d. Shawn Levy) V. Cookiecutter, predictable plot. Kutcher is an amiable comedian/romantic lead.  **
JUST ONE TIME   (2000, d. Lane Janger)    *  1/4
JUSTINE  (2003, d. George Cukor) V. Nicely mounted large-scale adaptation of the Alexandria Quartet, good cast but a mishmash of a script. ** 3/4