| "K" 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 |
| K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER (2002, d. Kathryn Bigelow) *** |
| KABEI (2009, d. Yôji Yamada) *** 3/4 |
| KABLUEY (2007, d. Scott Prendergast) Amusing Woody Allenish comedy. Prendergast is an actor/writer/filmmaker to watch. *** |
| KAIFECK MURDER (2009, d. Esther Gronenborn) ** 1/2 |
| KAMATAKI (2006, d. Claude Gagnon, Takako Miyahira) *** 1/4 |
| KAMCHATKA (2003, d. Marcelo Piñeyro) Argentina AFF. Superb family drama about "The Disappeared" from the pov of a 10 year old. *** 3/4 |
| KANCHIVARAM (2009, d. Priyadarshan) ** 3/4 |
| KANIKOSEN (2010, d. Sabu) W/O |
| KARAMAZOVS, THE (2008, d. Petr Zelenka; Czech Republic) ** 1/2 |
| KARL ROVE I LOVE YOU (2008, d. Butler & Leirness) Trenchant mocumentary, fun and just real enough to fool me for a while. *** |
| KATALIN VARGA (2010, d. Peter Strickland) ** 1/2 |
| KATE & LEOPOLD (2001, d. James Mangold) ** 1/4 |
| KATYN (2007, d. Andrzej Wajda; Poland) *** 1/2 |
| KAWASAKI ROSE (2010, d. Jan Hrebejk) *** 1/4 |
| KAWASAKI'S ROSE (2010, d. Jan Hrebejk; Czech Republic) + *** |
| KEEPING THE FAITH (2000, d. Edward Norton) *** |
| KEKEXILI: MOUNTAIN PATROL (2005, d. Lu Chuan) Vigilante group patrols Tibetian plains to catch antelope pelt poachers. Disturbing, gorgeous. *** |
| KELIN: THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW (2010, d. Yermek Zursunov; Kazakhstan) **** |
| KEN PARK (2005, d. Larry Clark)V. The king of transgressive pedo-cinema is in fine form in this pornographic film of skater youths in extremis. *** 1/4 |
| KEPT AND DREAMLESS (2005, d. Fogwill & Desalvo) 9 yr. old girl comes of age among poor Argentine extended family. Good characters but uninspired. ** |
| KEYS TO THE HOUSE, THE (2004, d. Gianni Amelio) Quietly moving, beautifully made film of a father getting to know his 15 yr. old disabled son for the first time. *** 1/2 |
| KHALED (2002, d. Asghar Massombagi) ** 1/2 |
| KHAMSA (2008, d. Karim Dridi) ** 3/4 |
| KHARGOSH (2010, d. Paresh Kamdar) * 1/2 |
| KICK-ASS (2010, d. Matthew Vaughn) Haven't had more fun in a movie in ages. Impressive script (fresh, unjaded),spot-on direction. *** 1/2 |
| KICKING IT (2008, d. Susan Koch) Uplifting, if predictable docu about contestants at the 2006 Homeless World Cup soccer tournament in Capetown. *** |
| KID & I, THE (2005, d. Penelope Spheeris) ** 3/4 |
| KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE, THE (2002, d. Brett Morgen & Nanette Burstein) *** 1/2 |
| KIDS ARE ALRIGHT, THE (2010, d. Lisa Cholodenko) A perfect acting ensemble, a daringly post-modern family drama. Best film of the year so far? **** |
| KIKI & TIGER (2003, d. Alan Gsponer) Boring, ugly DV about a straight Albanian illegally in Germany and the Serb closet case who loves him. * 1/2 |
| KILL BILL - VOL. 2 (2004, d. Quentin Tarantino) Unlike Vol. 1, this one has a real story to go with Terantino's obvious filmmaking genius. *** |
| KILL BILL VOL. 1 (2003, d. Quentin Tarantino) Stylized violence to no purpose. Looks great, but empty and boring...but then I'm no fan of the genre. ** |
| KILL ME TENDER (2003, d. Ramon de España) Another Spanish winner, a sexy, romantic black comedy, a gentle farce, well acted with a good script. *** |
| KILL THEM ALL (2009, d. Esteban Schroeder; Uruguay) *** |
| KILLER INSIDE ME, THE (2010, d. Michael Winterbottom) Confusing, ultra-violent & misogynistic. Also chilling, repellant, & maybe brilliant. ** 1/4 |
| KILLER, THE (Le Tueur) (2008, d. Cédric Anger) ** 3/4 |
| KING AND CLOWN (2006, d. Lee Jun-ik) *** 1/4 |
| KING ARTHUR (2004, d. Antoine Fuqua) Stirring mideval action film which takes the legend and gives reality to it. Great sequence on ice; but the rest is ordinary. ** 3/4 |
| KING IS ALIVE, THE (2001, d. Kristian Levring) ** 1/4 |
| KING KONG (2005, d. Peter Jackson) **** |
| KING OF ANTS (2003, U.S. d. Stuart Gordon) Weird midnight movie type noir about young guy turned hired killer who wrecks revenge. Gruesome fun. *** |
| KING OF FIRE (2007, d. Chatrichalerm Yukol; Thailand) *** |
| KING OF KONG (2007, d. Seth Gordon) *** |
| KING OF PING PONG (Ping Pong Kingen) (2008, d. Jens Jonsson) ** 1/2 |
| KING OF THE HILL (El Rey de la Montaña) (2007, d. Gonzalo López-Gallego) *** 1/4 |
| KING OF THIEVES (2003, d. Ivan Fila) Energetic, splendid drama-2 Ukranian kids sold by father to Berlin circus & into life of thievery & prostitution. ***1/4 |
| KING, THE (2006, d. James Marsh) *** 1/4 |
| KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005, d. Ridley Scott) Bloom is charismatic, if a trifle lightweight in this spectacular period epic which transports. *** |
| KINGDOM, THE (2007, d. Peter Berg) Berg's docudrama style works; but the film's script is problematical. ** 3/4 |
| KINGS & QUEEN (2005, d. Arnaud Desplechin) Well acted drama with farcial overtones & plot holes: an extended family facing death, taxes & insanity. *** 1/4 |
| KING'S GAME (2005, d. Nicolai Arcel) Beautifully constructed political thriller about high level Danish politics and a reporter caught in the middle. *** 1/4 |
| KING'S SPEECH, THE (2010, d. Tom Hooper) Just about perfect in tone and historical accuracy & import. Firth & Rush are truly wonderful together. Splendid. *** 1/2 |
| KINGS (2007, d. Tom Collins) Ireland Academy foreign film submission ** 3/4 |
| KINKY BOOTS (2006, d. Julian Jerrold) Predictable, Full Montyish film about making boots for drag queens. Chiwetel Ejiofor fabu! ** 3/4 |
| KINSEY (2004, d. Bill Condon) Another groundbreaking biopic, this time about the polarizing sex researcher. Fine script, acting & direction (I love Peter Sarsgaard here). *** 1/4 |
| KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005, d. Shane Black) ** |
| KISS THE BRIDE (2008, d. C. Jay Cox) ** |
| KISSED BY WINTER (Vinterkyss) (2005, d. Sara Johnsen; Norway) *** |
| KISSES FOR EVERYONE (2001, d. Jaime Chavarri) *** 1/2 |
| KISSES (2008, d. Lance Daly) *** 1/2 |
| KISSING JESSICA STEIN (2001, d. Charles Herman-Wurmfeld) *** 1/4 |
| KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL (2008, d. Patricia Rozema) Fine depiction of '30s Depression, kid's film with adult resonance. ** 3/4 |
| KITCHEN STORIES (2003, d. Bent Hamer) Minimalist, wry comedy about a '70s Swedish "scientific" study of single men's activities in the kitchen. ** 3/4 |
| KITE RUNNER, THE (2007, d. Marc Forster) No big name stars; but boy what an emotional wallop. *** 1/2 |
| KITE, THE (2004, d. Randa Chahal Sabbag) Lebanese AFF, bettersweet comedy about girl coming of age on Israel-Lebanon border. ** 3/4 |
| KM. 0 (2001, d. Yolanda Serrano & J.L. Iborra) *** 1/4 |
| KNIGHT AND DAY (2010, d. James Mangold) Absurd plot with predictable surprises, good action & star power, but SO OBVIOUSLY FAKE. * 3/4 |
| KNIGHT'S TALE, A (2001, d. Brian Helgeland) *** |
| KNOCKED UP (2007, d. Judd Apatow) *** 1/4 |
| KNOT, THE (2007, d. Li Yin) China Academy foreign film submission *** |
| KNOWING (2009, d. Alex Proyas) Good f/x, great sound; but Proyas is no Spielberg. Distubing plot which only fitfully holds water. ** 1/2 |
| KONTAKT (2006, d. Sergej Stanojkovski; Macedonia) ** 3/4 |
| KONTROLL (2005, d. Nimród Antal) Hungarian AFF. Well shot but overly bleak and obscure allegory of hell in the Budapest subway. ** 1/2 |
| KOPS (2004, d. Josef Fares) Genuinely funny farce about a small town police force trying to avoid getting shut down for lack of crime. A big step up from Jalla Jalla. *** |
| K-PAX (2001, d. Iain Softley) ** 1/2 |
| KRABAT (2009, d. Marco Kreuzpaintner) + *** 1/2 |
| KRABAT (2008, d. Marco Kreuzpaintner) *** 1/2 |
| KREUTZER SONATA, THE - WHAT IS LOVE? (Quale amore) (2007, d. Maurizio Sciarra) *** 1/2 |
| KUNG FU HUSTLE (2005, d. Stephen Chow) People enjoy this? Not me. Of course I rooted for Willie Coyote against Roadrunner. ** |
| KUNG FU PANDA (2009, d. Osborne & Stevenson) Fine opening dream animation; but rest of film is quite ordinary 3-D with silly story. ** 1/2 |
| KYLE (2007, d. John Bradburn) 1/2* |