| "M" Films Watched 2000-2009 |
| In the decade of 2000-2009 I watched approximately 294 films starting with "M". |
| 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 |
| M FOR MOTHER (2007, d. Rasool Mollagholi Poor; Iran) * 3/4 |
| MA VRAIE VIE À ROUEN (2003, d. Ducastel and Martineau) Coming of age video diary by a proto-gay ice skater, wonderfully observent, my cuppa! *** 1/2 |
| MAANGAMIZI (2001, d. Martin Mhando and Ron Mulvihill) ** |
| MACHINIST, THE (2004, d. Brad Anderson) This director makes creepy films, and this is one of the most. Christian Bale is phenomenal, but viscerally hard to watch. *** |
| MACHUCA (2005, d. Andrés Wood) Chilean AFF: an 11 year old privileged boy's pov of society at the end of Allende's regime. Politically slanted left, but powerful stuff. *** |
| MAD DETECTIVE (Shentan) (2008, d. Johnnie To & Wai Ka-Fai) *** |
| MAD HOT BALLROOM (2006, d. Marilyn Agrelo) The kids and their dreams raise this docu out of the ordinary. Wilson is a star. *** 1/2 |
| MAD LOVE (Juana la Loca) (2001, d. Vicente Aranda) *** 3/4 |
| MADAME SATA (2003, Brazil/France d. Karim Ainouz) Period biopic of famous drag queen in Rio in the '30s. Steamy sex, well made film. *** 1/4 |
| MADE IN AMERICA (2008, d. Stacy Peralta) Flashy docu of history of gangs in L.A., affecting, frightening & ultimately uplifting. *** 1/4 |
| MADE OF HONOR (2009, d. Paul Weiland) V. Horribly clichéed and predictable if slick romantic comedy. Even McDreamy couldn't save this one. * 3/4 |
| MADE UP (2003, d. Tony Shalhoub) Clever, well made mockumentary about making a documentary about women aging. *** 1/4 |
| MADE (2001, d. Jon Favreau) ** 1/2 |
| MADEINUSA (2006, d. Claudia Llosa) ** 3/4 |
| MADELEINE (2003, d. Park Kwang-Chung) Korean story of kooky, modern young romance. Simple story, fun and touching. *** |
| MADISON (2005, d. William Bindley) Slick, banal, feel-good period (early 70s) film about speed boats in Madison, IN. Nothing original. * 3/4 |
| MAELSTROM (2002, d. Denis Villeneuve) *** |
| MAGDALENE SISTERS (2003, UK d. Peter Mullan) Disturbing drama about the abuses of the Catholic "fallen women" nunneries in Ireland. Fine acting. *** 1/4 |
| MAGIC BOX, THE (2003, d. Ridha Behi) Tunisia AFF. Drama about film director writing a script about his childhood. *** 1/4 |
| MAGIC FLUTE, THE (2006, d. Kenneth Branagh) ** 3/4 |
| MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS, THE (2005, d. Brent Shields) V. Hallmark romantic feel-good tv pic with an excellent Skeet Ulrich & Keri Russell looking '40's pretty. ** 1/2 |
| MAGNUS (2008, d. Kadri Köusaar) ** 3/4 |
| MAID IN MANHATTAN (2002, d. Wayne Wang) * 1/4 |
| MAID, THE (2009, d. Sebastian Silva) *** |
| MAISON DE NIÑA, LA (2006, d. Richard Dembo) *** 1/2 |
| MAJECTIC, THE (2001, d. Frank Darabont) *** |
| MAKING LOVE (2009, d. Arthur Hiller) V.+ Watched again 25 yrs. later at a friend's behest. Still one of the most romantic, realistic gay stories ever; but just misses. ** 3/4 |
| MALAS TEMPORADAS (Hard Times) (2006, d. Manuel Martín Cuenca) ** 3/4 |
| MALÈNA (2000, d. Giuseppe Tornatore) *** 1/2 |
| MALFUNKSHUN: THE ANDREW WOOD STORY (2005, d. Scot Barbour) Interesting docu about Seattle grunge rocker Wood, who died at 24. ** 3/4 |
| MALUNDE (2002, d. Stefanie Sychott) ** 3/4 |
| MAMAY (2004, d. Oles Sanin) Gorgeous to look at; but fatally pretentious and opaque Cossack legend, or something like that. * 1/4 |
| MAMBO ITALIANO (2003, d. Émile Gaudreault) Gay family comedy, nice performance by Luke Kerby which almost makes up for clichéd ethnic coming out plot. ** 1/2 |
| MAMBO ITALIANO (2007, d. Émile Gaudreault) V.+ Enjoyable gay family dramedy with a nice, sympathetic perf by Luke Kerby. ** 3/4 |
| MAMMA MIA! (2008, d. Phyllida Lloyd) Silly plot, ABBA music which doesn't add to story...the cast gives all; but the direction is so lame. ** |
| MAN ABOUT DOG (2005, d. Paddy Breathnach) Irish film greatly in need of subtitles. An occasionally funny comedy about dog racing betters. ** |
| MAN EXPOSED, THE (2007, d. Aku Louhimies) ** 3/4 |
| MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS, THE (2002, d. George Hickenlooper) *** 1/2 |
| MAN FROM LONDON, THE (2008, d. Bela Tarr) *** |
| MAN IN THE CHAIR (2007, d. Michael Schroeder) *** |
| MAN OF MY LIFE, THE (2007, d. Zabou Breitman)+ *** 3/4 |
| MAN OF THE HOUSE (2005, d. Stephen Kerek) Utterly stupid and exploitive film about a cop tending cheerleader witnesses. 1/2* |
| MAN OF THE YEAR (2004, d. José Henrique Fonseca) Fine Brazilian film about a guy who bleaches his hair and turns into a cold killer anti-hero. *** 1/4 |
| MAN ON FIRE (2004, d. Tony Scott) Another rage/revenge story, stylishly made with another great Denzel performance, though ending a cop out. ** 3/4 |
| MAN ON THE TRAIN (2002, d. Patrice Leconte) *** 1/4 |
| MAN ON WIRE (2008, d. James Marsh) *** 3/4 |
| MAN WHO LOVED YNGVE, THE (2009, d. Stian Kristiansen; Norway) Confused punk rocker straight boy falls for new boy in class. Beautiful & involving despite. *** |
| MAN WHO LOVES, THE (L'uomo che ama) (2009, d. Marie Sole Tognazzi) *** |
| MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, THE (2001, d. Joel Coen) ** 1/2 |
| MAN WITHOUT A FACE, THE (2004, d. Mel Gibson) V. Well intended film about a troubled boy & the troubled tutor who helps him. Nick Stahl was wonderful at 13. *** |
| MAN WITHOUT A PAST, THE (2003, d. Aki Kaurismäki) Finland AFF. Amnesiac man builds a new life. ** 3/4 |
| MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, THE (2004, d. Jonathan Demme) OK thriller, except for the incoherent narrative lapses and utter inferiority to the original. ** |
| MANCORA (2008, d. Recardo de Montreuil) ** 3/4 |
| MANDERLAY (2006, d. Lars Von Trier) *** |
| MANHOOD AND OTHER MODERN DILEMMAS (2001, d. Ronan Girre) * |
| MANIC (2001, d. Jordan Melamed) *** 1/2 |
| MANOS VACIAS, LAS (2004, d. Marc Recha) Silly "lost dead body" farce (in French) with a plot I found impossible to follow. * 1/4 |
| MAN'S BEST FRIEND (2003, d. Rob Lundsgaard) Fun, screwball romantic comedy about straight guy who is supposedly gay. . *** |
| MAN'S JOB, A (2007, d. Aleksi Salmenperä) Finland's foreign film submission *** |
| MANSFIELD PARK (2008, d. Iain MacDonald) V. Short & sweet. But Blake Ritson made a remarkably good Edmond. *** |
| MANSFIELD PARK (2008, d. Patricia Rozema)V. Not Austen's best story; but a fine "film of quality". Jonny Lee Miller especially noteworth. *** 1/4 |
| MANSION BY THE SEA (2004, d. Lester James Peries) Sloooooow, well shot but overdrawn Sri Lankan AFF about the economic upheavals in that country. * 1/2 |
| MANSLAUGHTER (Drabet) (2006, d. Per Fly) Another Danish mid-life crisis film...teacher falls for eco-terrorist former student. Stark, fine drama. *** 1/4 |
| MANUELA AND MANUEL (2007, d. Paul Marchand Sanchez) *** |
| MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES (2007, d. Jennifer Baichwal) *** |
| MAP OF SEX AND LOVE (2002, d. Evans Chan) *** |
| MAP OF THE HEART, A (2002, d. Dominik Graf) *** 1/2 |
| MARCELLO MARCELLO (2009, d. Denis Rabaglia) + *** 1/2 |
| MARCELLO MARCELLO (2009, d. Denis Rabaglia) *** 3/4 |
| MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (2005, d. Luc Jacquet) Involving nature docu done beautifully in extraordinarily difficult shooting conditions. *** 1/4 |
| MARGOT AT THE WEDDING (2007, d. Noah Baumbach) Dysfunctional sisters squared. Fabu acting, ugly story. *** |
| MARIA FULL OF GRACE (2004, d. Joshua Marston) Straightforward audience pleaser about a Columbian girl who becoms a drug mule. *** |
| MARIAGES (2002, d. Catherine Martin) ** 1/2 |
| MARIE ANTOINETTE (2006, d. Sofia Coppola) Sort of boring, sort of frivolous, sort of anachronistic. But fun. ** 3/4 |
| MARION BRIDGE (2003, d. Wiebke Von Carolsfeld) 3 sisters play out their neuroses as mother lay dying in bleak Nova Scotia. Molly Parker was fine. *** |
| MARIO'S WAR ( La Guerra Di Mario) (2006, d. Antonio Capuano) ** 3/4 |
| MARKET - A TALE OF TRADE, THE (2009, d. Ben Hopkins) ** 1/4 |
| MAROA (2006, d. Solveig Hoogesteijn; Venezula) *** 1/4 |
| MARPLE: MURDER IS EASY (2009, d. Hettie Macdonald) V. Dense vedy British whodunit with talky, unsatisfying denoument. ** 1/4 |
| MARPLE: POCKET FULL OF RYE (2009, d. Charles Palmer) V. One of the best of this Mystery series, good plot, nicely acted and directed. *** |
| MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN, THE (2003, d. W.R. Fassbinder) V. Schygulla's riviting perf lifts this post-WWII German reconstruction epic to greatness. *** 1/2 |
| MARRIED LIFE (2008, d. Ira Sachs) Elegant adult dramedy which copped out and wasted some fine actors. ** 1/4 |
| MARS (2005, d. Anna Melikian) A totally incomprehensible allegorical comedy about today's Russia. Sort of poor man's Kusterica. * 1/4 |
| MARSHALL TITO'S SPIRIT (2000, d. Vinko Bresan) |
| MARTIAN CHILD (2007, d. Menno Meyjes) How this script aborted my friend David Gerrold's true story! ** 1/2 |
| MARUJAS ASESINAS (2008, d. Javier Rebollo) V. 2001 black comedy...murderous, crazy wife, and her loser friends. ** 1/2 |
| MASCULIN FEMININE (2005, d. Jean-Luc Godard) I wanted to like this '60s Godard b&w film; but it's pretty boring. ** 1/2 |
| MASQUERADES (2008, d. Lyes Salem; Algeria) *** 1/4 |
| MASSEUR, THE (Masahista) (2006, d. Brillante Mendoza) Another naive Philipine gay film with bad acting & predictable story. * 3/4 |
| MASTER & COMMANDER (2003, d. Peter Weir) Rip-roaring seafaring epic, no disappointments here. Crowe does it again. A 2nd viewing seems called for. *** 1/4 |
| MATADOR, THE (2005, d. Richard Sheperd) ** |
| MATAHARIS (2008, d. Isiar Bollain) *** |
| MATCH POINT (2005, d. Woody Allen) *** 1/2 |
| MATCHSTICK MEN (2003, d. Ridley Scott) Morally ambiguous multi-level con scam film - good performances and solid direction, but a hole-filled script. ** 1/2 |
| MATRIX RELOADED, THE (2003, d. Bros. Wachowski) About what I expected: fun; but the novelty of invention has worn thin. Dynamite effects, too wordy. ** 3/4 |
| MATRIX: REVOLUTIONS, THE (2003, d. Washovski Brothers) Another visual & sonic tour de force. Much better than the 2nd film, though slow parts boring. *** |
| MATTER OF TASTE, A (2001, d. Bernard Rapp) **** |
| MATTI (2007, d. Aleksi Mäkelä) ** 1/4 |
| MAUVAIS SANG (2001, d. Leos Carax) [1986] ** 3/4 |
| MAX HAVELAAR (2007, d. Fons Rademakers) *** |
| MAX MANUS (2009, d. Espen Sandberg, Joachim Roenning; Norway) *** 3/4 |
| MAX RULES (2004, d. Robert Burke) Silly kids movie, sort of a cheezy Spy Kids without the special effects budget. The audience ate it up, though. * 1/4 |
| MAX (2002, d. Menno Meyjes) * 1/4 |
| MAXED OUT (2006, d. James D. Scurlock) ** 1/2 |
| MAZE (2000, d. Rob Morrow) *** |
| McLIBEL (2005, d. Franny Armstrong) Docu about famous British libel case won in a truly Pyrrhic victory by McDonalds. Engaging, but familiar stuff. *** |
| ME AND ORSON WELLES (2008, d. Richard Linklater) *** 1/4 |
| ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW (2005, d. Miranda July) Uniquely voiced comedy about a broken family & connecting. *** |
| ME TWO (La personne aux deux personnes) (2009, d. Bruno Lavaine, Nicolas Charlet) ** |
| ME WITHOUT YOU (2002, d. Sandra Goldbacher) *** 3/4 |
| ME YOU THEM (2001, d. Andrucha Waddington) ** 1/2 |
| MEAN CREEK (2004, d. Jacob Estes) Involving indie, sort of Rivers Edge mixed with Deliverance. Scott Mechlowicz is a find! *** |
| MEAN GIRLS (2004, d. Mark Waters) Well written, trenchant high school satire reminiscent of Heathers. Silly fun, but smart. *** |
| MECHANISM (2001, d. Djordje Milosavljevic) ** 3/4 |
| MEDIATOR (2009, d. Dito Tsintsadze; Georgia) *** |
| MEDICINE SHOW, THE (2001, d. Wendell Morris) ** 3/4 |
| MEET THE PARENTS (2000, d. Jay Roach) ** 1/2 |
| MEETING RESISTANCE (2007, d. Connors & Bingham) Excellent, scary docu about Iraqi resistance fighters. *** 1/2 |
| MELINDA AND MELINDA (2005, d. Woody Allen) Will Farrell is a strange Allen avatar; but this overly clever, hit-&-miss dual-plot film worked for me. ** 3/4 |
| MELODRAMA HABIBI (2009, d. Hany Tamba) ** |
| MELODY'S SMILE (La chambre des morts) (2008, d. Alfred Lot) *** |
| MEMENTO MORI (2001, d. Min Kyu-Dong & Kim Tae-Yong) ** |
| MEMENTO (2001, d. Christopher Nolan) *** 1/2 |
| MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005, d. Rob Marshall) ** 3/4 |
| MEMORIES OF MURDER (2004, d. Bong Joon-ho) Diverting, comic Korean policier about a serial killer and the Keystone Kops who hunt him. ** 1/2 |
| MEMORIES OF TOMORROW (Ashita No Kioku) (2006, d. Yukihiko Tsutsumi) *** |
| MEMORY THIEF, THE (2007, d. Gil Kofman) *** 3/4 |
| MEN AND WOMEN (2005, d. Claude Lelouch) Somewhat foced amalgam of 2 complex relationship films, nicely done until it turns too meta midway. ** 1/4 |
| MEN IN THE NUDE (2007, d. Károly Esztergályos) *** |
| MEN OF HONOR (2000, d. George Tillman, Jr.) *** |
| MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, THE (2009, d.Grant Heslov) Satire of supposed U.S. army psy-ops, half funny, half ridiculous. ** 1/2 |
| MEN WITH BROOMS (2002, d. Paul Gross) ** 3/4 |
| MERCHANT OF VENICE, THE (2005, d. Michael Radford) "The quality of this film is strained; it droppeth like a gentle thud from pretention." ** 1/2 |
| MERCI DOCTEUR REY (2003, d. Andrew Litvack) Farce, a fine international cast but plot holes and a silly resolution kept it from living up to promise. ** 3/4 |
| MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT (2002, d. Claude Chabrol) *** 1/4 |
| MERMAID, THE (2008, d. Anna Melikyan; Russia) *** |
| MERRY GENTLEMEN, THE (2009, d. Michael Keaton) ** 3/4 |
| MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE (Part 1) (2009, d. Jean-François Richet) *** 1/2 |
| MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE (Part 2) (2009, d. Jean-François Richet) *** 1/4 |
| MESSENGER, THE (2009, d. Oren Moverman) Simple perfection. Nicely understated perfs by Foster & Morton, best perf ever by Harrelson. Touching and relevant. **** |
| MESSIAH 1: THE FIRST KILLINGS (2005, d. Diarmuid Lawrence) V. *** 1/4 |
| MESSIAH 2: VENGENCE IS MINE (2005, d. David Richards) V. *** 1/4 |
| MESSIAH 3: THE PROMISE (2005, d. David Drury) V. ** 3/4 |
| METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER (2004, d. Berlinger & Sinofsky) A fascinating documentary that really examines the angsts of aging rock idols. *** 3/4 |
| METROSEXUALITY (2001, d. Rikki Beadle Blair) *** |
| MEXICAN, THE (2001, d. Gore Verbinski) ** 1/2 |
| MIAMI VICE (2006, d. Michael Mann) More plot holes than Swiss cheese; but usual Mann atmosphere makes a good film. ** 3/4 |
| MIAO MIAO (2009, d. Hsiao-Tse Cheng) *** |
| MICHOU D'AUBER (2008, d. Thomas Gilou) *** 1/4 |
| MID-AUGUST LUNCH (2009, d. Gianni di Gregorio) *** |
| MIDDLE OF THE WORLD, THE (2004, d. Vicente Amorim) V. A family bicycles through Brazil in this beautifully shot road film. ** 3/4 |
| MIDWINTER'S NIGHT DREAM, A (2005, d. Goran Paskaljevic) Depressing, if beautifully acted, drama about a luckless Serbian man. ** 3/4 |
| MIFUNE (2000, d. Søren Kragh-Jacobsen) ** 1/2 |
| MIGHTY HEART, A (2007, d. Michael Winterbottom) Great docu like feeling; but film failed to affect me emotionally. ** 3/4 |
| MIGHTY WIND, A (2003, d. Christopher Guest) Folksinging mocumentary. Not as funny as Guest's previous...sort of forced. But enjoyable. ** 1/2 |
| MIGRATION OF THE ANGEL, THE (2001, d. Nodar Managadze) 1/2* |
| MILA FROM MARS (2005, d. Zornitsa Sophia) An involving love story, a Christ allegory, a post-modern road trip all rolled into one. ** 3/4 |
| MILANO PALERMO - IL RITORNO (2008, d. Claudio Fragasso) *** 1/4 |
| MILK OF SORROW, THE (2009, d. Claudia Llosa; Peru) *** |
| MILK (2008, d. Gus Van Sant) *** 3/4 |
| MILK (2009, d. Gus Van Sant) + A 2nd viewing discloses subtleties unseen before. Superb script, direction & acting make this the year's most important film. **** |
| MILLENNIUM MAMBO (2001, d. Hou Hsiao-Hsien) ** |
| MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004, d. Clint Eastwood) Beautifully realized drama about a female boxer who is all heart. Stunning cinematography & great acting. *** 1/2 |
| MILLIONS (2005, d. Danny Boyle) Gentle fable about a kid finding stolen money. Technically adept & well made; but I'm too cynical for the message. ** 1/2 |
| MILWAUKEE, MINNESOTA (2003, U.S. d. Allan Mandel) Quirky character study of greedy people trying to fleece a somewhat retarded young man. *** 1/4 |
| MINIMAL STORIES (2003, Argentina d. Carlos Sorin) Road pic about 36 hours of nice ordinary people living ordinary lives, only without irony. *** |
| MINOR MISHAPS (2004, d. Annette Olesen) An eccentric family comedy which put me to sleep. I couldn't follow it when I awoke so I walked. W/O |
| MINORITY REPORT (2002, d. Steven Spielberg) *** |
| MINUS MAN, THE (2003, d. Hampton Fancher) V. Ted Bundy type serial killer (good job Owen Wilson!), great Brian Cox role, stylish well made thriller. *** |
| MINUTE OF SILENCE, A (Une Minute de silence) (2008, d. Florent Emilio Siri) ** 1/2 |
| MIRACLE ACCORDING TO SALOMÉ, THE (2005, d. Mário Barroso) Lush, beautifully shot tragedy about the affairs of a virtuous prostitute. ** 3/4 |
| MIRACLE OF BERNE, THE (2003, d. Sonke Wortmann) Crowd pleaser about Germany's world cup victory in 1954. Made soccer interesting even to me. ** 3/4 |
| MIRACLE OF MORGAN CREEK (2003, d. Preston Sturges) V. Nicely structured comedy, if too silly for my taste; but almost Capraesque in its earnestness. ** 3/4 |
| MIRACLE (2001, d. Natasha Arthy) *** 1/2 |
| MIRACLE (2006, d. Gavin O'Connor) V. Feel good replay of '80 Olympic hockey team. ** 3/4 |
| MIRANDA (2003, Great Britain d. Mark Munden) Cross between a caper film and a romantic comedy. Enjoyable, but minor. ** 3/4 |
| MIRUSH (2008, d. Marius Holst) *** |
| MISFORTUNATES, THE (2009, d. Felix van Groeningen; Belgium) ** 3/4 |
| MISS AUSTEN REGRETS (2008, d. Jeremy Lovering)V. Fair if fictionalized biopic in the style of an Austen novel. ** 1/2 |
| MISS CONGENIALITY 2 (2005, d. John Pasquin) Slick caper comedy & female buddy pic with a ridiculous plot. Nice use of Enrique Murciano. * 3/4 |
| MISS CONGENIALITY (2000, d. Donald Petrie) ** |
| MISS ENTEBBE (2003, Israel d. Omri Levy) Afterschool Specialish film about Israeli kids running wild during the Entebbe air hijacking. *** |
| MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (2008, d. Bharat Nalluri) Academy audience loved it; but sort of insipid. ** 3/4 |
| MISS POTTER (2006, d. Chris Noonan) Sort of charming, esp. Emily Watson; but a little too sugary for my taste. ** 3/4 |
| MISSING IN AMERICA (2005, d. Gabrielle Savage Dockterman) Affecting story of lost Viet vet (Danny Glover) and the child that comes into his life. ** 1/2 |
| MISSING PERSON, THE (2009, d. Noah Buschel) ** |
| MISSING STAR, THE (2006, d. Gianni Amelio) *** |
| MISSING, THE (2003, d. Ron Howard) One of the better westerns of the last few decades, marred only by excessive spiritualty and predictability. *** 1/4 |
| MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: 2 (2000, d. John Woo) ** 1/2 |
| MISSION TO MARS (2000, d. Brian De Palma) ** 1/2 |
| MISSION, LA (2009, d. Peter Bratt) *** 1/4 |
| MISSION, THE (2000, d. Johnnie To & Cheng Ka-Sang) *** |
| MISTERIO GALÍNDEZ, EL (2004, d. Gerardo Herrero) Competent, if turgid, political thriller based on true disappearance of Basque nationalist in the Dominican Republic. ** 1/4 |
| MIX (2004, d. Steven Lovy) A sex and music comedy about an American boy who returns to his roots in Hungary and has quite an adventure. Great music! *** 1/4 |
| MOI CÉSAR (2004, d. Richard Berry) A kid flick about a 10 year old chubby boy's adventures. Nothing great; but a lark. ** 1/4 |
| MOLIÈRE (2007, d. Laurant Tirard) *** 1/4 |
| MOLLY'S WAY (2006, d. Emily Atef) *** |
| MOMMA'S MAN (2008, d. Azazel Jacobs) ** 1/2 |
| MOMMY IS AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S (2009, d. Léa Pool) *** 1/2 |
| MON ANGE (2007, d. Serge Frydman) V. Farfetched prostitute bonds with teenage boy story. Again, Vincent Rottiers steals a film. ** 1/4 |
| MON COLONEL (2006, d. Laurent Herbiet) *** 1/4 |
| MON RAK TRANSISTOR (2002, d. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang) ** |
| MONA LISA'S SMILE (2003, d. Mike Newell) The Dead Poetesses Society with Julia R in the Williams role. 50's sexual politics too obvious. Pleasant. ** 1/2 |
| MONDAYS IN THE SUN (2003, d. Fernando Leon de Aranoa) Spain AFF. Drab bar-room drama about out-of-work laborors. *** 1/4 |
| MONDOVINO (2005, d. Jonathan Nossiter)V. ** 1/2 |
| MONGOL (2007, d. Sergei Bodrov) ** 3/4 |
| MONGOLIAN PING PONG (2005, d. Ning Hao) Like Weeping Camel, a charming tale of culture clash on the Mongolian grasslands featuring 3 young kids. *** |
| MONKEY LOVE (2002, d. Mark Stratton) ** 3/4 |
| MONKEY WARFARE (2006, d. Reg Harkema) * 3/4 |
| MONKEYS IN WINTER (2006, d. Milena Andonova; Bulgaria) ** |
| MONKEY'S MASK, THE (2001, d. Samantha Lang) ** 3/4 |
| MONKEY'S MASK, THE (2001, d. Semantha Lang) ** 3/4 |
| MONSIEUR BATIGNOLE (2003, d. Gérard Jugnot) Another Jews vs. Nazis (French colabos) & oldster-learns-life-lesson-from-young-kid film. ** 1/2 |
| MONSIEUR IBRAHIM (2003, d. François Dupeyron) Subtle coming of age film about 16 year old Jewish boy and his elderly Sufi mentor. Pierre Boulanger! *** 1/4 |
| MONSIEUR N (2004, d. Antoine de Caunes) Intimate, well made, wide screen epic about Napoleon's last days on St. Helena. *** |
| MONSOON WEDDING (2002, d. Mira Nair) *** |
| MONSTER ( 2003, d. Patty Jenkins) Excruciating (for me) to watch "true" story of a female serial killer. Theron was remarkable, but I wanted to walk out. ** |
| MONSTER HOUSE (2006, d. Gil Kenan) Almost perfectly made 3-D animated film with levels of meaning. *** 1/2 |
| MONSTER-IN-LAW (2007, d. Robert Lutetik) V. Totally predictable, forgettable comedy. Unwatchable. W/O |
| MONSTER'S BALL (2001, d. Marc Forster) *** 1/2 |
| MONSTERS, INC. (2001, d. Pete Docter) *** |
| MOON (2009, d. Duncan Jones) ** 3/4 |
| MOONHUNTER, THE (2001, d. Bhandit Rittakol) * |
| MOONLIGHT MILE (2002, d. Brad Silberling) ** 1/2 |
| MOROCCAN SYMPHONY, THE (2006, d. Kamal Kamal; Morocco) * 3/4 |
| MORTAL TRANSFER (2001, d. Jean-Jacques Beineix) ** 3/4 |
| MORVERN CALLAR (2002, d. Lynne Ramsay) *** 1/4 |
| MOSCOW, BELGIUM (2009, d. Christophe van Rompaey) *** |
| MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA (2009, d. Ehrlich & Goldsmith) V. Great year for docus & this one is important, informative & well crafted. *** 3/4 |
| MOSTLY MARTHA (2002, d. Sandra Nettelbeck) *** 1/2 |
| MOSTLY UNFABULOUS LIFE OF ETHAN GREEN, THE (2006, d. George Bamber) Bad, bad gay film which I sort of enjoyed. * 1/2 |
| MOTEL, THE (2006, d. Michael Kang) Chinese-American chubby 13 yr. old motel owner's kid. Truthful, but sort of boring. ** 3/4 |
| MOTHER OF MINE (2005, d. Klaus Härö; Finland) *** 1/2 |
| MOTHER (2009, d. Bong Jong-ho; South Korea) *** 1/4 |
| MOTHER, THE (2004, d. Roger Michell) A simply extraordinary, wonderfully done drama about an older woman's adjustment when her husband dies. *** 3/4 |
| MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS (2009, d. Carl Bessai) *** 1/4 |
| MOTHMAN PROPHECIES,THE (2002, d. Mark Pellington) * |
| MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (2004, d. Walter Salles) Moving, beautiful, insightful road pic about young Che Guivara with a career perf. by Gael Bernal. Oscar calibre. *** 3/4 |
| MOULIN ROUGE (2001, d. Baz Luhrmann) *** |
| MOUSTACHE, LA (2006, d. Emmanuel Carrère) Unsettling, atmosphericx film with unreliable narrative, who's insane? *** |
| MR. & MRS. SMITH (2005, d. Doug Liman) Brad Pitt has never been better. Flawed script with some missing pieces; but a super entertainment. *** |
| MR. BROOKS (2007, d. Bruce A. Evans) Wonderful script, this audacious serial killer as anti-hero film just works. *** 1/2 |
| MR. DEEDS (2003, d. Steven Brill) V. Adam Sandler vehicle which mostly misses due to lame, unfunny script. But I like him, what can I say? * 1/2 |
| MR. LONELY (2008, d. Harmony Khorine) Inscrutible, occasionally visually interesting, mostly boring...good actors wasted. * 3/4 |
| MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM (2007, d. Zach Helm) Nice special f/x, but nothing else special here. ** 1/2 |
| MR. RIGHT (2009, d. Jacqueline Morris) 3 gay couples live & romance in modern day London. Clunky, confusing exposition, but nifty resolution & well observed. ** 3/4 |
| MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS (2005, d. Stephen Frears) ** 1/2 |
| MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAIRMONT (2005, d. Dan Ireland) I'd give Joan Plowright the Oscar for this. Plus Rupert Friend is a true find. *** 1/2 |
| MUDGE BOY, THE (2003, U.S. d. Michael Burke 94 min.) Drama about a sexually confused teen-age farm boy. *** |
| MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN (2009, d. Bailey & Thompson) V. Shocking docu about violent land reform in Mugabe's Zimbwabe & legal struggles. *** 1/2 |
| MUGGER, THE (2007, d. Pablo Fendrik) ** |
| MULLHOLLAND DRIVE (2001, d. David Lynch) *** 3/4 |
| MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR (2008, d. Rob Cohen) Excessive use of every action cliché in the book. Corny, stupid, but good f/x. * |
| MUNA MADAN (2004, d. Gyanendra Bahadur Deuja) Honestly, one of the worst films I've ever seen, every aspect an embarrassment. WO |
| MUNICH (2005, d. Steven Spielberg) *** 1/4 |
| MURDER BY NUMBERS (2002, d. Barbet Schroeder) *** |
| MURDERBALL (2005, d. Rubin & Shapiro) Effective, emotionally satisfying & extremely well shot docu about paraplegic wheelchair rugby at high level. *** 1/4 |
| MUSA THE WARRIOR (2003, d. Kim Sung-su) Well constructed epic of 14th Century Mongol-Chinese wars and a Korean delegation caught in the middle. *** |
| MUSHISHI (2007, d. Katsuhiro Otomo) ** 1/2 |
| MUSIC AND LYRICS (2007, d. Marc Lawrence) Great fake '80s music videos. Uninvolving romantic comedy. Grant's shtick is getting tired. ** 3/4 |
| MUSIC MAN, THE (2003, d. Jeff Bleckner) (V) Disneyfied tv version. Love Matthew Broderick; but he didn't make it as Harold Hill. * 3/4 |
| MUST LOVE DOGS (2005, d. Gary David Goldberg) Cookie-cutter romantic comedy. Good perfs don't make up for clichéd script & lack of chemistry. ** |
| MUTUAL APPRECIATION (2009, d. Andrew Bujalski) V. Involving slice of Gen-Y life per a 3-way friends relationship. B&W, talky, ugly: Woody Allen + Cassavetes. *** |
| MY ARCHITECT (2003, d. Nathaniel Kahn) Touching documentary of an illigitimate son searching for the soul of his famed, but flawed, architect father. *** 1/2 |
| MY BEST FRIEND (2007, d. Patrice Laconte) *** 1/2 |
| MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002, d. Joel Zwick) ** |
| MY BOY JACK (2008, d. Brian Kirk) V. Beautifully written (by the actor who plays Rudyard!) teleplay. *** |
| MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD (Mio fratello è figlio unico) (2007, d. Daniele Luchetti) *** 1/2 |
| MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY (2006, d. Laura Poitras) V. Docu about a Sunni Iraqi family leading up to election. Gripping, informative. *** 1/2 |
| MY DAD IS INTO TERRORISM (La fille du juge) (2006, d. William Karel) Well made docu; reminiscences by 24 yr.old daughter of suicide judge. *** |
| MY DEAR ENEMY (2009, d. Yoon-Ki Lee) ** 3/4 |
| MY DOG SKIP (2000, d. Jay Russell) ** 1/2 |
| MY EFFORTLESS BRILLIANCE (2008, d. Lynn Shelton) ** 1/2 |
| MY FIRST MISTER (2001, d. Christine Lahti) ** 1/2 |
| MY FLESH AND BLOOD (2003, d. Jonathan Karsh) V. Heartbreaking, emotionally devastating doc - a woman raising a family of disabled adopted children. *** 3/4 |
| MY FRIEND AND HIS WIFE (Naeui Chingu, geneui anae) (2007, d. Shin Dong-il) *** |
| MY HOUSE IN UMBRIA (2003, d. Richard Loncraine) V. Terrorism survivors recovering in sprightly Maggie Smith's home amid gorgeous Italian scenery. ** 1/2 |
| MY LIFE AS A TROLL (2001, d. Dominick Brascia) * |
| MY LIFE WITHOUT ME (2003, d. Isabel Coixet) Wonderful, emotionally shattering film, some great acting, esp. Sarah Polley & Mark Ruffalo. *** 3/4 |
| MY MAGIC (2008, d. Eric Khoo; Singapore) ** 1/2 |
| MY NIKIFOR (2006, d. Krzystof Krauze) ** 3/4 |
| MY ONE AND ONLY (2009, d. Richard Loncraine) Fun, involving '50s biopic & road flick: Zellweger, Lerman & especially Rendall are fine, but script is formulaic. *** |
| MY RUSSIA (2003, d. Barbara Gräftner) Family drama about Austrian guy marrying a Ukranian girl & the interactions of the two families. Way too long. * 3/4 |
| MY SISTER'S KEEPER (2009, d. Nick Cassavetes) Emotionally over-the-top, but satisfying weeper. Watch "Medium" kid Sofia Vassilieva & Tom Dekker spark. *** |
| MY STEP BROTHER FRANKENSTEIN (2004, d. Valery Todorovsky) Quirky, entertaining film about a psychologically damaged returning soldier & his family. *** |
| MY SUICIDE (2009, d. David Lee Miller) *** 3/4 |
| MY SUMMER OF LOVE (2005, d. Pawel Pawlikowski) More civil version of Heavenly Creatures, only in the English moors. Nicely acted. ** 3/4 |
| MY TINY UNIVERSE (2004, d. Scantlebury & Phillips) American indie, a wryly clever farce, nicely written and acted, especially by newcomer lead Andy Comeau. *** |
| MY WIFE IS AN ACTRESS (2002, d. Yvan Attal) *** |
| MY WINNIPEG (2009, d. Guy Maddin) V. Hypnotic docu-fantasia and amusing psychic personal history of this filmmaker. Michel Gondry + David Lynch + snow. *** 1/4 |
| MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH (2008, d. Rawson Marshall Thurber) ** 3/4 |
| MYSTERIOUS SKIN (2005, d. Greg Araki )V. + *** 1/2 |
| MYSTERIOUS SKIN (2005, d. Gregg Araki) Mindblowingly accurate and well made drama about sexual abuse & its affects on two boys. *** 3/4 |
| MYSTIC RIVER (2003, d. Clint Eastwood) I'd read the strong book and knew all the surprises, seemed clunky and overwrought. Still, good Hollywood fare. ** 3/4 |