Top 10 Movies of 2007

And now... the TOP TEN OF 2007!!! The List shows posters from 10 all the way to NUMBER ONE!

Oscar Nominations Predictions

BEST PICTURE 3/5
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Wrong...
Into the Wild - Wrong...
Michael Clayton - Right!
No Country for Old Men -Right!
There Will Be Blood - Right!

BEST DIRECTOR 4/5
Paul Thomas Anderson for THERE WILL BE BLOOD - Right!
Joel & Ethan Coen for NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN - Right!
Tony Gilroy for MICHAEL CLAYTON - Right!
Sean Penn for INTO THE WILD - Wrong...
Julian Schnabel for THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY - Right!

BEST ACTOR 4/5
George Clooney in MICHAEL CLAYTON - Right!
Daniel Day-Lewis in THERE WILL BE BLOOD - Right!
Johnny Depp in SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET - Right!
Emile Hirsch in INTO THE WILD - Wrong...
Viggo Mortensen in EASTERN PROMISES - Right!

BEST ACTRESS 4/5
Cate Blanchett in ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE - Right!
Julie Christie in AWAY FROM HER - Right!
Marion Cotillard in LA VIE EN ROSE - Right!
Angelina Jolie in A MIGHTY HEART - Wrong...
Ellen Page in JUNO - Right!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 5/5
Casey Affleck in THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD - Right!
Javier Barden in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN - Right!
Hal Holbrook in INTO THE WILD - Right!
Philip Seymour Hoffman in CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR - Right!
Tom Wilkinson in MICHAEL CLAYTON - Right!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 4/5
Cate Blanchett in I'M NOT THERE - Right!
Catherine Keener in INTO THE WILD - Wrong...
Saoirse Ronan in ATONEMENT - Right!
Amy Ryan in GONE BABY GONE - Right!
Tilda Swinton in MICHAEL CLAYTON - Right!

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 4/5
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Wrong...
Juno - Right!
Lars and the Real Girl - Right!
Ratatouille - Right!
The Savages - Right!

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY 4/5
Atonement - Right!
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Right!
Into the Wild - Wrong...
No Country for Old Men - Right!
There Will Be Blood - Right!

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE 2/3
Persepolis - Right!
Ratatouille - Right!
The Simpsons Movie - Wrong...

Best Performanes of 2007

20 Best Movies of 2007 (Alphabetical order - Top 10 announced tomorrow)

• Alpha Dog
• Atonement
• Bug
• Charlie Wilson's War
• The Darjeeling Limited
• Eastern Promises
• Grindhouse
• I'm Not There
• In the Valley of Elah
• Into the Wild
• Juno
• Knocked Up
• The Lives of Others
• Michael Clayton
• No Country for Old Men
• Once
• Ratatouille
• Superbad
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
• Waitress

Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actress
10. Vanessa Redgrave in ATONEMENT
9. Jennifer Gardner in JUNO
8. Romola Garai in ATONEMENT
7. Susan Surandon in IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH
6. Catherin Keener in INTO THE WILD
5. Marcia Gay Harden in THE MIST
4. Kelly McDonald in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
3. Tilda Swinton in MICHAEL CLAYTON
2. Saiorse Ronan in ATONEMENT

BEST - Cate Blanchett in I'M NOT THERE

Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actor
10. Heath Ledger in I'M NOT THERE
9. James Marsden in ENCHANTED
8. Hugh Dancy in EVENING
7. Ben Whishaw in I'M NOT THERE
6. Tommy Lee Jones in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
5. Marcus Carl Franklin in I'M NOT THERE
4. Hal Holbrook in INT THE WILD
3. Tom Wilkinson in MICHAEL CLAYTON
2. Philip Seymour Hoffman in CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR

BEST - Javier Bardem in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Top 10 Performances by an Actress
10. Marketa Irglova in ONCE
9. Martina Gedeck in THE LIVES OF OTHERS
8. Keira Knighley in ATONEMENT
7. Keri Russell in WAITRESS
6. Ashley Judd in BUG
5. Helena Bonham Carter in SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
4. Julie Chistie in AWAY FROM HER
3. Amy Adams in ENCHANTED
2. Ellen Page in JUNO

BEST - Marion Cotillard in LA VIE EN ROSE

Top 10 Performances by a Actor
10. George Clooney in MICHAEL CLAYTON
9. Glen Hansard in ONCE
8. Michael Shannon in BUG
7. Josh Brolin in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
6. Tommy Lee Jones in IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH
5. Ulrich Muhe in THE LIVES OF OTHERS
4. Johnny Depp in SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
3. James McAvoy in ATONEMENT
2. Emile Hirsch in INTO THE WILD

BEST - Viggo Mortensen in EASTERN PROMISES

Juno, Atonement, The Bucket List

Juno

Starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Gardner & Jason Bateman

It's quirky, trendy, fun and easy to spend and hour and a half with it's title character, "Juno." In a world of cliques, rules and judgements, Juno (Ellen Page) finds herself thrown into a world where none that matters when she becomes pregnant with Bleeker's (Michael Cera) baby. She decides to have the kid and give it away to a family in need of child - that would be Jennifer Gardner in her best performance to date as Vanessa Loring and Jason Bateman as her reluctant husband, Mark.

Ellen Page is phenomenal, bringing her amiable, wisecracking cynicism to the role, and with the popularity "Juno" has received from the public, Page will be expected to become a favorite, and hopefully not a sell-out (I trust her though). The reality of pregnancy mixed with the hilarious, though over-the-top dialogue, by newcomer Diablo Cody creates a world we know and love to watch.

Grade: A-

Atonement

Starring Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai & Vanessa Redgrave

Joe Wright, director of "Pride & Prejudice," enables himself to bring a story of longing to life with some of the most beautiful shots I've seen in years. The story is Briony's (Saoirse Ronan, age 13; Romola Garai, age 18; and Vanessa Redgrave), a girl who tragically mistakes (or lies) about an occurrence she didn't fully understand. The occurrence involves a number of people, but most particularly Cecilia (Keira Knightley), her sister, and Robbie, Cecilia's love interest and Briony's childhood crush. Briony's the only witness, but an unreliable one. As time goes by, Robbie is forced into the military and Cecilia exiles herself from her family, while Briony seeks atonement.

Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey ("World Trade Center" & "The Hours") deserves Oscar for his captivating shots, rich with color, angles and symmetry. There is a point in the film, when Robbie and a few army friends walk along a beach of other soldiers waiting to deport. The shot lasts for about five minutes and doesn't stop to blink. There is so much beauty in the filming that it's difficult to take in everything, just as it's difficult for the characters for forgive and forget and reconcile.

Grade: A

The Bucket List

Starring Jack Nicholson & Morgan Freeman

You would think that Mr. Freeman, a one-time Oscar winner, and Mr. Nicholson, a three-time Oscar winner, would know not to do a movie that involves Rob Reiner and the Seven Wonders of the World. They are obviously losing their minds. "The Bucket List" is the slowest, crappiest, piece of junk I've seen in a while. The only thing that brings the film up a few notches is the duo of caliber. The film was so low budget that they couldn't even spend the money to go to the pyramids or the Himalayas or anywhere else the script takes them - oh, and what a horrible script! The two characters don't even get off their asses for an hour of the movie. Then they fly around together and die. I hate this movie.

Grade: D

Golden Globe Picks 2008

Here are my picks to win at the 2008 Golden Globes - even though the goddamned thing isn't on. Predicted winners are large and bold!

Best Motion Picture - Drama
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises

The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie – Away From Her
Jodie Foster – The Brave One
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley – Atonement

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy – Atonement
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington – American Gangster

Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson's War

Hairspray

Juno

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams – Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page – Juno

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Savages
John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I'm Not There
Julia Roberts – Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck – The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta – Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton

Best Animated Feature Film
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie

Best Foreign Language Film
4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days (Romania)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (France, United States)
The Kite Runner (United States)
Lust, Caution (Taiwan)
Persepolis (France)

Best Director - Motion Picture
Tim Burton – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen – No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Ridley Scott – American Gangster
Joe Wright – Atonement

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Atonement Written by Christopher Hampton
Charlie Wilson's War Written by Aaron Sorkin
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly Written by Ronald Harwood
Juno Written by Diablo Cody
No Country For Old Men Written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Grace Is Gone Composed by Clint Eastwood
The Kite Runner Composed by Alberto Iglesias
Atonement Composed by Dario Marianelli
Eastern Promises Composed by Howard Shore
Into The Wild

Composed by Michael Brook, Kaki King and Eddie Vedder

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Despedida" – Love In The Time Of Cholera
"Grace Is Gone" – Grace Is Gone
"Guaranteed" – Into The Wild
"That's How You Know" – Enchanted
"Walk Hard" – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Best Television Series - Drama
Big Love (HBO)
Damages (FX NETWORK)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
House (FOX)
Mad Men (AMC)
The Tudors (SHOWTIME)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Patricia Arquette – Medium (NBC)
Glenn Close – Damages (FX NETWORK)
Minnie Driver – The Riches (FX NETWORK)
Edie Falco – The Sopranos (HBO)
Sally Field – Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Holly Hunter – Saving Grace (TNT)
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (TNT)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama
Michael C. Hall – Dexter (SHOWTIME)
Jon Hamm – Mad Men (AMC)
Hugh Laurie – House (FOX)
Bill Paxton – Big Love (HBO)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors (SHOWTIME)

Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
30 Rock (NBC)
Californication (SHOWTIME)

Entourage (HBO)

Extras (HBO)
Pushing Daisies (ABC)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Christina Applegate – Samantha Who? (ABC)
America Ferrera – Ugly Betty (ABC)
Tina Fey – 30 Rock (NBC)
Anna Friel – Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds (SHOWTIME)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (NBC)
Steve Carell – The Office (NBC)
David Duchovny – Californication (SHOWTIME)
Ricky Gervais – Extras (HBO)
Lee Pace – Pushing Daisies (ABC)

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (HBO)
The Company (TNT)

Five Days (HBO)
Longford (HBO)

The State Within (BBC)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Bryce Dallas Howard – As You Like It (HBO)
Queen Latifah – Life Support (HBO)
Debra Messing – The Starter Wife (USA)
Sissy Spacek – Pictures Of Hollis Woods (CBS)
Ruth Wilson – Jane Eyre (PBS)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Adam Beach – Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (HBO)
Ernest Borgnine – A Grandpa For Christmas
Jim Broadbent – Longford (HBO)
Jason Isaacs – The State Within (BBC)
James Nesbitt – Jekyll (BBC)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Rose Byrne – Damages (FX NETWORK)
Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Katherine Heigl – Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Samantha Morton – Longford (HBO)
Anna Paquin – Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (HBO)
Jaime Pressly – My Name Is Earl (NBC)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Ted Danson – Damages (FX NETWORK)
Kevin Dillon – Entourage (HBO)
Jeremy Piven – Entourage (HBO)
Andy Serkis – Longford (HBO)
William Shatner – Boston Legal (ABC)
Donald Sutherland – Dirty Sexy Money (ABC)

Charlie Wilson's War

Charlie Wilson's War
Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman & Amy Adams

Mike Nichols (director) swiftly pours us a vibrant shot of comedy and drama in the very first scene. Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), naked, relaxes in a hot tub with three naked women and another man. They talk about some movie the one girl's starring in, but Wilson is disinterested; he's only interested in the news on the television - the Soviet Union is taking over Afghanistan. As the story continues, we follow the playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent (Hoffman) and a Houston socialite (Julia Roberts), who band together and pull off one of the greatest covert missions in history, which eventually aided the dismantlement of the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War. We know Nichols can do drama ("Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Closer"), but I wasn't sure about comedy. However, with his incredible cast - though Roberts is a tad overrated, but still edgy - he knocks down that barrier.

Hanks leads the way through a series of awkward, hilarious situations and also through periods of anguish and loss. It's a perfect mixture. His office is run by bombshell women, all bearing cleavage, save Amy Adams who is Wilson's backbone secretary. She's smart and, though a bit pure, understands Wilson's scandalous ways. Hoffman is a complete lunatic and fits the role to a "T," and Roberts delivers a half-and-half, milked up performance.

There are scenes in "Charlie Wilson's War" that astound us. Emily Blunt plays a blouse-buttoned professional daughter of some not-so-important Texan, and as she sits in Wilson's office, she is disturbed by the sexiness of his office gals. In the next scene, however she is clad in bra, panties and stilettos, in Wilson's suite, with the Washington stud. It's hilarious! Also, as Wilson and Hoffman's Gust Avrakotos team up, trying to gain funds from other countries, the duo use lap dance persuasion tactics to draw the mullah from the countries leaders. Once again, we are dealt a double flavored shot of comedy and drama.

Yet, the truly dramatic scenes in which Hanks and Adams venture to Afghanistan to see the horrible warfare going on there is very touching. Their working relationship is great and nothing is pushed to the limits. It shows Wilson's softer side, never flirting with his secretary or going over her wall.

Though Wilson was able to boost funds from 5 million dollars to $1 billion annually, there is great tragedy in the film, for our government, once the Soviets were out, pulled out of Afghanistan, and as a result, we are now fighting the country we should have stayed to educate.

Grade: A-

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Starring John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer & Kristen Wiig

"Knocked Up," "Superbad," and "Walk Hard" are the trio of films produced by Judd Apatow (he also wrote "Knocked Up" & "Walk Hard" and directed the first). So, in a year of Apatow, a closer examination of the three will bring us a review of the last: "Walk Hard." "Knocked Up" brought us laugh after laugh of showing us humor. "Superbad" was all about ridiculous dialogue. While "Walk Hard" knocks off the biopics, giving us both physical and dialogue humor. However, it wasn't as good as either of the summer hits, and why it's nominated for a Golden Globe is beyond me.

It's lead man, John C. Reilly, put so much of himself into the character of Dewey Cox that it was both hilarious and too much all at the same time. Now, don't get me wrong - I laughed a lot during "Walk Hard," but in retrospect, I can't really remember why. Nothing sticks with the film. It's too elongated in time (not the running time) and covers too much history to feel right.

Other than Reilly, my favorite performance was Kristen Wiig as Edith, Dewey's first wife. Creating a comedic side to the infringed wife of Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line," Wiig brings true absurdity to her disheveled life with Cox. She's the only supporting performer that is both funny and true to the role. Wiig and Reilly relate stupidity to reality. Jenna Fischer, on the other hand, is just trying to have fun, but grounds herself in an amateur performance. But she's still super hot.

All in all, "Walk Hard" was a funny, ridiculous epic biopic tracking the life of Dewey Cox: made up rock star. Oh, it has a descent soundtrack (I guess) and The Beatles scene in India is the best part of the film, thanks to George (Justin Long), Paul (Jack Black), Ringo (Jason Schwartzman) and Mr. John Lennon (Paul Rudd).

Grade: B-

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Starring Johanny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen & Jamie Campbell Bower

The themes are revenge and love, the symbols are blood and barber knives, and the motif is a barber chair that sends murder victims down a hatch, crunching on the stones below, only to be used for meat pies sold to the general public. And are we hungry! Tim Burton's film adaptation of the ground-breaking musical that showcased Broadway's darkside, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," does just as Todd's mechanical chair. We are shot down a hole of music that knocks us senseless, characters so interwoven that we fall for the spell of the unpredictable, and whole lot of blood. With original music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a most intricate composer, and the horrific unusualness of Burton, Sweeney's story unfolds beautifully.

The beauty of blood is shown in the very first scene. As we listen to the introductory music, we watch blood drip and flow through London's underground. London is dark. London is dangerous. With a sailor boy named Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower), Sweeney (Johnny Depp) arrives after years of imprisonment and is out to kill the man who wrongly accused him, putting him away: Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). However, before he tries to hack the judge, he meets Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who owns a shop, selling "the worst pies in London," according to the song. Anthony falls in love with a young girl tucked away in a house. She is Johanna (Jayne Wisener), Todd's daughter and now captive of Turpin. We learn that Turpin wishes to marry the young Johanna, which of course puts pressure on Anthony to rescue her. We are also given other characters who play great roles in the rising of the plot: Toby (Ed Sanders), the boy who begins to work for Mrs. Lovett; Beadle (Timothy Spall), who weasels his way in and out of the streets, working for Turpin; Signor Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen), who loses a barber contest to Todd (and later loses a bit more); and the beggar woman (Laura Michelle Kelly), the only character to sense the evil going on in Todd's barber shop.

Every actor and actress sings and performs incredibly well, bringing the musical's usual thrusting melody to a cold whisper. Depp is creepy as he was in many-a-film, and Rickman, Cohen, and the other cast members were are great, however, the real triumph was Helena Bonham Carter's Mrs. Lovett. Her voice is soothing and crisp, while her portrayal was desperately great. The newcomers caught on to Burton's oddities, particularly Jamie Campbell Bower. The usually dull innocence of Anthony was annoying in the stage production (I Netflixed it), but Bower - and I'm sure with the help of Burton - gave the role a wolfish sense, something wild and hungry, yet his voice was high and chilling.

And on top of all this, there was blood. Burton reached back to classic horror films and brought the red stuff streaming out. With every slash of the barber knife, it poured, sprayed, splattered. It looked great, and with significant killings, Burton changed the ways of his blood dripping mechanics. Bloody perfection.

It looked great, sounded great, and felt great. "Sweeney Todd" is at the top this year for it's ability to bring the stage to life on screen.

Grade: A+

A Few DVDs of 2007

Away from Her
Starring Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent & Olympia Dukakis

Though Christie stole the show with her terrific portrayal of a woman losing her memory to Alzheimer's, there are a number of great performances in this film. The film is a bit slow, but the moral and the determination to present a true portrait of Alzheimer's is great to watch. As of now (I have not seen Juno) I'm all for Julie Christie being nominated for Best Actress, but there is one lovely lade below who gets my vote (if I had one), and it sure isn't Lindsay Lohan.

Grade: B

The Lives of Others

Starring Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Muhe & Sebastian Koch

Though it deservedly won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film last year, "The Lives of Others" was released to the U.S. in 2007. This film delivers great performances by all three actors listed above, particularly Muhe who embodied the silence of Wiesler who discovers in himself the corruption of his people and finds inspiration of the people (Gedeck & Koch) he's out to uncover. The film is beautiful, but hard to follow - you really have to know your history!

Grade: A-

Waitress

Starring Keri Russell, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines, Nathan Fillon & Andy Griffith

There's no way that anyone couldn't enjoy "Waitress." In a year of pies (this movie, "Pushing Daisies," "My Blueberry Nights" - which i am halfway through, and "Sweeney Todd"), Keri Russell's picture-perfect illustration of a girl with a big heart, big dreams, big problems and a big belly is surrounded with her love for making incredibly unique, often bizarre, pies. She'll make you laugh and love her to death.

Grade: A-

I Know Who Killed Me

Starring Lindsay Lohan, and who gives a shit

Plain and simple: don't see this movie. She doesn't even show her boobs. This movie is proof that I will have no problem at all making films in Hollywood.

Grade: F

La Vie en Rose

Starring Marion Coltillard

Yes, this foreign epic was long and drawn out, but who could deny the power Marion Coltillard had on screen? She tore Edith Piaf in pieces and succeeded in doing what "I'm Not There" did for Bob Dylan, except Marion played every part. She was charming, sad, humble, and powerful. The best leading female performance of the year - I still have to see "Juno."

Grade: B

Once

Starring Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

This is a simple formula for a cinematic masterpiece: give us two likable people, a lot of fantastic music, about 90 minutes of screen time, and you've got yourself "Once," one of the year's best, a diamond in the rough that doesn't overdo, over sing, over love. It just is.

Grade: A

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Starring Nicholas Cage, Justin Bartha, Helen Kruger, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, and Ed Harris

The first "National Treasure" didn't really woo, but it was exciting and entertaining to say the least. The villain was well developed and determined. The protagonist (Cage) was equally developed and determined. The love interest held our attention. However, all of these descent qualities went down the drain for "Book of Secrets."

Primarily, the excitement factor was on an all-time low. Cage, Bartha and Kruger's characters were dull, too intelligent, and hardly made mistakes. We knew, of course, that their goal would be accomplished the minute they "sang" the "I Want Song." Sure, there were many different locales all around the world, but it seemed forced and unattached.

Ed Harris is great. Yet, his role as the prime villain in "Book of Secrets" was his worst choice as an actor ever. This villain was a villain for maybe about 30 minutes of the film. Then he gained the Bugs Bunny "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" philosophy, only because Cage and his gang of nerds are way too smart for Harris' role. The last half hour or so was pointless. The writers tried to inflict terror in Harris' character by giving him a knife or setting him in power situations, but he was weak. The worst villain.

One aspect of the first "National Treasure" that was enjoyable was the beginning relationship between Cage and Kruger. It was childish and PG-rated, but was still a love connection. Beginning "Book of Secrets" with them separated could have been a wise choice, but it was inevitably predictable, and quite pointless. Oh, and what about Voight and Mirren? The best part of the film with their separated for years and rekindling their love, but not enough screen time! And, North Dakota?! And, how did everyone have just enough water bottles?! I digress.

If you want to see the blockbuster of December, go see "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," but you will be rewarded with a whole lot of pointlessness.

Grade: D+