Bottle Rocket

Three best friends attempt to escape their suburban boredom through a life of crime. But, these bickering, bumbling thieves are no match for the local 'godfather' who leads them into the biggest heist of their careers.

My Promulgation: I think this was funny movie, but I'll be fucked if I remember why.

The Cooler

Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest man in Las Vegas. Looking to knock out their highest rollers, one of the last mob-run casinos in town uses Bernie as a "cooler" to defuse lucky streaks. The scheme goes along just fine until Bernie falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello) who becomes his "lady luck," much to the chagrin of the casino's crooked director (Alec Baldwin).

My Promulgation: Nothing to inspirational in this flick staring Macy the guy who was in Fargo. It was OK.

The Man Who Wasn't There

Set in the summer of 1949 in a small northern California town, this film noir from the Coen brothers stars Billy Bob Thornton as Ed Crane, a barber who's dissatisfied with his life. His wife Doris's (Frances McDormand) infidelity presents him with an opportunity for blackmail that he thinks will turn his life around ... but his scheme lays bare even darker secrets that eventually lead to murder.

My Promulgation: The Coen brothers are known for making some odd flicks, and this is certainly one. Billy Bob and Frances McDormand are both pretty good in this dark little oddball flick. Flick Flick....Can I use that word any more in two sentences....Fuck...Anyway worth the view.

Collateral

Max (Oscar nominee Jamie Foxx) takes a job as a taxi driver to make ends meet, hoping to one day run his own business. Twelve years later, he's still driving the same cab and is about to have his craziest day on the job yet when he discovers that Vincent (Tom Cruise), who's just paid Max a handsome sum to be driven around all night, is a hit man. Now, it's up to Max to save the life of Vincent's final hit … while keeping his own life intact.

My Promulgation: I think Jamie Foxx is a pretty good actor. Even though I think Tom Cruise is a typical Hollywood goofball (can you say Scientologist?) and most of his movies suck, this one was OK.

No Good Deed

In this film based on a Dashiell Hammett story, Samuel L. Jackson is Jack, a cop who, while chasing down a runaway, stumbles upon a mob robbing a bank and is abducted by the criminals. They keep Jack at a hideaway with only the ringleader's girlfriend, Erin (Milla Jovovich), to keep watch. Soon, the two begin to play on each other's weaknesses, trying to figure out who's manipulating whom, and later make a connection that trumps all others.

My Promulgation: I like Samuel Jackson, but I don't remember much about this flick…It gets two stars because I have a shitty memory. Sorry Sam.

Ray

This biopic tells the life story of rhythm and blues legend Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx, who won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal). Born to a poor family in Albany, Ga., Charles contracted glaucoma at age 6 (which robbed him of his eyesight) and nonetheless went on to become a world-famous pianist and performer. He dealt with racism, romantic letdowns and his own heroin abuse, but managed to triumph over all obstacles. Taylor Hackford directs.

My Promulgation: Good movie but did it deserve the TONS of hoopla it recevied? Nah. I'm giving it 4 stars since it was still pretty decent.

What the Bleep do we know?

The neurological processes and "quantum uncertainty" of life are explored in this film. Thrust from her mundane life into an Alice in Wonderland-like world, Amanda (Marlee Matlin) must develop a brand-new perception of the world and the people she interacts with. Interviews with various experts are interspersed throughout the film, which combines narrative, documentary and animation. Elaine Hendrix, John Ross Bowie and Armin Shimerman also star.

My Promulgation: Mildly interesting with some interviews of what I would call a impressive selection of experts in selected fields. I am a believer in many things that we cannot explain, but some of the claims made in this flick seem to take a certain faith reserved only for a few. Being a realist, I also am one who can differentiate the theory from day to day reality. So, it gets an OK rating.