Magnolia - 3.5 stars

I'm giving Magnolia 3.5 stars because I found it truely amazing the first time I saw it, but now I'm having a really hard time sitting through it.

This is a movie about 2 dying old men, their families, and others who they have touched (for better or worse) throughout their lives. It's less of a life reflection piece as it is a bunch of intertwining stories about facing hard realities which is supposed to demostrate fate and how things are all tied together.

The film has an awesome ensemble cast including Tom Cruise (actually acting very well), the stunning Julianne Moore, Jason Robards in his last film, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, and the brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman. It's beautifully made, the acting and casting are great, but it's 3 hours long and I already know how it ends. So, I'd watch it once on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Serenity - 3.5 stars

Serenity is basically Star Wars. It's a sci-fi flick about a bunch of rebels who were on the losing side of the galactic civil war. The story is well told, the special effects are enjoyable, and the casting is 90% great (the mechanic is a ditz). Plus it's nice to see a culturally integrated cast & story. There are several fun moments including the introduction of Mr. Wonderful's "wifebot." The movie is an extension of the TV show Firefly, with the same cast. I haven't seen Firefly yet, but I'm going to check it out.

11/17/05 Update: I just watched the first 3 episodes of Firefly. While they are entertaining, the film Serenity is enough.

Farenheight 9/11 - 5 stars

I believe Michael Moore to be one of the most important social critics and political activists of our time. Today, media is dominated by a very small group of massive corporations. These are the same corporations which are polluting our air and water, profiting from war, and enjoying the splendors of profiting off the working poor. Michael Moore not only has the courage to uncover the awful truth, but does so in a way which is actually watchable. Whether or not you agree with his strong point of view that GWB is an incompetent war monger, he is finally saying something different to the masses than the concept that America is the benevolent dictator keeping order and balance in the world for the safety of it's citizens and everyone else. This film is shockingly well documented. I can't believe the kind of footage that they were able to obtain. It's raw, thought-provoking, and hard to watch. You should see it if you have any political opinions or care about the future of our country.