Glory Road - * * *

Viewed at the theater

Mini review:

Glory Road will probably become one of the great sports movies, like Hoosiers, Bull Durham, and Rocky. Like the recent Cinderella Man, Glory Road transcends its sports story and comments on something much bigger.

In this case, this is a true story about a 1966 Texas Western basketball team that included the first all-black starting lineup. At first, the coach is just trying to recruit the best players; but by the end, he and his team realize what they are doing is much larger than a basketball game.

Munich - * * * *

Sometimes I think there are three Steven Spielbergs out there. There's the Gritty director of Saving Private Ryan; the Sci-Fi director of Close Encounters, ET, and Minorty Roport;, and the Romantic director of Catch Me If You Can, Always, Hook, and The Terminal. Munich falls into the Gritty director category. And it's a masterpiece. One of his best.

To those who know me, It's no secret that Spielberg is one of my favorite directors. He's a master of visual storytelling. He works with some of the most talented people in Hollywood and abroad. Many of his films are classics. I'm not sure Munich will be a classic; but it comes close.

The story, based on the book "Vengeance : The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team" by George Jonas, is about the Israelis exacting revenge on PLO leaders in the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games massacre. But it goes beyond a simple revenge plot. The story is really how revenge affects those who participate in it--especially those on the front lines. It's one thing to give the orders to go out and kill people; it's quite another thing to do the killing.

Eric Bana, who is best known for his potrayal of Bruce Banner in "Hulk (2003)" gives a star-making performance as Avner, the leader of the Israeli revenge team. Throughout the film, his innocence slips away until he is a paranoid specter of a man.

The entire film, set in the 70s, actually feels like it was made in the 70s. There were several times that I wondered if this was a lost Coppola film (like The Conversation) or even a Scorcese film (like Taxi Driver). I also though a lot about Day of the Jackal, an amazing cat-and-mouse thriller made in the 70s (not the more recent version with Richard Gere).

There are many great performances in the film, but in addition to Bana, Geoffry Rush gives an icy performance as Avner's handler. You're always left wondering if this guy is good or bad. And eventually, Avner wonders the same thing.

In the end, the theme of Munich is simple: two wrongs don't make a right. You kill our people, and we'll kill your people. And the cycle continues on and on into eternity, until someone comes to their senses.

Metacric score: 74/100

Cinderella Man - * * * *

Review of DVD edition

Cinderella Man is one of those great sports movies. It's great because it rises above the sports story and makes the human story more important. But sports have always been a great metaphor for the challenges of life.

In this case, the story is about James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a fighter who fought and lived through the Great Depression. His own story mirrors what was happening to America: he had it all, and then he lost it. He ends up working on the docks with a broken hand, his boxing license revoked, nothing left but his dignity. And even that is shattered when he has to beg from old friends.

But then his old manager (Paul Giamati) offers him a one-time fight against an up-and-coming heavyweight. Without a full meal in his stomach, without any training, Braddock beats the challenger. His left punch, which was his weakness, has become the stuff that dreams are made of--or, more accurately, the stuff boxing titles are made of.

The thing that's amazing about Cinderella Man is that most of it is true. Sure, it's been dramatized, but the essential facts are there. Ron Howard's sure directing of a great script help tell the story clearly.

The DVD edition is packed with the usual documentaries, but it seemed that many of them went above and beyond what you'd expect. The real gem on the second DVD is the entire James Braddock/Max Baer fight. After watching the movie fight, it's interesting to see how the real deal went down.

In the final analysis, Cinderella Man joins Rocky, Chariots of Fire, Rudy, Hoosiers, Field of Dreams, and many others as one of the best sports films. One of the best films of 2005.

The Producers - * * * (2005)

First, a prelude of sorts...

When I was a kid, one of my favorite films to watch over and over on HBO was "History of the World Part 1." I didn't realize then what I know now: There is no one like Mel Brooks. And The Producers is classic Mel Brooks.

The Producers is a very funny movie. But this type of humor is rare these days: one-line zingers, outrageous plot lines and characters, and funny lyrics in the music. As with the best musicals, what I admired most was that the numbers actually moved the plot forward. I thought of Singin' in the Rain a lot as I watched this film, and at one point The Producers pays homage to it ("Gotta Sing Sing!").

The plot is simple. Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) and Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) are Broadway producers who want to put on the worst play in Broadway history; they want a guaranteed flop so they can keep all the money they raised.

They find their stinker all right: "Springtime for Hitler," written by Franz Liebkind (Will Farrell). I rather enjoyed when Franz makes them prove their allegiance to the führer before he'll let them produce his play. First, Franz makes them wear swatstikas, then he makes them sing songs, etc.

The movie carries on a little long, but it's all good fun. If you want to laugh and return to the musical film format in all its glory, go see The Producers.

Metacritic score: 52/100