Tony Gilroy

Much, much, much better than the book version, which is rare as I'm usually the other way around. The only reason this movie worked so well was because of how different it was from the book, and Al Pacino made a pretty fun devil.

This monsters at the Great Wall movie is a lot of fun for several reasons. First, at one hour and 43 minutes, it doesn't drag on endlessly like so many action pictures these days. Something is happening pretty much all the time. Second, the actors are good, although the Western ones are certainly not convincing as coming from the era of the Crusades, which seems to be about the right timeframe. Third, the special effects are imaginative and well-done without overwhelming the plotline. show more Fourth, there is no artificial love story introduced. Instead, we have to settle for the looks between Matt Damon and Jing Tian, which is how it should be. It isn't quite the level of tension that Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis generated in Witness, but for a silly action picture, it isn't bad. Fifth, the plot basically makes sense, at least if we accept it on its own terms. Which isn't to say it isn't ridiculous, but at least we aren't scratching our heads at the end wondering what happened.

Some may lament that Zhang Yimou, who was once a very serious filmmaker, is now doing stuff like this, but I think it is encouraging to see any film that promotes the idea that Chinese and Westerners can cooperate for the greater good. show less

An arrogant ice dancer finds it hard to keep a partner, and an arrogant ice hockey player is frustrated after an accident forces him to give up.

A somewhat predictable romance blossoms after an acrimonious start. But this predictability is brought out of the ordinary by some stunning figure skating, and excellent chemistry between the principal actors.

Recommended.

Longer review here: https://suesdvdreviews.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-cutting-edge.html

Acting: 4.5; Theme: 4.5; Content: 4.5; Language: 0.5; Overall: 4.5

Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is "the fixer," the one who helps clients escape penalty and punishment, in the law firm led by Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). When litigator Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) has an unfortunate episode due to neglecting to take his prescribed medication in front of his client, Clayton must go to extraordinary means in order to get him back on the right track. Along with Arthur's knowledge of a memo show more that gives evidence that a weed killer company knows that their chemical has caused hundreds of deaths and Clayton's consistent pursuit to solve this mystery, counsel head Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) admits and agrees to pay him off, but she is arrested when detectives hear her confession. Highly recommend minus an unbelievable amount of vulgarity with at least ten uses of God's name used in vain.

***February 26, 2026*** show less