King Kong ***
Cast: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell, Kyle Chandler, Thomas Kretschmann
Director: Peter Jackson
Running Length: 3:07
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Carl Denham (Black) is a filmmaker who wants to get his film made. The problem is that creditors are after him and he is missing a leading lady. Ann Darrow (Watts) is an out of work actress who stumbles across Denham's path. When she agrees, they make a hasty retreat to the "Venture", the ship that will take them to the filming location. In the process, he manages to strand screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Brody) on board. Soon, they ae heading for Skull Island.
Once there, the filming begins, only to be interrupted by the natives, who have a tendency to remove the heads from their victims. Ann is offered up as a sacrifice to the dominant male of the island, a big ape by the name of Kong (Serkis). Instead of killing her, he develops a crush on her. After a long chase on the island, we go back to New York for the fateful ending.

"King Kong" is a good movie, full of action, special effects, and heart. Serkis gives Kong a realness that has not been seen before. The action is tense and unrelenting. Black and Brody do good jobs as their respective characters. Watts shows she can act convincingly with a green screen. The biggest drawback to this film is the running time. At over three hours, "King Kong" is at least an hour too long. This is not an epic tale, despite getting the epic treatment, and the film is hurt by it. Fans of Peter Jackson (and there are many) will no doubt be thrilled by everything in this movie, and for them I recommend this film highly. Otherwise, you may want to wait to DVD so you can have access to a pause button.

Syriana ***1/2
Cast: George Clooney, Jeffrey Wright, Matt Damon, Alexander Siddig, Chris Cooper, Christopher Plummer, Amanda Peet, William Hurt
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Running Length: 2:06
MPAA Classification: R

"Syriana" is a complex film about oil, terrorism, the government, and other related issues. It is so intricate, that it really cannot be described in a way to make it clear. There are, however, three main story lines. First, Bob Barnes (Clooney) is a Middle East CIA operative that is let go after he ceases to be helpful. Second, Connex and Killen are two oil companies that are merging. Third, Prince Nasir Al-Subaai (Siddig) is next in line to become Emir of his unnamed country, and believes that his country should not give in to the United States. These story lines, as well as the others, all come together in the end in a satisfying conclusion.

"Syriana" is a thinking person's movie. If you do not pay attention, you will get lost very quickly. But, if you pay attention, "Syriana" is highly satisfying. Structured like "Traffic" and "Crash", "Syriana" is a movie that makes you think. The cast is excellent all around, all providing their piece of the puzzle. Director Stephen Gaghan weaves the tale skillfully, bringing seemingly unrelated stories together for a fantastic finish. "Syriana" is definately not a movie for everyone, but I highly recommend this film.

The Chronicles of Natnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe ***
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Liam Neeson (voice)
Director: Andrew Adamson
Running Length: 2:20
MPAA Classification: PG

During World War II, the Pevensie children - Peter (Moseley), Susan (Popplewell), Edmund (Keynes), and Lucy (Henley) - are sent from London to stay with Professor Kirke (Broadbent). One day, while playing hide and seek, Lucy hides in a wardrobe. She soon finds it is no ordinary wardrobe as it transports her to Narnia, a magical wintery world. She meets Mr. Rumnus (McAvoy), and finds out that it has been winter there for 100 years because of the rule of the Wite Witch (Swinton). After returning to her world, she brings her siblings back with her. Edmund disappears, having been tricked by the White Witch, and the rest must rescue him and save Narnia in the process.

On the heels of "The Lord of the Rings", it is no surprise that this movie has been made. There has been a surge in the popularity of fantasy epics as of late, and "Narnia" is a logical coice for the film treatment. The results are about the same as the "Rings" trilogy. The acting is solid all around. This is impressive since the film is carried by four kids with minimal acting experience. Swinton is menacing as the evil White Witch, and probably the standout performance of the movie. The special effects are good overall. Aslan the lion is impressive, and looks completely real. Some of the scenes look like they were definately filmed in front of a green screen though, and that is distracting. The story is given a good treatment by "Shrek" director Andrew Adamson, but I was not blown away like I hoped to be. The result is an entertaining and good film that falls short of greatness.

Good Night, and Good Luck ***
Cast: David Strathairn, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Ray Wise, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels, George Clooney
Director: George Clooney
Running Length: 1:33
MPAA Classification: PG

"Good Night, and Good Luck" is the true story of CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) and Senator Joseph McCarthy. In 1953 and 1954, Murrow attempted to discredit McCarthy's hunt for communists on his television show. When McCarthy turned on him, Murrow was able to disprove the allegations, and soon the Senate would choose to investigate McCarthy, ending his hunt.

"Good Night, and Good Luck" is a solid movie with a solid cast. Strathairn is impressive as Murrow, portraying him as a man of integrity and a desire to expose the truth. He is not a household name, but he is the core of this movie, and it succeeds mostly because of him. The story itself is very interesting, mostly because it really happened. George Clooney's direction gets the job done, and shows that he has whet it takes to make serious films about important topics. This is not a fun movie, but it is very good and well worth seeing.

Aeon Flux *1/2

Cast: Charlize Theron, Marton Csokas, Jonny Lee Miller, Sophie Okonedo, Frances McDormand, Pete Poslethwaite, Amelia Warner
Director: Karyn Kusama
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: PG-13

400 years from now, 99% of the world's population has been wiped out by a virus. Those remaining are living in a walled city and led by the Goodchild regime. Five million people survived the plague in 2001, and five million still live in 2415. The Goodchild regime is a totalitarian government, and the Monicans are focused on removing him from power by any means necessary. The most dangerous Monican, Aeon Flux (Theron) accepts a specific mission from the Handler (McDormand) to kill Trevor Goodchild (Csokas). With the help of her sidekick, Sithandra (Okonedo), she ventures into his fortress. When the time comes to pull the trigger, something happens that will change their world forever.

"Aeon Flux" is the film version of some short cartoons aired on MTV in the 1990's, and is a mixed bag, sometimes working and sometimes not -- mostly not. There are a lot of nods to the cartoon, and they seem kind of silly when not in cartoon form. Theron is wrong for the role, and never really feels right to this fan of the cartoon. The story is moderately interesting, but poorly executed for the most part. "Aeon Flux" was a disappointment for me, and I can't help but think that with a different cast and crew, a better job could have been done.

The Ice Harvest **
Cast: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Platt, Randy Quaid, Mike Starr
Director: Harold Ramis
Running Length: 1:28
MPAA Classification: R

Charlie Arglist (Cusack) and Vic (Thorton) are attorneys who steal $2 million from their boss, Bill Fuerrard (Quaid) on Christmas Eve. They just need to kill some time before meeting up later in the night to split the money. Charlie wants to take stripper Renata (Nielsen) with him, and tries to convince her to leave town with him. As he is doing this, one of Bill's enforcers shows up asking questions about Charlie and Vic. While dealing with this, he is hindered by his drunken buddy Pete (Platt). As things begin to accelerte, Charlie finds that he just might not get out of town alive after all.

"The Ice Harvest" was somewhat disappointing. I expected more, and while the film delivers here and there, overall it is missing something. Cusack, Thorton, and Platt give good performances (especially Platt who steals every scene he is in), but that is not enough to lift this film above average. I can only recommend to wait for the DVD.

Rent *
Cast: Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Tracie Thoms
Director: Chris Columbus
Running Length: 2:15
MPAA Classification: PG-13

"Rent" is the story of eight New Yorkers from Christmas Eve 1989 to Christmas Eve 1990. Those New Yorkers include Mimi (Dawson), a stripper who got HIV from sharing needles; Tom Collins (Martin), a gay man with HIV; Angel (Heredia), a transvestite with HIV; Roger (Pascal), a musician who also got HIV from sharing needles; and Mark (Rapp), a filmmaker who is trying to catch a break. When old friend Benny (Diggs), the guy who owns the tenement that they all live in, threatens to evict them unless they start paying rent, they begin to worry about what the future holds for them.

"Rent" is based on the popular musical of the same name and stars most of the original Broadway cast. That is probably the greatest thing I can say about this movie, and I applaud the filmmakers for getting the cast to reprise their roles. After all, they are the ones who made the characters what they are. The music is OK, the stand out song being "Seasons of Love". Of course, that is the first song, and the rest of the songs are lesser in comparison, so it is all downhill song-wise from there. The story is maddening, as these lazy people struggle to live rent-free so that they can just enjoy life. While I appreciate their desire to enjoy the time they have, I hated the characters for doing it at the expense of others.

I did not like this movie. I suppose to see it live is more impressive, and that may be enough to overshadow the dumb story, but that does not work in movie form. This is for die hard fans of the musical only. Otherwis, stay away!

Walk the Line ***
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick, Dallas Roberts, Dan John Miller, Larry Bagby, Shelby Lynne
Director: James Mangold
Running Length: 2:16
MPAA Classification: PG-13

"Walk the Line" is the story of Johnny Cash from his childhood in 1944 to the late 1960s. As a child, we see two people that shaped his life: his brother and his father. Skip ahead ten years, and Johnny Cash (Phoenix) is married to his wife, Viv (Goodwin), and has started a band. After getting a record deal, he finds himself on tour with Jerry Lee Lewis and June Carter (Witherspoon). Along the way he finds drugs, which threaten his newfound popularity, and he falls in love with June, which just may save him.

Both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give excellent performances, sounding and acting just like the stars that they are portraying. Phoenix is as good, if not better than Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles in last year's "Ray". The story is well told, and it is interesting to see the events that shaped Cash's life, and made him who he is. Whether you are a Johnny Cash fan or not, "Walk the Line" is a highly entertaining and well made movie that is worth seeing.

North Country ***
Cast: Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, Sean Bean, Woody Harrelson, Jeremy Renner, Richard Jenkins, Sissy Spacek, Thomas Curtis, Elle Peterson, Michelle Monaghan
Director: Niki Caro
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: R

Josey Aimes (Theron) returns with her two kids to her childhood home in the North Country of Minnesota, fleeing the abuse of a bad relationship. Working at a local hair salon does not give her enough money to get by, and soon her friend Glory (McDormand) persuades her to apply at the iron mine. She gets the job, but soon finds herself and the other women outnumbered 30 to 1. The men are not happy the women are there, and to say that the women are treated poorly is a great understatement. The women just accept the conditions because they need the money, but Josey is pushed too far.

When she visits with the CEO, he tells her to resign. Josey then finds a lawyer named Bill (Harrelson). Bill has an idea. He wants to pursue the first sexual harassment class action lawsuit. All they need is to get the rest of the women on their side. That is not as easy as one would think, and the fight is on.

"North Country" is an unfomfortable film to watch. No one should have to go through what these women go through. Director Niki Caro does a good job weaving the story through a series of courtroom scenes, and keeps things interesting. The cast does a good job in all their roles, although none give truly stand out performances. "North Country" is not a movie that one can "enjoy", but it is good, and is worth checking out.

Jarhead ****
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Brian Geraghty, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Sam Mendes
Running Length: 2:05
MPAA Classification: R

"Jarhead" is the true story of Anthony Swafford (Gyllenhaal) from basic training through the Gulf War. Basic training is rough and reminiscent of the movie "Full Metal Jacket". Swafford emerges from the training as a sniper candidate, and becomes best friends with his spotter, Tony (Sarsgaard). Sergeant Siek (Foxx) is their commander, and sees them as the best snipers of the group. In 1990, Swafford's unit is sent to Iraq to participate in the Gulf War, but this war is not a war for snipers, and he soon finds himself ready to fight, but never allowed to.

The unit is trained and trained and trained to be their very best, but there is no outlet for all their training, and soon that begins to take its toll. They are soldiers who are unable to use the skills that they have, and sooner or later someone is going to snap.

Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as the baby faced Swafford, and is a definite candidate for an Oscar nomination. Sarsgaard, who has been in a number of films this year, finally has found a role to really shine in. Finally, Foxx is perfect as a true Marine that loves being a Marine. "Jarhead" is an interesting war movie that really has little war in it. Its focus is on the people that are there to fight the war, and what happens when the highly trained men are not allowed to do what they have been trained for. This is the best war movie in recent years, and I highly recommend it.

The Weather Man ***1/2
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis, Gemmenne de la Pena, Nicholas Hoult, Michael Rispoli, Gil Bellows
Director: Gore Verbinski
Running Length: 1:41
MPAA Classification: R

David Spritz (Cage) is the weathereman on Channel 6 in Chicago. Well, he reads the weather, someone else does all the predicting for him. As luck would have it, a national morning show is looking for a new weather man, and he is one of the candidates. Unfortunately, that is just about the only good thing going on in his life.

His marriage to Noreen (Davis) is over, and his inability to trust her is not helping his desire to reconcile with her. His son Mike (Hoult) is just out of rehab for drugs. His daughter (de la Pena) has no self-esteem. Finally, his famous author father, Robert (Caine), is dying of lymphoma, and has always been disappointed in him. Nothing is going right for David, but maybe getting that national weather man position could turn things around. Of course, getting that job would mean giving up on his family. That is a lot for one man to weather.

Nicholas Cage is excellent as the poor schlub who has nothing going for him. His wry narration and embodyment of David show that Cage is at the top of his game here. Caine is great as the disappointed father that just does not understand his son. In between filming "Pirates of the Carribbean" movies, director Gore Verbinski has churned out a serious look at someone who just cannot get things right. "The Weather Man" is not a happy movie, but it is a good one. I have a feeling that it will either be loved or hated. I, for one, loved it, and if you are willing to give it a chance, you might find that you will too. Highly recommended.

The Legend of Zorro **1/2
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Adrian Alonso, Nick Chinlund, Rufus Sewell
Director: Martin Campbell
Running Length: 2:08
MPAA Classification: PG

After seven years, Zorro (Banderas) is back. After stopping an attempt to disrupt California's vote to join the United States, he returns to his wife Elena (Zeta-Jones) and son Joaquin (Alonso). Elana wants him to stop being Zorro now, but he thinks there is still a need. A huge argument leads to a divorce. Three months later, Zorro is a drunk and Elena is being courted by a French count by the name of Armand (Sewell). Zorro begins to think that Armand is up to no good, and begins looking into things, only to find something surprising. Now, Zorro must go into action to save the day.

"The Legend of Zorro" may have taken too long to hit the big screen. It has been a long time since "The Mask of Zorro" entertained audiences. While there is still some of the magic left, it is nowhere near the magic of the original. Banderas and Zeta-Jones are back, but their chemistry is a little off. The story is ok, but not good enough to sustain 128 minutes. That is not to say that there is nothing to be enjoyed here. There are a number of moments throughout the film that work, but as a whole, "Zorro" is lacking something. Wait until DVD.

Saw II ***
Cast: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Donnie Wahlberg, Lyriq Bent, Tim Burd
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Running Length: 1:33
MPAA Classification: R

Detective Eric Mason (Wahlberg) has finally caught the Jigsaw Killer, John (Bell). But, John has one last game to play. He has kidnapped some people and imprisoned then in an old house. Poisonous gas is being pumped into the house and Mason only has two hours to find them before the gas kills them all. To make matters worse, one of the trapped is his son.

"Saw II" is a worthy successor to last year's surprise hit "Saw". Tobin Bell is excellent as Jigsaw, this time full and center and interacting with Wahlberg's Mason. He is a creepy little man suffering from terminal cancer who just wants to teach others to appreciate what they have. Unlike most horror movies, he gives good insight into the killer's motives. The twist at the end is slightly more satisfying than the original's, and the gore and violence is about the same. "Saw II" is a solid scary movie, and I'm sure it is not the end of the "Saw" series.

Stay ***1/2

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, Naomi Watts, Bob Hoskins, Janeane Garofalo, Kate Burton, Elizabeth Reaser, B.D. Wong
Director: Marc Forster
Running Length: 1:39
MPAA Classification: R

Psychiatrist Sam Foster (McGregor) is filling in for a co-worker when he meets Henry Letham (Gosling). Henry clearly has some problems, and when he tells Sam that he is going to kill himself in a few days on his 21st birthday, Sam decides to try to save him. As Sam begins to look into Henry's life, he finds the line between reality and illusion begin to blur.

"Stay" is all of that and none of that at the same time. Things are not what they seem, and it is interesting to watch things unfold. What could have been a huge twist at the end is instead diffused by scenes early on the let the audience in on what is happening. In fact, it is possible to know what is going on from the very beginning of the film. What makes the movie great is the journey they characters take on the way to the inevitable end.

Director Marc Forster does an amazing job of making all things tie together. If something in the movie seems odd, it is there for a reason, and if you pay close enough attantion, you will see what I mean. The acting is good as well, but is not what makes the movie so good. "Stay" is an entertaining and thought provoking film that I highly recommend.

Domino **1/2
Cast: Keira Knightley, Mickey Roarke, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Liu, Christopher Walken, Jacqueline Bisset, Delroy Lindo, Mena Suvari
Director: Tony Scott
Running Length: 2:00
MPAA Classification: R

Domino Harvey (Knightley), daughter of actor Laurence Harvey, was a model turned bounty hunter before her recent death. This is her story (sort of). The story is exaggerated and even retold as new information becomes known. Domino is looking to get away from the 90210 world she has lived in, and joins Ed (Roarke) and Choco (Ramirez) as a bounty hunter. They all work for Claremont Williams (Lindo), bringing fugitives to justice. When Williams gets them all involved in a scheme that involves the mob, a billionaire and $300,000, Domino must find a way to get her and her crew out unscathed.

"Domino" is a glorious mess that both works and doesn't work depending upon the moment. Director Tony Scott employs ADD filmmaking to get Domino's frantic story across. The constant quick cuts work against the story, but after a while become bearable. Knightly does an adequate job as the titular character, with great support from Rourke. Ironically, two of the best roles are Brian Austin Green and Ian Ziering (from "Beverly Hills 90210") playing themselves as hosts of a reality show focusing on Domino and her gang.

This film will probably either be loved or hated by the average viewer, most likely hated. It is not a bad film though, just one that could have been better. I think Tony Scott accomplished what he set out to do, but for this moviegoer, it wasn't enough. Wait for DVD.

Elizabethtown **1/2
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Judy Greer, Alec Baldwin, Bruce McGill, Jessica Biel
Director: Cameron Crowe
Running Length: 2:05
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Drew Baylor (Bloom) is a big shot at the shoe company in which he works until the Spasmotica comes along. That is a deal that will cost the company $972 million and Baylor his job. At the same time, his father dies on a visit to the town where he grew up. Drew's mom and sister elect him to go to Elizabethtown and bring his dad home. On the flight out, he meets Claire Colburn (Dunst), a chatty stewardess who treats him with extra care. After dealing with his extended family in Elizabethtown, he calls Claire (who gave him her number on the flight), and the two connect more meaningfully. Drew may be on his way to healing himself.

"Elizabethtown" is not as good as it could be. It has a decent amount of great moments, but the filler between those moments drag things down. Orlando Bloom still has not proven himself as a leading man (having failed earlier in the year with "Kingdom of Heaven". Kirsten Dunst is mostly annoying as the stalker-like claire. The chemestry between the two is so-so. The movie is flooded with songs to the point where one almost feels like director Cameron Crowe is trying to cram in as much as possible.

"Elizabethtown" is not a bad movie, but it could use a lot more trimming down. Most will find the film enjoyable, but forgettable. It is not on par with Crowe's previous films, but is still better than a lot of films in theaters now.

The Fog **
Cast: Tom Welling, Maggie Grace, Selma Blair, DeRay Davis, Kenneth Walsh, Adrian Hough
Director: Rupert Wainwright
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: PG-13

As the town of Antonio Bay gears up for its 100th anniversary, a thick fog works its way toward the town. Something in the fog begins to kill the townspeople, and it is up to Nick Castle (Welling) and his girlfriend (Grace) to figure out what is going on and save the town from the danger in the fog.

I've never seen the original and this newer version does not particularly make me want to. Despite starting out well, the ending is a mess, not making much sense at all. The effects are pretty good and give some genuine scary moments, but that is not enough to save the movie. If you want to see this, wait for the DVD.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit ***
Cast (voices): Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham-Carter, Peter Kay
Directors: Nick Park, Steve Box
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: G

Wallace (Sallis) is an inventor and Gromit is his dog. Despite that, Gromit is the smarter of the two. They run an animal removal service called Anti-Pesto. They don't kill the pests, the capture them and remove them from the area in question. This is especially important with the Lady Tottington's (Bonham-Carter) Giant Vegetable Contest coming up. Things are looking good for all until a giant were-rabbit shows up to throw the small town into chaos. Wallace and Gromit set out to capture it, while Victor Quartermaine (Fiennes) is set to kill it. At the same time, they are competing for Lady Trottington's affections.

Sound silly? It is a bit, but it is also highly entertaining. The creaters of "Chicken Run" have brought Wallace and Gromit to the big screen in style. The stop motion animation is so good that the silent Gromit's emotions can easily be read on his face in every scene. The story is funny, and engaging. This is a very good movie for the family that will be thoroughly enjoyed.

Serenity ***1/2
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Director: Joss Whedon
Running Length: 1:59
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The space ship Serenity is a place of refuge for River (Glau) and her brother Simon (Maher). River is a young telepath whose life is being manipulated by the Alliance. Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Fillion) has been working against the Alliance for a while now, and despite his gruff exterior, he is actually a nice guy. Taking River and Simon on board is not a problem until Simon begins to question the captain's orders and River begins to show some mental instability. Add to that their pursuit by an Alliance operative (Ejiofor), and the crew of the Serenity has their hands full.

"Serenity" is the rebirth of the cancelled TV series "Firefly". I have never gotten into "Firefly", despite numerous attempts, so I consider myself new to the "Serenity" universe. While the TV show never engaged me, "Serenity" was the exact opposite. Filled with action, science fiction, and humor, "Serenity" is a highly entertaining movie experience.

Joss Whedon, creator and first-time director, has crafted a highly entertaining tale that can be enjoyed by "Firefly" fans and newcomers alike. With a cast of no-names, Whedon has crafted a tale that is reminisent of the first "Star Wars" film. And, while there is closure at the end of the film, there are still possibilities that are left to be explored. I, for one, hope that we will see the spaceship Serenity again.

A History of Violence ****
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes, Heidi Hayes
Director: David Cronenberg
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: R

Tom Stall (Mortensen) is a mild mannered man in a small town. He is a family man, and runs a diner. One day two criminals enter his diner with robbery and rape on their minds. Tom manages to get one of their guns, and kill both of them. Hailed as a hero, the media descends and Tom finds his face on the television. Enter Earl Fogaty (Harris), a thug who thinks he recognizes Tom, only he knows him as Joey Cusack, an ex-killer from Philadelphia. Fogaty comes to see Tom and "out" him for the killer that he believes Tom to be. Tom firmly denied knowing anything about this Joey Cusack and claims to never have seen Fogaty before. Fogaty is unwilling to accept Tom's casual dismissal, and begins to stalk Tom and his family.

"Violence" is an excellent movie. From a solid story to solid acting, "Violence" is top notch on all levels. The story is compelling. The uncertainty of Tom's past keeps the viewer engaged in his plight. The four main actors all give top notch performances. Mortensen gives no clue as to his characters past, portraying Tom as a man living a quiet peaceful life until confronted with violence. Maria Bello is excellent as Tom's wife, who loves and supports her husband. Harris is pure evil and menace as Fogaty. His character is not likeable in the least, and you know that he is not going to leave Tom to live his life peacefully. Finally, William Hurt gives a memorable, and at times, funny performance. You have to wait until the final third of the film to see him, but he steals the scenes he is in.

"Violence" is a must see movie. It will make you think about what makes a person who they are, and how their identity is defined. And, can that change? I highly recommend "A History of Violence".