Doubt ****

Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
Director: John Patrick Shanley
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

At Saint Nicholas Church School, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Streep) is the principal. She is an old-school nun who sees sin just about everywhere she looks. Sister James (Adams) is a new and impressionable nun who is very idealistic. When she sees something that may be inappropriate between Father Brendan Flynn (Hoffman), a progressive priest, and a student, she confides in Sister Aloysius. Sister Aloysius then takes on Father Flynn, who professes his innocence.

“Doubt” is an intense drama with amazing performances. Streep, Hoffman, Adams, and Davis (as the boy’s mother) all deliver Oscar nominated performances. Those nominations are all well deserved. The story works so well because of the doubt that is present. Did Father Flynn act inappropriately? Or is Sister Aloysius just on a witch hunt, seeing what she wants to see? The movie forces the viewer to think and come to their own conclusions. This is a great film, and is definitely worth seeing.

Charlie Wilson’s War ***1/2
Cast: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Om Puri
Director: Mike Nichols
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: R

Democratic congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks) is a bit of a playboy who never met a party he didn’t like. In 1980, he is named to the Defense Appropriations subcommittee in Congress, and becomes aware of a situation in the Middle Eastern country of Afghanistan. The US is funding the “freedom Fighters” to fight against the USSR with $5 million. Charlie has that amount doubled, but his friend Joanne Herring (Roberts) informs him that more is needed. Soon, Charlie is visiting the region and seeing how things are going firsthand. He returns to the US determined to win this war. With the help of CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Hoffman), he is able to get the funding significantly increased, and soon the US is spending $500 million to help Afghanistan.

“Charlie Wilson’s War” has a top notch cast, including three Oscar winners and two nominees. As one would expect, Tom Hanks is excellent as the womanizing Wilson. Over the course of the film, his Wilson develops a conscience and becomes something more than just a playboy. Hoffman steals the scenes as Avrakotos, and should be a serious contender for another Oscar nomination. Up-and-comer Amy Adams also makes a solid appearance as Wilson’s assistant. The story is interesting and even funny at times. In fact, the majority of the film has a lighter tone despite being about war. This is an enjoyable, smart film that is worth checking out. I recommend it.

Mission: Impossible III ***1/2

Cast: Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudip, Michelle Monaghan, Laurence Fishburne, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maggie Q, Simon Pegg
Director: J.J. Abrams
Running Length: 2:08
MPAA Classification: PG-13

When Owen Davian (Hoffman) captures an IMF agent (Russell) who is investigating him, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) comes out of field-retirement to rescue her. This involves some deception on the home front, as his fiancée Julia (Monaghan) does not know what he does for a living. Ethan’s old teammate Luther (Rhames) is back to help him along with Declan (Meyers) and Zhen (Q). Their somewhat successful rescue of the agent reveals that there may be a spy in the leadership of the IMF. To find that spy, they attempt to capture Davian while he is at the Vatican attending a function. Ethan quickly finds out that a job with the IMF is not very contusive to a healthy normal life.

This time around, the “Mission: Impossible” franchise is in the hands of J. J. Abrams, well known for his television shows (Felicity, Lost, Alias), but a rookie when it comes to directing movies. Abrams is up to the challenge, delivering the best M:I movie yet. Filled with the tricks “Alias” fans will recognize from TV, Abrams keeps the movie rolling from action sequence to action sequence, ratcheting up the tension until the showdown between Cruise’s Hunt and Hoffman’s Davian. And Hoffman IS the standout here. Davian is an evil, nasty man who does not make idle threats. Hoffman sinks his teeth into the role, playing his first real bad guy. This movie is worth seeing for him alone. Cruise is good as well. It is a shame that this movie will suffer from his off-screen antics.

This is the first big budget movie of the summer. It is a great popcorn movie that will not disappoint. I highly recommend this film.

Along Came Polly ***

Cast: Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing, Alec Baldwin, Hank Azaria, Bryan Brown
Director: John Hamburg

Reuben Feffer's marriage is over before it begins when he catches his new wife with a scuba instructor on their honeymoon. Returning home distraught, his best friend, Sandy, drags him to a party where he is reunited with Polly, a girl he has not seen since high school. They start dating, and while attracted to each other, they are complete opposites. This is a genuinely funny movie, and Ben Stiller is in his element. Philip Seymour Hoffman steals the show though, as Sandy, the one time child actor and best friend of Reuben. Funny and well worth your time.

Cold Mountain ***

Cast: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Kathy Baker, Aileen Atkins, Natalie Portman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Giovanni Ribisi, Brendan Gleeson, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Winstone, Donald Sutherland
Director: Anthony Minghella

With the South on its way to losing the Civil War and he himself having just recovered from an injury, Inman desides to desert and return home to Cold Mountain, and hopefully Ada, the preacher's daughter. They barely know each other, and have not seen each other for a few years, she is his reason for living. The journey is long, but he is determined.

Ada has found herself living in disarray after the death of her father. Only the help of Ruby is keeping her alive at first, but then she begins to come into her own. She also lives, waiting for the return of Inman, and writing him letter after letter.

Some of this movie works, some does not. Inman's long journey home as well as Ada's struggle to survive are engaging, but the whole love story did not work for me. For as little time as they had together before Inman left, I find it difficult to believe that relationship would be enough to sustain either of them through all their trials and tribulations. Credible performances all around, but nothing outstanding.