(M) Munich. (Steven Spielberg, 2005) Grade: B+

Thoughts: The length of the film is 164 minutes and one of my concerns was is this going to be a 164 minutes that I’m aware of or 164 minutes that I don’t even realized has past; turned out it was the latter for me. Munich is a well directed, well acted film about the Palestinian terrorists who held hostage and eventually killed a group of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. In the aftermath of the murders, a group of Mossad agents work together to find the assassins who orchestrated the operation and kill them. The most profound thing about the film was the study in revenge and redemption. Even after the agents kill someone who took part in the 1972 Munich planning another individual arises to takes their place and another and another. In the end, the only way true change can be made is through a change in mindset and heritage; however in reality both are highly unlikely to ever occur.

(M) Wonderland. (Michael Winterbottom, 1999) Grade: B-

Thoughts: A pleasant enough film set in London around a family of three sisters and one brother. The film mainly focuses on Nadia (Gina McKee) as she tries the dating scene and fails terribly at it until she meets Tim (Stuart Townsend), however that doesn’t really work out. Then you have her pregnant sister Molly (Molly Parker), divorcee sister Debbie (Shirley Henderson) and distance brother Darren (Enzo Cilenti). The best part about the movie was having the setting London as character and how the other characters interact within their environment.

(M) Ching Mai Daai Wa Wong (Everyday is Valentine.) (Jing Wong, 2001) Grade: C+

Thoughts: A pretty typical Hong Kong romantic comedy. Nevertheless I enjoyed it. It was one of the better ones but nothing great.

(M) Central Do Brasil (Central Station.) (Walter Salles, 1998) Grade: B+

Thoughts: An extremely charming film about a bitter former schoolteacher name Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) and her relationship with a young orphan boy Josue (Vinicius de Oliverira). Dora helps write letters for illiterate people at the train station where she first meets Josue. After Josue’s mother is run over by a bus she takes pity on him and takes him under her wing. She decides it would be in the boy’s best interest to find his father but the task becomes more difficult than either had expected. Fernanda Montenegro is a wonderful actress. At the start of the film she is a bitter and mean woman but slowly you watch her heart soften and change for the love of this boy. I would highly recommend this for viewing.

(M) Block Party. (Michel Gondry, 2005) Grade: B-

Thoughts: This is not a Chappelle comedy show/movie but more a music/documentary. Dave Chappelle wants to put together a block party in Brooklyn, New York and calls up his closest friends – Erykah Badu, Common, Mos Def, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Kayne West, John Legend, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson, Jill Scott, Pras just to name a few. I enjoyed the footage of the artist performing especially Mos Def (he is so cute) and Talib Kweli. One thing to note is I feel sorry for white people cause every race pretty much hates them. Okay I don’t feel that bad. Hee Hee.