Righteous Kill: This was supposed to be a big deal because it reteamed DeNiro and Pacino for the first time since Heat. But the September release date should have tipped you off that something wasn't right. This is just a terrible movie filled with cop movie cliches and a narrative that's all over the place. Worse of all, I figured out very early on who the killer was. It's no fun sitting through a bad movie knowing what the inevitable outcome is going to be. It's surprising that the script is so bad considering it was written by the same guy who did Inside Man. I will say that DeNiro and Pacino seem to be having a lot of work playing off of each other here, but it's not enough to warrant a recommendation from me. Grade: D+
The Visitor: Sometimes you don't need big name stars to make great films, and this is an example of that. It stars Richard Jenkins, who you may not have known before but had a big '08 with this, Step-Brothers, and Burn After Reading. His performance is what makes this film so great. It's about a man who visits his apartment in New York and finds it's been illegally rented to a couple of illegal immigrants (one from Syria, the other from Senegal). From this bizarre set of circumstances, he strikes a friendship with the two and gains a new outlook on life. Now that description may sound very hackneyed, but the film rises above those common conventions. I think it really struck a chord with me because Jenkins' character is a college professor, so I'm familiar with that world and felt it was authentic. This is a quiet film that will stir a mix of emotions in you as you watch this character change throughout the course of the movie. Jenkins deserves an Oscar nomination for this, but I worry he'll get passed over in place of bigger, flashier names. Still, I would recommend giving this one a rental. Grade: B+
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