Cinema Paradiso
In a year that gave us Bratz and Who’s Your Caddy?, we found solace in these marvelous movies:
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Tim Burton’s bloody-good interpretation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical features Johnny Depp as the titular tyrant who slices up his customers.
Zodiac — Seven director David Fincher gives us the creeps again with his fascinating, underrated take on the still-unsolved case of the Zodiac serial killer. Plus it's got Jake Gyllenhaal.
Lars and the Real Girl — The plot of a porno — guy falls in love with life-sized doll — becomes a quirky comedy with a stellar performance by Ryan Gosling as loverboy Lars.
The Savages — Oddball siblings Wendy (Laura Linney) and Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman) put the fun in dysfunctional family when they reunite to care for their dying dad.
Gone Baby Gone — Amy Ryan, as a coke-snorting single mom whose daughter disappears, owns this suspenseful adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel, directed by Ben Affleck.
Juno — Newcomer Ellen Page, as a precocious pregnant teen, shines in Jason Reitman’s warm dramedy; her snappy dialogue — like when she wonders why potential adoptive parents don’t go to China where “they give away babies like free ipods” — is superb.
The Bourne Ultimatum — In a summer of sequels (and threequels) dreamy Matt Damon kept viewers’ hearts pounding in the third installment of the exciting spy series.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead — Reason #322 to never have kids: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play brothers who rob their parents’ jewelry store in this brilliant thriller.
300 — Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae gets a stunning film treatment. Sweaty Spartans (including super-buff Gerard Butler) fighting? Yes, please.
Enchanted — Adorable Amy Adams cast us under her spell as a cartoon princess come to life in Disney’s sweet, modern-day fairytale.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Tim Burton’s bloody-good interpretation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical features Johnny Depp as the titular tyrant who slices up his customers.
Zodiac — Seven director David Fincher gives us the creeps again with his fascinating, underrated take on the still-unsolved case of the Zodiac serial killer. Plus it's got Jake Gyllenhaal.
Lars and the Real Girl — The plot of a porno — guy falls in love with life-sized doll — becomes a quirky comedy with a stellar performance by Ryan Gosling as loverboy Lars.
The Savages — Oddball siblings Wendy (Laura Linney) and Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman) put the fun in dysfunctional family when they reunite to care for their dying dad.
Gone Baby Gone — Amy Ryan, as a coke-snorting single mom whose daughter disappears, owns this suspenseful adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel, directed by Ben Affleck.
Juno — Newcomer Ellen Page, as a precocious pregnant teen, shines in Jason Reitman’s warm dramedy; her snappy dialogue — like when she wonders why potential adoptive parents don’t go to China where “they give away babies like free ipods” — is superb.
The Bourne Ultimatum — In a summer of sequels (and threequels) dreamy Matt Damon kept viewers’ hearts pounding in the third installment of the exciting spy series.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead — Reason #322 to never have kids: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play brothers who rob their parents’ jewelry store in this brilliant thriller.
300 — Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae gets a stunning film treatment. Sweaty Spartans (including super-buff Gerard Butler) fighting? Yes, please.
Enchanted — Adorable Amy Adams cast us under her spell as a cartoon princess come to life in Disney’s sweet, modern-day fairytale.
MORE MOVIES ON MODERN TONIC
