REVIEWS IN A HURRY Back to First Page & Alphabetical Index
			Jules et Jim (1962, 100 min, B&W, NR) **** - Directed by Francois Truffaut, starring Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, and Henri Serre.  Sad and moving tale of a doomed love triangle in France around the time of the First World War.  Two best friends (Werner and Serre) in love with the same woman (Moreau) try to share her, and even if we know their plan is folly, we sympathize with them because all three of them care so much about each other and enter the relationship with the best of intentions.  The realization that their romance will fail and the horrors of the war are united in expressing how we cling to precious childish fantasies.  Former “Sight & Sound” Top Ten Movies of All-Time. Jurassic Park (1993, 123 min, PG13) *** - Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum.  Dinosaurs are brought back to life at an island resort but something goes wrong (something always does).  Soon it’s a group of researchers and scientists trying to survive a prehistoric uprising.  Heavy on special effects and not much else, “Jurassic Park” is in many ways an inferior, albeit very entertaining, knock-off of “Aliens.” Just Married (2003, 95 min, R) ** - Directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy.  Mostly unfunny comedy about a honeymoon in Europe gone wrong, based on gender stereotypes and people falling down.  He (Kutcher) is, of course, a working class straight-shooter who likes sports and has no patience for Europeans, while she (Murphy) is, of course, educated, artistic, and from a rich family that doesn’t like him.  For good movies about marriage, see “In the Bedroom,” “Woman of the Year,” “Tokyo Story,” or “Eyes Wide Shut” first.
Jaws (1975, 124 min, PG) **** - Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss.  One of the finest pure adventure films of all time pits a small New England town that thrives on tourism against a man-eating shark.  The suspense culminates in a harrowing final act in which the town sheriff (Scheider), a scientist (Dreyfuss), and a half-crazed shark hunter (scene-stealing and encrusted Shaw) face the beast in the open sea.  Spielberg famously and wisely avoids giving us a direct glimpse of the monster for at least the first hour of the film, the characters are sharply drawn and sympathetic, and John Williams’ score is rightly famous.  Oscar nominations include Best Picture. Jersey Girl (2004, 102 min, PG13) **1/2 – Directed by Kevin Smith, starring Ben Affleck, George Carlin, and Liv Tyler.  Well-meaning but vaguely unsatisfying comedy about a widowed young father (Affleck) who chooses his daughter over his career and New Jersey over New York.  Problems arise when he’s given a chance to return to his old life and his years of hidden dissatisfaction rise to the surface.  Solid performances all around, although the daughter (Raquel Castro) might be a little too cute. JFK (1991, 188 min, Color/B&W, R) **** - Directed by Oliver Stone, starring Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, John Candy, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Sissy Spacek.  Brilliant portrayal, not of historical fact, but of the mood of a country so gripped by paranoia that anyone could believe anything.  The story of district attorney Jim Garrison (Costner) and his attempt to uncover the mind-bogglingly complex conspiracy to assassinate President Kennedy is as patriotic as anything in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”  Packed with terrific supporting roles, the film’s enormously complicated plot and drama are held together by Costner’s steady performance—the best he’s ever given—and Stone’s pull-out-all-the-stops direction, which includes flashbacks, news footage, recreations, and everything else under the sun.  Oscar nominations include Best Director.