Film Clips

The Life Aquatic (R) — Proposing to follow the exploits of a Jacques Cousteau-esque oceanographer and documentarian named Steve Zissou (Bill Murray), that synopsis won’t fully explain this film or its menagerie of strange characters. In retrospect, the secret to appreciating the film is to abandon any expectation of consistent narrative, plot point, or payoff. It just is what it is, a movie that is always going somewhere and yet arrives nowhere. (Reviewed Dec. 24)

The Aviator (PG-13) — Leonardo DiCaprio is an interesting choice to fill the role of eccentric industrialist Howard Hughes, but director Martin Scorsese supplies more questions than answers about the enigmatic Hughes. Ultimately the film reads as a variation on the great American tragedy. Cate Blanchett gives a remarkable performance as Katharine Hepburn, while Kate Beckinsale manages to recover some of her acting credibility as the sensual Ava Gardner. (Reviewed Dec. 24)

The Incredibles (PG) — Pixar excels in the animation field simply because they stick with a successful formula: there’s genius in the simplest of ideas. “The Incredibles” works where Dreamworks’ “Shark Tale,” falls hopelessly short. It is its sincerity that gives its humor more depth. At 121 minutes, “The Incredibles” probably isn’t appropriate for children with limited attention spans. (Reviewed Nov. 5)

Surviving Christmas (PG-13) — What saves “Surviving Christmas” from being a run-of-the-mill holiday film are its unconventional casting choices. While the ending is no surprise, isn’t that really what we want in a Christmas movie? It’s funny and sad, its characters flawed and conflicted — predictable, just like the dynamic at your own family’s holiday gathering. (Reviewed Oct. 22)