A friend of mine convinced me that we should attend our high school reunion. Although we went to the same high school and knew one another by name, we didn’t become chums until we were in university. We didn’t see anyone we knew from high school except maybe in passing. All our high school buds seemed to have drifted off to other parts of town, other jobs, other schools or other cities and contact with them waned. There was no email in those days and guys don’t write letters except under protest. So we thought it might be interesting to see how those we knew and those who ran the school had fared. One of us decided we needed some stuff not sold on street corners, at least in our neighbourhoods. So, slightly tight and somewhat buzzed, we strolled into high school and found out that reunions portrayed in movies did emulate life. Maybe it was not as bizzare as that of Martin Blank (John Cusack) but then I’ve never been a freelance hit man, yet. I did see my high school sweetie and she hadn’t fared as well as Debi Newberry ( Minnie Driver ), Martin’s girl. Mine seemed happy with her three kids, her louse of a husband so we got along that evening as best as possible. But then I didn’t stand her up on prom night like Martin did. Debi is not a happy camper but maybe if Martin can prevent her dad from being taken out by another button man, she’ll come around.

Director:  George Armitage Writer:  Tom Jankiewicz; D.V. DeVincentis; Steve Pink; John Cusack Cast:
John Cusack -  Martin Q. Blank Minnie Driver -  Debi Newberry Alan Arkin -  Dr. Oatman Dan Aykroyd -  Grocer Joan Cusack -  Marcella Hank Azaria -  Steven Lardner K. Todd Freeman -  Kenneth McCullers Jeremy Piven -  Paul Spericki		Mitchell Ryan -  Mr. Bart Newberry Michael Cudlitz -  Bob Destepello Benny Urquidez -  Felix La PuBelle Duffy Taylor -  Ultimart Carl Audrey Kissel -  Arlene Carlos Jacott -  Ken Brian Powell -  Husky Man Ann Cusack -  Amy

It is always surprising when people get upset when the tables are turned on them. What do they expect?

Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch) is mesmerized when he sees his new next door neighbour getting undressed. She know he is there but he tries to hide. Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) drops by to introduce herself and get a local tour. While driving around, she manipulates him with a cocked eyebrow to disrobe so she can see him naked too. Reluctant to do so, a crooked smile and a cocked eyebrow soon have the teenage Matthew in the street, naked, running along with only an inner tube to shield the neighbours.

Director:  Luke Greenfield Writer:  David Wagner; Brent Goldberg; Stuart Blumberg; David T. Wagner Cast:
Emile Hirsch -  Matthew Kidman Elisha Cuthbert -  Danielle Timothy Olyphant -  Kelly James Remar -  Hugo Posh Chris Marquette -  Eli Paul Dano -  Klitz Timothy Bottoms -  Mr. Kidman Donna Bullock -  Mrs. Kidman		Jacob Young -  Hunter Brian Kolodziej -  Derek Brandon Irons -  Troy Amanda Swisten -  April Sung Hi Lee -  Ferrari Ulysses Lee -  Samnang Harris Laskawy -  Dr. Salinger Julie Osburn -  Jeannie

I had been given The Good German by Joseph Kanon as a gift. Now it isn’t the usual sort of book I read as my gifter knew but she thinks I should broaden my horizons. Being polite, I thought I’d give it 50 pages, work up a blurb for her so it would seem I’d finished it and toss it into the corner with other book gifts of dubious interest. Silly me. I got so hooked on it I didn’t put it down until I’d read it straight through. I was mesmerized and completely taken with the characters, setting and plot.

When I saw that it had been made into a movie, I wondered how much of the magic of the book could be transformed to the screen. Filmed in black and white using a 4×3 format, I thought that might work, sort of like the Pathé News reels I remember watching. George Clooney as Capt. Jake Geismer—sure, as long as he isn’t too much of a smarty-pants, Cate Blanchett as Lena Brandt—sure, she can do just about any role and as long as her German accent isn’t too odd and Tobey Maguire as Corporal Patrick Tully—maybe, maybe not but then I saw him in Sin City and thought he can handle the role of this two-faced sleaze.

Director:  Steven Soderbergh Writer:  Paul Attanasio; Joseph Kanon Cast:
Jack Thompson -  Congressman Breimer John Roeder -  General George Clooney -  Capt. Jacob ‘Jake’ Geismer Tobey Maguire -  Patrick Tully Cate Blanchett -  Lena Brandt Dominic Comperatore -  Levi Dave Power -  Lieutenant Schaeffer Tony Curran -  Danny		Ravil Isyanov -  General Sikorsky J. Paul Boehmer -  British Press Aide Igor Korosec -  Russian Soldier #1 Boris Kievsky -  Russian Soldier #2 Vladimir Kulikov -  Russian Soldier #3 Yevgeniy Narovlyanskiy -  Russian Soldier #4 Aleksandr Sountsov -  Russian Soldier #5 Beau Bridges -  Colonel Muller

I was chatting with a neighbour and her daughter the other day. Mostly about the snow melting and how much fun rubber boots are since it is tough to get abstract with a two-year-old. She knows my first name, where I live and sorta makes a sentence once every three tries. A few days later, I was being visited by a friend when there was a knock on the back door. It was my neighbour with her daughter who apparently wanted to talk to me some more even though I must look 60 feet tall to her. She got a few sentences out before she turned shy and decided to go home. When I turned to my visiting friend, she had teared up. That’s the way Gloria (Sharon Stone) feels when she finds out that Nicky Nuñez (Jean-Luke Figueroa), orphaned when his family is murdered, doesn’t have anyone in the world to care for him or to raise him. She figures she can give it a go much to the chagrin of her family and circle of friends.

Director:  Sidney Lumet; John Cassavetes Writer:  John Cassavetes; Steve Antin Cast:
Sharon Stone -  Gloria Jean-Luke Figueroa -  Nicky Nuñez Jeremy Northam -  Kevin Cathy Moriarty -  Diane George C. Scott -  Ruby Mike Starr -  Sean Bonnie Bedelia -  Brenda Barry McEvoy -  Terry		Don Billett -  Raymond Jerry Dean -  Mickey Tony DiBenedetto -  Zach Teddy Atlas -  Ian Bobby Cannavale -  Jack Jesus Nunez Sarita Choudhury -  Angela Miriam Colon -  Maria Desiree Casado -  Luz

You’re a handsome British knight. You’ve come back from the Crusades, sullen and despondent over the horrors you’ve witnessed. All you want to do is settle down. A local king offers you a plot of land in return for a small favour. His beautiful daughter, Luma (Piper Perabo) has recently disappeared and he’d like you to find her. Reluctantly, you agree. Unfortunately, you come across a dragon’s egg. Intent on destroying this potential monster, you lash out with your sword only to wake up with the princess hovering over you with a club ready to clobber you again. Turns out she wants to hatch it as the dragon may be the last of its kind. The simple rescue has become not so simple, some bad guys show up and want to kidnap the princess and you wonder how things got so out of control. Such is George’s (James Purefoy) story.

Director:  Tom Reeve; Shaun O’Riordan Writer:  Michael Burks; Tom Reeve Cast:
James Purefoy -  George Piper Perabo -  Princess Luma Patrick Swayze -  Garth Michael Clarke Duncan -  Tarik Bill Treacher -  Elmendorf Jean-Pierre Castaldi -  Father Bernard Rollo Weeks -  Wryn Paul Freeman -  Sir Robert		Stefan Jürgens -  Bulchar Stefan Weinert -  Mercenary #1 Phil McKee -  McNally Caroline Carver -  Sister Angela Simon Callow -  King Edgar Joan Plowright -  Mother Superior Carl Chase -  Aard Jamie Treacher -  Captain D’Arcy

What price are you willing to pay when you do what you think is the right thing and everyone else thinks is the wrong thing? Would you take a little girl away from the people who will offer her a loving and loved life? Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) would. Would you tell the police about the child and take the chance that the love of your life will hate you forever? Patrick Kenzie would and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) does. Would you let your client skip payment to you if you send her husband to jail and return her niece to her drug mule party girl of a sister? Patrick Kenzie would. Would you babysit for the child while the newly reunited mom goes on a date with some guy who thought she was cute on TV while beseeching the kidnappers to return her daughter? Patrick Kenzie would rather than hide the truth from the world.

Director:  Ben Affleck Writer:  Ben Affleck; Aaron Stockard; Dennis Lehane Cast:
Casey Affleck -  Patrick Kenzie Michelle Monaghan -  Angie Gennaro Morgan Freeman -  Capt. Jack Doyle Ed Harris -  Det. Remy Bressant John Ashton -  Detective Nick Poole Amy Ryan -  Helene McCready Amy Madigan -  Bea McCready Titus Welliver -  Lionel McCready		Michael K. Williams -  Devin Edi Gathegi -  Cheese Mark Margolis -  Leon Trett Madeline O’Brien -  Amanda McCready Slaine -  Bubba Rogowski Trudi Goodman -  Roberta Trett Matthew Maher -  Corwin Earle Jill Quigg -  Dottie

It is always a trial when you want to move up in the pecking order. Gloria Minetti Nesstra (Mary McCormack), in full New Jersey housewife mode—make-up, pushed back Gucci sunglasses, capris—stares down her husband Fluvio (Oliver Platt) who is about to chop off a neighbour’s hand. She’s thinking he stole the sports section even though his wife found it behind the fridge in their 3/4 size house. What’s a guy who has delusions of grandeur to do now?

Director:  Eric Blakeney Writer:  Eric Blakeney Cast:
Liam Neeson -  Charles ‘Charlie’ Mayeaux Oliver Platt -  Fulvio Nesstra José Zúñiga -  Fidel Vaillar Michael DeLorenzo -  Estuvio Clavo Andy Lauer -  Jason Cane Richard Schiff -  Elliott Paul Ben-Victor -  Howard Gregg Daniel -  Jonathan		Ben Weber -  Mark Sandra Bullock -  Judy Tipp Mary McCormack -  Gloria Minetti Nesstra Michael Mantell -  Dr. Jeff Bleckner Mitch Pileggi -  Dexter Helvenshaw Louis Giambalvo -  Lonny Ward Rick Peters -  Bennett Dusty Kay -  Gene Kapstein

When I was but a wee lad, I remember being made a promise by my best friend. I don’t recollect the context nor the pledge itself but I do recall being excited that it was important to the two of us. Time passed. The promise went unfulfilled. I made up lots of excuses why it had yet to happen. Finally, I asked about it and my chum had no idea of what I was asking. Crestfallen, I explained and all I received was a smirk for my story and a brain flash that I needed a new best friend. This memory returned when Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) promised that she would come and get Roger (Ben Walker) for their evening adventure. Unfortunately for Roger, he’s kidnapped, imprisoned and about to be brainwashed. But he’s elated when Lyra wanders through the door of his prison classroom and knows she’s there to get him. And he knows he’ll never leave her.

Director:  Chris Weitz Writer:  Chris Weitz; Philip Pullman Cast:
Nicole Kidman -  Marisa Coulter Daniel Craig -  Lord Asriel Dakota Blue Richards -  Lyra Belacqua Ben Walker -  Roger Freddie Highmore -  Pantalaimon Ian McKellen -  Iorek Byrnison Eva Green -  Serafina Pekkala Jim Carter -  Lord John Faa		Tom Courtenay -  Farder Coram Ian McShane -  Ragnar Sturlusson Sam Elliott -  Lee Scoresby Christopher Lee -  First High Councilor Kristin Scott Thomas -  Stelmaria Edward de Souza -  Second High Councilor Kathy Bates -  Hester Simon McBurney -  Fra Pavel

Everybody has something to hide. Everyone has an opinion on who is to blame for what has gone wrong. Everyone knows who should be doing a better job. They all worry that their future is in jeopardy. None of them seem to have a clue as to what is going on. There seems to be a desperate lack of understanding about why some difficulties befall them. About all they seem to agree upon is that the murder of Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) came about none too soon.

Director:  Robert Altman Writer:  Robert Altman; Bob Balaban; Julian Fellowes Cast:
Maggie Smith -  Constance Trentham Michael Gambon -  William McCordle Kristin Scott Thomas -  Sylvia McCordle Camilla Rutherford -  Isobel McCordle Charles Dance -  Raymond Stockbridge Geraldine Somerville -  Louisa Stockbridge Tom Hollander -  Anthony Meredith Natasha Wightman -  Lavinia Meredith		Jeremy Northam -  Ivor Novello Bob Balaban -  Morris Weissman James Wilby -  Freddie Nesbitt Claudie Blakley -  Mabel Nesbitt Laurence Fox -  Rupert Standish Trent Ford -  Jeremy Blond Ryan Phillippe -  Henry Denton Stephen Fry -  Inspector Thompson