The Good Shepherd - 2006

Universal Pictures, Morgan Creek Productions, Tribeca Productions

Directed by Robert De Niro

Cast:

• Edward Wilson – Matt Damon
• Margaret “Clover” Wilson – Angelina Jolie
• Sam Murach – Alec Baldwin
• Laura – Tammy Blanchard
• Arch Cummings – Billy Crudup
• Bill Sullivan – Robert De Niro
• Dr. Fredericks – Michael Gambon
• Philip Allen – William Hurt
• Thomas Wilson – Timothy Hutton
• Joseph Palmi – Joe Pesci
• Ray Brocco – John Turturro

Story: Based loosely on true events, so much so that this film was reviewed and studied by a committee at the CIA. We open with a man in Washington, DC boarding a bus for work. On the bus, a mother sends her boy to ask him for change for a dollar. When he arrives at work, the serial number of the dollar is compared to a list and is verified as a coded message. We now cut to Yale University in 1939, where a young man is asked to join a secret society known and the Skull and Bones. This is a society of powerful men whose influence has elected a president, senators, congressmen, and has connections to every part of American life. They are the people who are sought out when there are needs in the government, and Edward Wilson is their choice for a very special task. His reputation for silence and confidentiality is well-known, and his ability to observe and understand is considerable. Over a span of 30 years, we observe the growth of the OSS into the CIA and watch the effects on Edward Wilson's life. In the end, we are left with the most haunting of questions: To survive in the intelligence community, can you ever trust anyone?

Review: Robert De Niro reveals his depth in this extensive character study of the counterintelligence branch of the Central Intelligence Agency. From the first moments of the film, we are intrigued by our look into one of the secret societies of Ivy League universities, and their influences on American society. Matt Damon's character is strangely static throughout the film...or is it? This is a film of subtlety and innuendo, a film you will have to see at least twice to understand entirely. Angelina Jolie gives us a surprising look into her abilities as an actress. Gone is the determined, focused, independent woman we have seen in so many of her films. Alec Baldwin provides an element of stability in a film where nothing remains the same. With a breadth of talent seldom seen in a single film, De Niro provides a story of how the intelligence community has shaped the American perspective since the 1940's, and the depth of their intrigue. Rated R for sex, language, violence and content, this is a film for the grownups. The links above will provide additional information about the background and plot of the film.

Dogma - 1999

View Askew Productions

Written and Directed by Kevin Smith

Cast:

• Bethany – Linda Fiorentino
• Liz – Janeane Garofalo
• Loki – Matt Damon
• Bartleby – Ben Affleck
• Metatron – Alan Rickman
• Azrael – Jason Lee
• Rufus – Chris Rock
• Serendipity – Salma Hayek
• Jay – Jason Mewes
• Silent Bob – Kevin Smith
• God – Alanis Morrisette
• Cardinal Glick – George Carlin

Story: The Catholic church has come up with a new way to get people in the door: a massive new campaign called Catholicism WOW!, starring the new symbol of the church, the Buddy Christ. In order to kick off this campaign, they have come up with a special dispensation for all newcomers: you walk through the doors of the church and BINGO, all your sins are automatically forgiven! This is great news for Loki and Bartleby, two angels who have been kicked out of heaven and sentenced to Wisconsin, for if they can renounce their immortal status as angels and enter the church, they can die as men and return to heaven. If they do, they will have negated God's word, and they will unwittingly undo all of creation. To stop them from accomplishing their mission, Metatron, a special angel who acts as the voice of God, contacts Bethany, the last Scion, and charges her with a mission from God. She is aided on her mission by Jay and Silent Bob, and Rufus, the unnamed 13th apostle. Azrael, a demon from the hell, commands the Stygian Triplets, three demons who have already placed God in a coma. Will the demon succeed in helping the angels to enter the church and negate all of creation?

Review: Kevin Smith will be serving an eternity in hell for writing and directing this movie, and we will all be joining him for enjoying it. This young genius, the creator of Clerks, Mallrats, and the unnamed leader of counterculture has succeeded in making the perfect statement about the dogma of the Catholic church, and he has done it in a way sure to offend any devout Catholic. The rest of us, however, are free to laugh our asses off as we roll through all the irony, comedy, and sarcasm of the film. Linda Fiorentino is amazing as Bethany, and the woman deserves an Oscar in the category of “How in the world did you manage to keep a straight face in the midst of all that”. Having Jay and Silent Bob, the icons born of Kevin's previous films, as Bethany's protectors and prophets was nothing short of genuis (a word I tend to use a lot when I talk about Kevin Smith), and allows Kevin to reprise the role we all love so well. Salma Hayek plays Serendipity, the muse who fell to Earth, who can inspire everyone else except herself. Chris Rock, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Jason Lee, all veterans born of Kevin's films, perform with perfection, making this an exceptional piece of satire, parody, comedy, and art all rolled into one. Definitely rated R for language, nudity, violence and general poor taste (by the Catholics, that is), this is one of those films to watch when the kids are in bed. Collectible for everyone except devout Catholics, who will probably do time in purgatory for even mentioning its name, let alone watching it.

The Bourne Identity - 2002

Universal Pictures, Kennedy/Marshall Company, The Hypnotic

Directed by Doug Liman

Cast:

• Jason Bourne – Matt Damon
• Marie Kreutz – Franka Potente
• Conklin – Chris Cooper
• The Professor – Clive Owen
• Ward Abbott – Brian Cox
• Wombosi - Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
• Zorn – Gabriel Mann
• Nicolette Parsons – Julia Stiles
• Eamon – Tim Dutton

Story: Robert Ludlum's character comes to the screen in the first of three thrilling action-suspense movies. A fishing trawler off the coast of Marseilles fishes a man out of the water. They believe at first he is dead, but when he moves, the captain of the trawler brings him below decks and finds the man has two bullets in his back, and a secret code device in his thigh. When the man wakes up, he has no idea who he is. For the next several days, he works with the men in the trawler, and tries but cannot remember who he is or what he was doing in the water. When they dock, the captain gives the man the device. It leads the man to Geneva to a numbered bank account, and a safety deposit box. In the box, he finds several passports, a lot of money in various international currencies, and a gun. He discovers his name is Jason Bourne, he lives in Paris, and suddenly he is being pursued by men who want to kill him. As they attack again and again, Bourne realizes he is highly trained and skilled, but for what?

Review: Matt Damon comes off well as the celebrated Jason Bourne, and Franka Potente is marvelous as Marie. While loosely based on the character created by Robert Ludlum, The film keeps you drilled to the screen as it moves quickly from one scene to the next. Brian Cox and Chris Cooper are superb character actors and a fine addition to the film as the two CIA operatives in charge of Treadstone. Julia Stiles is particularly good in the role as “Nicki”, the operative who coordinates the “assets”. Excellent performances throughout the film are what makes this story so believable, or is it the fact we, as Americans, think our government is capable of doing this? Language and violence are the reasons for the R rating, so they little ones need to be away from the screen when you are watching. For the grownups, this is an entertaining action film with lots of “wow” moments that led Hollywood to make two more.