In my not always humble opinion, this is the best war story since the terrific TV series, Band of Brothers. Hurt Locker has been highly praised by critics. Of the 96 reviews gathered by Rotten Tomatoes.com, 93 were positive with an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. The film ignores the politics of war and focuses on the day to day life of soldiers who risk their lives trying to disable IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices) in Baghdad. Were you aware that IED’s have caused more than half the American deaths in Iraq? Much attention has been given to the fact that this macho war film was directed by (take a deep breath) a woman, Kathryn Bigelow. My 25 years of marriage to Barbara has made me immune to the staggering impact of this revelation. Bigelow has made all the right choices in putting together this riveting film. Three relatively unknown actors play the leads, but I hope their outstanding performances will assure their future in the film industry. Jeremy Renner plays Staff Sergeant William James who is a compulsive risk taker, but extraordinarily skilled and what he does. Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty add believability and diversity to Bravo Company, the squad of bomb technicians who are in the final few weeks of their tour of duty. Few would quibble with the old adage, "War is Hell," but you might get some disagreement with "War is a drug." Many soldiers can’t wait for their tour of duty to end. Some, like Staff Sergeant James, get hooked on the constant adrenaline rush of danger. The psyche is complex and Bigelow explores this with deft mastery. Barbara and I agree that this is one of the best films of the year. GRADE A

This is not just a good movie. It is an important movie. As a retired teacher, I would like to make it required viewing. But if memory serves, making reading or viewing required is often counter-productive. I must face the reality that most of our readers will not have an opportunity to see this brilliant documentary in a theater and very few will take the time to rent it. After all, who would go out of their way to see an enlightening and at times infuriating exposé of our nation’s food industry? Why should we care that a few increasingly powerful corporations put profits ahead of consumer health and the safety of workers? It could be uncomfortable seeing a bright-eyed two-year-old playing in the surf only to learn that twelve days later he was dead after eating burgers contaminated with E. coli. And then to learn that staggering sums are being spent trying to prevent any attempts to enforce sanitation and safety standards. These few comments don’t begin to cover the depth or breadth of this important film. Barbara and I both feel that going the extra mile to see Food, Inc. will not only make you and your family healthier, but make the world a little better place in which to live. GRADE A

A devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved finds work as a "Nokanski," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. That is a one sentence summary, but it doesn’t begin to describe the beautiful Japanese film that won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar last year. Daigo is at first appalled when he discovers that the classified ad he answered, which offered a job in "Departures," wasn’t the travel agency job he expected. To join him on his journey of discovery and to watch him become a gentle gatekeeper between life and death is an experience we will not soon forget. One of our readers called this an exquisite film. The audience with us in the theatre must have been similarly impressed, because no one moved though out the entire closing credits. And they were in Japanese. If this remarkable film comes to a theatre in your town, we urge you to see it. GRADE A