The Bucket List

Three cheers for sentiment.

Yes, it's a sentimental journey, a fairytale ... but loaded with insights, great scripting and fine, fine acting - Freeman and Nicholson are clearly enjoying one another, and they're at the top of their game.

The film takes seriously end-of-life issues (personal and family), but does so comedically, a feat hard to accomplish, so hats of to Rob Reiner for pulling it off - surely a testimony to his directorial skill.

I was surprised, as well, with the consummate skill by which the questions and practices of faith were handled - in Morgan Freeman's character and family - so matter-of-factly. Surely one of the best portrayals of faith I've seen in a major film, and a tribute to Justin Zackham, the writer as well as executive producer.

Panned by critics, I was expecting schlock ... instead, I saw a parable - "There once was two men, one rich and the other poor. They got sick, really sick, and ended up in the same hospital room."

It's a terrific film definitely worth seeing.

Gone Baby Gone

A terrible title that delayed my seeing this incredibly fine film. In spite of being a book title, the very idea of the film was more than I wanted to see, but my son said, "Let's go" and we did.

And I'm glad I did.

A profound story that raises so many questions in the end.

When it right to do wrong?

Who knows what's right or wrong?

Does love ever trump the law?

Can one be legally right and morally wrong?

With so many twists and turns, I was wondering if we would come to any conclusion.

Well, the director, Ben Affleck, put it all together.

Brilliant performances by all - Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman are their usual awesome, and a great performance by Casey Affleck.