I is for Deceiving, F@#king, Wilderness

It's taken me so long to return to my alphabet movie reviews that I barely remember a lot of the movies; however, the few that I've chosen to talk about have resonated with me for many years. The first is the true story of the scientist who revealed the lies and deception of the tobacco industry. His decision to talk to Mike Wallace and 60 Minutes nearly destroys everything he loves. Russell Crowe shows Jeffrey Wigand's turmoil perfectly through silent suffering. Without a word, Crowe draws the audience into the man's anxiety. In my opinion, this performance was much more deserving of an Academy award than his role in Gladiator. Along with stellar offerings from Al Pacino and Christopher Plummer, Michael Mann brings one of the most important news stories of the late 20th century to the big screen. If you know nothing about this tragic tale, this is a must see.

Aaahh Bruges. Ray hates Bruges and he has no reservations using his favorite expletive to remind the audience of this fact. In fact, this film has so many cuss words that I have to tell my mother, 'I'm warning you now.' For everyone else, this is a fun buddy film. Colin Farrell (Ray) and Brendan Gleeson (Ken) are awaiting orders from their boss, Ralph Fiennes (Harry). Despite Ken's valiant efforts, Ray is resolved to have an absolutely horrible time. On the other hand, Ken falls in love with Bruges. And so did I. Although it is available to stream on Netflix, I highly recommend getting the DVD. Along with a hilarious gag reel, there is an extra that allows you to go on a video tour of Bruges via it's canal system, revealing why it's known as "the Venice of the North." You'd have to be as uptight as Ray not to love the city. But you may find yourself falling in love with Ray, Ken, and even Harry. This film is flat-out f@#king FUN!

This film is based upon the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who sets out after graduating college to live in the wilds of Alaska. The story comes from the book of the same name by Jon Krakauer. I tried to read the book; however, I found that Krakauer enjoys putting himself in the center of the story. I wanted to know about McCandless' own journey. When I heard that this film was coming out and that Sean Penn had directed it, I had high hopes. I was not disappointed. This movie tells Chris' story thoroughly and beautifully. The cinematography was stunning. The acting was solid. And the soundtrack by Eddie Vedder was wonderful. Both inspiring and tragic, McCandless' life is celebrated in well-earned grandeur on the big screen.

I was pleasantly surprised at how many 'I' movies I had given at least 4 stars. Along with these three, there is Inside Man, an action-packed bank heist with an all-star cast. It is, by far, my favorite Spike Lee joint. In America tells of an Irish family who immigrates to America to try to put their lives together after a tragedy. Il Postino is a beautiful love story between a woman and a postman who woos her with poetry. And Iron Giant is an animated family film about a boy and his enormous robot friend. I could go on, but I think I've given enough homework for now. Enjoy!