Reel Reviews -- J

Jabberwocky (+) -- Probably one of the weirdest movies ever made. One of Terry Gilliam's early directorial efforts; it bares a familial resemblance to the earlier Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Darker and stranger than its older cousin, it's an oddly wry story punctuated by occasional moments of hilarity. Posted 6/15/02.

Jackie Brown (+) -- In many ways, a typically Tarantino movie. The crime, the oddballs, the hip dialogue--it's all there. Yet, it's also a quieter, almost softer movie than Q's other works. But don't worry--people still get shot. Oh, yeah, and the soundtrack is the bomb. Posted 7/30/05.

Jacob The Liar (+) -- Funny and sad at the same time; plenty of gallows humor to be found in the WWII Warsaw ghetto setting. Robin Williams does good work as Jacob, a lowly Jew who became the unlikely source of hope for those trapped in the Nazi nightmare. An unfairly overlooked movie.


James And The Giant Peach (+) -- Excellent animated adaption of one of Roald Dahl's best children's books. Required viewing for you family types.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home (+) -- A film that succeeds despite itself. Watching the early scenes, most viewers will probably feel a lot of skepticism about what they’re seeing; the characters are a little too broadly drawn, there's a very self-conscious ‘indie film’ feel to the proceedings, and the dreaded ‘shaky-cam’ look holds sway too much of the time. But eventually, some exceptional storytelling shines through and builds the film up to its climax, where it ultimately becomes a richly satisfying viewing experience. Posted 4/27/14.

Jersey Girl (+) -- If you can steer yourself past a couple of gigantic logical flaws in the plot, you will be rewarded with a sweet, charming, emotionally true movie. Ignore the flaws, enjoy the flick. As simple as that. Posted 12/9/08.

Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius (--) -- Weird, strangely flat, and uninspired kids' movie. The animation is fine, although the oddness of the characters' appearances is off-putting. But, except for a few decent wisecracks and visual puns, there's little in the way of wit and amusement here. At least there were no horrible product placements. You can let the kids watch, and it won't hurt them, but I can't imagine them being truly entertained. If they are, the future is in big trouble. Posted 9/12/04.

Johnny Stecchino (+) -- Frequently hilarious Roberto Benigni flick. Unlike the more serious Life Is Beautiful, this one's pure slapstick fun. Enjoy!

John Q (~) -- So watching Denzel do his thing for two hours is generally a good way to pass the time, and you're not being particularly cheated here. But even I--a most virulent enemy of the health business--found some of the polemicizing in this flick to be ham-handed and poorly wrought. It's not so bad, but it probably could have been better. Posted 5/20/03.

Joy Ride (+) -- Talk about bumming a ride. At last, after what has seemed like an eternity, someone has made a good suspense thriller: clever, artfully done, and without any huge gaping holes in the plot (outside of the standard outlandish indestructibility of the villain). Put all that together with an earnest, hard-working cast and you have a very good movie. Posted 3/28/04.

Judgment At Nuremberg (+) -- An interesting, at times riveting drama, one that wisely chose to show a trial of lesser Nazi defendants than any of the big fish--a choice that brings the heart-of-the-matter issues (the responsibilities of society at large vs. the force of so-called leaders) front and center. That choice also injects some uncertainty into a courtroom drama that could otherwise be viewed as a "slam dunk" foregone conclusion. Along with serving as an important historical document, the film also entertains, thanks to excellent performances by a superb cast. Powerful stuff. Posted 4/21/07.

Junebug (~) -- An odd tale of culture clash (big city art scene type vs. small town Southerner) that almost but not quite pulls off its carefully balanced storytelling. There's enough sincerity and humor to hold things together through most of the running time, but much of its quirky charm is undone by the last reel, when an otherwise sprightly story turns into a big drag. A nice try, but feel free to let this one slip through the cracks. Posted 3/5/07.