Well, it's Oscar time, and once again I'm taking a huge hit in the wallet. The nominations have been announced and, as has been the trend, darn few of these movies will be out on DVD before the Feb. 24 awards ceremony - possibly because this is the earliest ceremony in 20 years.   'AWAY FROM HER' - Julie Christie has been nominated for a best actress Oscar for her work in the touching drama 'Away ... [full story]

NEW RELEASES UNTRACEABLE - It opens with the torture and slow death of a kitten, which neatly captures the spirit and tone of the execrable, excruciating "Untraceable." Yet another serial killer is on the loose. The worst kind, at that: A fiendish computer wunderkind whose machinations send police and FBI agents scurrying to their terminals, where we endure scene after scene   'UNTRACEABLE' - Diane Lane stars in the thriller 'Untraceable.' CNS Photo courtesy of John ... [full story]

It opens with the torture and slow death of a kitten, which neatly captures the spirit and tone of the execrable, excruciating "Untraceable." Yet another serial killer is on the loose. The worst kind, at that: A fiendish computer wunderkind whose machinations send police and FBI agents scurrying to their terminals, where we endure scene after scene of fingers tapping on keys. I ask you, what kind of society produces monsters like these? Or, more ... [full story]

Almost? Almost. Almost! No other rock concert film, past or present, will inspire viewers to repeatedly think "almost" as much as "U2 3D," which opens Wednesday at a lone area theater and is billed as the first live action, real-time, digital 3-D film ever.   'U2 3D' - Watching U2 perform in 3-D on an IMAX screen, in 5.2 Surround Sound, is an eye- and ear-popping experience. CNS Photo courtesy of 3ality Digital.  RATINGS 4 STARS - ... [full story]

NEW RELEASES CASSANDRA'S DREAM - Getting out of New York has been rejuvenating for Woody Allen, who turned 72 last month. Mr. New York Movies had been filming too many trite, papery footnotes to his career; then, working in Britain toned him up. There was the crafty "Match Point" (2005), the   'CASSANDRA'S DREAM' - More garnishing than substance in the drama 'Cassandra's Dream,' cute dating couples (from left) Sally Hawkins and Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell ... [full story]

What is it with Diane Keaton? She just turned 62, has the facial lines to show it and is even willing to dress badly, but her comic timing hasn't lost a nip of zip and she can still beam one of the great smiles of movie history.   'MAD MONEY' - Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah and Diane Keaton (from left) star in the comedy 'Mad Money.' CNS Photo courtesy of Melissa Moseley.  RATINGS 4 STARS - Excellent. ... [full story]

"27 Dresses" only seems like a lobotomy. In fact, this is public surgery to install a new vacuum tube for airheads into the generic chick flick, model 2008.   '27 DRESSES' - Newspaper reporter Kevin (James Marsden) offers a helping hand to fallen bridesmaid Jane (Katherine Heigl) in the romance film '27 Dresses.' CNS Photo courtesy of Barry Wetcher.  RATINGS 4 STARS - Excellent. 3 STARS - Worthy. 2 STARS - Mixed. 1 STAR - Poor. 0 ... [full story]

You've always wanted to be a Hollywood player. Admit it. Here's your big chance to help finance an upcoming documentary. (And like all slick Hollywood players, the money won't even be coming out of your pocket!) All you have to do is download the documentary "10 MPH." For free. And when you do, each time that you do, the folks behind the Web site www.ourstage.com/go/10mph will hand over a crisp $1 to filmmakers Josh Caldwell ... [full story]

Getting out of New York has been rejuvenating for Woody Allen, who turned 72 last month. Mr. New York Movies (he still inches Scorsese out of the title) had been filming too many trite, papery footnotes to his career; then, working in Britain toned him up.   'CASSANDRA'S DREAM' - Talk over drinks leads to murky waters for plotters (from left) Tom Wilkinson, Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell in the thriller 'Cassandra's Dream.' CNS Photo courtesy ... [full story]

Like some surfer movies of recent vintage, "Steep" is buzzy in a jock way but also quaintly solemn, as if saluting the final conquistadors.   'STEEP' - Chris Davenport leads the hard climb up before the downward ski thills that really count in the documentary film 'Steep.' CNS Photo courtesy of Nigel Beildeman.  RATINGS 4 STARS - Excellent. 3 STARS - Worthy. 2 STARS - Mixed. 1 STAR - Poor. 0 - Forget It (a dog.)  And, why ... [full story]

The Islamic Republic of Iran can seem as reductively bad as a living cartoon of a nightmare. But view the best Iranian films, often complex and subversive of the regime, and you discern what life teems behind beards and veils.   'PERSEPOLIS' - A friend of Marjane Satrapi flashes her love of the very non-Islamic group ABBA in the cartoon of Iranian travail, 'Persepolis.' CNS Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.  RATINGS 4 STARS - Excellent. 3 ... [full story]

NEW RELEASES THERE WILL BE BLOOD - If the genius actor Daniel Day-Lewis didn't actually dig up John Huston (1906-87) for his stunningly dominating role in "There Will Be Blood," he must have tapped some psychic channel. As Daniel Plainview, whose pastoral name cannot hide a gnarly interior, the actor is often quite close to Huston's vocal timbre, mannerisms and slightly sinister courtliness. And yet, with fresh force, Day-Lewis is drilling in depth. Daniel   'THERE ... [full story]

A two-character event, "The Bucket List" has two reasons to be seen: Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Please don't say you know the drill, you know what these guys do and it's all been there, done that. Both men are 70 (Nicholson is 40 days older) and we may not get a large number of chances to enjoy them freshly again. And as jackpot talents, they do deliver.   'THE BUCKET LIST' - Jack Nicholson, left, ... [full story]