Reviews

After watching such films as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Patton;" I have come to appreciate war films. For this reason, I decided to see the latest war film, "Enemy At The Gates."

"Enemy At The Gates" may be one of the best war films I have seen since "Saving Private Ryan" because it is executed perfectly. With incredible performances, script and the impact I felt; "Enemy At The Gates" sets the tone as the first great war film of the 22nd century. This film can be served as the appetizer to the main course coming out soon, "Pearl Harbor."

Jude Law, Joseph Feinnes, Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris and Bob Hoskins come together to re-visit the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. The best thing about seeing each one of the actors perform was they all gave 100 percent effort to make the film as real as possible; they did an excellent job. Fiennes, Weisz and Hoskins were the icing to a cake that was delicious from the start.

The highlights of "Enemy At The Gates" always came when Law and Harris were on screen because they played excellent psychological mind games with one another to win; furthermore, it was like watching master chess players playing for the grand prize. It was also enjoyable to see the strategies and tactics each would use to out-maneuver the other.

"Enemy At The Gates" drew me with its many action sequences similar to those in "Saving Priate Ryan." Also, the love triangle between the three main leads was interesting to watch and see how it would unfold. I felt like I was in the movie because the writer did an excellent job at making me feel exactly what they felt and experience what they were going through.

There is no rule that states dialogue is needed for a successful film. While "Enemy At The Gates" has dialogue, the scenes that have none stand out in my mind the most because we see close-ups of both snipers and the expressions on their faces. This is incredible to me because the intensity shown on their faces speaks volumes about what the movie is really about.

This may not be the best war film ever made but with two of the brightest young stars on the rise, an actress that is here to stay and a veteran that continues to turn in knock-out performances, "Enemy At The Gates" will be remembered for a long time.

With a combination of charm, wit, humor and romance; "Down To Earth" has ascended to be one of the funniest films I've seen in 2001. This marks the second Chris Rock movie I have seen and I must say I was impressed with his comedic and acting ability because he kept me laughing throughout the film. It is a true pleasure to take a break from the violent action films and watch a light-hearted comedy meant to entertain.

"Down To Earth" is a very exciting film to watch because Chris Rock's comedy is funny and unpredictable. One the coolest parts of this film was Rock's performance because he knew when to turn off the comedy in the more serious scenes. Furthermore, Rock seemed to fit the part perfectly because his performance looked to pulled off with little effort. This is Chris Rock's breakthrough performance because it proves he is an actor to be reckoned with and not just a one-hit wonder.

The intelligence and creativity of the writing was excellent because it was unique and interesting to see how the script would play out on screen. I was also impressed with the element of the dream Rock's character had about performing at the Apollo. It is a true pleasure and welcomed change to see a legitimate underlying plot that made sense rather than one put in to add extra minutes to the movie.

The supporting cast of King, Addy, Levy and Palminteri play a huge role in the success of "Down To Earth" because each bring their own exciting personas to the screen. All of these actors come from different genres of film, which makes for an interesting mix of characters.

I was extremely impressed with the way each related to one another; furthermore, as with Rock, they seemed to be right at home in their roles because it was pulled off with ease. It is not often that we find a cast who come together from different genres to produce such an exciting and hilarious film.

"Down To Earth" is the best comedy of the year because it combines fresh and original jokes with touching and charming scenes lacking in the other 2001 comedies. Chris Rock is a tremendous comedic talent that knows how to use it to his advantage; furthermore, it is a true pleasure to watch him.

Everything about "Down To Earth" made me smile because it is a truly touching film that isn't holding anything back. Chris Rock rules the screen with his comedy and the writing is out of this world. I wish I could have been part of this film.

I can't wait to see Rock's next film because I know he will pull another great comedic performance out of his hat. His comedy, charm and wit made this film worthwhile and deserves all the praise it has received. I give "Down To Earth" a directed verdict of guilty of being the funniest film of the year.