Shutter Island

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: February 19, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: Two U.S. marshals go to Shutter Island, a facility that houses the criminally insane, to investigate a missing patient.

Review: Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) are assigned to a case involving a missing woman who is believed to have escaped the mental ward. Dr. Crawley (Ben Kingsley) is the liaison at the island and tries to help them by giving them access to the buildings, grounds and patients. The facility is heavily guarded by armed officers as only the extremely violent or crazy people get sent to the island. The film uses dreams, hallucinations and visions to jump between the past and the present, creating doubt in the audience's mind as to what is real and what isn't. There have been movies like this in the past, but I think this one was carried out very well. While the twist is nothing new and almost too easy to figure out, I still felt that the film was able to take you on a ride. I wish that Ruffalo had a bigger, better part. However, he probably did the best that he could do with what he was given. All the juicy parts were given to DiCaprio, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was nominated for some awards. Also in this film are Max von Sydow, Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas.

Watch It: For a throwback to film noir that keeps you at the edge of your seat.

Skip It: If an intense Leo is a turn off. He's pretty much the focus of the show and you can't escape him or his frown lines.